Kent Farrington and Toulayna Go First, Fastest

Kent Farrington (USA) logged his second World Cup victory of the 2024/25 season Saturday night at Desert International Horse Park (USA), riding to the top of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Thermal.

After winning the season’s opening leg in Traverse City (USA) with Greya, Farrington asserted himself at the top of the NAL standings with Toulayna, an 11-year-old Zangersheide mare whom he’s developed more more than four years. The manner in which the pair secured victory was especially impressive, jumping first in a seven-horse jump-off field and holding all the way through.

The winning time was 32.33 seconds—a mark more than two seconds faster than any other jump-off competitor, regardless of score. Jos Verlooy (BEL) finished second as the only other athlete to execute a double-clear performance on the day with FTS Killossery Konfusion (35.37 seconds). McKayla Langmeier (USA) finished third with Mimosa vd Rollebeek, knocking the penultimate vertical but coming home fastest of the jump-off’s four-faulters (4/34.31). (Top Canadian was Erynn Ballard riding Gakhir, 12th.)

Scroll to continue with content

“When you know a horse well, whether you go first or in the middle, often makes no difference. If you have fast riders coming after you, it also doesn’t make a difference. Sometimes [going first] can work in your favor, in that you don’t then change your mind, and you stick to your own plan. Luckily, that worked for me tonight,” said Farrington.

Farrington considers Toulayna to embody all the qualities of the quintessential modern show jumper, and he called on the mare’s footspeed and ability to size up the fences over Alan Wade’s (IRL) short track. He ultimately would dare his fellow competitors to catch them as they blazed a trail on course, jumping the fences quickly and at the most efficient angles.

“[Toulayna] is a naturally fast horse, which is a big advantage in our sport today,” Farrington shared. “If you naturally have a horse who already wants to be quick, then as a rider, it’s much easier to do less and just not interfere, which is more or less my job in riding her in a jump-off…I don’t know that it was a perfect jump-off, but it came off well.”

Verlooy certainly appreciated Farrington’s effort, and he realized early in his jump-off that he was behind the pace. At that point, he prioritized jumping clear, knowing it would still be good enough for runner-up honors.

“I knew [Farrington’s jump-off] would be difficult to beat, probably impossible,” Verlooy reflected. “I was just thinking about what I had to do to be first or second. [My horse] jumped amazing [over the first three jumps in the jump-off], so I kept going on my own plan, and my horse jumped his heart out again. I think I should be very happy with my second place tonight.”

For Langmeier, the evening marked a career milestone, giving her, her first World Cup podium placing. While the 24-year-old had a rail in the jump-off, she came closer than any other competitor to Farrington’s winning time.

“I decided to come out to the Desert Horse Park, because I wanted to start to get some points to maybe compete at World Cup Finals,” Langmeier said. “That was kind of on the goal list to do this year, but I have to see how the horses are doing and play off that.”

Farrington finished fourth at the 2024 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final in Riyadh (KSA) in April and approached the 2024/25 qualifying season with the aim of keeping his options open when it comes to pursuing a return to the championship, which will take place in Basel (SUI) in April. He now leads the North American League standings with 54 points.

“I’m interested in earning the points so that I have it as an option. If I feel in good enough form to contend to compete for the win, then I’ll go,” Farrington said. “If I don’t think I’m there, then I’ll skip it. I’ll let the horses tell me what I’m doing.”

Farrington has the same amount of NAL points as Daniel Bluman (ISR), but he broke the tie with his World Cup wins. Kristen Vanderveen (USA) sits third with 35 points.

The North American League next heads to Pubela (MEX) on 8 February 2025.

Results here.