Tag Archives: Kent Farrington

Jennifer Wood, Show Jumping, Spruce Meadows

Farrington Wins with One Time Fault in $210,000 Tourmaline Oil Cup at the ‘Masters’

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Kent Farrington of USA riding Uceko. Photos © Spruce Meadows Media Services.

Edwin Smits Tops $75,000 ATCO Electric ‘Circuit’ Six Bar

Calgary, AB, Canada – September 11, 2015 – An exciting evening of international show jumping took place complimented by equestrian exhibitions, live music and a dazzling display of fireworks during the Mercedes-Benz Evening of the Horse Friday night at the Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’ Tournament.

It was a packed house to watch many of the world’s best horses and riders compete in the evening’s events, which included the second win of the week for Kent Farrington (USA) and Uceko in the $210,000 Tourmaline Oil Cup 1.60m. The $75,000 ATCO Electric ‘Circuit’ Six Bar was held later with a victory for Edwin Smits (SUI) and Rouge Pierreville over four rounds of competition.

Watch highlights from Friday’s competition.

The ‘Masters’ Tournament features five days of competition through Sunday, September 13, with highlights including Saturday’s $300,000 BMO Nations’ Cup and Sunday’s $1.5 Million CP International, presented by Rolex. One of the most prestigious grand prix events in the world, the CP International is part of the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping, where Scott Brash (GBR) will attempt to become the first rider to ever take the Grand Slam title. Brash already made history by winning two consecutive legs of the challenge with victories at CHI Geneva in December followed by a second victory at CHIO Aachen a few months later. An unprecedented €1 million in bonus money is on offer to any rider who can win all three grand prix events in succession.

Venezuela’s Leopoldo Palacios set a difficult track for the horses and riders in Friday’s $210,000 Tourmaline Oil Cup. Out of 26 entries, no one was able to clear the course without fault. The win went to Kent Farrington and RCG Farm’s Uceko with one time fault in 80.66 seconds. Tiffany Foster (CAN) finished second with the fastest four-fault round riding Torrey Pines and Artisan Farms’ Victor in 78.31 seconds.

“The course was very big,” Farrington remarked on the lack of clear rounds. “That was as big as a 5* grand prix that we jump anywhere. I also think a lot of people did not have their top horses in there. The size of the course was quite big for the Friday class, but Uceko is a legitimate grand prix horse, so I think I had the right weapon today. It was a serious course with a very tight time allowed.”

Elizabeth Gingras (CAN) and Gingras Equestrian Ltd.’s Zilversprings placed third with four faults in 78.43 seconds. Scott Brash (GBR) also had one rail down with Hello Forever, owned by Lord and Lady Harry and Lady P Kirkham, to place fourth in a time of 78.52 seconds.

“I didn’t know if I was going to win because I never like to be that presumptuous, but when you look back at that course, Leopoldo would have been lucky to get one clear maybe. If there is a strong group of riders in there, somebody is going to pull it off usually. I was lucky to get away with it today; I was worried I was going to be crying all night with that time fault.”

With two wins for the week, Uceko will now have a well-deserved vacation. Farrington was thrilled with the horse’s performance and praised his mount, a 14-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding (Celano x Koriander).

“He is an exceptional horse and he really likes to jump on big grass fields, so I try to use him heavily in those venues,” Farrington detailed. “He is a horse that goes better when he is excited, so I try to keep him really fresh. I give him half the year off every year. He is better when he has a lot of energy, so the more atmosphere a place has, the better he goes. Where a big field or a large crowd intimidates a lot of horses, he usually goes better in that setting.”

Edwin Smits Makes a Dream Come True

Friday night at the ‘Masters’ featured the always-exciting $75,000 ATCO Electric ‘Circuit’ Six Bar competition in front of a fantastic crowd at Spruce Meadows. Thirteen entries started in round one and 11 continued on to round two. Six then qualified for the third round where only three were able to clear the obstacles. Robert Breul (FRA) and Arsouille du Seigneur opted not to continue on and took home the third place prize as Michael Whitaker (GBR) and Edwin Smits (SUI) battled it out in the fourth and final round. Whitaker jumped first aboard Emilie Machon and Michael Potter’s Valentin R, but dropped the top rail of the final fence, which was set at a staggering 1.95 meters. Smits and Rouge Pierreville followed with a perfect round to take victory.

Edwin Smits and Rouge Pierreville clear 1.95m
Edwin Smits and Rouge Pierreville clear 1.95m

After the prize giving ceremony and round of honor, Smits took in the magnitude of his first win at Spruce Meadows and gave praise to the iconic ‘Masters’ event.

“It is like a childhood dream come true,” he beamed. “I have never had the chance to compete at this level in a place like this. I have been here a few times as a spectator with my wife, who competed here at the Masters. Now finally in the autumn of my career, to come here and compete with the horses that I have, there are no words for what this is. The competition is amazing; all of the details, everything is perfect. We are guests here and we feel like kings. It is just amazing.”

Smits has only ridden Rouge Pierreville, a ten-year-old Selle Francais gelding (Ultimo van ter Moude x Narcos II) owned by Claire Franzoni and Daniel Desforges, for a few months. The rider explained that he saw the horse on video and immediately fell in love and asked to ride him for the owners. Despite the horse’s inexperience, he jumped flawlessly through each round Friday night and fed off the energy of the crowd as the fences got higher and higher.

“The key (to the six bar) is that you need a horse that does not want to touch the poles and wants to jump very big and very high,” Smits explained “This horse has so much scope. He is such a powerhouse. The first day here he was a little green, but he is really learning and I think this is a really big step in his career. I think he is going to go very high in this sport.”

“I think the crowd gives an extra energy to the horses as well,” Smits added. “As riders, it gives us an enormous boost, but for the horses also. They feel the adrenaline go up and they give you even more.”

In addition, Smits had help from show jumper Jessica Kürten Friday night. Kürten currently holds the record for the six bar at Spruce Meadows after clearing 2.12 meters and gave her friend some sound advice heading into the arena.

“She said to just go in and fight. Fight and jump it,” Smits declared with a smile.

With his six bar win, Smits has now qualified for Sunday’s $1.5 Million CP International, presented by Rolex. The qualification also takes some of the pressure off as the rider returns to compete for Switzerland in Saturday’s $300,000 BMO Nations’ Cup. His mount for each of the weekend’s major events will be Copain du Perchet CH, but Smits praised Rouge Pierreville for helping to make his dream of competing in the world’s greatest grand prix come true. The horse will now have a nice break before flying back to Europe.

The ‘Masters’ Tournament continues on Saturday featuring $125,000 Suncor Winning Round 1.50m followed by the $300,000 BMO Nations’ Cup, where eight teams will vie for winning honors. For a complete tournament schedule and full results, please visit www.sprucemeadows.com.

Lauren Fisher for Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.

Spruce Meadows Media Services
caroline.weilinger@sprucemeadows.com
403.974.4232
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Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.
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Competitions, Hunter/Equitation, Show Jumping, Spruce Meadows

Kent Farrington and McLain Ward Win on Opening Day at Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’ Tournament

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Kent Farrington of USA riding Uceko during the AKITA Drilling Cup at the Spruce Meadows Masters. Photos © Spruce Meadows Media Services.

