Fresh off his win in the show jumping World Cup Final, world #2 Kent Farrington continued his winning ways by streaking home fastest in the jump-off with Descartes SR at the Kentucky International CSI5* $340,000 1.60m Grand Prix presented by Hagyard Equine Medical Institute part of the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by MARS Equestrian (K3DE), the penultimate stop on the Major League Show Jumping tour.
Mclain Ward and High Star Hero put in a strong performance to stop the clock in 40.42, but couldn’t quite catch Farrington’s time of 39.92. Shane Sweetnam of Ireland and James Kann Cruz chased them both, but his time of 40.71 was only good enough for third.
“I’m really excited about this horse,” Farrington said. “He’s just nine and this is his first five-star, and we started it the right way. He has an incredible stride like a racehorse and I know he can eat up the ground.”
In the first round, only seven pairs out of 42 starters finished double-clear over Guilherme Jorge’s course to move to the jump-off. The time proved challenging and rails were sprinkled liberally around the course, though the triple combination proved the most challenging.
Farrington came back first in the jump-off and set a blistering time that wouldn’t be topped through six additional rounds. Jessica Springsteen and the veteran Don Juan Van De Donkhoeve cantered in right after Farrington but came to grief with a stop at the second fence, and Springsteen elected to retire. Ward was in next and would come closest to the mark. Laura Kraut and Una Mariposa would also leave all the rails up but not quite hit the gas to come home in 42.39.
Richard Vogel of Germany and Iron Dames Abou-Chaker NRW would ultimately lower four fences, before Sweetnam would take a shot at Farrington’s time. The big grey jumped and galloped gamely but fell just short of the two Americans.
Farrington only started riding Descartes VR last year, and has been slow to compete him, with their first outing coming this winter, but his quality has always been apparent.
“I think it’s a very special horse — he’s been an exceptional talent since I started with him last year,” he said. “He was bred in Mexico, and I think he’s an unbelievable horse. He has so much power for a small horse and incredible stride that really covers the ground, but he still has the lofty jump to clear the fence.”
One of just two Canadians in the competition, Nicole Walker and Panter JVH had a single time penalty to place 11th. (Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event/MLSJ photo)
Ward was equally pleased with “Hero’s” performance especially since this is the first competition back for Ward after a crashing fall in Wellington left him sidelined. “I was thrilled with Hero, he jumped brilliant,” Ward said. “I’ve been out about seven weeks, and this is my first show back, mildly against doctors’ orders. But he’s a good friend, and he did his job.
“For sure I’m disappointed to lose, but to lose to who I consider best in the world right now, there’s some salvation in that,” he finished.
Sweetnam and James Kann Cruz are no strangers to the awards podium here in Kentucky, and he gives the grey gelding all the praise for their consistency.
“He’s a great horse and his results speak for himself,” Sweetnam said. “He’s been on a good run this year, he’s doing everything the right way and I’m just lucky to have him. He’s a brilliant jumper, and when you ask, ‘how do I keep the consistency?’ He does it. He wants to clear the jumps; he’s the key reason we’re consistent and I just try to do the right thing by him.”
Farrington was circumspect about his win but is excited for the future with Descartes. “I try and do what they’re capable of in that moment and what is my best round (for that horse at that time) and if I do that, then I’m happy. I thought my time tonight was catchable, so I feel lucky to have the win.
“But I could easily have been third and been just as happy with the horse,” he concluded.
(Top Canadian in this grand prix was Nicole Walker, 11th riding Panter JVH; full results here.)
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