AFTER much anticipation, the FEI World Cup™ Finals were held at Fort Worth over the weekend, with the cream of international show jumping horses and riders making their way to Texas to participate, including two Irish representatives - Galway’s Jessica Burke and Derry’s Daniel Coyle. Dressage competitors also battled it out at the venue over the weekend.
It was a home win for American rider Kent Farrington, who rode his two talented mares, Toulayna and Greya, to win the first two classes, putting vital points on the leaderboard and meaning that he could not be caught.
Competition commenced on Thursday, April 9th, with the opening show jumping class in the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ - First Final Competition, being a speed and handiness class over 1.60m.
The start list comprised of 35 combinations, who did their best to beat the clock, with the rules dictating that speed is prioritised and any faults are converted to time. Burke and the 10-year-old gelding Good Star du Bary landed a top-10 placing here, finishing 10th when clear in a time of 65.23, while Coyle and the 13-year-old gelding Incredible finishing 16th in 67.45.
Kent Farrington got off to a great start with his 12-year-old mare Toulayna, when they stopped the clock in 62.03 to win the class. Germany’s Daniel Deusser on Otello de Guldenboom were runners-up in 62.21, with Steve Geurdat (SUI) riding Albfuehren’s Iashin Sitte into third place (62.49). These placings were transferred to the overall leaderboard.
Second win
The Second Final Competition, a 1.60m jump-off class, was held on Friday, with 34 starters taking on the challenge. Just seven combinations managed to negotiate the first-round track without fault inside the time allowed to earn their place against the clock, where four of them remained fault-free for a second time. Farrington scored his second win, this time riding the 12-year-old mare Greya to a double clear round in a jump-off time of 34.36 to claim the top prize of €34,500. Japan’s Eiken Sato was runner-up with the 15-year-old gelding Chadellano JRA in a time of 34.90 to take home €26,250 and Kevin Staut (FRA) completed the podium with Visconti du Telman in third (35.79) for a prize of €15,750.
Coyle and Incredible were best of the Irish duo this time, placing 12th after having a fence down, while the course did not suit Burke and Good Star du Bary and they finished 27th with 12 faults. These results strengthened Farrington’s lead in the overall standings and moved Coyle into equal 13th place and Burke to equal 17th.
The show jumpers got a break on Saturday in anticipation of the Third Final Competition, a two-round 1.60m class, on Sunday. Faults were carried forward from the previous final, meaning that Farrington had the advantage of starting the final competition on a zero score.
Twenty-seven horses and riders lined up this time, with the best 20 from round one proceeding to the second round. Three combinations jumped double clear, namely Richard Vogel on Gangster Montdesir and Daniel Deusser on Otello de Guldenboom, both for Germany, and Katherine A Dinan (USA) on Out of the Blue SCF. Farrington and Greya picked up four faults to finish equal fifth in the class, with Coyle placing 18th and Burke in 25th place.
Farrington’s four faults did not impact the overall standings and he cemented his domination to secure the title of World Cup champion and the €172,500 winner’s prize. Deusser (GER) on Otello de Guldenboom may have jumped double clear in the final test, but seven faults carried forward put him in second place overall for a prize of €131,250, followed by Katherine A Dinan (USA) on Out of the Blue SCF in third place on a final score of nine to take home €78,750. Coyle and Incredible placed 16th overall, with Burke and Good Star du Bary in 24th.