Calgary, AB, Canada – September 9, 2015 – The 2015 Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’ Tournament CSIO 5* got underway on Wednesday celebrating 40 years of outstanding competition at one of the world’s most iconic venues. Top international horses and riders convened for opening day, which featured wins for Kent Farrington (USA) and Uceko in the $85,000 AKITA Drilling Cup 1.60m and McLain Ward (USA) aboard HH Carlos Z in the $35,000 TELUS Cup 1.50m.

Watch highlights from Wednesday’s competition at the Masters.

The ‘Masters’ Tournament features five days of competition through Sunday, September 13, with highlights including Saturday’s $300,000 BMO Nations’ Cup and Sunday’s $1.5 Million CP International, presented by Rolex. One of the most prestigious grand prix events in the world, the CP International is part of the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping, where Scott Brash (GBR) will attempt to become the first rider to ever take the Grand Slam title. Brash already made history by winning two consecutive legs of the challenge with victories at CHI Geneva in December followed by a second victory at CHIO Aachen a few months later. An unprecedented €1 million in bonus money is on offer to any rider who can win all three grand prix events in succession.

Venezuela’s Leopoldo Palacios is the course designer in Spruce Meadows’ famed International Ring for this week’s tournament. Palacios began competition on Wednesday with two fantastic events highlighted by a win for Kent Farrington and RCG Farm’s Uceko in the $85,000 AKITA Drilling Cup. Thirty-seven entries jumped in round one, with a star studded jump-off of 17 to follow and seven double clear rounds.

In the jump-off, Richard Spooner (USA) and Show Jumping Syndication Intl.’s Cristallo set the early pace in 39.81 seconds to eventually finish fourth. Kevin Staut (FRA) upped the pace with his round in 39.75 seconds to take home third place honors aboard Haras des Coudrettes’ Elky van het Indihof HDC. Farrington and Uceko soon stole the lead in an impressive 38.62 seconds to hold on for the win. Last to go, Roger Yves Bost (FRA) jumped into second place with a time of 38.99 seconds aboard Quod’Coeur de la Loge, owned by Equiblue et Bosty Jump.

Following his win, Farrington spoke of the exciting atmosphere and fantastic conditions starting off this year’s event.

“The level of competition here is always very high, particularly at the Masters,” Farrington stated. “These are the best riders in the world using their best horses, so there is no easy victory here. The conditions are fantastic. The field looks great and it is jumping great. That is nothing new here at Spruce Meadows. I think this is one of the best jumping fields in the world and today was as good as ever. My horse loves it here too, so that works out well for me. I always try to make a good schedule for him where he gets to compete a lot at Spruce Meadows.”

A 14-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding (Celano x Koriander), Uceko is very experienced and Farrington knows that the spacious field of the International Ring is one of his favorite venues.

“The course today was not super technical,” Farrington said of the competition. “I think it was bigger fences, but a simpler course to get everybody going here the first day. There were a lot of horses in the jump-off, so you knew that it was going to be very fast. Richard Spooner and Bosty – those are some of the fastest riders anyplace, so the jump-off was quite fast. My horse is also typically very fast on a field, so I think if you looked at those top four horses, you know that it was going to be very competitive today.”

Speaking of where he made the time, Farrington added, “I think it was probably throughout the whole course, not necessarily in one line. I think the top few horses all did the same number of strides in the last line. I was very fast to the double across the middle of the ring, and Uceko is very experienced here, so I can turn quite short to the fences. I think I turned really short back on the skinny vertical and also to the second fence.”

After winning the CSIO 5* grand prix at the Dublin Horse Show in August, Farrington is already pre-qualified for Sunday’s $1.5 Million CP International Grand Prix, presented by Rolex, but plans to compete his other top mount, Voyeur. The CP International is one of the only major events that Farrington has yet to win in his inspiring career, and the rider admits that it is definitely on his To-Do list.

“I think every rider in the world would love to win that competition here. The Masters in Calgary is very special. It is the biggest prize money that we jump for all year and the courses are always massive, so I think that is something that we would all like to have on our resume,” Farrington concluded.

Ward Wins on Opening Day

The $35,000 TELUS Cup 1.50m was the first competition held on Wednesday to kick things off at the Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’ Tournament. Course designer Leopoldo Palacios saw 53 starters, with 19 clear rounds and 17 entries that chose to return for the jump-off. McLain Ward (USA) and Double H Farm’s HH Carlos Z were the winners in a speedy time of 39.46 seconds over Eric Lamaze (CAN) and Artisan Farms LLC’s Fine Lady 5, who finished second in a time of 39.77.

Hardin Towell (USA) placed third aboard Jennifer Gates’ Lucifer V in 40.70 seconds, and Beezie Madden earned fourth place honors with a time of 40.96 riding Abigail Wexner’s Breitling LS.

McLain Ward of USA riding HH Carlos Z in the TELUS Cup
McLain Ward of USA riding HH Carlos Z in the TELUS Cup

HH Carlos Z has had an incredible season, including three CSI 5* wins during this year’s Summer Series at Spruce Meadows. The 13-year-old Zangersheide gelding (Chellano Z x Voltaire) then had a short break before returning to win a $100,000 Grand Prix in Saugerties, New York, at the beginning of August. He competed once more last week before making the trip back to Calgary.

“Carlos is always a little winning machine. I was really pleased with him; he handled it well,” Ward said of his opening victory. “He had a nice rest in August and feels fresh and ready to go. He loves this ring. He is a little, careful horse and you would think this ring would intimidate him, but he seems to really like it.”

To those who know Ward well, some may have noticed that the rider was not in his usual attire Wednesday. Ward flew to Calgary from Newark, New Jersey, and his luggage had yet to arrive in the morning. Thanks to Rodrigo Pessoa (BEL) and Ben Asselin (CAN), the rider was able to piece together an outfit for the day.

“The clothing was a bit of a problem,” Ward noted. “I am a little funny about my clothes; they are all pretty tailored. I was stressing a little bit this morning, but luckily a few riders lent me their wardrobes and I had my own boots, so everything went fine.”

It went more than just fine as HH Carlos Z sped through the course fault-free for the win. The little horse is always a professional, and he was game no matter what his rider was wearing.

Commenting on his jump-off round, Ward detailed, “I didn’t see Eric, but I know what he can do with that horse and I knew that he went into the lead. Carlos is just an incredibly fast horse and very careful. I thought jumps one, two, three and four were very fast. I actually made a bit of a mistake to jump number five in the jump-off. I added up late and it was not the right choice, but Carlos helped me out and the turn showed up good. Those rollbacks are always a little bit to chance on grass; the horses slip sometimes, but the ground held nicely for him. It was by a sliver, but we’ll take it.”

As the ‘Masters’ Tournament continues, Ward has his sights set on the $1.5 Million CP International Grand Prix, presented by Rolex, where he plants to compete young mount HH Azur. Ward is pre-qualified thanks to winning the individual gold medal in July’s Pan American Games and feels good heading into the weekend.

“I am always confident in my horses and my team behind me,” he stated. “We are aiming HH Azur to the grand prix. She had a nice schooling round today with some time faults, but she felt great. She will do one more competition before the big event. I have the luxury of being pre-qualified, which is a huge bonus. I believe she can win, but at the same time she is a nine-year-old horse and you have to have good perspective about that.”

