Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping North American League: USA’s Kent Farrington speeds to victory on Voyeur at Kentucky

By Esther Hahn

The United States’ Kent Farrington and Voyeur used their long-term partnership to produce the fastest round in a 13-rider jump off, winning the $250,000 Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping North American League qualifier at the CSI4* CP National Horse Show. Already with a victory in a grand prix class earlier in the week, on a different horse Willow (Guidam x Little Rock), Farrington proved his close knowledge of his two mounts could deliver the fastest clears in competitive company.

“I know those horses really well and that’s my advantage this week,” Farrington said. “I brought two really experienced, qualified horses to compete and both went great. Both are owned by the Nusz family, and I’m really grateful to have horses of that caliber.”

For the North American League qualifier, Farrington chose the 13-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding (Tolano van't Riethof x Goodwill) that he described as having a hot character, and which allowed Farrington to ride extremely tight turns to the jump-off design’s double combination and large oxer.

“The horse is very hot to ride,” Farrington said. “Physically, he’s very strong, and it’s taken a long time to get him rideable. And for him to add strides in an indoor ring, it’s due to his experience. It’s taken me a while to get him there.”

“I think the ring here is actually quite big so it gives course designers freedom to make what they want to build,” he continued. “I actually thought the time allowed [in the first round] was pretty generous. If it were a shorter time allowed, it could have been a different outcome.”

Course designer Guilherme Jorge (BRA) also noted that the time allowed played a factor in the outcome of the class.

“This is a fantastic venue and it’s a great group of riders and horses, and of course we want to start a little easier and make it tougher throughout the week,” Jorge said. “But it looks like the riders had the same kind of idea as I did because they kept jumping better and better. In this level, it’s a very fine line and I think the riders today jumped it great and that’s the reason why we had 13 clears in the jump off.”

An American product

With the Maclay Final, an American junior equitation division sharing the spotlight with the North American league qualifier on the final day of competition, Farrington had the opportunity to reflect on his own experiences coming through the riding ranks in the country.

“I think that today, I’m a product of a lot of different systems,” Farrington said. “Early on in my career, I did some equitation riding and the Finals. But even more than the riding, it was the experience of the pressure that was even more important at those events than anything else. You build up to a Final and then you build on a round and deliver it on a specific day,” he said. “There were only so many shots at it. I think all of that experience is the most beneficial thing. Of course, at the lower level, it was about building the fundamentals and the basics of learning how to ride, but the most important thing was just learning to deal with pressure and big shows and how to handle those situations.”

The ability to handle the pressure to deliver a step-perfect round played a factor in Farrington’s win, in addition to riding later in the order of go.

“Both [Laura Kraut and I] had a later draw so there were a lot in it but we got to watch the first couple - we actually watched them together,” Farrington said. “It really comes down to what plan is going to suit your horse at that time. The first line was seven strides to the wall, and I think we both did the same. And then it was really what suited your horse, how tight you could roll back to the vertical and how fast you could go to the double and the last fence. Today I was on a much more experienced horse than Laura and that was probably my advantage.”

It’s still too early in the season for Farrington to decide on a specific horse to qualify and take to the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final in Gothenburg (SWE) in April. Next on Farrington’s schedule is to fly to California to campaign a different string of horses, with a possible West Coast qualifier appearance in Las Vegas.

“I’m sort of shuffling around with different horses,” said Farrington. “I have really good owners behind my career, so I’m lucky I can map out a schedule where I’m showing horses in a few places.”

Modern-day jumper

Farrington and runner-up Laura Kraut (USA), who also earned the title of Leading Lady Rider at the show, credited their horses with the ability to perform in a variety of settings, including large, outdoor tracks and indoor arenas.

“I think that’s today’s modern show jumper,” Farrington said. “He’s a really versatile horse that’s rideable and fast and scopey and careful. That’s overall what most of the experienced horses are in this sport. They can usually do both. I think he’s better outside than indoors, but this indoor is quite big so that’s why I thought it would quite suit him to bring him here.”

“[Voyeur’s] pretty wild actually,” he added, when asked about what his horse was like in the barn. “Laura and I were joking around about what we consider a normal horse and what everyone else considers a normal horse. We’re both known for riding sort of erratic or special horses. He’s very fresh, so you usually have to be a little bit awake when you’re riding him because he can spin very quickly and he can spook at a lot of things. He’s a handful but I think most of the good ones are.”

