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Kent Farrington won at Thermal while Susan Pape won again in Wellington (2)

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January 25, 2026

By SARA CAVANAGH

THERMAL, Calif. – Kent Farrington on Orafino won the $117,000, CSI5* 1.50m Welcome at the Desert International Horse Park on Thursday, Jan.22.

Kent Farrington on Orafino. High Destert Spor Photo)Farrington was one of 12 entries to advance to jump-off in the Thursday afternoon class, and he finished clean in 33.88 seconds to take the lead.

“With Orafina, if you’re going to bring her out here and put her in the class, then you’re going to put her in to win,” said Farrington. “After me was Karl Cook riding Caracole de la Roque, maybe the best horse in the world and certainly one of the fastest, so if I don’t make him work hard enough, I’m going to give him the class. So, we tried to make him work hard enough!”

Cook ultimately crossed the finish line in 34.84 seconds to take place second, with Skylar Wireman on Tornado third, also clean in 36.02

“Orafina has been an incredible horse from the beginning,” said Farrington of the 14-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare that he has owned since 2020. “She’s ultra careful, very fast and a hyper-competitive horse. She’s been a winner since the day I brought her into the stable. I don’t use her for the biggest classes anymore, but for these classes, she’s a great contributor to the team and still a real winner today.”

In addition to Orafina, Farrington has brought another of his top mounts, Toulayna, to California for the two weeks of CSI5* competition at the Desert Circuit, including Desert Circuit 4’s $340,000 CSI5* FEI Jumping World Cup.

“Rabbit Root Stables, based in California, has been an owner of Toulayna together with me since she was 8 years old, so I’m always happy to bring her out here on the West Coast so that they get to see her firsthand,” said Farrington. “Coming here is a change of pace, some place new, some new faces. I have some great people out here in Rabbit Root Stables that have supported my career, and I love to come out and see them and the other people on the West Coast.”

 IN WELLINGTON, Susan Pape of Great Britain on Harmony’s Giulilantap won the CDI5* Grand Prix Freestyle with a personal best of 81.745%, riding to a Tom Jones-themed test on Friday, Jan. 23 during week three of the Global Dressage Festival.

Susan Pape pn Harmonys Giulilanta (Photo by Centre Line Media)Anna Marek finished second with 76.435% on Fayvel, and Caroline Darcourt of Sweden, was third on Lord Django with 76.04%.

“I wasn’t sure how she was going to cope with the audience because they were very excited,” said Pape, who is based in Germany for most of the year. “But as soon as I started the test, I felt she was with me. We’re a total partnership, and it makes it so very special."

“This horse amazes me every day. Even though she’s already 15, she hasn’t got so much experience under her belt, but it seems that she just gets better and better. I’m so grateful to John and Leslie Malone who let me ride this incredible horse,” said Pape.

“We got her when she was 6 and struggling with learning the flying changes,” she said. “It took her a very long time to make it up to Fourth Level and Prix St. Georges. Now, this is my second season with her at Grand Prix here in Wellington and she’s spicy but incredibly focused.”

“Fayvel always lights up in the Friday night classes,” said Marek, who is based near Ocala, FL, and trains with Anne Gribbons. “I really enjoy riding him in this atmosphere where he gets more excited. At home, we keep things fresh by doing a lot of different stuff like riding out in the field. He’s got such a good temperament that he’s always willing.”

At the Winter Equestrian Festival, Bertram Allen of Ireland won for the second day in a row, this time of Zero K in the $32,000, 1.50m Speed, finishing clean in 66.42.

Ansgar Holtgers Jr. was second again, this time on Kantibes, clean in 67.14, with Lillie Keenan on Chagrin d"Amour third in 67.48 and McLain Ward on Lestro VD Valckenbord fourth in 67.86 and Allen also fifth on Kadans in 68.42, and Ben Maher of Great Britain sixth on Nighthawk in 68.97

Riverdee Stables' Cool Jet, trained by Jack Fisher, won the Steeplechase Eclipse Award (2)

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January 24, 2026

By SARA CAVANAGH

PALM BEACH, Fla.--Riverdee Stable's Cool Jet (Ire), a three time winner in 2025, was announced as the Steeplechase Eclipse Award winner during the awards dinner at the Breakers Hotel on Thursday, Jan. 22.

