© Stefano Grasso/LGCT

By Media Release

US star rider Kent Farrington seized a dramatic victory against a world class field at the Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix presented by H&M.

The American champion’s defiant win at the famous grass arena in Hamburg shook up the overall championship ranking after Leg 5 and left Luciana Diniz in No1 spot. Kent described his win as “fantastic” and he has shot up to No4 in the ranking.

The Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix presented by H&M was a world class show jumping feast with the winner collecting €99,000 in prize money out of a total €300,000 purse.

An extremely tough first round course by Frank Rothenberger saw top combinations drop out of the running including Scott Brash and Hello Sanctos, who were consequently knocked off the top of the ranking by Luciana. In the first round it was the double combination with two tricky and delicate verticals that caused most of the headaches.

Despite the difficulty level there were some forceful clear rounds including Kent, Pius Schwizer and Amira, Hans-Dieter Dreher and Embassy II, Rolf-Goran Bengtsson and Casall, Nicola Philippaerts on H&M Forever D Arco Ter Linden, Philipp Weishaupt on Chico and local girl Janne-Friederike Meyer on Goja exciting the home crowd. All fought through to the jump off with impressive double clear rounds.

Tens of thousands of fans crammed into the grandstands and took up every inch of hte Derby grass banks to watch the highest level of show jumping in the world today.

The pressure was on H&M team rider Nicola Philippaerts but the young star delivered his third clear round of the Grand Prix finishing in 50.96. Philipp Weishaupt hit the accelerator on Chico, the 10-year-old bay is at home on the big grassy arena, and came home in 49.22. Swedish champion Rolf executed a stylish clear on his champion stallion Casall but finished in 50.11. 

After Hans-Dieter Dreher had 4 faults the pressure was on for the three remaining riders. 

Kent Farrington took no prisoners and, fresh from successes at the Longines Global Champions Tour of Shanghai, he galloped home in 48.97. Popular home rider Janne-Friederike Meyer gave it her best shot but could not beat Kent’s time and finished in 51.34.

Luciana is now top of the Longines Global Champions Tour of Hamburg ranking with  125 points as the circuit moves to the 6th Leg in Cannes from 11th - 13th June. Pius Schwizer is hot on her heels on 110 points, Scott Brash is in third on 105 points and Kent Farrington moves into 4th position on 92 points setting up a clash of the titans of show jumping on the French Riviera.

Source: Longines Global Champions Tour