WELLINGTON, Fla.--World no. 2 Kent Farrington on Myla won the $62,500 CSI3* Qualifier on the grass derby field over a field of 73 on Friday, April 11 during the second week of the Wellington International Spring Series.
Kent Farrington on Myla (Photo by Sportfot)“This is a nice experience for these horses before going into the summer,” said Farrington of the courses on the field designed by Mexico’s Ana Catalina “Catsy” Cruz. “Myla has stepped up to the top level, and this is her first win this season. She’s a strong part of my team that I’ll take to jump some Nations Cups this summer for Team USA.”
“It's a big field and they used a lot of it in the jump-off,"he said "That's really about carrying a continuous rate of consistent speed for the course, which she has being that she’s a smaller thoroughbred type horse. She naturally covers the ground quite quickly.”
Farrington was clean in 44.76 seconds in the jump-off for the win, with Marilyn Little on La Contessa second in 45.45 seconds, and Ireland’s Robert Blanchette on Chardonnay third.
Farrington had a great season during the winter months in Wellington with back-to-back five-star grand prix victories, putting him close to taking the title of world no.1 from Henrik von Eckermann, an honor he held for almost a year in 2017/2018.
“It would be nice to do it again with a new group of horses,” he said. “That would be exciting for my whole team to get back there again, but it's not something that we chase. I think that's when you make poor decisions in management. We set out our calendar, and if we do end up getting world no. 1, it's a consequence of great results.”
THE SPRING Series has attracted a high level of horses and riders to remain in Florida after the conclusion of the 2025 Winter Equestrian Festival.
Victoris Colvin on Gabriel (Photo by Sportfot)“I think that's the evolution of what South Florida has become; you have multiple venues which I think helps strengthen all of the venues because it gives people a reason to come to Florida and multiple places where they can base and show, run a business, have a great lifestyle and have high level sport,” said Farrington. “That leads to having a longer season that people are more interested in staying for. When you have great weather and conditions like today, I think it's an easy choice for people to stay.”
Victoria Colvin on Gabriel won the $10,000 USHJA National Hunt & Go Derby section for professionals, and 17-year-old Emma Brody on Corzico Melloni Z won the section for juniors and amateurs.
Colvin had the high score of the day on a 94 in the handy phase of the hunt & go style derby course coupled with a 92 from the classic round
Jacob Pope was second on scores of 90 and 92 on Hardrock Harmonie SIH, and Canada’s Brady Mitchell on Carter with an 89 and 91 was third.
“He is a very seasoned horse and is really fun,” said Colvin of the 16-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding. “He's done this for a long time and we know each other really well. He was very handy and did his turns really tight.”
Brody scored 86 and 90 over the courses designed by Thomas Carlson in the Intrnational Ring to earn the win by a single point.
“I’ve had him for two years now so I know him very well,” said Brody of Corzico Melloni Z. “We got him when he was very young and just started him in the hunters this year. He loved the atmosphere and was great in the handy.”
Brody is balancing her riding with studies at The Hewitt School in New York City, where she will graduate from next year.
Isabelle Castellanos had an 87 and an 88 to finish second on Remington, and Chrysopylae Locke scored an 89 and 85.5 on Call Me Cool for third.