The ‘Masters’ Tournament continues on Thursday featuring the $35,000 ATCO Structures & Logistics Cup 1.50m followed by the $126,000 CANA Cup 1.60m. For a complete tournament schedule and full results, please visit www.sprucemeadows.com.

Lauren Fisher for Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.

Spruce Meadows Media Services
caroline.weilinger@sprucemeadows.com
403.974.4232
sprucemeadows.com

Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.
info@jenniferwoodmedia.com
803.240.7488
jenniferwoodmedia.com

Show Jumping, USEF

Farrington Grabs Longines International Grand Prix of Ireland

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Kent Farrington (Laurence Dunne/Rockmountain Studios)

Dublin, Ireland – Kent Farrington (Wellington, Fla.) and R.C.G. Farms’ Uceko bested a field of 40 competitors for the big win today in the Longines International Grand Prix of Ireland at CSIO5* Dublin. Eight horses jumped clean in the first round of the demanding Alan Wade-designed course, promising an exciting jump-off between riders from Ireland, the United States, Italy, Brazil, and Spain.

Also clear for the U.S. was Nations Cup team member Lucy Davis (Los Angeles, Calif.) and her longtime partner Old Oak Farm’s Barron. Entering the ring second in the jump-off, Davis had an unlucky rail and a fast pace, earning her a sixth-place finish. Farrington was sixth in the jump-off order and flew around the course to stop the timers a full two seconds ahead of the second place finisher, Ireland’s Kevin Babington and Shorapur.

Farrington has had a stellar summer with Uceko, winning the Lafarge Cup at Spruce Meadows and a recent top finish in the Grand Prix de la Ville de Dinard in France. Today, the American speed specialist, who was second in this class last year, became just the eighth American rider in history to win the Grand Prix of Ireland.

From the USEF Communications Department

Competitions, Show Jumping

CSI5* of Dinard – Prix Hotel Royal Emeraude

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Kent Farrington / Willow (Pixel events)

For the first time since the beginning of this CSI5* of Dinard, the contenders in this Hotel Royal Emeraude class had to qualify for a jump off against the clock. The American Kent Farrington, famous for being one of the fastest riders in the world, clinches victory over the Belgian Gregory Wathelet for two hundredths of a second!

Out of the 38 pairs on the start list, only seven managed to clear the first round before confronting one more time over a course whose distance was reduced, but still highly technical. While Alexis Borrin, the only French chance in this final, decides to retire after a slight misunderstanding with Ruby de la Fosse, Bertram Allen (IRL), who celebrates his 20th birthday today itself, has one rail down, like the Italian Luca Maria Moneta, and the Mexican Jaime Azcarraga. Nicola Phillipaerts (BEL) is sanctioned for his audacity with three rails down, but his fellow citizen Gregory Wathelet, more fortunate, clinches the second place with a double clear round in a time of 38″41, with Riesling du Monselet. Kent Farrington, n°3 on the world ranking, shows one more time his talent and efficiency, and signs the fastest time with his 12 years old grey horse Willow. “It is my first time in Dinard. This is an amazing show – the site is magnificent; the crowd is very enthusiastic. The class was tough, only a few clear rounds, although all the riders here are among the best on the planet, and came with their best horses. Willow has been fantastic; I have been very lucky to win; it was very close!”

Results: here.

PRESS CONTACT:
Véronique GAUTHIER (Consulis) +33 (0) 672 77 06 00 / veronique-gauthier@club-internet.fr
Frédéric TARDER +33 (0) 607 713 060 / frederic.tarder@lesestivalesdelequitation.com

Competitions, Pan American Games, Show Jumping

US Jumping Team Earns Bronze at 2015 Pan American Games

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McLain Ward and Rothchild (StockImageServices.com)

Caledon, Ont. – The final team medals in equestrian competition at the 2015 Pan American Games were decided this afternoon with the U.S. team taking the Team Bronze medal. The Nations Cup proved extremely competitive over both rounds of competition with clear rounds coming at a premium. The team comprised of Georgina Bloomberg, Kent Farrington, Lauren Hough, and McLain Ward finished on a total of 12 faults. The home nation of Canada won Team Gold on seven faults and Argentina took home their first team Pan American Medal in decades – a Team Silver on eight faults.

The U.S. Team got off to an unlucky start in round one, with each combination having one rail down on-course to go into round two sitting in sixth on 12 faults. The team entered the arena for round two determined and performed an impressive four clears, a feat not matched in either round.

“Coming back and having four clears in the second round was a great testament to all four of them, we are all proud of the effort, and it has been a great event,” said Chef d’Equipe Robert Ridland. “Each [U.S.] round of round one had one extremely minor error, not one single major error. It was pretty simple what the team needed to do [in round two]: duplicate everything from the first round and fix that one problem, and that’s exactly what happened. They were brilliant in the second round.”

Ward (Brewster, N.Y.) and Sagamore Farms’ Rothchild served once again as pathfinders for the U.S. Coming into the first double combination on course at 4A, Rothchild had a light touch behind to knock the rail, resulting in four faults. The veteran pair jumped an otherwise excellent round and adjusted in the second round to turn into the first of four clear rounds for the U.S. in round two.

“I actually thought he jumped as well in the first round, if not better, than the second round,” said Ward. Speaking to the rail down in round one, Ward said, “[Rothchild] lightly touched it behind; he didn’t make a big mistake. I could have set it up slightly better, but again, it was not a big mistake. Unfortunately, the rest of the day went like that: all four horses and riders went well with just a little thing here or there, but in Nations Cup format, four faults can be deadly. You have to have perspective though; all the horses went well, all the riders rode well, and there weren’t any big mistakes or problems.”

Georgina Bloomberg and Lilli (StockImageServices.com)
Georgina Bloomberg and Lilli (StockImageServices.com)

Competing in her first championship, Bloomberg (New York, N.Y.) handled the pressure and proved her mettle. With a block down off the wall at fence six in round one, Bloomberg and Gotham Enterprizes, LLC’s Lilli, jumped an otherwise perfect two rounds. The Michel Vaillancourt-designed course had a tight time of 83 seconds allowed, leaving no room for error. Bloomberg and Lilli came through the finish times in a neat 83 seconds, to post zero faults in round two.

“The first round I was really concerned about the time allowed; she’s usually a bit of a slow horse so I am always concerned with the time allowed, even when it’s not incredibly short like it is today,” said Bloomberg. “I think that watching a lot of people have time faults, I really had that in mind and think that’s why I had the wall down; I was really moving, came around the turn, and went.” Going into round two Bloomberg explained her mindset. “In the second round I was thinking: I still have to be somewhat quick, but I really wanted her to take a deep breath in every corner. If I had a time fault, I had a time fault, but at least I don’t make the same mistake as I did in round one. I had 83 seconds to do it, and I used every bit of it.”

A veteran of Olympic and Pan American Games, Hough (Wellington, Fla.) piloted The Ohlala Group’s Ohlala in the mare’s first championship competition. Picking up four faults at the entry to the triple-combination at fence 9A, the combination returned in round two to turn in one of the fastest clear rounds of the day.

“We were all a bit disappointed with the first round, little margins of error,” said Hough “[Ohlala] put in two fabulous efforts and I corrected my mistake in the second round; she couldn’t have jumped any better.” Hough’s clear marked three clear rounds in round two, assuring the U.S. of a 12-fault finish. “We all really dug in; it was a good experience for all of [the horses] and hopefully we will come back strong for the individual round. We are all quite experienced riders and knew we had to come back and be just that much better and we did it.”