Cool Jet leads over last in the G! Commonwealth Cup (Photo by Tod Marks)Trained by Jack Fisher, Cool Jet won the G1 Commonwealth Stakes at the Gold Cup in May, and the G3 Mariann de Tejeda Memorial Stakes and the G3 Noel Laing Stakes at Montpelier in November.

There were eight grade one stakes in 2025, and eight different horses won.

Cool Jet was the only one of the three nominees to win more than one graded stakes, and he received 119 votes to 51 votes for Zanahiyr (Ire), the Irish invader who ran only once in the U.S. and won the G1 American Grand National at Far Hills, and 14 votes for Swore, trained by Keri Brion, who won the G1 Lonesome Glory.

Despite Cool Jet's dominant results, Sean Clancy, who manages the four man syndicate that owns Cool Jet, said of winning, "I had done by own polling, but it's hard to be confident. I was worried about Zanahiyr. But I did feel Cool Jet was deserving."

"I told Sean to watch out for Zanahiyr," said Fisher, who had had Snap Decision lose to Hewick, who had also run only once here and won at Far Hills.

Snap Decision did later win the Eclipse Award for Fisher, who now has six Eclipse Awards.

"YOU LITERALLY have no idea who is going to win the award," said Sean Clancy, who manages the four man syndicate that owns Cool Jet. "That's brilliant and makes it more exciting."

For Clancy, who has won three media Eclipse Awards, this was his first for winning with a horse. 

"Just one member of the syndicate was at the Awards," said Clancy. "The others couldn't make it, but we celebrated for them."

"It was nice to go to Florida," said Fisher. "It's important to go to the Awards."

Cool Jet was imported from England in 2022 and since has won six times with three seconds, one third and two fourths.

"He's just been a star for us," said Clancy.

"Willy Mullins trained him in Ireland, and he was good enough to go to the Champion Bumper, but he didn't run well there," he said. "Pat Boyle bought him out of Willy's yard and took him to England. Pat called  me and said he thought he'd do well in America."

"He's a big, pretty horse, and I love his sire Jer Away (GB) for racing over here," said Clancy. They love hard ground.Cool Jet was second in his first race for us over here and has been a star."

"Cool Jet will go to the same races next year," said Fisher. "He'll start at Foxfield. He'll go to the Gold Cup for the grade one. He'll have the summer off. He can't run at Saratoga, he bleeds. He'll probably go to Far Hills next year. He's very nice to train. All the good horses are."

"We have about 25 horses getting ready to run next year," said Clancy of the various syndicates he manages. "That's the most I've ever had, it just keeps growing. We have two in England and some on the flat and in steeplechase here. It's fun."

Candid Photos Honorable Mention by Nina Christiansen and Nancy Forsyth (2)

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January 25, 2026

By SARA CAVANAGH

Nia Christtiansen took this photo on the left of  B. Tansey showing a Bassett Hound from Tewksbury Bassetts at the Bryn Mawr Hound Show.

 Nancy Forsyth took this photo on the right of Kevin Dwyer of Manasquan, N.J. wishing his Equine Assisted Services horse, Fittipaldi " a Happy Birthday". Fitti is a 22-year-old OTTB.

Lillie Keenan on Fasther won the $215,000 Grand Prix at WEF (2)

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January 25, 2026

By Staff Writers

WELLINGTON, Fla.--Lillie Keenan on Fasther won the $215,000, CSI4* Grand Prix on Saturday evening, Jan. 24 during Saturday Night Lights at the Winter Equestrian Festival.

Lillie Keenan on Fasther (Photo by Sportfot)With her sights set firmly on the 2026 World Championships, Keenan, 29, beat a field that included two Olympic champions and five of the world’s top 10 over a course set by Canadian Peter Grant.

A daring rollback to the third fence and a leave-out in the final line gave Keenan the eventual win by three-tenths of a second.

Irish Olympian Shane Sweetnam on Rural Juror SCF came the closest to Keenan’s time of 40.56 seconds, finishing second in 40.87 seconds ahead of Australian Olympian Thaisa Erwin on Hialita B, third in 41.28.

“That final line was a risky moment, but I think it made the biggest difference,” said Keenan, who trains with six-time U.S. Olympian Mclain Ward.

