Kent Farrington and his mare Orafina secured victory in the $117,000 CSI5*-W Qualifier at Desert International Horse Park in Thermal, California. The win marks their second consecutive triumph in the class during Desert Circuit. Farrington, the world No. 1 showjumper, set an unbeatable pace in the jump-off.
On January 29, 2026, Kent Farrington and his 14-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare Orafina delivered a flawless performance to win the $117,000 Morning Star Sport Horses CSI5*-W Qualifier, part of Desert Circuit 4 presented by La Quinta Resort & Club. This victory followed their success in the previous week's $117,000 CSI5* Welcome during Desert Circuit 3. The event featured a course designed by Alan Wade and Colm Quinn, with 30 entries competing in the Grand Prix Stadium.
Farrington and Orafina went first in the class and navigated the track without faults, making the challenging jumps look effortless. In the jump-off, they clocked 34.83 seconds, a time that no other rider could match. Gregory Wathelet of Belgium and his horse Argentina de la Marchette took second place with the only other double-clear round, finishing in 36.95 seconds. Third place went to American rider Callie Schott and Uricas v/d Kattenvennen, who incurred four faults in 41.05 seconds. Canada's Tiffany Foster and Electrique placed fifth among the six riders who advanced to the jump-off.
Farrington praised Orafina's unique abilities after the win. "[Orafina] is an exceptional horse, a horse that I know very well, an incredible winner," he said. "She can do things that many other horses can’t do. She can travel at a super high rate of speed. She has a giant stride, so she can do less strides than other horses, but she can also do them quickly. Then she’s razor sharp, careful at the jump. That’s a big advantage in our sport today."
Reflecting on starting first, Farrington noted, "What’s an advantage and what’s a disadvantage? A disadvantage is you don’t get to watch everybody else. The advantage is that you get to set the pace for the class, and if you know your horse very well, sometimes that’s more helpful because you just do your round."
This result qualifies Farrington for the $340,000 CSI5* Longines FEI Jumping World Cup on Saturday night. Desert Circuit continues through March 15, 2026, offering 10 weeks of elite competition at the venue.