Farrington, currently ranked third in the world, brought his and Robin Parsky’s young, talented mare Gazelle to gain valuable experience in the mare’s first Nations Cup. The pair had the same rail down as Hough at 9A and also added one time penalty to their total in round one. The mare built on her experience and produced a confident, faultless effort in round two.

Speaking to the success for the U.S. team at the Games, Farrington (Wellington, Fla.) noted, “[Gazelle] is nine years old and this is the biggest course she’s ever seen in this kind of setting. Additionally, Georgina is here doing her first championship, so I think it was great experience for an inexperienced horse and for a rider moving up to compete in her first championship. Obviously we came here to be competitive and have a very strong team. We all had an unlucky rail in the first round, but all came back and jumped clear in the second round. A little bit of bad luck today, but overall a good experience.”

Saturday’s individual final will see the 35 best-placed combinations according to the cumulative penalties over the first and second competition. Nations with four combinations in the top 35 will send forward their three best-placed combinations. For the U.S., Bloomberg, Hough, and Ward will compete. Competition gets underway at 11:00 a.m. ET and will be broadcast and streamed live on ESPN3 and WatchESPN.

Complete Results

Behind the Scenes with the U.S. Teams: USEF Sport Director Will Connell’s Blog

From the USEF Communications Department

Pan American Games, Show Jumping, USEF

Stellar US Jumping Team Set to Shine in Pan American Games

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All U.S. horses passed inspection Sunday (StockImageServices.com)

Caledon, Ont. – The United States will be represented by some of the best in U.S. jumping in the final week of competition at the 2015 Pan American Games. The U.S. team of Georgina Bloomberg, Kent Farrington, Lauren Hough, and McLain Ward will take on 16 nations, including 10 teams, over three days of team and individual competition. The first individual qualifier will take place Tuesday, the results of which will be used to establish the starting order of the team competition, taking place Thursday. The U.S. has drawn last in the order-of-go and will ride in the following order on Tuesday:

  1. McLain Ward
  2. Georgina Bloomberg
  3. Lauren Hough
  4. Kent Farrington

“The Pan American Games is one of the key events for the U.S. as we look toward the Olympic Games in Rio next year,” said Chef d’Equipe Robert Ridland. “We are steadfast in our goal of providing experience to a host of combinations while continuing to send teams that are in contention to medal at each Nations Cup event. We are coming off a win at CSIO5* Mannheim last week and have a completely different, very capable team here at the games. This is a true testament to the depth we have in the U.S. and is a part of the overall, long-range process of preparing for the 2016 Olympic Games.”

Farrington, of Wellington, Fla., will ride Robin Parsky and his own Gazelle, a nine-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare. This pair has competed successfully since 2014, with top placings in major classes at the Winter Equestrian Festival, CSI5* Rome, and CSI5* Spruce Meadows. Farrington has been a significant contributor to U.S. team success, including as a member of the Bronze medal-winning team at the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games and the Gold medal-winning team at the 2011 Pan American Games.

Hough will compete on the Ohlala Group’s Ohlala, a 2004 Swedish Warmblood mare, with which she has had much success both at home and abroad. The pair has garnered top placings in Nations Cup competition, including as members of the winning U.S. team in the 2014 Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup Jumping Final Challenge Cup and Silver medal-winning U.S. team at CSIO4* Ocala in February. Hough represented the United States at the 2000 Olympic Games, the 2003 and 2007 Pan American Games, and at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.

Bloomberg, of New York, N.Y., and Gotham Enterprizes LLC’s 2004 Deutsches Sportpfred mare, Lilli, will also represent the United States in the Games. Bloomberg is a seasoned competitor, both nationally and internationally, with successful outings in top level competition. In 2015, Bloomberg and Lilli have had top-ten finishes this year at CSI5* Wellington and CSI5* Spruce Meadows.

Ward brings a wealth of experience to the U.S. Pan American Jumping Team. Ward has represented his country in three Olympic Games, including as a member of the Gold medal-winning teams in Athens in 2004 and in Beijing in 2008 aboard the legendary Sapphire. Ward has also been a part of three FEI World Equestrian Games U.S. teams: 2006, 2010, and 2014. No stranger to Pan American competition, Ward helped to secure a Team Gold medal win in the 2011 Games. At the 2015 Pan American Games, Ward will pilot Sagamore Farm’s 14-year-old gelding Rothchild. The pair has forged their successful partnership since 2009, garnering top prizes at elite shows at home and abroad. Ward and Rothchild combined to win a Team Bronze medal and a fifth place finish individually at the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. In 2015, Ward and Rothchild achieved top placings in CSI5* Grand Prix classes in Wellington, Fla. and at Spruce Meadows in Alberta, Canada.

The athletes and their horses will be supported by veterinarian Dr. Tim Ober, physiotherapist Janus Marquis, and farrier Ken Bark.

Complete order-of-go and results

Behind the Scenes with the U.S. Teams: USEF Sport Director Will Connell’s Blog

From the USEF Communications Department

*Featured/Spotlights, Show Jumping

Kent Farrington and Voyeur Top $400,000 Pan American Cup

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Kent Farrington and Voyeur. Photos © Spruce Meadows Media Services.

Calgary, AB, Canada – July 12, 2015 – Kent Farrington (USA) and Amalaya Investments’ Voyeur concluded the Spruce Meadows ‘Pan American’ Tournament CSI 5*, presented by Rolex, with a masterful win Sunday. Competing in the $400,000 Pan American Cup, presented by Rolex, competition ended impressively as the three highest ranked American riders in the world claimed top honors. With Farrington leading the way, Beezie Madden (USA) finished second aboard Abigail Wexner’s Simon, and McLain Ward (USA) placed third riding Sagamore Farm’s Rothchild.

Thirty-three entries contested course designer Guilherme Jorge’s (BRA) first round track, with nine combinations earning the chance to jump-off, and five clear rounds over the short course.

Colombia’s Roberto Teran set the standard in the jump-off aboard ARK Partners LLC’s Arkos des Rosiers Z, clear in 42.36 seconds, to eventually fifth. Charlie Jayne (USA) and Alex R. Jayne’s Chill R Z immediately upped the pace, finishing with a time of 39.56 seconds to earn the fourth place prize.

Ward jumped the next clear, and easily took the lead with his remarkable partner, Rothchild, in 38.98 seconds. The lead quickly changed hands, however, as Farrington and Voyeur blasted through the course in 36.71 seconds. Last to go, Madden and Simon jumped into second with their time of 38.09 seconds.

Rich Fellers (USA) and Harry and Mollie Chapman’s Flexible clocked in at 38.14 seconds, but brought down the final fence to place sixth with the fastest four-fault round.

Farrington won the same competition in 2014 aboard RCG Farm’s Uceko and was back this time aboard the talented Voyeur, a 13-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding (Tolano van’t Riethof x Goodwill).

Farrington and Voyeur most recently won the $400,000 RBC Grand Prix, presented by Rolex, during June’s ‘National’ Tournament and have been on a hot streak all season. On Sunday, the pair sprinted easily through the jump-off course to secure a substantial margin of victory.