“Fasther was the first horse that Mclain selected for me (seven years ago) and represents the important mentorship I have with him,” said Keenan. “He’s my heart horse. He has a fire inside of him; loves to jump, but he really loves to run. We struggled a lot at first with rideability, but I have grown up with him; I trust him so much, and he tries so hard for me.”

“THERE ARE moments where I can go to a fence and think I should have ridden it better, and he turns himself inside out to jump it," she said. "He does that for me. I don’t think he would do that just for anyone.”

Only four weeks into the winter circuit at WEF and Keenan has already had several impressive wins, including a CSI3* 1.50m blue on Chagrin d’Amour and a debut grand prix win with new mount Highway TN.

“Coming off of last year, I really wanted to try to ride the momentum,” said Keenan, who also won the Martha Jolicoeur, Douglas Elliman Leading Lady Rider Award for the four-star week. “I’m in an incredibly lucky position to have multiple horses that can jump at this level, but that didn’t happen by chance. ​I’ve planned and worked hard towards building the string. I have some older, very experienced horses, and then some young ones just stepping up. You build that over years, and I want to make the most of this moment.”

“Wellington has become my home. I showed here for the first time when I was 7 on ponies," said Keenan. "Now I’m 29 in this ring. it feels special.”

Netherlands' Mathjis Van Asten won the $340,000 Grand Prix in Thermal (2)

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January 25, 2026

By Staff Writers

THERMAL, Calif.--Mathijs Van Asten of Netherlands on Hotspot won the $340,000, CSI5* Grand Prix on Saturday evening, Jan. 24 at Desert International Horse Park.

Mathijs Van Asten on Hotspot (Photo by High Desert Sport Photo)Van Asten was one of eight to qualify for the jump off over the course  designed by Colm Quinn and Alan Wade.

When Van Asten returned as the penultimate rider to jump, the time to beat had been set at 38.71 seconds by Callie Schott on Uricas v/d Kattenvennen.

“I know my horse’s nature is very fast, but I have to keep it smooth,” said Van Asten. “I know I have to take some risks because when Kent Farrington is behind you, then you know that it’s very hard because he’s very hard to beat. So, I tried to ride my own route and took some risks from the double to the vertical in the corner. I did one stride less than the rest, and I got a really forward distance to the last one. I think there I made my time.”

Van Asten was clean in 36.64 seconds, two seconds faster than Schott and enough to really put the pressure on Farrington riding Toulayna.

FARRINGTON had a rail down and Van Asten had the win, with Schott second and Ireland’s Conor Swail on Casturano third in 39.04 seconds.

Van Asten has had Hotspot in his stable for much of the stallion’s life.

“He’s a very special horse. It’s a horse, which actually I broke in myself,” said Van Asten. “We did the first shows with it as a 4-year-old, so that’s quite special. He’s really a family friend, and I’m very happy to have him. He’s really an athlete, and we’re very happy to work with him. Every round he gives a lot.”

Van Asten made the decision to start competing at Desert International Horse Park three years ago.

“I train Vani Khosla. She’s from San Francisco, California. So, we decided three years ago to spend the winter here,” said Van Asten. “We enjoy it. It’s good for the horses. We have a good string of horses that we can build up a nice season, so we’re happy to be here!”

Candid Photos Honorable Mention by Nancy Forsyth and Sheri Dankanich (2)

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January 25, 2026

By Staff Writers

Nancy Forsyth of Wall. N.J. sent the photo on the left of Kevin Dwyer, Manasquan, N.J. proudly sharing his Special Olympics, NJ medals and ribbons with his mount, 21-year-old OTTB Fittipaldi.

Sheri Dankanich sent the photo on the right.

Marcus Orlob won the Grand Prix Special at the Festival (2)

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January 26, 2026

By Staff Writers

WELLINGTON, Fla.--Marcus Orlob on Jane scored a personal best of 75.979% to win the CDI5* Grand Prix Special on Saturday, Jan. 24 at the Global Dressage Festival..

Marcus Orlob on Jane (Photo by Centre Line Media)The top four riders in the class all had personal bests.

Canadian Olympian Brittany Fraser-Beaulieu on Jaccardo scored 74.575%. to place second.

Jaccardo has been at international grand prix level for less than a year, and this was his first Special.

