🎧 Listen on Spotify!

Perfect for busy equestrians! Get your elite showjumping news at jump-off speed while you're cleaning stalls, driving to the barn, or out for a hack. Be the most informed person at your next show!

The 64th CHI Geneva delivered everything the sport's final Major of the year should: world-class competition, heartbreaking drama, and a masterclass in how the world number one resets his mindset between Friday night and Sunday afternoon.

The Rolex Grand Prix: Matching the Horse's Form

Kent Farrington 🇺🇸 didn't just win Sunday's €1.2 million Rolex Grand Prix—he delivered the performance he felt he owed Greya after Friday's near-miss. Stopping the clock at 40.04 seconds in the jump-off, a commanding 1.35-second margin over Shane Sweetnam 🇮🇪, Farrington demonstrated what happens when rider and horse achieve the partnership he calls "the ultimate team sport."

"I was annoyed with myself the other night because I thought my horse Toulayna jumped incredible and I didn't ride my best," Farrington admitted afterward. "So I put myself under a lot of pressure that I came all the way here to Geneva. I need to show up and ride a little bit better with these horses that are so good."

That pressure translated into perfection. His first round was smooth and effortless, making Gérard Lachat's technically demanding 1.60m track look like a training exercise. In the jump-off, he unleashed his trademark speed—maintaining a relentless forward pace while slicing inside turns that Greya, careful and in perfect sync with her rider, handled with lightning reflexes.

"I matched my horses' form with good riding," Farrington said simply, though the understatement belied the mental discipline required to deliver under self-imposed pressure.

Shane Sweetnam, who set the target at 41.39 seconds riding the massive-striding James Kann Cruz, summed up the field's frustration with a grin: "I'm sick of Kent, by the way. If you look at the results all year, I've been on the podium behind him a lot. I thought I'd put him under pressure, that he had to do something. But even if I did my complete round, I still wouldn't have been faster than him."

Course designer Gérard Lachat set a technically demanding 1.60m track that separated pretenders from contenders immediately. The time allowed of 74 seconds was aggressive enough to catch out Daniel Coyle 🇮🇪 and Ben Maher 🇬🇧, who both jumped clear over fences but picked up single time penalties. Simon Delestre 🇫🇷 and Peder Fredricson 🇸🇪 suffered similar fates, missing the jump-off by mere hundredths—0.04 and 0.06 seconds respectively.

The course's defining challenge came at fence 9ab: a double of verticals on a short corner with liverpools under both elements. The water trays created a visual trap that proved to be the bogey fence of the class, with 9a collecting more faults than any other obstacle. Scott Brash 🇬🇧, arriving as the Live Contender for the Rolex Grand Slam after his Spruce Meadows victory, rode Hello Folie, a mare who'd been in excellent form coming into Geneva. But the liverpool double caught them out—Folie had both elements down, finishing with 8 faults and ending Brash's quest for a second consecutive Major in the first round. The obstacle proved treacherous throughout the field, with 22-year-old Max Wachman 🇮🇪 suffering a stop at part b that required a circle, resulting in 35 faults.

Only eight combinations cracked Lachat's code to reach the jump-off. Sweetnam, riding the massive-striding James Kann Cruz, posted an aggressive 41.39 seconds that looked difficult to catch. But Farrington had spent Saturday resting Greya specifically for this moment, and the strategy paid off.

Watch the Alogo Ghost Rider between Kent Farrington and Shane Sweetnam:

Speaking about his mare afterward, Farrington's appreciation was evident: "Greya is just an incredible horse. From the beginning, she's been a super talent. And it's just been a matter of producing her to be at her best, like she shows today. If you see her results this year—I don't even know how many Grand Prix she's won at this point, but a lot."

The victory wasn't about redemption or proving anything. As Farrington put it: "Frustration is going to happen a lot because percentage-wise you're going to lose a lot more than you win. So all of us that do this sport are used to it." What separates the great from the good is what you do with that frustration. For Farrington, it's about achieving what he calls the essence of showjumping: "This for me is the ultimate team sport of horse and rider coming together to be a great pair." On Sunday in Geneva, that partnership reached its peak.

