Charlise Casas & Keminko Make Three-Star Debut in Winning Fashion at Traverse City

Traverse City, United States – June 20, 2025 – When world no. 1 Kent Farrington tells you he’s found you the perfect horse, you listen. That’s how Charlise Casas (USA), a former student and now professional rider for KPF, partnered with 10-year-old Grand Slam-sired gelding, Keminko N. After coming together a month ago, they made quick work of scoring their first international victory in the $32,000 Welcome Stake CSI 3* on Friday during the Traverse City Spring Series, presented by Turtle Creek Casino & Hotel, at Flintfields Horse Park. 

“He called me one day and said he had the horse for me,” said Casas who has shown minimally at the international level throughout the last year. “I was looking for a horse to bring me back into the FEI sport. I didn’t even try him—just bought him.”

Farrington spotted the mount while watching it compete with success in Florida under the direction of U.S. team gold medalist Will Simpson. The horse’s last outing before coming under the ownership of Casas’ Always Faithful Equine was a three-star grand prix win in Ocala.

“This was my third jump-off with him,” said Casas, 24. “It was the first time I felt like I could go for it; he’s such a competitive horse and naturally fast. He wants it almost as much as I do, if not more, and he was right there with me every step of the way.”

Friday’s win came over a testing track designed by Anderson Lima (BRA) that only produced five clear rounds. Keminko N’s foot speed edged out Spain’s Francisco Goyoaga Mollet (ESP) riding Stakato Cornet for owner Ashland Farms by less than three-tenths of a second. Casas broke the timers in 35.43 seconds to Goyoaga’s 35.70 seconds.

Jonathan Corrigan (IRL) rounded out the top three riding Darius de Kerglenn, owned by Twin Oaks Ventures, in 37.02 seconds. 

Of their hair-splitting jump-off, Casas said, “He turns fast and is really careful at the jump. I can dare him, let go at the base and put my leg on so I’m already continuing on the backside. Even if I put him in a spot that isn’t perfect, he’ll go the extra yard.”

Casas, who like Farrington hails from Chicago, has been working within the KPF program for 12 years and couldn’t help but share the influence he has had on her riding—and her life.

“He’s my mentor in and out of the sport,” she said. “He’s been really hard on me, but in the best ways; he pushes me to be my best and he expects nothing but greatness from me. I try to always rise to the occasion.”

The Traverse City Spring Series, presented by Turtle Creek Casino & Hotel, continues through June 29 and features three weeks of FEI jumper competition, weekly hunter derbies, including the International Hunter Derby Regional Championships, in addition to the USHJA Green Hunter Incentive Championships and the Markel/USHJA Platinum & Zone Jumper Team Championships.

International competition at Flintfields Horse Park comes to a peak on Sunday in the $117,000 Molon Excavation Grand Prix CSI 3*.

Final Results – $32,000 Welcome Stake CSI 3* – 1.45m

1) Charlise Casas (USA) & Keminko N – 0 / 0 – 35.43

2) Francisco Goyoaga Mollet (ESP) & Stakato Cornet – 0 / 0 – 35.70

3) Jonathan Corrigan (IRL) & Darius de Kerglenn – 0 / 0 – 37.02

Source: Press Release from Traverse City Horse Shows

Photos: © TCHS / Megan Giese Media

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