The score was just 1% shy of the Canadian record in this test, which was set by Belinda Trussell on Anton at the Festival in 2016.

California-based Geñay Vaughan on Gino scored 71.681% to place third.

This CDI proved that Orlob is finally figuring out a routine and test riding style that suits Jane; there was no hint of the tensions that dogged her in the ring in previous years.

“I was really happy that she behaved and controlled her nerves in the Grand Prix on Thursday, and again today she had a good performance,” said Orlob, who was unfortunately eliminated just seconds into his test on Jane at the Paris 2024 Olympics thanks to a speck of blood on her leg. “I always talk about how she needs to relax, and finally, I think we’re getting there, and we can start to show what we can do."

“I STARTED the test today a little conservative,” he said. “Then, as it went on, she started to breathe and I let her go a bit more, and the passage was really nice. Our mission is to get her more relaxed in the one-tempis, but the pirouettes were super. At the end, she stood there while people clapped. I was very proud that she didn’t explode.”

Orlob has had the ride on the “sensitive, energetic” mare for two years after taking over from owner Alice Tarjan.

“I’m slowly finding her buttons, and she’s trusting me,” he said. “It’s starting to turn into a relationship. All the traveling and the desensitizing is paying off; it just took time.”

Meagan Davis on Toronto Lightfoot had a new personal best of 71.489% to win the CDI3* Grand Prix Special.

Camille Carrier Bergeron of Canada placed second with 70.936% on Finnländerin, whom she rode at the 2024 Paris Olympics, and Tina Konyot placed third on Grover.

Davis has been riding Toronto Lightfoot for four years, and they are now in their third season of international Grand Prix.

They have won three of their four international starts in the past six weeks.

“We had some mistakes [in Thursday’s Grand Prix, where they finished fifth] and a lack of confidence in the show ring, so to then come in today and be able to shine and show everybody all of the work that he and I have put in together was really exhilarating,” said Davis, who splits her time between Loxahatchee, FL, and Saugerties, NY.

“I’ve had great horses along the way, but Toronto is the whole package,” she said. “He is a gentleman on the ground. He knows when he’s there to perform and he wants to be out there doing his job for me, you can’t ask more of a horse than that. To go in there with a partner like that is extremely awe-inspiring."

“Today I was really able to show Toronto’s expression and a self-carriage,” said Davis. “We had a little mistake in the beginning, but we recovered and he tried to stay with me. We’ve been working on finding the balance between expression and relaxation.”

With help from her coach, Rio 2016 Olympic bronze medalist Ali Brock, Davis is aiming to be selected to compete in Europe this summer.

“That’s the big goal,” she said. “We’re going to keep pushing, keep trying to get more personal bests. Seeing that up on the board was super exciting today, especially in the Special.”

Candid Photos Honorable Mention by Susan Aceto, Nina Christianson and unknown (2)

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January 26, 2026

By Staff Writers

Three great photos.

As stated before, these Honorable Mention photos to date have not been presented in order of preference but with an attempt to separate by photographers and content.

Virginia Lippincott of Downingtown, Pa. sent in this photo on the left of John Rice and his pair, photographer unknown.

Nina N. Christiansen took this photo on the right of her daughter leading her granddaughter to the start gate at Plantation Field.

Susan Aceto of Walhalla, S.C., took this photo on the bottom of her daughter and husband with Barney.

Erynn Ballard won the 1.50m Classic at WEF (2)

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January 27, 2026

By Staff Writers

WELLINGTON, Fla.--Canadian Olympian Erynn Ballard on Chatadel PS won the $62,500, CSI4* 1.50m Classic on Sunday, Jan. 25 at the Winter Equestrian Festival.

Erynn Ballard on Chatadel PS (Photo by Sportfot)Ballard won in a huge jump-off of 17 of the 35 in the Classic, with 10 of those going clean again in the jump-off.

Ballard, who went halfway through the jump-off, finished in 35.35 to win over second placed Mimi Gochman on Inclen BH, who finished in 35.54, and McLain Ward on Lestro VD Valckenborg, third in 36.30.

Rodrigo Pessoa of Brazil on Corrie 9 was fourth in 36.33, with Mark Bluman of Columbia on Haquinsa fifth in 36.35, and Elena Haas on Ogue BT Special sixth in 36.98.

With this win, Ballard has won at least once every week since November. 

