Kent Farrington Gets off to a Winning Start in 2026 Topping the $75,000 Adequan Grand Prix

By Jumper News USA on January 4, 2026

Ocala, Florida – January 03, 2026 – Packed grandstands set the scene for the first Grand Prix of the 2026 Winter Spectacular Show Series at World Equestrian Center – Ocala (WEC). The $75,000 Adequan National Grand Prix welcomed 28 elite horse-and-rider combinations, but the spotlight belonged to World No. 1 Kent Farrington (USA), who closed out the night with a winning round aboard his new mount, Descartes (Carmelo x Wida Jana).

FEI Level III course designer Oscar Soberon (USA) presented a careful and technical track for Saturday night’s opening Grand Prix. The course proved demanding, with just six combinations producing clear first rounds to advance to the jump-off.

Canada’s Sean Jobin (CAN) was first to return for the short course, guiding the 10-year-old Selle Français mare Grande Dame DK to a quick, clear round in 45.096 seconds to set the early pace.

Ireland’s Darragh Kerins (IRL) followed with Lissino, but their effort came up just short in 45.723 seconds. December’s $75,000 Grand Prix winner, Lauren Balcomb (AUS), entered the ring with Verdini D’Houtveld Z and looked poised to take the lead, stopping the clock in a blazing 41.205 seconds before a heartbreaking rail at the final fence ended her bid.

Tracy Fenney (USA) and the coming 15-year-old Danish Warmblood mare MTM Apple (Favorit Ask x Kong’s Whopsie) were next to challenge the time. Fenney delivered an even quicker round to move into the lead with a clear 43.970 seconds.

Kady Abrahamson (USA) gave the track a strong effort aboard Coquelicot Vh Heuvelland Z, but their time of 47.990 seconds came up short.

As the rain began to fall, Farrington entered the ring last with Descartes, debuting the partnership. “He’s a new ride for me,” Farrington explained. “Francisco Pasquel called me and said he has an unbelievable horse in Mexico for me, and said I had to come and ride it. So, I flew to Mexico to ride the horse and here we are.”

With limited mileage as a pair, Farrington kept his jump-off plan simple. “He has a giant stride and a great canter, so I just trusted it and did my round.”

**Kent Farrington** (USA) & **Descartes**

That trust paid off as Descartes galloped effortlessly around the short course, stopping the clock clear in 43.338 seconds to take over the top spot on the leaderboard.

Looking ahead, Farrington is excited about the nine-year-old Mexican Sport Horse gelding’s future. “He has incredible scope and a lot of power. He has tons of experience competing in Mexico on sand and on grass. They have a lot of great courses and similar material that WEC uses here, so that helped in my confidence to bring him here and jump this week.”

Farrington also highlighted the unique atmosphere WEC provides for developing young horses. “The jumps here are really impressive. They’re kind of championship-style fences, which is why I like to bring my young horses here to compete. There’s also a lot of atmosphere. It’s a great way to produce young horses under the lights,” he said. “My favorite part about coming here is that it’s great for the horses. There’s a lot of space, the ground is great, and it’s a super environment.”

Sharn Wordley earned the Fastest Four Faulter Award aboard Hagelin, posting a speedy first-round time of 76.471 seconds with one rail down.

Carly Campbell Cooper received the Luck of the Draw Award.