Kent Farrington & Orafina Finish First in the $62,480 Welcome CSI 3*

By Jumper News on 2025-07-18

Saugerties, United States – July 17, 2025 – International show jumping competition during Hits Hudson Valley IV continued on Thursday, July 17, 2025, with the $62,480 Welcome CSI 3*. The action-packed week at the world-class Hits Hudson Valley venue in Saugerties, New York, is the first in the popular three-week-long Hits Hudson Valley Jumping Tour™, which features a weekly FEI CSI 3* division, as well as a World Champion Hunter Rider (WCHR) week. Starting off the day with a bang, it was the number one rider in the world, Kent Farrington (USA), and Orafina, who raced to the top of the class for the win.

An elite field of 36 horse-and-rider combinations geared up to contest the 1.50m track designed by Mark McGowan (GBR). With a lineup of Olympic veterans and five-star powerhouses, 20 managed to find the clear path and advance to an all-deciding jump-off. The time to beat got faster and faster until about halfway through, when Farrington and Orafina effectively closed the door on the competition, stopping the clock in an unbeatable 35.00 seconds.

“My plan with Orafina was just to do her round,” detailed Farrington of his strategy for the short course. “She has a giant stride so I kind of do my own plan for the jump-off, and if it goes well, it’s usually good enough to win as it was today. I’m very happy with the horse and very happy to be here at Hits.”

With so many top riders based in close proximity to the Hits Hudson Valley facility, the show serves as a hub of impressive equestrian athletes and sport.

“We’re a close-knit community of riders here, especially all of us that base in America,” explained Farrington. “It’s fun. We have a good rivalry. We are cheering for each other, but we’re also competing against each other, and the group of riders here is always very strong with Daniel Bluman (ISR), McLain Ward (USA), and a whole bunch of others. It’s a great rivalry and great competition too.”

It was, in fact, Israeli Olympian Daniel Bluman (ISR) who came the closest to catching Farrington. He piloted his longtime partner Gemma W, the 14-year-old Dutch Warmblood (KWPN) mare (Luidam x Unaniem) owned by Over The Top Stables and Blue Star Investments, to a time of 37.24 seconds for second-place honors.

Daniel Bluman’s cousin, Mark Bluman (COL), completed the top three in 38.06 seconds with Concare PS, an 11-year-old Oldenburg mare (Conthargos x Cornet Obolensky) owned by Israel Bluman, Norma Leticia Coello Garrido, and Over The Top Stables LLC.

While Farrington enjoys success on the biggest stages, behind the scenes he is sourcing and developing young talented horses to continue strengthening his string. Orafina, a 13-year-old Dutch Warmblood (KWPN) mare (For Fashion x Canturo) owned by Kent Farrington, was part of that pipeline, having joined Team KPF five years ago.

“She has always been a great winner, unreal careful, very fast, super competitor, and I love the horse,” expressed Farrington of his star mount. “I always like to think of the next, up-and-coming horses. That’s a little bit my process. I like to produce them myself, so I get them when they’re young. It takes a lot of time, but it’s part of the journey that I enjoy.”

Three-star action continues Friday, July 18, with the $40,000 Go Rentals CSI 3* Jumper class and reaches an exciting conclusion on Saturday, July 19, with the $116,050 Maria Mendelsohn/Douglas Elliman FEI CSI3* Grand Prix. National competition features through Sunday, July 20.