“I had the advantage in the jump-off today of going after McLain,” Farrington noted. “He is one of the most competitive riders in the world, and we always have a good rivalry between us, so I got to watch him go. Unfortunately, coming after me was one of my other rivals, also one of the best in the world (Beezie Madden). It was a tough day of sport today and I thought my horse was fantastic.”

“My horse has a huge gallop,” Farrington commented on his jump-off. “Between the second and third fence I think I did one less stride than everybody else in the competition. The rest of it, I just kind of stayed on the same pace. He has a monster gallop, and he is naturally fast across the ground anyway and that is a big advantage in a field like that.”

In the first course, Voyeur was exceptionally strong and caused Farrington to adjust his ride to accomplish the clear round.

“When he is very fresh and he is really jumping, the downside is that he gets really strong,” Farrington explained. “He jumped out of the double really high, and coming towards the gate he got very strong with me. I had to do an extra stride that I did not plan on. It was a bit more work than I was expecting, but he pulled it off.”

Beezie Madden and Simon
Beezie Madden and Simon

Madden worked hard for her clear round as well, as Simon was also extra strong throughout the first round. In the jump-off, she then rode the plan that she knew was best for her horse.

“He was actually a little stronger than usual today,” Madden detailed. “I don’t know that I have ever shown him this many weeks in a big field, so I think it is catching up with me a little bit, but the good part about him is you get him to the jump even within range and he tries his heart out to make it over.”

“When I have him in a jump-off, I almost don’t watch the others because I want to just stick to my plan and do what I know I can do,” Madden added. “I have some limitations with how much I can let him out of the bag, but he is surprisingly fast anyway.”

Ward and Rothchild are always ones to watch in the jump-off, and they did not disappoint, with a fantastic clear round to land in third place. It had rained most of the day and throughout the competition, and Ward noted that the conditions were not ideal for ‘Bongo.’

“I was thrilled with Bongo. He has had two great competitions here building up to the Pan American Games,” the rider remarked. “Traditionally, he has not been great in the wet going. The footing was actually very good considering the amount of rain we had, but that has always been an uncomfortable type ground for him.”

“To be frank, that was the round I could do today in that situation,” Ward said of his jump-off. “I would never have been able to beat Kent with his horse’s stride. It was one of those rounds that Kent does where the day is over basically. I felt with the Pan Am Games coming, and with the conditions, that was the right round to do and I am just thrilled with his performance. He came here, he did two grand prixs and jumped two double clears, so I can’t really be too upset with that.”

McLain Ward and Rothchild
McLain Ward and Rothchild

Ward explained where he left the door open with his time, specifically two strides that could have made a difference, stating, “I did one too many rolling back on the double. I was a little bit worried about the vertical coming in because he (Rothchild) will cut right on you. For sure to the last jump, I knew both Beezie and Kent could do one less stride. In the wetter going, he does not cover the ground quite as well as he would when it is firm, but even leaving out those two strides I could never have caught Kent. It was a pretty significant margin.”

For Farrington, course designer Guilherme Jorge did a good job with the conditions he was dealt.

“We didn’t know how much rain there was going to be or how wet the ground was going to be,” Farrington stated. “It was probably a more technical course today than size. It was a little generous with the time allowed, but I think that he took into account the rain and the wet ground, so I think that was a smart play for today. It was better to have a couple extra clear rather than having us go ripping around the ring when it was really wet in the first round. I think that was a good strategy, and if you look at the top three finishers, those are the top three horses a lot of places in the world.”

Jorge agreed, noting, “The idea with the time allowed was exactly that. We didn’t know how much rain we would still have during the competition, so we didn’t want to press too much on that. I still think that nine is an okay number for a jump-off. It is a little bit more than we are used to here at Spruce Meadows, but the quality was still very good and like Kent said, the top three are top three anywhere in the world.”

With a fantastic Summer Series under their belts, Farrington and Ward are now off to Toronto where they will compete in the 2015 Pan American Games. Ward will pilot Rothchild in the Games, while Farrington will jump up-and-coming talent, Gazelle. Madden is on her way to Europe for the rest of the summer.

Also competing on Sunday, a $34,000 Friends of the Meadows 1.45m Derby was held in the North American Ring with a win for USA’s Rich Fellers aboard Chapman and Fellers’ Colgan Cruise. Twenty-five pairs jumped the one round competition over a course set by Anthony D’Ambrosio (USA).

The course saw three clear rounds, with the win for the fastest time of 100 second going to Fellers and the 13-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare (Cruising x Clover Hill). Andres Rodriguez (VEN) and Arao Enterprises LLC’s Fifty Fifty 111 finished second in 108 seconds, and Rodrigo Lambre (BRA) placed third in 115.65 seconds aboard Mario Onate’s Melbourne.

The Spruce Meadows Summer Series of Tournaments concluded Sunday, after five weeks of top level, international competition.

Of 19 Nations entered in FEI competition, 12 nations depart Calgary, Alberta with Championship Titles, important FEI World Ranking points, and their piece of over 6.2 million dollars in total prize money.

This summer tour saw great sport, family fun, delicious cuisine, fantastic shopping, and for the first time ever, hundreds of participants joined in the amusement of the Pawsitively Fun Run in support of Alberta Guide Dogs and a Military style obstacle course, the Heroes behind the Heroes Run supporting the Military Families Fund. If you have not already, please visit SpruceMeadows.com for more information and registration for this popular six run series!

The hugely successful 4th and 40th Party was an anniversary throw back to our roots of the original Spruce Meadows hosted exhibitor parties. Invited athletes, corporate supporters, media and fans enjoyed dinner and dancing to entertainment by Country Music Star, Corb Lund, in a completely transformed Spruce Meadows Riding Hall.

With over 1,000 horses traveling with their some 5,000 support staff, over 50 retail vendors/exhibitors and over 230,000 Show Jumping fans and families visiting from all over the world, Spruce Meadows is delighted to share 40 Years of Excellence with all of you, and hopes to see you back in September for the showcase event, the Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’ Tournament.

For a complete tournament schedule and full results, please visit www.sprucemeadows.com.

Lauren Fisher for Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.

Spruce Meadows Media Services
caroline.weilinger@sprucemeadows.com
403.974.4232
sprucemeadows.com

Jennifer Wood, Show Jumping

Kent Farrington and Uceko Win $50,000 Lafarge Cup at Spruce Meadows

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Kent Farrington and Uceko. Photos © Spruce Meadows Media Services.

Mario Deslauriers and Scout de la Cense Capture $34,000 Pepsi Challenge

Calgary, AB, Canada – July 3, 2015 – The ‘North American’ Tournament at Spruce Meadows continued on Friday with two feature competitions hosted in the International Ring and a win for USA’s Kent Farrington and RCG Farm’s Uceko in the highlight $50,000 Lafarge Cup 1.50m. Also competing on Friday, Mario Deslauriers took a big win in the $34,000 Pepsi Challenge 1.45m riding Lisa Deslauriers’ Scout de la Cense.

Continuing through Sunday, July 5, the ‘North American’ Tournament boasts $1.3 million in prize money across 14 FEI events throughout the week. Highlights include the $400,000 ATCO Power Queen Elizabeth II Cup on Saturday and the $210,000 Cenovus Energy Classic Derby on Sunday.

Watch highlights from Friday’s competition at Spruce Meadows.

