By Liz Leamy
Last week marked another golden moment for the town and its community as dozens of the world’s premier equestrian jumpers convened at the Greenwich Polo Club to face off against one another at the renowned Major League Show Jumping (MLSJ) Greenwich CSI5/2* event.
This much-anticipated annual affair, which first commenced in 2021, was held from Wednesday, September 24th to Sunday, September 28th, and featured all the stuff of a true storied sports showdown.
Its impressive roster featured, in its signature style, a bevy of decorated Olympic, World and U.S. jumpers, both human and equine, who faced off against one another in various competitions that concluded with the memorable Greenwich CSI5* Grand Prix showdown and jump off held on Sunday afternoon with its purse of 340 thousand dollars.
This year’s talented contingent of CSI Greenwich entrants represented a host of different countries around the world that included the U.S., Germany, Portugal, Columbia, Israel, Great Britain, Ireland, Egypt, Canada, Brazil and Qatar and other nations, with entrants navigating the challenging courses in masterful and powerful style, clearing fences of up to five feet three inches in height during their runs much to the delight of spectators there who happily cheered them on.
At the conclusion of the Greenwich CSI5* Grand Prix showdown that concluded with a jump off among the top eight finishers from that day’s round of 38 final qualifiers, Kent Farrington of the U.S., the number-one ranked Longines FEI jumper in the world and one of the CSI Greenwich originators along with Peter Brant, Greenwich Polo Club founder and patron of the venerable White Birch team for many years, and Keean White, MLSJ Co-Founder, triumphantly clinched first place with two stellar runs that were defined by great speed, accuracy and clarity.
A Chicago native, Farrington and his stunning charge, Toulayna, were running on optimal cylinders that day as they flew over all the hurdles in both segments with ease and strength, racking up the winning score of the day, a 75.69 and 40.64, to narrowly edge out second-place finisher Daniel Bluman of Israel who, along with his gorgeous horse, Corbie V.V., earned a 74.70 and 40.67, respectively.
“It’s very, very small margins at this level and these are two fantastic horses (Toulayna and Corbie V.V.) that win around the world on the biggest stages and you saw a great competition from both of them,” said Farrington, the 2016 Olympic silver medalist based in Wellington, Florida who has won a staggering eight CSI5* Grand Prix championships so far this year counting this event. “I have great horses and a great team around me and that’s part of what it takes to be at this level and be consistent.”
Daniel Bluman was also excited about the competition.
“I’m trying to do the best that we can do and I think Corbie jumped amazing,” said Bluman, an Olympic jumper currently ranked 20th in the Longines world jumping standings who was victor of the MLSJ Toronto where he won the Kubota Grand Prix CSI5* event with Corbie V.V. last August and a top-five ribbon finisher at the Devon Horse Show in Pennsylvania with his charge, Ubilic, last May. “Kent is a good friend. He’s an incredible horseman and a great competitor.”
Ilan Bluman of Colombia, who is presently ranked at 235 in the Longines world jump standings and is a cousin of Daniel Bluman, claimed third with his breathtaking charge, Acajou, scoring a 77.76 and 43.08.
“I think the results were really, really amazing,” said Ilan Bluman. “I think it was a really nice course and we have great horses.”
During the press conference, Daniel Bluman spoke about what an honor it was to stand on the podium with his cousin, Ilan Bluman.
“We’re having an amazing time today and to share the podium with Ilan is a big deal,” said Daniel Bluman. “The last time we shared a podium was in 2015 or 2016.”
Certainly, energy and excitement seemed to be a narrative of this event, an endeavor that has, since its inception, been golden on so many levels.
This year’s event roster, for example, featured more than 267 total entrants who hailed from all over the U.S. and world, speaking volumes in terms of its role and place among the equestrian community, among other vital things.
“I think that to see what’s going on here today, to watch the show, to see the atmosphere, it’s really a dream come true for the [MLSJ] League and I think it only keeps getting better and better,” said Daniel Bluman, who has been a competitor at the Greenwich CSI event for several years running. “And Greenwich is a total testament of the amazing show jumping we’re living nowadays with.”
Clearly, the spectators appreciated the skills, talents and presence of the athletes there, both human and equine, that’s for certain.
