LA BAULE, France--In a spectacular finish, Kent Farrington and Karl Cook, despite going early, finished first and second after an 11 horse jump-off in the 500,000 Euro Grand Prix at La Baule on Sunday, June 9.
Kent Farrington on Greya winning the La Baule Grand Prix"To be first and second in one of the biggest and most prestigious Grand Prix, it was pretty impressive," said chef d'equipe Robert Ridland.
Cook on Caracole de la Roque, who had won the Grand Prix in Rome one week earlier, went second in the jump-off and laid down a trip many thought uncatchable, finishing in 34.21.
"To say that Karl is on a roll is a bit of an understatement," said Ridland. "He certainly looked to be unbeatable."
Farrington was one of the few who didn't think Cook was unbeatable.
Riding Greya, Farrington went right after Cook, so he didn't see most of his trip, but he had a plan and stuck to it and just edged Cook by about a tenth of a second, finishing in 34.09.
"That's the first time he's ever gone that fast with Greya," said Ridland. "She's only 10."
Being that young for the top echelon of show jumping, Farrington has just been moving Greya up step by step until she now has won at the top level.
"IT'S ALWAYS GREAT to hear the National Anthem played, whether it's a Nation Cup or a Grand Prix," said Ridland. "The grand prix is usually the more difficult course, but the Nations Cup is difficult because it is two rounds.."
Karl Cook on Caracole de la Roque in the Rome Grand PrixOf the eight top riders, including three in the top 10 world ranking, that followed Farrington, anyone who tried to beat his time had a rail down.
Belgium's Gregory Wathelet on Bond JamesBond de hay and Switzerland's Pius Schwizer on Scarlina de Tiji Z chose to go slowly to finish clean and were third and fourth respectively on 37.79 and 40.21.
Switzerland's Marin Fuchs and Steve Gurdat were fifth and six, foll0wed by Ireland's Shane Sweetnam and Belguim's Jerome Guery in seventh and eighth, all with with four faults.
Austria's Max Kuhner, France's Kevin Staut and Spain's Armando Trapote were ninth, 10th and 11th with eight faults each.
"We're using the Nations Cups and Grand Prix at Rome, La Baule, Rotterdam and Aachen, plus some other shows, as selection trials," said Ridland. "Jessie Springsteen on Don Juan Van De Donkhoeve did St. Tropez and was clean with a time fault and then had four faults in the grand prix."
The 10 battling for one of the three spots on the Paris Olympic team are, alphabetically, Cook, Natalie Dean, Katie Dinan, Farrington, Lillie Keenan, Laura Kraut, Callie Shott, Jessica Springsteen, Aaron Vale and McLain Ward.
From The Horse's observation of many of the selection trials, with three Olympics and/or World Championships medalists, Farrington, Kraut and Ward, all of whom have been winning with at least one of their named mounts, along with Cook, who has been first and second in Rome and La Baule Grand Prix, it looks like the U.S. could have a top team for Paris, but deciding which of the three make the Paris team looks to be difficult.
The Nations Cup in Paris allows only a three man team, so there is no drop score.
But there are still very important selection trials coming up, Rotterdam the last week in June and Aachen two weeks later, so things could change dramatically, as presumably those horses peaking closest to Paris would be the most considered.
Kraut, Schott, Springsteen and Ward are scheduled to compete in Rotterdam.
"The riders for Aachen haven't been decided yet," said Ridland. "We've kept one spot open."