Spain’s Santiago Varela continued a successful week of course building with the $50,000 Lafarge Cup Friday evening. The competition saw 33 entries, with seven in the jump-off and three double clear rounds.

Emanuel Andrade (VEN) set the pace with a clear track in 44.39 seconds to place third with his own Bon Jovi. Kent Farrington and Uceko were next to clear the short course in a blistering pace of 42.22 seconds to take the win. Eric Lamaze (CAN) did his best to catch the time with Artisan Farms LLC’s Fine Lady 5, but finished just off the mark in 42.35 seconds to finish seconds.

In a very fast jump-off, Farrington knew he had to lay it all on the line with Lamaze coming right behind and three more riders to follow.

“These classes, especially the ones that do not have the most entries, the ones that are good are not just good, they are usually great,” Farrington stated. “You have some of the best riders in the world, so it is very difficult to win a class here.”

“The horse is very brave,” Farrington said of Uceko. “He has quite a big step, so I think right from the beginning (of the jump-off), fence one to two on his rollback was already pretty aggressive. I did not watch the others, but I would probably guess that he did at least one, if not two less strides on that turn. Then across the middle of the field he also makes up a lot of ground because his stride is so long. I would say those are two places in particular I think he always gets a little bit ahead of the other horses.”

Uceko, a Dutch Warmblood gelding (Celano x Koriander), is 14 years old and Farrington has been careful to manage his schedule and choose the appropriate venues to compete in.

“I think that part of being a top rider is also being a top manager of the horses that you have,” Farrington noted. “As he gets older, I try to pick the venues where I think he can shine and give him rests where I do not think he is as competitive. I gave him a big break. I hardly ever show him in Florida, and I usually gear him up here and then take him to Europe the rest of the summer.”

Speaking of the success that Uceko has had at Spruce Meadows and why the horse excels in this particular venue, Farrington explained, “The jumps are very big here and really impressive, and that suits the horse because he can get a little casual. He is not a naturally fast horse actually; he is a bit slow, so a big field makes him competitive because I can use the length of his stride and turn really short to make him fast out here.”

“He has learned to be very fast,” Farrington continued. “Over the years he has learned to turn shorter to the fences and watch for them. With his experience, he knows when I open him up on the field that the jumps are going to come up fast, so he starts anticipating the fences and he starts looking for them himself, which over time has made him super competitive.”

Deslauriers Leads Pepsi Challenge

A total of 76 entries jumped the first round of the $34,000 Pepsi Challenge 1.45m on Friday, with 19 qualifying for the jump-off and 17 continuing on. The short course saw only five double clear rounds in a very fast race against the clock that put Mario Deslauriers (USA) in the winner’s circle.

Eduardo Menezes (BRA) set the challenging pace in 43.53 seconds aboard his mare, Catalina, and held the top spot through most of the jump-off. It was Deslauriers, however, who stole the lead for his first win in the International Ring since 2012. He completed the fastest clear round in a time of 42.35 seconds riding Lisa Deslauriers’ Scout de la Cense. Nicola Philippaerts placed third in 44.66 seconds with Ludo Philippaerts’ H&M Harley vd Bisschop.

Mario Deslauriers and Scout de la Cense
Mario Deslauriers and Scout de la Cense

Originally from Quebec, Deslauriers switched to U.S. citizenship six years ago. Regardless of nationality, a win at Spruce Meadows was still very special to the rider.

“This place has come such a long way; it is amazing. I came here when I was 14 the first time,” he noted. “It is always a good feeling (to win here). We have had several young horses the last few years while trying to rebuild our team. We skipped Spruce the last two years and now I am here with my daughter that is 15 and also showed in this competition today. My wife is also here riding. It is fun to be here with the whole family.”

During the ‘National’ Tournament’s Omega Alpha Cup in June, it was Menezes who won and Deslauriers who finished second in a two-horse jump-off in the All Canada Ring with Catalina and Scout de la Cense, but this time Deslauriers made sure he was faster.

“It was the same horses, but Eduardo beat me by four seconds!” Deslauriers detailed. “I said, ‘Where did you go?’ I thought I went pretty fast, but the All Canada Ring is a bit of a slope. This field is flatter and I really went today. The other day in All Canada I went, but not like this. Today, I really went for it.”

“It was a good track for me,” Deslauriers explained. “My horse is 17.2 hands and he has a very big step, so I knew I could do all the strides. If I got the turn right at the wall, I knew there were seven strides there for me and also seven strides to the last jump. Everybody else was doing eight and eight, and they were all slipping around the wall, but mine did not slip. I got a great turn and he did the job today. I knew I hit every fence right. I was really pushing everywhere. I knew I did not leave too much out there.”

Nine-year-old Scout de la Cense is a Selle Francais gelding by Easy Boy x Crazyhorse of Coco. He is one of several promising young horses that Deslauriers is developing, and the rider was happy to get a big win with the horse, especially at Spruce Meadows.

“It is one of the only places in the world that you come for a summer tour and it is really exciting when you come in the ring, even if there are not that many people,” he stated. “It is a great place to show. I have won here when there were 50,000 people, and you still have that in the back of your mind. It is always good. For show jumping, it is one of the best places in the world.”

The ‘North American’ Tournament continues on Saturday featuring the $400,000 ATCO Power Queen Elizabeth II Cup as well as the $85,000 TD Cup.

For a complete tournament schedule and full results, please visit www.sprucemeadows.com.

Lauren Fisher for Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.

Spruce Meadows Media Services
caroline.weilinger@sprucemeadows.com
403.974.4232
sprucemeadows.com

Competitions, Show Jumping

Kent Farrington and Gazelle Triumph in $126,000 Scotiabank Cup at Spruce Meadows

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Kent Farrington and Gazelle fly to victory over the final fence in Friday’s $126,000 Scotiabank Cup. Photos © Spruce Meadows Media Services.

Ward and Swail Win on Day Two of ‘Continental’ Tournament

Calgary, AB, Canada – June 12, 2015 – Spruce Meadows hosted the second day of competition at its ‘Continental’ Tournament CSI 5* on Friday with world-class show jumping featured in the Meadows on the Green. The highlight $126,000 Scotiabank Cup 1.55m was held in the evening with a win for USA’s Kent Farrington aboard the nine-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare, Gazelle (Kashmir van Shuttershof x Indoctro). McLain Ward (USA) and HH Azur finished second, and Pablo Barrios (VEN) and Zara Leandra placed third.

Also competing on Friday, Ward guided HH Carlos Z to victory in the $40,000 AltaGas Cup 1.45m, and Conor Swail (IRL) and Viva Colombia topped the $40,000 Friends of the Meadows Cup 1.45m.

The second week in Spruce Meadows’ Summer Series, the ‘Continental’ Tournament continues through Sunday, June 14. Upcoming highlights include Saturday’s $85,000 Repsol Cup and Sunday’s $400,000 CP Grand Prix.

Anthony D’Ambrosio (USA) is the course designer for international competition in the Meadows on the Green this week. For the $126,000 Scotiabank Cup, D’Ambrosio saw 70 entries contest his first round 1.55m track, with 18 clear rounds. In the jump-off, only seven were able to clear the course without fault.