Rolex Grand Prix of Geneva Podium:

Full Results

The Top 10 Final: When World Number One Standards Aren't Met

Friday's Rolex IJRC Top 10 Final provided a window into the mindset that keeps Kent Farrington at the top of the world rankings—a position he reclaimed in May 2025 after seven years, having previously held it for 12 months in 2017/18. The world's ten best-ranked riders—Kent Farrington 🇺🇸, Scott Brash 🇬🇧, Ben Maher 🇬🇧, Christian Kukuk 🇩🇪, Gilles Thomas 🇧🇪, Richard Vogel 🇩🇪, Harrie Smolders 🇳🇱, Daniel Coyle 🇮🇪, Julien Epaillard 🇫🇷, and Steve Guerdat 🇨🇭—faced off in a two-round format that proved how fine the margins are at the elite level.

The first round over 1.60m saw Steve Guerdat 🇨🇭 electrify the home crowd with a clear on Venard de Cerisy. Richard Vogel 🇩🇪 had a rail with Cloudio in a three-stride line that caught him out. "I was thinking the three strides will be short, and all of the sudden the three strides got long, and he had no chance to clear that vertical," Vogel explained.

Both Farrington and Brash advanced clear to the shortened second round, setting up a showdown. The nine-fence course rewarded speed but punished the slightest mistake.

Richard Vogel 🇩🇪 redeemed his first-round error with a brilliant clear in the second, finishing on 4 faults total but with a fast time of 44.24 seconds that would prove good enough for the podium as others pushed too hard. Daniel Coyle 🇮🇪 posted the fastest time of the entire second round at 43.00 seconds, but four more faults left him on 8 total—a perfect illustration of the risk-reward calculation. Julien Epaillard 🇫🇷 suffered the same fate, adding a rail in 43.70 seconds to finish on 8 faults.

The biggest drama came from Ben Maher 🇬🇧, who fell from Dallas Vegas Batilly on a tight inside turn when the horse didn't get its eye on the fence—a harsh reminder that even Olympic champions aren't immune to the margins at this level.

Scott Brash, riding Hello Chadora Lady, delivered a smooth 45.63 seconds despite a moment at fence four where the mare locked onto the double prematurely. Farrington entered last on Toulayna with a clear path to victory.

Then came the 0.16 seconds that defined his weekend. Approaching the IJRC skinny vertical, Farrington made a conservative choice—steadying rather than attacking. He cleared it, but the check killed his momentum. He crossed the line at 45.79 seconds, losing by the narrowest of margins.

Caught on a hot microphone, Farrington muttered, "That was stupid riding. That was stupid riding." What followed in the press conference revealed the mentality that separates good from great.

"What's the most frustrating is when you feel like your horse is really in the best form and you aren't in your best form," Farrington explained. "This for me is the ultimate team sport of horse and rider coming together to be a great pair. I felt like I let my horse down because I didn't produce my best result."

But it was his next words that showed why he's stayed on top: "I use it more as just a reminder to myself of get my mind right, get back in the game, new day, and start fresh. Every time you get on a horse, it's what attitude am I going to approach today with? I can't carry any resentment from past results. I get on the horse with a clear mind, new day, and try to be really positive. The horses thrive on confidence and a good feeling, that the horses are believing in you 100%."

Watch the Alogo Ghost Rider between Scott Brash and Kent Farrington:

Rolex IJRC Top 10 Final Podium:

Full Results

Thursday's Whitaker Breakthrough

The week began with Donald Whitaker 🇬🇧 announcing his arrival on the biggest stage. Riding the 12-year-old grey mare Millfield Colette, Whitaker won the Trophée de Genève qualifier with a jump-off time of 45.15 seconds, over 1.5 seconds faster than veteran Christian Ahlmann 🇩🇪.

Only nine combinations qualified for the jump-off from 49 starters. Scott Brash 🇬🇧 attempted a radical inside turn on Hello Jefferson from the triple combination to a towering wall, but the angle was too acute—Jefferson refused, resulting in elimination. Whitaker capitalized, using Millfield Colette's natural speed rather than risky turns. "I've dreamed of a victory like this for a long time, and to achieve it on my first day here is unbelievable," Whitaker said, visibly emotional.

Trophée de Genève Podium:

Full Results

Swiss Success on Saturday

Steve Guerdat 🇨🇭 bounced back from his fourth-place finish in the Top 10 Final by claiming the Coupe de Genève with Albführen's Iashin Sitte. His jump-off time of 27.99 seconds in the combinations class was a masterclass in tight turns. "To win here you have to give everything," Guerdat noted. Martin Fuchs 🇨🇭 completed a Swiss 1-2 on Conner Jei (28.52s), delighting the passionate Palexpo crowd.

