On Sunday, February 13, the final day of the 2022 Winter Equestrian Festival’s (WEF) fifth week, sponsored by Fidelity Investments®, featured the $75,000 CaptiveOne Advisors 1.50m Championship CSI5*. The class saw Kent Farrington (USA) and his newest partner, Easy Girl, fly to the top of the leaderboard.
The day was met with wet conditions as the skies opened up on the final day’s exhibitors. Despite the downpour, the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center’s (PBIEC) footing remained solid and international competition continued on without issue.
Featuring 56 horse-and-rider combinations, Kelvin Bywater’s (GBR) last five-star challenge defeated 16 entries with a single rail, but allowed for 17 pairs to advance forward to the short track. Ireland, Great Britain, United States, Italy, Egypt, and Belgium were well-represented by the returning field. Of the 17 to come back, only four managed to produce double-clear efforts. It was a win for the home team as Farrington did what he does best and sped to the top with Kent Farrington LLC’s 11-year-old Oldenburg mare Easy Girl (Conthargos x Nintender) with the unbeatable time of 37.27 seconds.
“She is a great horse, and she was winning classes before I got her,” stated Farrington. “To be able to get on her and pick up on producing successful rounds with her immediately is I think a testament to what a nice horse she is. She is very fast, brave, and careful, which is a perfect example of what a modern show jumper should be.”
The mare’s last big victory was under the guidance of Santiago Lambre, who won the $217,000 BFL Canada Major League Show Jumping Grand Prix CSI5* with her. Farrington only just acquired the mare at the beginning of the circuit and is optimistic about her future after such success only several weeks into their start as a new team.
“She has turned out to be quite rideable, and as I get to know her we are only forming a stronger partnership class by class,” detailed Farrington. “My plan today for the jump-off was just to go at cruise speed, but she is so naturally quick that even just her neat round is plenty fast. I am excited to see where she takes me, and no matter what she does I think she’s a great addition to the stable.”
Margie Engle (USA) and Storm Ridge Show Horses, Garber, and Gladewind’s entry Dicas raced into the runner-up position. She and the 13-year-old Rheinlander gelding (Diarado x Cassini I) closed in on the leading pair but finished roughly a second behind with a clear time of 38.24 seconds. Great Britain got the remaining podium position as Matthew Sampson and his gelding Geneve R clocked in another clear effort with a finish on 38.24 seconds.
source: Press Release