Kent Farrington (USA) and Creedance took two second-place finishes during the third week of the Great Lakes Equestrian Festival, and to kick off GLEF IV, they made sure they came home with the win. Out of 28 international entries, the seasoned duo took top honors in the $38,700 CSI3* Speed Stake, adding yet another win to the horse’s impressive resume.
“I’ve had him for almost 10 years,” Farrington – currently ranked 8th in the world – said of the 16-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding. “He’s been a phenomenal horse. He was quite difficult in the beginning, and in the end I think that’s what really made him special.”
Farrington, up against seasoned professionals and up-and-coming young riders, had the benefit of knowing his mount better than most in the class. He used that to his advantage, speeding to a time of 59.40 seconds over Andy Christiansen’s (ECU) course. At the time, Erynn Ballard (CAN) led the way with Ilan Ferder’s Game Over, and ultimately placed third. Karl Cook (USA) and Caracole De La Roque, owned by Signe Otsby, claimed third place.
“He has a strong character and a really strong fighting desire,” Farrington continued of what he believes makes Creedance special. “That’s what made him a winner his whole career. For his small size, he’s won multiple five-star grand prixs and jumped some of the biggest shows in the world. He’s 16 now and he’s still winning and he’s still the same character he was when he was seven. Nothing’s really changed.”
The key to bringing Creedance along and achieving a high level of success, according to Farrington, has been, “Just patience. He took a lot of time and he was very hyper-aware of everything going on around the shows. I think with developing horses the most important thing, especially the ones that have a lot of quality, is patience.”
Farrington runs his program like a well-oiled machine, and each horse gets its own special routine. For Creedance, that means showing consistently without over-jumping. “I keep him up and running, even if I do just one class a week,” he continued. “I keep him in a regular routine of showing just like an older athlete in professional sports. I am careful with how much he’s jumping, but I keep him in a routine so that I can manage the final chapters of his career. I’m lucky to have had him in winning form the entire time.”
For Farrington, he’s not usually in the game to produce a horse and then sell it. It’s evident in his top string of horses over the years that he finds joy in the entire journey, from beginning to end, of a horse’s career.
“For me that’s the best part of what our sport has to offer,” he said. “That’s the journey: working with a horse from the very beginning, taking the time, and developing them from small fences to the highest level. That’s one of the most rewarding experiences really bonding with an animal and becoming a great team.”
Keeping close to home as the season goes on, Farrington has his eye on North American venues. “I’m going to do quite a few American shows, and the Pan American Games is on the agenda but they haven’t named a team yet and then from there I’ll try to aim for Geneva.”
“I’ve had him for almost 10 years,” Farrington – currently ranked 8th in the world – said of the 16-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding. “He’s been a phenomenal horse. He was quite difficult in the beginning, and in the end I think that’s what really made him special.”
Farrington, up against seasoned professionals and up-and-coming young riders, had the benefit of knowing his mount better than most in the class. He used that to his advantage, speeding to a time of 59.40 seconds over Andy Christiansen’s (ECU) course. At the time, Erynn Ballard (CAN) led the way with Ilan Ferder’s Game Over, and ultimately placed third. Karl Cook (USA) and Caracole De La Roque, owned by Signe Otsby, claimed third place.
“He has a strong character and a really strong fighting desire,” Farrington continued of what he believes makes Creedance special. “That’s what made him a winner his whole career. For his small size, he’s won multiple five-star grand prixs and jumped some of the biggest shows in the world. He’s 16 now and he’s still winning and he’s still the same character he was when he was seven. Nothing’s really changed.”
The key to bringing Creedance along and achieving a high level of success, according to Farrington, has been, “Just patience. He took a lot of time and he was very hyper-aware of everything going on around the shows. I think with developing horses the most important thing, especially the ones that have a lot of quality, is patience.”
Farrington runs his program like a well-oiled machine, and each horse gets its own special routine. For Creedance, that means showing consistently without over-jumping. “I keep him up and running, even if I do just one class a week,” he continued. “I keep him in a regular routine of showing just like an older athlete in professional sports. I am careful with how much he’s jumping, but I keep him in a routine so that I can manage the final chapters of his career. I’m lucky to have had him in winning form the entire time.”
For Farrington, he’s not usually in the game to produce a horse and then sell it. It’s evident in his top string of horses over the years that he finds joy in the entire journey, from beginning to end, of a horse’s career.
“For me that’s the best part of what our sport has to offer,” he said. “That’s the journey: working with a horse from the very beginning, taking the time, and developing them from small fences to the highest level. That’s one of the most rewarding experiences really bonding with an animal and becoming a great team.”
Keeping close to home as the season goes on, Farrington has his eye on North American venues. “I’m going to do quite a few American shows, and the Pan American Games is on the agenda but they haven’t named a team yet and then from there I’ll try to aim for Geneva.”