Coupe de Genève Podium:

Full Results

In the evening's UBS Challenge, Max Kühner 🇦🇹 surprised himself by winning on Greece 5, a horse he'd only recently paired with. "I honestly did not expect to win. It was a nice surprise," Kühner admitted. Edouard Schmitz 🇨🇭 finished second on Quno, with Pius Schwizer 🇨🇭 completing an Austrian-Swiss podium on Psg Starlight.

UBS Challenge (CSI5 1.55m) Podium:

Full Results

The Grand Slam Implications

Farrington's victory makes him the new Live Contender for the Rolex Grand Slam. He travels to The Dutch Masters in 's-Hertogenbosch in March 2026 with a chance at a second consecutive Major. A win there triggers a €500,000 bonus and sets him up for a potential Grand Slam attempt at Aachen in July.

This is Farrington's third Major victory, placing him in elite company. But it's the partnership with Greya that tells the deeper story. Her seventh CSI5* Grand Prix title of 2025 confirms she's currently the most dominant horse in the sport. When Farrington talks about "the ultimate team sport of horse and rider coming together to be a great pair," Geneva provided the perfect proof of concept—a rider holding himself to the highest standards matched by a mare delivering her best form.

The Desert International Horse Park delivered over $1 million in prize money, championship drama, and career-defining performances under the California desert lights.

The $340,000 Grand Prix: Hands Off, Gas On

Callie Schott 🇺🇸 produced the ride of her career in Saturday's Go Rentals CSI5* Grand Prix, defeating Jessica Springsteen and Aaron Vale with an aggressive strategy that paid massive dividends. Riding the powerful 13-year-old KWPN gelding Garant, Schott stopped the clock at 38.08 seconds—a commanding 1.4-second margin over Vale.

Olaf Petersen Jr.'s 1.60m course was selective, allowing only seven clear rounds from the starting field. In the jump-off, Jessica Springsteen 🇺🇸 went first on Don Juan van de Donkhoeve, prioritizing safety with a 40.14-second clear that she later admitted was "a little bit too cautious in the turns." Aaron Vale 🇺🇸 pushed Carissimo 25 hard with aggressive inside turns, taking the lead at 39.48 seconds.

Then came Schott with a strategy bordering on the reckless. "I told myself that I was just going to try to go and not touch the reins and see what happens," she explained. The hands-off approach let Garant travel at maximum natural speed without fighting for control. They flew over the course, meeting every distance on a forward stride to demolish Vale's time.

$340,000 Go Rentals CSI5 Grand Prix Podium:

Full Results

Mark Bluman's Dominant Week

Colombian rider Mark Bluman 🇨🇴 emerged as the week's individual star with two CSI5* victories on different horses. Thursday's $182,000 Great American Insurance Group Qualifier saw Bluman win on Landon de Nyze, a horse he'd been partnered with for just one week after his cousin Daniel Bluman 🇮🇱 acquired the Pan American gold medalist from Kent Farrington.

Bluman's winning jump-off time of 40.75 seconds came from trusting the gelding's legendary carefulness. "I left out [a stride] to the double, which was slick, and the run to the last was where I took advantage of being on a mega-careful horse," he explained.

$182,000 CSI5 Qualifier Podium:

Full Results

Saturday afternoon's $62,500 BRAINJAVA Winning Round gave Bluman his second title on Phelina de Septon. Going last, he demolished Conor Swail's 🇮🇪 time of 34.17 seconds, finishing in 33.33 seconds—nearly a full second faster.

$62,500 BRAINJAVA CSI5 Winning Round Podium:

Full Results

MLSJ Leg 7: The Home Team Delivers

Friday night's $262,500 Major League Show Jumping Team Competition produced a stunning result. The DIHP Roadrunners, sitting in fourth place in the season standings, leveraged their home-field advantage to defeat championship leaders Maccabi United in a dramatic Gold Medal showdown.

The format's two-phase structure saw all eight teams compete in Round 1, with the top four advancing to medal rounds. McLain Ward 🇺🇸 on First Lady and Erynn Ballard 🇨🇦 on Her Game Ball BG delivered crucial clear rounds to secure the Roadrunners' place in the final against Maccabi United.

