Kent Farrington and Orafina claimed victory in the $75,000 WEF Challenge Cup round IX CSI5* at the Winter Equestrian Festival [WEF] – a training ground in part, for Kent’s rising stars.
“I’m really proud of this horse,” said Kent. “She is one that I have been bringing along for the past two seasons. I really like to utilize the Florida circuit as a training ground for my younger horses, and she has truly stepped up this season.”
A challenging course, designed by Ireland’s Alan Wade, which included both a double and a triple combination, kept 15 riders from jump-off contention with the fault of a single fence, but also tripped up an additional five competitors with the tight time allotted of 73 seconds.
Successful training campaign at WEF for Kent Farrington’s Orafina
Always one to watch out for in a jump-off class, the US Olympic team silver medalist was the first to qualify for the class and therefore the first to return with Kent Farrington LLC’s 10-year-old KWPN mare (For Fashion x Canturo). As he has done many times before, Kent made easy work of the jump-off with a fast time of 33.41 seconds.
Evidence of Orafina’s growth includes second place in the $140,000 Southern Arches Grand Prix CSI3* during WEF 1 and jumping in her first five-star grand prix during Week 4’s $406,000 Fidelity Investments Grand Prix CSI5*.
“I thought she was great in her first grand prix of this level, and she came back out today at the five-star level and performed better than I expected,” said Kent. “It is a long season so I try to build her up so she gets used to the environment of being under the lights and jumping at the highest level, and then I drop her back down and do some smaller classes to work on her rideability and control. I think moving up and down between the levels is the best way to produce an upcoming horse here.”
Spain’s Sergio Alvarez Moya, produced the second clear of the course aboard his own 10-year-old BWP gelding Malibu De Muze, landing just a fraction slower than Farrington with a time of 33.68 seconds, enough to claim second place.
Today’s action features ponies on the Derby Field at Equestrian Village competing for the $5,000 USHJA Pony Derby title. International jumper competition continues in the International Arena with the $37,000 Bainbridge 1.45m CSI5* speed class followed by the $6,000 Corro 1.45m CSI2* speed class.
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