For the first time, show jumping enthusiasts had the opportunity to bet on the FEI Longines World Cup qualifier class at Toronto’s Royal Agricultural Winter Fair. Bookmaking firm Fitzdares, which offers odds on everything from snooker to ski jumping, was running the book at https://www.fitzdares.ca/sportsbook/SPECIALS/. When the betting was ongoing, you could have cllcked on “equestrian” to see who was in the running.
The only hitch was that you had to be in the Canadian province of Ontario to open an account and place a bet. Fitzdares has been operating there since the beginning of the year.
The Saturday night feature at the final competition on the North American Fall Indoor Circuit offered an obvious favorite in Kent Farrington of the USA, ranked number three in the world, who has been a big winner at the Royal on Creedance. But he was aboard the less-experienced Greya for her first indoor show and first World Cup qualifier, so that was something different in the equation for that class.
It turned out to be important, as Kent’s time of 34.32 seconds for a clean round in the five-horse jump-off proved only good enough for third over the course designed by Kelvin Bywater. Still, he said, “I’m thrilled with her progress. She’s answering every question.”
Her next stop likely will be the International Jumper Riders Club Top 10 competition in Geneva during December.
Daniel Bluman and Gemma W.
Israel’s Daniel Bluman has loads of mileage with Gemma W, who sped to victory in 33.28 seconds as he raced to beat Kent’s time.
“She was magical tonight,” he said.
“When you’re riding in an event that has this type of atmosphere it’s extra special,” observed Daniel.
“These indoor horse shows are very traditional horse shows in North America. We grew up watching them, and we grew up watching great names win these classes, so I certainly was a little bit upset last year that I couldn’t put my name on that trophy,” noted Daniel, who was second in 2022.
“I don’t know how many chances you get to win a grand prix like this one, and when you are given the chance, the minimum you can do is beat the time of the rider that went before you, so I’m happy that things went my way tonight and we ended up winning the class.”
Daniel, however, nearly got edged by the last to go, Great Britain’s Jessica Mendoza on I-Cap CL Z, who was clocked in 33.60 seconds.
Jessica, attired in a rose-colored jacket from Animo with bling on the collar (she said it will now be her lucky jacket) reported that she “played it safe” starting out and could have done one less stride to the third jump, but she really turned on the jets “and let it rip” in the last part of the course.
I asked Bobby Burns, Fitzdares’ director of clubs and partnerships, how the decision to offer odds on the Royal came about.
He said that after taking bets on a pickleball tournament, the people in his office thought, “Why don’t we try it for the Royal?”
As Bobby explained it, “All we needed from the Royal was the name of the contestants and a sort of vague idea of their ability and we were able to sort of draw a book up on it.”
On the website, it’s a different style of betting than I am familiar with, but I’m not a big gambler. It’s what they call “American odds,” which means Kent was at plus 188 on Saturday afternoon, while McLain Ward was at plus 225. Sadly, McLain didn’t make the jump-off with Callas after she had a rail at the first element of the triple combination.
Canadian Tiffany Foster was at plus 400, which translates to 4-1 in the style most people in the U.S. would know. This website–https://theallstar.io/betting-odds-converter/–can translate the odds into whatever style you’re comfortable with. There’s also a way to do that on the Fitzdares site, though you have to join to use it.
I wondered if there will be more show jumping to bet on with Fitzdares, and Bobby said of the Royal, “I can’t imagine it will be the last one. It will be definitely interesting to see an appetite for the market.”
By Saturday afternoon, more than $20,000 had been wagered on the class. Wagering was limited to people in attendance at the show for the first time that betting was permitted. Next year, Bobby forsees more betting on other classes during the week at the Royal.
Kent Farrington, third on Greya in the 4-star Longines FEI World Cup qualifier, won the Royal’s Leading International Rider award for his success throughout the show. (Photo by Ben Radvanyi Photography)
A $200 bet on Daniel at 5-1 odds paid off with $1,200, said Bobby.
“It was a great evening.” (And especially for anyone who placed that bet!)
The U.S. Equestrian Federation this year came out with a formal policy on sports betting and preventing manipulation of competition to regulate athletes when betting is involved in their discipline. Last month, I wrote about how betting is being considered for 2024 for the MARS Maryland 5-star.
Reader Sam Campbell, a native of Australia, spotted that article and asked, “Does anyone remember what happened the first day the Brits introduced betting on show jumping?”
He explained, “It is ‘rumored’ a handful of top British riders got together (at Hickstead) and beat the bookies. Betting on showjumping lasted 24 hours. Circa 1969, to the best of my memory.”
I had no luck looking up details of this alleged incident, so I queried Bobby about it.
He had never heard that story, but chuckled and noted, “I wouldn’t be surprised if that was completely true.”