The Gold Medal match came down to single riders from each team. Maccabi United sent Daniel Bluman 🇮🇱 on Hummer Z with instructions for maximum pressure—posting 44.95 seconds. Bluman, the league's individual points leader and one of the fastest riders in the world, set a formidable target. The Roadrunners countered with local specialist Kaitlin Campbell 🇺🇸 on COSM Castlefield Cornelious.

Campbell, knowing McLain Ward was watching from ringside, later joked: "I heard McLain on the sidelines. I am more afraid of him than pulling on the reins, so I knew I just had to go." That psychological pressure fueled a career-defining ride. Facing the league's individual points leader, Campbell attacked the course with abandon, finishing in 44.14 seconds—a 0.81-second margin that secured the gold and moved the Roadrunners from fourth to third in the overall standings.

MLSJ Leg 7 Team Results:

🥇 DIHP Roadrunners - McLain Ward, Erynn Ballard, Kaitlin Campbell

🥈 Maccabi United - Daniel Bluman, Mark Bluman, Uma O'Neill

🥉 Trelawny Trailblazers - Conor Swail and team

Full Results

MLSJ Season Standings (Top 5):

MLSJ Individual Standings (Top 5):

The Roadrunners' victory vaulted them from fourth into third place, just 7 points behind the Trailblazers. Maccabi United maintains a commanding 40-point lead over second place, but with only the Monterrey finals remaining, both the battle for second and the overall championship remain mathematically alive.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ CSI4-W Riyadh - Saudi Arabia 🇸🇦

Khaled Almobty 🇸🇦 delivered a home-crowd masterclass in Friday's World Cup qualifier, winning on Diana du Plevau with a jump-off time of 45.32 seconds—nearly four seconds faster than runner-up Emanuele Camilli 🇮🇹 on Chacareno PS. Only five combinations reached the jump-off from 17 starters in the tight 1.55m Arab League qualifier. Camilli rebounded Saturday to win the CSI4* 1.55m Grand Prix on Chacco's Girlstar (47.47s), holding off a charging Abdulrahman Alrajhi 🇸🇦 on Heartbeat W, who posted the fastest time (43.24s) but with two rails.

CSI4 Grand Prix Podium:

Full Results

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ CSI4 Abu Dhabi - UAE 🇦🇪

Carlos Bosch Cebrian 🇪🇸 claimed the CSI4* 1.55m Grand Prix aboard Jolie van der Berghoeve with a decisive 42.25-second jump-off performance—nearly three seconds faster than Antonia P. Häggström 🇸🇪 on Qartoon van de Plataan. Abdel Saïd 🇧🇪 actually posted the fastest time on Arpege du Ru (40.92s) but a rail relegated him to third. Notable performance from Sheikh Rashid Bin Ahmed Al Maktoum 🇦🇪, who finished fourth on Diva DXB, demonstrating the rising competitiveness of the UAE's royal stables.

CSI4 Grand Prix Podium:

Full Results

⭐️⭐️⭐️ CSI3 Paris - France 🇫🇷

The Salon du Cheval delivered a French sweep of the CSI3* 1.50m Grand Prix podium. Francois Xavier Boudant 🇫🇷 topped the leaderboard with Brazyl du Mezel, posting a blistering 36.80-second jump-off. Legendary Roger Yves Bost 🇫🇷 finished second on Vilpion Ballerina (37.93s), while Thomas Lambert 🇫🇷 completed the tricolore celebration aboard Jackpot E.B. (38.11s). The dominance of Selle Français horses in the tight Porte de Versailles indoor highlighted the studbook's continued excellence in technical formats.

CSI3 Grand Prix Podium:

Full Results

⭐️⭐️⭐️ CSI3 Oliva - Spain 🇪🇸

Spain's finest delivered an all-Spanish podium at the Mediterranean Equestrian Tour finale. Sergio Alvarez Moya 🇪🇸 claimed victory on Be Blue with a 34.71-second jump-off, holding off Alberto Marquez Galobardes 🇪🇸 on Kelly by just 0.19 seconds. Mariano Martinez Bastida 🇪🇸 completed the sweep aboard Belano van de Wijnhoeve Z (35.01s). The tight margins—just 0.3 seconds separating the podium—indicated a jump-off track where galloping speed between fences trumped creative lines.