Ballard said she and her team have been patiently waiting for Chatadel PS to turn 9, which he finally did this year. 

“WE HAVE had him since he was 7 and have been developing him,” said Ballard of the mount purchased from an auction in Mexico. “He finished last season winning his first two-star grand prix. He’s a winner, and I think for a young horse, we did everything perfectly. He did the youngster tour at Aachen, and without over-jumping him, he has seen the world. I’m proud of the way we have developed him."

“To have a horse this long is unusual, and we have created a bond with him that shows in the results,” said Ballard.

Of her recent win streak, Ballard said, “To manifest these kinds of results at every single show for eight horse shows in a row, that’s mega. It shows the consistency in our program and in our horses. There’s a depth in our string that was created by good management, and it’s exciting.”

Candid Photos Honorable Mention by Aileen Lisko and Karen Kohl-Trager (2)

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January 27, 2026

By Staff Writers

Aileen Lisko of t Taneytown, Md. took this top photo of Willow Snyder and her pony walking to the field after the rain at Persimmon Farm in Westminster, Md.  

"Sharing a moment with your pony is always beautiful,"said Lisko.

Karen Kohl-Trauger of Sprakers, N.Y. took the photo on the right of her 11-yeat-old daughter, Carrie Trauger handling two weanlings.

All girl U.S. team for first League of Nations (2)

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January 28, 2026

By Staff Writers

The U.S. is the top qualifying nation for this year's League of nations 10 team competition of four events, with the top eight teams then qualifying for the Final in Barcelona.

Skylar Wireman on Tornado winning in Thermal in January (Photo by High Desert Sport Photo)The first of the four events is in Abu Dhabi, UAE, on Feb. 13.

Team USA leans on girl power to pack a punch in its opening campaign, as chef d'equipe Robert Ridland’s transatlantic-bound quartet has been named as Natalie Dean, Callie Schott, Sarah Segal and Skylar Wireman.

Belgium is buoyed by their sensational Team Gold Medal at the 2025 FEI Jumping European Championship in A Coruña, Spain last July.

Chef d'equipe Peter Weinberg's team includes seasoned competitors Rik Hemeryck, Jos Verlooy, Wilm Vermeir and Annelies Vorsselmans.

Team Ireland returns to defend the title they won here 12 months ago, now under the guidance of newly appointed chef d’equipe Jessica Kürten.

Trevor Breen and Michael Pender proved instrumental in last year’s victory, completing both rounds of the 2025 edition without incurring a single penalty.

They return this year eager to repeat the feat alongside Longines League of Nations debutants Shane Breen and Niamh McEvoy.

GERMANY became the first nation to lift the coveted Longines League of Nations trophy when victorious in 2024’s inaugural Final.

Natalie Dean on Acota M (Photo by Sportfot)German team stalwart Marco Kutscher makes his League of Nations debut alongside three familiar faces to the series, Daniel Deusser, Sophie Hinners and Jörne Sprehe.

France brings a wealth of League of Nations experience to Abu Dhabi with a team of Simon Delestre, Antoine Ermann, Olivier Perreau and Jeanne Sadran.

Four championship athletes will compete for the Netherlands as chef d’equipe Wout-Jan van der Schans calls upon the experience of Kim Emmen, Frank Schuttert, Leopold van Asten and Jur Vrieling.

Impressive in its debut League of Nations season in 2025, Italy returns to Abu Dhabi with an experienced team of Piergiorgio Bucci, Giacomo Casadei, Paolo Paini and Clara Pezzoli.

Switzerland's team includes newcomer Jason Smith along with Romain Duguet, Gaëtan Joliat and Barbara Schnieper in Abu Dhabi.

Chef d’equipe Pedro Paulo Lacerda brings a team of newcomers João Victor Castro Aguiar Gomes de Lima and Luiz Felipe Neto de Azevedo along with experienced riders Luciana Diniz and Pedro Junqueira Muylaert.

Last season’s Longines League of Nations Final Champions and reigning Olympic Team gold medallists, Great Britain, relies on a youthful quartet of team regular Tim Gredley along with Joseph Stockdale, Jack Whitaker and series debutant Jodie Hall McAteer.

Host Nation United Arab Emirates delighted home fans last year with a superb second place finish.

