Kent Farrington

Farrington began riding at the age of eight after he saw a picture of his mother on a horse and wanted to try it himself. He then started taking weekly lessons at a carriage barn in downtown Chicago. He soon graduated from riding carriage horses in the city, to racing ponies and retraining ex-racehorses in the suburbs.[3]

Farrington spent most of his junior career catch-riding for many industry professionals. He became an accomplished young rider, winning the Washington International Equitation Medal as well as the coveted Eiser/Pessoa National Equitation Medal Finals. Kent solidified his presence in the sport when he claimed the gold medal at the 1999 North American Young Riders International Competition at the age of eighteen.[3]

Farrington turned professional in the sport of showjumping in 1999 when he accepted a job with four-time British Olympian Tim Grubb, and a few years later began working with two-time US Olympian Leslie Howard. Farrington’s transition from junior to professional was seamless; in his first three years as a professional he earned over $1 million in prize money and was honored with the Maxine Beard Award – presented to an individual American rider that best displays true potential to represent the United States on the international stage.[4]

Farrington’s first notable Grand Prix win was at Saugerties in 2004 with Madison; the following year Madison was named AGA’s "Horse of the Year" and Farrington “Trainer of the Year". Subsequent accomplishments include: winning team gold at the 2011 Pan American Games in Guadalajara and the King George V Gold Cup at CSIO Hickstead on Uceko, the Queen Elizabeth II Cup at Spruce Meadows and team bronze in Caen for the FEI World Equestrian Games both with Voyeur, and the Rolex Grand Prix in Geneva with Gazelle.[5] Farrington was the first American to win the Rolex International Jumping Riders Club Rolex Top Ten Final in 2015 and he earned Team Silver with Voyeur at the Río 2016 Summer Olympics, both aboard Voyeur.

In April 2017, Farrington took over as World Number One on the Longines rankings and held the top position until March 2018 after breaking both bones in his lower right leg while competing at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, Florida. Just 12 weeks later, Farrington returned to the show ring to compete at Royal Windsor CSI5* in the United Kingdom.