Kraut picked up the ride on Deauville S (Diamant de Semilly x Lux) when her partner and British Jumping professional Nick Skelton did not match well with the Holsteiner gelding.

“Deauville actually came from Germany and the owner sent him for Nick to ride,” Kraut said. “So Nick started jumping him in Wellington this winter and about halfway through he didn’t have the right temperament for him. He said, ‘Why don’t you get on him and show him.’ So I jumped him in a 1.45-meter class and won the first class I rode him in, and he said, ‘Well, that’s it, I’m never riding him again.’ So that’s how I got him. I might add that my clients were wonderful in that they went ahead and purchased him for me and I’m so thankful for that.”

Much of Kraut’s strategy with Deauville comes from her experience with a Thoroughbred that she rode in the past.

“I’ve had some really special horses,” Kraut said. “I rode a Thoroughbred horse years and years ago called Simba Run, and [Deauville’s] as close to Simba as I’ve had since then. In the warm up, he’s really special. Again, I’ve learned he likes to just stop and stand. And if I just let him stand, you can then make him go to a fence and he’ll jump it then he likes to stand. As long as you don’t make him keep going, going, going, then he seems fine with that. In the stable, he’s a puppy, he’s very sweet and really a kind horse.”

Results

1. Voyeur (Kent Farrington), USA, 0 faults/33.19 seconds (JO);

2. Deauville S (Laura Kraut), USA, 0/34.05 (JO);

3. H&M Challenge vd Begijnakker (Olivier Philippaerts), BEL, 0/34.07 (JO);

4. Breitling LS (Beezie Madden), USA, 0/34.26 (JO);

5. Emilie de Diamant A S (Hardin Towell), USA, 0/34.32 (JO);

6. Sunshine (Jos Verlooy), BEL, 0/34.36 (JO);

7. Viva Colombia (Conor Swail), IRL, 0/34.76 (JO);

8. HH Azur (McLain Ward), USA, 0/35.40 (JO).

Full results: http://bit.ly/1ixpLEL

Facts and Figures

The Lexington stop of the North American League is the richest on the East Coast.

Thirteen horses went clear in the first round, and eleven finished double clear in the jump-off.

The course designer was Guilherme Jorge (BRA).

The first round was contested over 13 obstacles with 16 jumping efforts. The jump-off round had seven obstacles with eight efforts. The maximum height was set at 1.60 meters.

Nine nations were represented in the class: Belgium (4 riders), Columbia (2 riders), Ireland (2 riders), Japan (1 rider), the Netherlands (1 rider), New Zealand (1 rider), Russia (1 rider), United States (22 riders) and Venezuela (1 rider).

Quotes

Mason Phelps, President of the CP National Horse Show (USA): “We’re thrilled to be one of the stops of the North American League,” said Mason Phelps, President of the CP National Horse Show. “I thought today’s jumping was excellent, and the jump off very much engaged the crowd. It was a very good afternoon. Longines is a terrific sponsor to have for the World Cup tour, and we’re thrilled to be a part of it.”

“Certainly partnering with Longines for this World Cup qualifier was a big plus for us, and working with the Longines team and the organising committee was great. I think we have a great partnership and I look forward to a big future. And of course, our partnership with Canadian Pacific. Their sponsorship created the funds [to make the World Cup qualifier] a $250,000 class.”

Guilherme Jorge (BRA): “I thought the course today was big enough, but obviously not that big because they jumped really well. It’s a fantastic arena that when you come to indoors. It’s big and the footing’s fantastic, there’s a lot of room, riders can ride it as though it’s an outdoor ring. I had a grand prix last month and I had the time allowed maybe one second too short and I had three riders less than I wanted. Today, if I had the time one second shorter, I would have had the number I was expecting between eight and nine riders. I think the class today, if I had to go back and see I could have made the time a little shorter.”

Kent Farrington (USA): “I thought the prize money was very good here for a North American World Cup show. The Friday class was $130,000 and the grand prix today was $250,000, so I brought two horses that I thought would be very competitive. I brought my best horses for the grand prix and they both performed up to expectations so I couldn’t ask for more.”

“I expected a few clear. I think the group of riders here is quite strong. I think there were some very good horses jumping in the class. I thought it was really going to depend on the time allowed. When the first couple went and they were close to the time, I know that didn’t leave much room to move the time at that point so then I thought okay, there’s going to be quite a few clear, it’s going to be a fast jump-off today.”

