December 14, 2025 
“Action is redemption,” wrote beloved American poet Emily Dickinson and for American Olympian Kent Farrington at CHI Geneva on Sunday, that was precisely the plan.
The world no. 1 made no secret of his disappointment in finishing runner up to Scott Brash in Friday’s Rolex Top 10 Final. “That was stupid riding. That was stupid riding,” he all but spit into the microphone in an uncharacteristically unguarded moment.
Farrington is nothing if not a competitor. His tense face and words spoke every bit of the frustration churning his gut before a packed stadium at Palexpo that evening.
And all for an extra stride. Farrington didn’t pull a rail or miss a distance or turn in the second round of the Top 10 Final. The egregious (to his mind) error was a slightly cautious ride to the last that cost him 16 tenths of a second and a third Rolex Top 10 title.
Come Sunday’s Grand Prix, it was a mistake he wasn’t going to repeat. Fueled on failed expectations and faith in Greya’s nimble footspeed, Farrington left nothing on the table in the 8-horse jump off.
And no doubts about why he’s wearing the world no. 1 armband.
Their winning time of 40.04 seconds was more than a FULL SECOND faster than second place’s Shane Sweetnam and James Kann Cruz (41.39), the only other pair to clock in under the 42 second mark. It was over two seconds faster than third place finisher Thibeau Spits on Impress-k Van’t Kattenheye Z.
Overkill? Maybe. But Farrington wasn’t taking the chance on not taking the chance.
Greya has now won an inconceivable seven five-star Grands Prix this season. More single-season wins at the level than any horse in the past decade. More than most superstar horses will win in a decade.
“I put a lot of pressure on myself to perform well in Geneva because I love this tournament, and I want to match my horses’ level of performance when they’re in such good form,” said the new Rolex Grand Slam live contender. “I am very proud of my mare, who has been incredible throughout the season. She has won seven five-star Grand Prix events this year, but Geneva is undoubtedly the most prestigious of them all. My primary goal next year will undoubtedly be to ensure that my horses are ready for the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping.”
Make no mistake: them’s fightin’ words.
