Only one U.S. rider, Kent Farrington, will compete in the 22d Rolex International Jumping Riders Club Top 10 Final on December 8, during the Geneva, Switzerland, Concours Hippique International. The competition involves the 10 best show jumpers in the world, who qualify from the rankings list.
McLain Ward, number six in the world rankings, is opting out and instead going to the Desert International Horse Park in California during that time period. The IJRC worded announcement of that cryptically, saying Mclain “is unfortunately unable to travel to Europe to compete in this event.”
I was alarmed–could it be that McLain is sick, or was there a problem with his horses? But he told me heading west “was the better choice for my string of horses at this moment and keeping in mind next years busy season.” He is, of course, referring to the Paris Olympics.
McLain Ward and HH Azur on their way to victory at Geneva 2022. (Photo Ashley Neuhof/Rolex)
Irish rider Shane Sweetnam, number 11, made the top 10 as a result of McLain’s decision not to go to Geneva. At least Shane is based in the U.S.
Last year, McLain won the first leg of the Rolex Grand Slam (a different competition from the top 10) at Geneva with HH Azur, then took the second leg earlier this year in the Netherlands.
But their bid to become only the second winner of the Grand Slam ended when Annie had two of the first three fences down during the Grand Slam’s final segment at Aachen, and McLain retired from the competition. That was Annie’s last show. She had a formal retirement ceremony at the Hampton Classic in September.
Kent earned the Top 10 title in 2015 and 2019, and is the only U.S. rider ever to do so since the competition began in 2001. This year, he’s fresh off winning gold on the team with McLain at the Pan American Games, and also took individual silver at that competition in Chile. He is ranked number three in the top 10. McLain won individual bronze at the Pan Ams.
Created in 2001 by the International Jumping Riders Club, the Top 10 competition recognizes the achievements and talents of the world’s best show jumpers over the preceding year.
World number one Henrik von Eckermann of Sweden will be looking to repeat his 2022 finish at the head of the Top 10 final with King Edward. Also competing are number two, Ben Maher of Great Britain, who won the top 10 in 2021; Martin Fuchs and Steve Guerdat, both of Switzerland; Frenchmen Julien Epaillard and Simon Delestre; Max Kuhner (Austria) and Harrie Smolders (Netherlands).
IJRC President Kevin Staut noted that “the Rolex IJRC Top 10 Final is a very special class; every edition of this competition is an extraordinary event, a new and exciting experience. Thanks to its format and the understanding there is between riders and the public, it is a perfect competition.
“Winning the Rolex IJRC Top 10 is one of the most satisfying and important achievements for a rider because it marks the crowning event after a year of constructive and constant work in perfect synergy and harmony with our horses.”