CSI3 Grand Prix Podium:

Full Results

⭐️⭐️⭐️ CSI3-W Chengdu - China 🇨🇳

Max van de Poll 🇳🇱 navigated the challenges of competing on borrowed horses to win the China League Final with a 38.90-second performance. However, the critical storylines belonged to Chinese riders Zhixiang Jiang 🇨🇳 (2nd, 41.65s) and Lingquan Zhao 🇨🇳 (3rd, 43.10s), who secured vital World Cup qualification points for the China League's direct ticket to Fort Worth.

CSI3-W China League Final Podium:

Full Results

2026 Longines EEF Series Calendar Announced

The European Equestrian Federation unveiled the 2026 Longines EEF Series calendar, with the sixth edition bringing significant expansion and new venues to the continent's premier Nations Cup development pathway. The season runs from late April through early September, culminating at the Final in Avenches, Switzerland from September 3-6.

Notable additions include Borgo la Caccia in Bedizzole, Italy, making its debut as a regional qualifier venue. For the first time, Peelbergen in the Netherlands will host the North-West Regions semifinal (July 2-5), recognizing the venue's rapid emergence as a key hub in European equestrian development. The South-Central Regions semifinal heads to Samorin's acclaimed X-Bionic Sphere in Slovakia (July 8-12), an elite multi-sport complex known for championship-level facilities.

"The Longines EEF Series has become a vital bridge between national development and top-level Nations Cup sport," said EEF President Quentin Simonet. "The 2026 calendar celebrates Europe's diversity with a blend of traditional venues, emerging locations and organisers whose strong commitment plays a key role in the Series' success."

The format of eight regional qualifiers feeding into two semifinals and a ten-nation Final continues to prepare emerging combinations for future championship stages while celebrating the continent's sporting strength and diversity.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ CSI5-W London International Horse Show - Great Britain 🇬🇧 (December 17-21)

The prestigious indoor returns to ExCeL with the Longines FEI World Cup qualifier headlining Sunday's action. The emotional retirement ceremony for Explosion W, Ben Maher's Tokyo Olympic individual gold medal partner, will be the week's centerpiece. Expect fierce British defense led by Maher, Scott Brash, and John Whitaker against continental raiders. Thursday features the iconic Puissance high jump competition.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ CSI5-W Riyadh - Saudi Arabia 🇸🇦 (December 17-20)

Jump Saudi upgrades to 5* status with increased prize money and World Cup points. After using last week's CSI4* to acclimate, riders will now unleash their top horses for the major purse. Khaled Almobty will look to defend home turf against an even stronger international field in the Arab League standings.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ CSI4 Frankfurt Festhallen Reitturnier - Germany 🇩🇪 (December 17-21)

A traditional German stronghold featuring high-level jumping and the finals of the Nürnberger Burg-Pokal. Key event for German team selection and a showcase for emerging stallions from the Hesse breeding region.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ CSI3 Sentower Park - Belgium 🇧🇪 (December 17-21)

⭐️⭐️⭐️ CSI3 Sharjah - UAE 🇦🇪 (December 18-21)

This week gets an 8.7/10 for world-class sport anchored by Geneva's emotional storytelling and Thermal's championship drama.

The CHI Geneva delivered everything expected from the sport's final Major: Gérard Lachat's technically brilliant courses, a world-class field featuring the top 10 riders in the Top 10 Final, and Farrington's redemption arc that captured the mental demands of elite competition. The 20% clear rate in the Grand Prix hit the perfect difficulty target, while the tight time allowed separated the best from the rest. Geneva's 48,000 spectators and iconic Palexpo venue provided world-class production.

Thermal contributed over $1 million in prize money, genuine MLSJ championship implications, and breakthrough performances from Schott and the Roadrunners. The week's emotional resonance—from Farrington's "stupid riding" self-criticism to Clooney 51's tearful goodbye—elevated the sport beyond pure athleticism. Supporting events across four continents maintained global momentum as the winter season intensifies.

Know a showjumping fan who's always rushing to catch up on the sport's biggest moments? Share this newsletter with them! Every week, JumpOff.news delivers the most important elite showjumping news in a concise, easy-to-digest format—so they'll never miss another historic hat-trick or breakthrough performance.

Stay tuned to JumpOff.news for all the latest coverage... make sure to subscribe, share with fellow equestrians, and follow all the action as it unfolds, here at JumpOff.news, elite showjumping news, jump-off speed!