Laura Kraut (USA): “It was a great week. Kentucky Horse Park is fantastic. I think not only for the jumping in the ring but the warm up is really nice and then the stabling, it’s all around a great place to be so that’s nice for us. I’m really happy with my horse. I brought this horse, which is a nine-year-old, and then I brought a young eight-year-old just for the experience. He also placed in every class and jumped really well. But this horse I’m particularly excited about, Deauville. I’ve had him since March and he’s really coming along. He won a big grand prix in St. Moritz then he was second in a World Cup qualifier in New York and now second again so I’m thrilled.”

“I was lucky that I actually went after Kent, and I had the advantage of at least being able to see him go, which was helpful. And I tried to stay on with what he had done but I couldn’t get the momentum to the last fence, I knew I was close enough I thought I’d be maybe second or third so I played it a little safe going to the last.”

“Right now, I will go [to World Cup Final] if I qualify but I don’t know which horses yet. So far, it would be Deauville since he’s the only one I’ve jumped in a qualifier, but I’d like the opportunity to jump Nouvelle in a couple and decide how I’m looking toward the Olympics and all of that will weigh in on how all of that will work out.”

About CP National Horse Show

The CP National Horse Show is a week-long championship event featuring the $250,000 Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Lexington, presented by CP, "AA"-rated hunters, open jumpers, junior/amateur jumpers, and the ASPCA/NHSAA Maclay Championship Finals. The event took place in the Alltech Arena at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky, site of the FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2010.

Official fan site - www.feiworldcup.com/NAL
 
The FEI has developed an official fan microsite for the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping North American League, enabling fans to find all the latest information for this brand new series under one digital umbrella.

Fans can keep close tabs on the athletes competing in this exciting series as they do their utmost to qualify for the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final in Gothenburg, Sweden, on 23-26 March 2016.

Tickets can be purchased through the fan site, with event-specific information uploaded regularly by the organisers of the events in this series for fan enjoyment.
 

Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping North American League

A total of 14 athletes from the new North American League will qualify for the prestigious Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final.

The top seven athletes from the East Coast US, top three from West Coast US and the two best-placed athletes from Canada and Mexico will qualify for the Final, alongside winners of the 13 other leagues from around the world.

The North American League boasts a minimum of US $2.4 million prize money across the series, and offers the best Jumping athletes from North America and around the world the chance to qualify for the jackpot of more than US $1.4 million (€1.3 million) on offer annually at the Final.

The new league was launched by Beezie Madden, the most decorated US female equestrian athlete of all time, American Gold Cup winner and FEI Solidarity Ambassador Jessica Springsteen, and Hannah Selleck, team and individual gold medalist at young rider level and one of the sport’s up-and-coming stars. Full launch release here: https://goo.gl/kCIsyW

Notes to Editors

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Calendar - Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping North American League

East Coast

Bromont, QC (CAN) 09.08.2015 2.30pm ET

New York, North Salem (USA) 13.09.2015 2.00pm ET

Washington, DC (USA) 24.10.2015 9.00pm ET

Lexington, KY (USA) 01.11.2015 2.00pm ET

Toronto, ON (CAN) 11.11.2015 9.15pm ET

Wellington, FL (USA) 07.02.2016 12.00pm ET

Ocala, FL (USA) 27.02.2016 1.00pm ET

West Coast

Langley, BC (CAN) 16.08.2015 2.00pm PT

Rancho Murieta, CA (USA) 26.09.2015 7.00pm PT

Del Mar, CA (USA) 17.10.2015 7.00pm PT

Calgary, AB (CAN) 31.10.2015 7.30pm MT

Las Vegas, NV (USA) 14.11.2015 8.00pm PT

Valle de Bravo (MEX) 23.01.2016 2.00pm CDT

Thermal, CA (USA) 13.02.2016 6.00 PT

About Longines

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About Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) www.fei.org

The FEI is the world governing body for horse sport recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and was founded in 1921. The FEI is the sole controlling authority for all international events in the Olympic sports of Jumping, Dressage and Eventing, as well as Driving, Endurance, Vaulting and Reining. The FEI became one of the first international sports governing bodies to govern and regulate global para sport alongside its seven able-bodied disciplines when Para-Equestrian Dressage joined its ranks in 2006. The FEI governs all international competitions for Para-Equestrian Dressage and Para-Driving.