McLain Ward and Double H Farm & Francois Mathy’s HH Azur were the first duo to clear the short course in 37.05 seconds and eventually placed second. Pablo Barrios and ZL Group, Inc.’s Zara Leandra were also clear in 37.73 seconds to earn third place honors. Up next, Eric Lamaze (CAN) jumped into fourth with his time of 38.61 seconds aboard Artisan Farms LLC’s Coco Bongo. Kent Farrington immediately followed with the winning round in 36.56 seconds riding his own and Robin Parsky’s Gazelle.

One of Farrington’s up-and-coming horses, Gazelle was recently named as his mount for July’s Pan American Games in Toronto. He got the mare at the end of her seven-year-old year and has been slowly been bringing her along with high hopes for the future.

“This year she has really stepped up to a new level and I am really excited about the horse,” Farrington noted. “She is extremely careful. She is a little bit sensitive, but I think she is a great competitor. What more can you ask for?”

Gazelle proved exactly why she is ready for the big leagues by jumping a great first round clear followed by a fantastic jump-off Friday night.

Commenting on his winning round, Farrington remarked, “These classes here are very competitive. You have extremely fast riders on a big, open field. There were a large number of horses in the jump-off today, so you knew that it was going to be very competitive.”

“I got to watch McLain go, so I knew the track that he did and what it was going to take to win,” he continued. “I took a risky move today to the last jump. I was not sure if it was possible to do eight strides, but after McLain went, I thought that was maybe the only chance to catch him. My horse has a pretty big step, so we went for it.”

The risk paid off and earned Farrington the winning prize of $41,580. Margie Engle (USA) was fifth with a clear jump-off round aboard Elm Rock LLC’s Royce in 39.39 seconds. Hardin Towell (USA) guided Jennifer Gates’ Emilie de Diamant AS to sixth in 39.40 seconds, and Emanuel Andrade (VEN) jumped the only other double clear round in 43.91 seconds aboard his own Hardrock Z to place seventh.

Ward Wins with HH Carlos Z

Earlier in the day, the $40,000 AltaGas Cup 1.45m featured 44 competitors and 13 clear rounds to jump-off. The short course saw eight double clear rounds, of which McLain Ward (USA) and Double H Farm’s HH Carlos Z completed the fastest time of the day. Ward and his speedy mount cashed in for their second win of the Summer Series, last to go in the jump-off, with a time of 34.14 seconds.

McLain Ward and HH Carlos Z
McLain Ward and HH Carlos Z

“He is like a little ATM,” Ward said of the 13-year-old Zangersheide gelding (Chellano Z x Voltaire). “He reminds me of a mare that I had years ago called Goldika, who was very similar. She was a little, pretty bay just like him, and she could also step up. She also jumped the grand prix here at the ‘Masters’ great one year, but could win any class at the show. She was a bit of an ATM too, so it is always nice to have a horse like that in your string.”

Prior to Ward’s final round, Hardin Towell (USA) was leading the jump-off with Jennifer Gates’ Lucifer V, and eventually finished second with his time of 35.49 seconds. Molly Ashe (USA) finished third and fourth with Louisburg Farm’s Balous Day Date in 36.38 seconds and Nutmeg Group LLC’s Cocq a Doodle in 36.55 seconds respectively.

“I was lucky to go at the end,” Ward remarked on his jump-off. “I did not see Hardin’s round, but I know that he is a very fast rider and he is always really competitive. I believed that we could get four strides down the first line, and I actually maybe even over did the first jump because I got the four easy. I had a little slip; the horse could have refused easily there, but he is a trooper and he jumped it. We got away with that, and then I pushed on to the last and it worked out great.”

Swail Soars to Victory

Ireland’s Conor Swail got a win in the first competition of the day riding Ilan Ferder’s Viva Colombia on Friday. The $40,000 Friends of the Meadows Cup 1.45m saw 49 entries over Anthony D’Ambrosio’s first round course, with six clear to advance to the jump-off, and four double clear rounds.

Vanessa Mannix (CAN) set the challenge with the first clear over the short course in 40.78 seconds aboard Nirvana de Terlong, eventually settling in fourth place. Olivier Philippaerts (BEL) finished in 38.21 seconds riding Ludo Philippaerts’ Aragon van Schuttershof to take the second place prize. Leslie Howard was next to go with a clear round in 38.33 seconds to finish third aboard the Utah Group’s Utah. Swail and Viva Colombia completed the final clear jump-off round in the winning time of 37.52 seconds.

A ten-year-old Oldenburg mare (Couleur Rubin x Landor S), Viva Colombia is a horse that Swail began riding at the end of the winter this year. The pair won a FEI World Ranking competition in Palgrave, Ontario, this spring and also finished third in last week’s $35,000 Encana Cup 1.45m.

Conor Swail and Viva Colombia
Conor Swail and Viva Colombia

“I am just getting to get to know her and I think she is a very nice horse,” Swail described. “The plan is for her to be a grand prix horse. Kirsten Coe rode her in a few big classes in Florida, so the mare has had that experience, but it is a new relationship. For me, I like to teach them to be able to go fast and run and win also, so it is nice to do the 1.45m and 1.50m competitions as well just to get to know the horse. She really is learning fast with me. She does what she is asked every time she comes out, so I am very pleased.”

Detailing his winning jump-off, Swail explained, “There were only six of us, which was nice with the amount of numbers here. It was one of those jump-offs where you did not really have much to lose. I felt I was a little slow at the start to be honest. I could have had a better shot to jump one and I probably did too many steps to fence two. The six-stride was a bit too patient for her because she has such a big step, but I think after that it was very good. Coming home, I was extremely fast, so obviously that is just where I beat the other guys.”

The ‘Continental’ Tournament continues in the Meadows on the Green on Saturday featuring the $85,000 Repsol Cup 1.50m.

For a complete tournament schedule and full results, please visit www.sprucemeadows.com.

Lauren Fisher for Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.

Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.
info@jenniferwoodmedia.com

*Featured/Spotlights, Show Jumping

Farrington and Voyeur Excel in $400,000 RBC Grand Prix

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Kent Farrington and Voyeur. Photos © Spruce Meadows Media Services.

Fellers and Colgan Cruise Conquer $60,000 TransCanada Parcours de Chasse

Calgary, AB, Canada – June 6, 2015 – Saturday at Spruce Meadows was packed with excitement and a full house of spectators as two of the highlight events of the 2015 ‘National’ Tournament, presented by Rolex, were held. Continuing a fantastic winning streak, Kent Farrington (USA) raced to victory on top horse Voyeur to win the $400,000 RBC Grand Prix, presented by Rolex. Reed Kessler (USA) finished second with Cylana and Jaime Azcarraga (MEX) placed third aboard Anton. Earlier in the day, Rich Fellers (USA) guided Colgan Cruise to victory in the $60,000 TransCanada Parcours de Chasse.

Watch highlights from Saturday’s competition at Spruce Meadows!

The ‘National’ Tournament is the first in five weeks of competition during this year’s Summer Series at Spruce Meadows. The week concludes on Sunday with the $210,000 CNOOC Nexen Cup 1.50m Derby.

On Saturday, Italian course designer Uliano Vezzani set the track for the afternoon’s feature competition in the $400,000 RBC Grand Prix, presented by Rolex. Twelve out of 50 entries qualified for the jump-off, where fans were on the edge of their seats as many of the world’s very best battled it out for a top prize of $132,000. Only five were able to clear the short course without fault as times got faster and faster.