The same proven quartet returns, Abdullah Mohd Al Marri, Omar Abdul Aziz Al Marzooqi, Abdullah Humaid Al Muhairi and Humaid Abdulla Khalifa Al Muhairi.

The competition gets underway on Feb.13 and will be shown live on FEI TV.

The Longines League of Nations is open to 10 qualified teams.

The winning team from the previous season’s Final gains automatic qualification, while the remaining nine places are allocated to the nine highest-ranked jumping nations in the world.

USA headed the Longines League of Nations Rankings., followed by Belgium, Ireland, Germany, France, Netherlands, Italy, Switzerland and Brazil, who rejoins the Longines League of Nations having participated in the inaugural season before dropping out of the qualification places for 2025.

These 10 qualified teams are joined in Abu Dhabi by the host nation, United Arab Emirates.

The series consists of four qualifying events, each offering a prize fund of €700,000, culminating in the Final in Barcelona in October, with €1,600,000 in prize money.

From Abu Dhabi, the series heads to Ocala in March, returns to Rotterdam, Netherlands in June, before St.Tropez–Gassin, France, a successful addition to last year’s calendar, again hosts the final qualifying leg in September.

Following the four qualifying legs, the top eight teams in the league standings will qualify for the most prestigious team jumping competition in the world, the Longines League of Nations Final in Barcelona.

The Longines League of Nations consists of two full rounds of Jumping over an identical track, with all teams sending out four riders in round one with the best three scores counting for the team total.

The best eight teams return for round two, with only three riders from each nation competing, so every score now counts.

After two rounds, the team with the lowest combined score (the least faults) will be the winner.

In the event of a tie for first place after the second round, there will be a jump-off between the tying nations with just one rider from each of those teams competing.

There will be no jump-off for any placings beyond this. In the event of a tie for lower placings, the combined time of the three athletes in the second round will determine the final standings.

Candid Photos Honorable Mention by Nina Christianson and Laura Hirth (2)

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January 28, 2026

By Staff Writers

Laura Hirth of Harleysville, Pa., took this selfie of her beloved farm dog, Ryder, her 11-year-old Aussie.

"Ryder loves his mommy and loves having his photo taken," said Hirth

Nina Christianson took this photo on the right of her grandchild on a pony.

James Chawke of Ireland won the Welcome Speed in Thermal (2)

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January 29, 2026

By Staff Writers

THERMAL, Calif.--Ireland’s James Chawke on Daido van’t Ruytershof Z won the $32,000, CSI5*-W 1.45m Welcome Speed on Wednesday, Jan. 28 at Desert Circuit 4.

James Chawke on Daido vant Ruytershof Z (High Desert Sport Photo)That was the first CSI5* win of his career.

A field of 36 competed over the one round speed course set by Alan Wade and Colm Quinn. with 13 going clean.

Chawke went in the middle of the order, and he easily shaved more than a second and a half off the previously leading time to take over the top spot in 61.78 seconds.

Canada’s Tiffany Foster on Battlecry finished second in 63.43, and Skylar Wireman on Cielo was third in 64.50 seconds.

Wireman, who has had a very successful circuit so far, used the class on Tornado as a school for the up-coming World Cup class, and was clean in 74.31 to place 11th.

Wireman is one of the four chosen to represent the U.S. in the first League of Nations competition in Abu Dhabi on Feb. 13 along with Natalie Dean, Callie Schott and Sarah Segal.

NETHERLAND'S Mathijs Van Asten on Noberlina VD Laarseheide Z was fourth in 65.2, with Tiffany Foster of Canada on Anton fifth in 67.95,Nicolas Gamboa of Colombia sixth in 69.64, and Aaron Vale on Carissimo 25, who also used the class as a school for bigger classes coming up, was seventh in 70.70

“I’m really happy,” said Chawke of his inaugural CSI5* victory. “I thought the track was very good. Alan always builds a good course. I actually didn’t think it was so easy; all the lines were a bit the same in that everyone kind of had to do the same number. So, it was just trying to be quick around the turns.”

Chawke has ridden Daido van’t Ruytershof Z for almost exactly two years.

“She’s a really quick horse." said Chawke. "She’s very careful and very game. She’s spicy for sure. She has her own opinions, but she’s very sweet.”

