New York, N.Y. – Sept. 29, 2019 – The final day of the 2019 Longines Global Champions Tour (LGCT) New York took place on a picture perfect day on Governors Island. With a number of classes taking place to conclude the weekend of competition, it was the 1.50m CSI5* that highlighted the day. With 40 entries on the startlist, each and every competitor brought their A-game for the final class of the day. At the end of a competitive 15-horse jump-off, it was Kent Farrington (USA) and Creedance, owned by R.C.G Farm and Farrington, who claimed victory after delivering another notoriously fast jump-off time.
Uliano Vezzani’s (ITA) final course of the weekend suited many horse-and-rider combinations in the 16-effort track. With the Manhattan skyline perfectly placed in the backdrop, Vezzani placed a number of delicate verticals throughout the course, including the final fence as a plank vertical, which cost a few combinations their ticket to the jump-off. Ultimately 15 athletes advanced to the second round, with a vast number of countries represented.
First to go in the jump-off was Germany’s Marco Kutscher and Casallvano. While the pair produced a commendable time, they ultimately fell victim to one rail, leaving the podium spots wide open for their remaining competitors. With the next two competitors also knocking fences down, Farrington and his longtime partner Creedance entered the ring ready to put in a clear round. With Creedance’s quick stride, swift turns and incredible scope, the pair put on a show to deliver yet another lightning fast and clear round with a time of 36.76 seconds. Although the remaining qualified competitors attempted to usurp the top position, rails and seconds added to the clock kept Farrington on top.
Farrington and the 12-year-old Dutch Warmblood are regulars in the winner’s circle together, which Farrington credits to his long relationship with the gelding. Gaining the ride on him as a 7-year-old, Farrington took his time to get to know the horses and manage his high-strung personality. Recently, the pair picked up wins in Spruce Meadows and LGCT Miami in addition to earning the fastest time and individual win in Saturday’s Global Champions League New York Final.
Claiming the second place position was Pieter Devos (BEL) with Devos Stables and Euro Equitation BVBA’s Espoir. The duo came close to beating Farrington’s time, stopping the timers at 37.82 seconds. Devos and the 15-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding have been partnered together since 2015, making their relationship strong as they tried their hand at the technical track. The third position was claimed by Harrie Smolders (NED) and Copernicus Stables LLC’s Cas 2 after finishing on a double-clear time of 38.19 seconds. The pair have been regular winners throughout the 2019 LGCT series, topping the podium in Hamburg and Valkenswaard.
Sunday marks the conclusion of the first-ever LGCT New York tour stop. With the best horses and riders in the world flocking to Governors Island for the inaugural event, it proved to be an immense success. New York marked the final event on the 18-stop tour as athletes look next to the Global Champions Playoffs in Prague set to take place from Thursday, Nov. 21, through Sunday, Nov. 24.
FROM THE WINNER’S CIRCLE
Kent Farrington – 1.55m CSI5* winner
On showing at the Longines Global Champions Tour New York:
“It was a good week. I brought two very competitive horses and I actually thought they had a chance to win every day. Creedence was in amazing form and won both of his classes this week.”
On where he won the jump-off:
“I think I just have a faster horse – he is a rocket. He is so quick across the ground and he is very efficient at the fences. It’s a huge advantage because he can do the same number of strides as any other horses, but he does them faster. In a class like that it is a big advantage.”
On his plan in the jump off:
“My plan is always the same, which is just to do his round and normally that is fast enough to win or be very close. I try not to change my tactics or my strategy for anyone else, I just do my own thing for him and that works.”
On his partnership with Creedence:
“I got him when he was 7 years old. He always had great talent but was a high strung horse with a lot of blood. It took a long time for him to mature into a more rideable and predictable horse, which is the horse you see now. His rounds are more consistent and you can count on him to deliver. He is an exceptional horse. He has won so many great classes already and he is only twelve years old, so still a long way to go and hopefully we have many more to go.”
On Creedance as a championship horse:
“I don’t know that a championship would suit him and I don’t know if I would ask him to jump it. He jumps a lot from his heart and I try to manage his classes so I am not always asking him to jump the biggest rounds because he is a small horse and I don’t want to over tax him. So I do my best to balance his schedule.”
On bringing the best athletes in the world to America:
“I think that the sport is really global and to compete against the best I think you have to have all of the best there. Because a lot of the best riders are in Europe, you have to go there but I think this horse show is a great way to showcase the sport and to raise the level here in America also by bringing the best people so everyone is exposed to that. There is always stuff to learn from different riding styles and types of horses, so to have that type of exposure here in the states is a great thing for the sport.”
On competing at a destination horse show:
“I like competing with the best and I think that these shows are great and have elevated the level of the sport. I also still appreciate the more traditional shows that have been historically important like Aachen, Calgary and Geneva but I think the Global Champions Tour has elevated the sport and gotten us a lot more exposure by raising the level of money behind the riders and ultimately all of that has benefitted the sport.”
RESULTS
1.50m CSI5*
Place / Horse / Rider / Country / Owner / R1 Faults | Time / R2 Faults | Time
1. Creedance / Kent Farrington / USA / Kent Farrington & R.C.G. Farm / 0 | 71.69 / 0 | 36.76
2. Espoir / Pieter Devos / BEL / Devos Stables,Euro Equitation Bvba / 0 | 76.70 / 0 | 37.82
3. Cas 2 / Harrie Smolders / NED / Copernicus Stables,LLC / 0 | 74.14 / 0 | 38.19
4. Chameur 137 / Georgina Bloomberg / USA / Purple Road,LLC / 0 | 76.02 / 0 | 41.67
5. Colestus / Christian Kukuk / GER / Winter-Schulze,Madeleine / 0 | 73.98 / 0 | 43.56
6. Chalisco / Emil Hallundbaek / DEN / Haregabgård Aps / 0 | 74.44 / 4 | 37.54
7. Alibi de la Roque / Julien Epaillard / FRA / Eurl Top Stallions Company / 0 | 72.52 / 4 | 38.00
8. Casallvano / Marco Kutscher / GER / Camilla Hamann,Philipp Widmayer / 0 | 73.89 / 4 | 38.48
9. Filou Carlo Zimequest / Simon Delestre / FRA / S.A.M.S.H,S.A.S. Zimeques / 0 | 76.50 / 4 | 38.54
10. Scarlett du Sart Z / Darragh Kenny / IRL / Vlock Show Stables LLC / 0 | 75.31 / 4 | 39.24
11. Fedor / Scott Keach / AUS / Scott Keach & Southern Cross Eq / 0 | 74.66 / 4 | 40.15
12. Squirt Gun / Andrew Kocher / USA / Eye Candy Jumpers / 0 | 75.63 / 4 | 42.25