Saugerties, United States – July 31, 2025 – Noticeably cooler temperatures brought a refreshing change to the venue at Hits Hudson Valley in Saugerties, New York, on Thursday morning, July 31, as international show jumping action got underway bright and early. As part of the third and final week of the 2025 Hudson Valley Jumping Tour®, top sport was in full swing in the hunter, jumper, and equitation disciplines. Boasting a weekly FEI CSI 3* ranking, the series has seen elite athletes from across the globe make a base at the world-class facility for the competition’s entirety. Continuing on an incredible winning streak, the morning’s debut class crowned Kent Farrington (USA) the winner of the $62,480 Welcome Stake CSI 3* for the third week straight, this time time aboard Grass de Mars.
Recognizing the fierce competitors in the field, course designer Ken Krome (USA) built an intricate and challenging first-round class. However, with a lineup featuring several Olympians and multiple of the world’s top-10 riders, an impressive total of 14 entries managed to successfully navigate the track and secure themselves a spot in the jump-off.
“She’s been a winner right from the beginning,” enthused Farrington. “She was winning classes when she was eight and she’s just nine this year. She already jumped some 1.60m rounds, and I don’t know how many international classes she’s won, but a good share of them have been at the five-star level, so very proud of the horse and happy with the progress.”
The leading time changed hands over several instances, but with the number-one ranked rider in the world still to come as the final contender in the jump-off, no one was promised the win. Mounted on Robinson Ridge and Kent Farrington’s nine-year-old Selle Français mare (Windows vh Costersveld x Dollar Dela Pierre), Grass de Mars, Farrington shaved a mere three hundredths of a second off of Mclain Ward’s (USA) previous leading time of 33.49 seconds to clinch the win in a time of 33.46 seconds.
Ward’s efforts with the 11-year-old Holsteiner mare (Casall Ask x Lacros) he co-owns with Susan Heller and Marta Mattox, La Serra, stayed good enough to earn the second-place position.
Egypt’s Nayel Nassar (EGY) clocked in a time of 34.07 seconds aboard the Evergate Stables’ 11-year-old Italian Sport Horse gelding (Lucky du Reverdy x Pronto), S&L Maracana, to round out the top three.
“She’s been a winner right from the beginning,” enthused Farrington. “She was winning classes when she was eight and she’s just nine this year. She already jumped some 1.60m rounds, and I don’t know how many international classes she’s won, but a good share of them have been at the five-star level, so very proud of the horse and happy with the progress.”
The win marked the third welcome stake victory in a row for Farrington, and his fourth FEI win of the series overall.
“I have great horses and I have great support behind me,” he said of his keys to success. “I have great partners with the horses. Katie Jacobs and I own this horse together and she’s a new supporter for me. Plus, I have great staff around me. I think it’s a combination of all of those things combined with riding and training. It doesn’t matter how well you ride or train if you don’t have the team behind it.
“I think the Northeast, particularly the New York and Connecticut area has always been very strong in show jumping,” he continued of his decision to participate in this year’s Hudson Valley Jumping Tour®. “It did get quiet there for a while with a lack of shows or a lack of good enough venues for us to train our horses, but now the team here at Hits has improved the footing and put in a great set of jumps, so it has really become a great place for us to produce horses and do sport in between our international travel.”
Final Results – $62,480 Welcome Stake CSI 3*
1) Kent Farrington (USA) & Grass de Mars – 0 / 0 – 33.46
2) Mclain Ward (USA) & La Serra – 0 / 0 – 33.49
3) Nayel Nassar (EGY) & S&L Maracana – 0 / 0 – 34.07
Source: Press Release (edited) from Hits Horse Shows
Photos: © Hits Horse Shows / ESI Photography