Candid Photos Honorable Mention by Laura Hinth and Karen Kohl-Truager (2)

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January 29, 2026

By Staff Writers

Laura Hinth of Harleysville, Pa. took the photo on the left.

"This is Junior, the donkey and me, practicing our selfie skills," said Hinth.

Karen Kohl-Truager of Sprakers, N.Y., took the photo on the right.

"This is my daughter, Carrie Trauger with new filly sired by American Revolution," said Kohl-Trauger. "Carrie got to meet the sire when he was still racing. We are lucky to have 2 foals sired by him."

Kent Farrington won again at Thermal (2)

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January 30, 2026

By Staff Writers

THERMAL, Calif.--Kent Farrington on Orafino dominated the $117,000, CSI5*-W Qualifier, winning by over two seconds on Thursday, Jan. 29 at Desert Circuit 4.

Kent Farrington on Orafino (High Desert Sport Photo)It was the second week in a row that Farrington won the Welcome Stake.

This time, Farrington was the first of 30 entries to compete over the course designed by Alan Wade and Colm Quinn, and, while 24 other competitors had faults, Orafina made the track look easy.

The same was true when it came time for the jump-off.

As the first to go in the jump-off, Farrington finished clean in 34.83 seconds, a time that would prove far from catchable.

Gregory Wathelet of Belgium on Argentina de la Marchette finished second as the only other to finish clean, stopping the clock on 36.95 seconds.

Callie Schott on Uricas v/d Kattenvennen finished third with four faults in 41.05 seconds.

“ORAFINO is an exceptional horse, a horse that I know very well, an incredible winner,” said Farrington. “She can do things that many other horses can’t do. She can travel at a super high rate of speed. She has a giant stride, so she can do less strides than other horses, but she can also do them quickly. Then she’s razor sharp, careful at the jump. That’s a big advantage in our sport today.” 

Of being the first to go in the class, Farrington said, “What’s an advantage and what’s a disadvantage? A disadvantage is you don’t get to watch everybody else. The advantage is that you get to set the pace for the class, and if you know your horse very well, sometimes that’s more helpful because you just do your round. You haven’t watched anybody else to confuse your plan, and you just go out and do what you set to do. For me, sometimes that is helpful, and I thought today, I’m just doing my routine with my horse and not too worried about somebody else’s plan.”

The Welcome Stake was a qualifier for Saturday night’s featured event, the $340,000 CSI5* Longines FEI Jumping World Cup – Thermal and sets the order of go in reverse order  of qualification.

Mark Bluman won the WEF Challenge Cup (2)

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January 30, 2026

By Staff Writers

WELLINGTON, Fla.--Colombia’s Mark Bluman on Landon de Nyze won the $116,100 WEF Challenge Cup Round 4 on the grass derby field on Thursday during Week 4 at the Winter Equestrian Festival.

Mark Bluman on Landon (Photo by Sportfot)In six international starts together over two competitions, Bluman and Landon have won twice.

The Challenge Cup was competed over Anderson Lima’s  two-round grand prix qualifier course, with the top 12 returning with their faults carrying over to the jump-off.

“I’m very thankful for him, I’ve never ridden a horse of such caliber; he’s careful, tries hard, and we were well-suited from the first moment,” said Bluman of Landon, a horse previously ridden by his cousin Daniel Bluman and World No. 1 Kent Farrington before that.

With Farrington, Landon won a team gold medal and an individual silver medal for the USA at the 2023 Pan American Games.

“WE ALL KNEW in the family when Daniel purchased the horse, it was one that could suit me, and I took over the ride in November,” said Mark. “We haven’t had that much time together, but we trust each other, and he fights for me. I think that’s the biggest thing with a horse like this one; get him on your side, so whenever you need him, he can fight for you.”

Blumman was clean in 50.15 seconds.

Canadian Olympian Erynn Ballard on Dior was the only other clean, finishing in 50.59 seconds.

Lillie Keenan on Emerlon had the fastest second round time but carried forward a rail from the opening round to finish third in 47.85 seconds.

Bluman said he had spoken to Farrington earlier in the week, who told him that Landon loves to get out on the derby field at Wellington International.

“I speak with him all the time and send him videos every time I show Landon,” said Bluman. “He told me not to ride him so slowly, which would make it easier for him. Today, I was trying to do that.”