Francois Mathy (BEL) was the first competitor to go clear in the jump-off aboard his own and Team Harmony’s Polinska des Isles and finished fourth with a time of 46.55 seconds. Jaime Azcarraga jumped next with his family’s Anton and earned the third place prize in 44.22 seconds. Reed Kessler upped the speed with her round in 42.69 seconds aboard Kessler Show Stables Cylana, eventually settling for second place. Yann Candele (CAN) and Watermark Group’s First Choice 15 then clocked the fifth place time of 47.57 seconds. Last to clear the short course without fault, Kent Farrington notched the winning time of 41.75 seconds with Amalaya Investment’s Voyeur.

This win marks Farrington’s 24th FEI victory at Spruce Meadows since 2011 and brings his all-time money earnings at the competition to an impressive $1,306,560. The rider has been on a role with Voyeur, a 13-year-old KWPN gelding (Tolano van’t Riethof x Goodwill), including their most recent victory in the Longines Global Champions Tour (LGCT) Grand Prix of Hamburg in Germany.

When asked the secret to his success, Farrington simply stated, “The secret is to get really good horses.”

“Luckily, I have some great people behind my career,” he detailed. “The Nusz family that owns Voyeur have been really supportive of me, and that is why I am able to do it at this level today, because of them and a bunch of other people that have really stepped up to help me get here.”

Commenting on his jump-off round, Farrington explained, “I did not see the horse that finished second go. People just told me that it was full speed all the way around. My plan with Voyeur is usually just to match one rhythm and keep him even the whole way. He is a very hot horse, so if you go too hard on him, you will sort of blow his mind a little bit. I would I say I was a more consistent speed throughout the whole course. He has been on form. This is his third big class in a short time, so he is up and running so to speak.”

When Farrington first got Voyeur almost three years ago, he saw great potential and hoped that the horse would be successful. Voyeur has now turned into his top ride.

“I always have high expectations for the horses that I get. Even when they are young, I try to see their qualities and their best abilities and hope that I can pull it out of them,” Farrington said. “It is really more a realization of what I hoped that he could be, but I always thought that he could get there.”

Farrington credits jumping at Spruce Meadows as one of the factors that helped Voyeur advance to the top level.

“The jumps here are very big and I think all of the horses, if they can jump a grand prix here, they can jump anything in the world,” Farrington acknowledged. “I really think that it helps build a lot of the horses. Especially for a lot of the North American riders that produce horses here, you usually see them go on to do really big things at championships. Horses like Hickstead, and Authentic and Sapphire, they grew up jumping here and I think this field and this jumping really helps bring them to that level.”

Second place finisher, Reed Kessler, can attest to the experience that she has gained at Spruce Meadows, especially with her top mount Cylana. The pair finished second in the $1.5 million CP International Grand Prix presented by Rolex at last year’s ‘Masters’ Tournament, and Kessler is thrilled to be back for this year’s Summer Series.

“I think I just have the most amazing horse to come here. She loves it here,” Kessler stated. “I have the kind of horse that she rises to the occasion when she feels it is really important, so to step through the clock tower and into the International Ring with tens of thousands of fans, that is when she is really at her best. When you jump here and then the pressure is on at any big competition in the world, the horses really learn to step up to the occasion.”

Commenting on the jump-off and her final outcome with another second place finish, Kessler admitted, “It is a little frustrating, but I was not too upset because when I came out I really felt like my horse gave me everything and I really gave it everything I had. I think even if I went after Kent I would not have done anything differently. He is an amazing rider and I think everyone in the world would say that he is just about the last person you want to go after you in a grand prix, so I am pretty happy. I think that is one of the fastest jump-offs I have ever ridden.”

Jaime Azcarraga returned as the reigning champion of the RBC Grand Prix from 2014 with his mount Anton, but settled for third place this time around.

“The conditions here at Spruce Meadows are always top. I think the horses can really jump at their best when they are in the International Ring,” Azcarraga stated. “Anton loves it here too. Last year was the first time that he jumped in the International Ring and when he comes in he is always trying.”

Course designer Uliano Vezzani was happy to see many of the top riders in the world excel over his course, and following the competition, Farrington praised Vezzani’s efforts.

“I think Uliano is one of the best course designers in the world, if not the best, and that is why he is working all over the world,” the rider remarked. “I see him all the time at the LGCT competitions and I think he really has the modern sport down to a science. I thought the grand prix today was excellent. It was intelligently built. It was a great day in Spruce Meadows with beautiful weather and an exciting jump-off.”

Fellers Flies to Victory

The $60,000 TransCanada Parcours de Chasse was the first competition to award honors in the International Ring on Saturday with a win for USA’s Rich Fellers with Colgan Cruise, a horse he owns in partnership with Harry Chapman.

Rich Fellers and Colgan Cruise
Rich Fellers and Colgan Cruise

The Parcours de Chasse is a speed competition in which horse and rider combinations complete a course where faults are converted into time. The course features twisty turns and varied obstacles, including derby-style natural obstacles such as the bank, table top and devil’s dyke. One of the final competitors, Fellers and Colgan Cruise were the fastest combination of the day and cleared the course without fault in a time of 86.45 seconds.

Sixth to go in the order of 35 entries, Eric Navet (FRA) cleared the course in 87.24 seconds, a time that would hold on for second place aboard Signe Ostby’s ASB Conquistador. Leslie Howard (USA) put her experience to good use for the third place prize, clear in 88.80 seconds, with her own and Peter Howard’s Lennox Lewis 2.

Fellers had a busy day of riding and also teaching students in other rings and did not get to see any of the competition before he went in the ring. He stuck to his original plan for the course and trusted in the speed and experience of his horse. He has owned Colgan Cruise, a 13-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare (Cruising x Clover Hill), since the horse was five years old.

“I know her so well and I was so busy at the other rings with my junior and amateur students that I did not even watch anyone. I just rode my plan from my course walk,” Fellers stated. “My horse is kind of fast on the ground, she is fast in the air, and when she is smooth and she is riding well I know she is going to be right there at the end. I really did not have a beat on where I needed to be, I just felt like I trusted her speed, her instincts and her experience. You can’t replace experience.”

“She was a winner when we bought her,” Fellers noted. “She was third or fourth at the five-year-old world championships for young horses. We bought her after that and she has been a great horse. She did not turn out to be a 1.60m horse, but she has just become a real money machine. In the speed stuff, and the 1.45m, she is very consistent.”

Colgan Cruise is by the same stallion as Fellers’ longtime champion mount, Flexible, who is still going strong at 19 years of age.

“She is 13 now, which as an Irish horse is still young,” Fellers stated. “All I had for years was Irish horses. That is where I bought all my horses. I had a great agent there, Dermot Forde, and I had a lot of luck with the very first Irish horse I bought, McDougal. He won this class in 1998. He was on the trophy and that was the last time I won it. Irish horses are typically very bold, very brave and instinctive about jumping the natural obstacles.”

The ‘National’ Tournament concludes on Sunday featuring the $210,000 CNOOC Nexen Cup 1.50m Derby in the International Ring. The day will also highlight the $40,000 ATCO Structures & Logistics 1.45m.

For a complete tournament schedule and full results, please visit www.sprucemeadows.com.

Lauren Fisher for Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.

Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.
info@jenniferwoodmedia.com