World No. 2 Kent Farrington and Greya brought the crowd to its feet during Rolex Finale Week at Wellington International with a Saturday Night Lights victory in the $1,000,000 Rolex US Equestrian Open Grand Prix, a Rolex Series event, to conclude the 2026 Winter Equestrian Festival season on Saturday, March 28.
The Rolex Finale Grand Prix had not been won by a U.S. rider in seven years. Farrington — a U.S. Olympic team silver medalist — rewrote that history in front of a sold-out crowd of more than 10,000 fans. From a field of 40 qualified riders, including six of the world’s top 10-ranked athletes, five advanced to the tie-breaking jump-off over Olympic course designer Guilherme Jorge’s track.
Riding Greya, his own 12-year-old Oldenburg mare, Farrington stormed to a win in 42.99 seconds over Britain’s Ben Maher riding Enjeu de Grisien.
“You never know if it’s perfect until the class is over, but I thought I put in a very competitive round,” said Farrington of his first five-star win of the year with Greya. “It’s always great to win at home. Wellington has become an equestrian community. They get a great local crowd that comes out here and cheers for all of us, but particularly the American riders, so it’s exciting to win here at home.”
When asked about Greya’s winning ways, which include 10 five-star Grand Prix victories, Farrington said, “You have some good horses, maybe even some great horses, and then you have horses that are an outlier athlete, like I believe she is. She can do everything. She’s fast, she’s careful, she’s scopey, she’s rideable, she’s an incredible horse.”
Wellington International debuted as part of the Rolex Series in 2025, joining a list of the most renowned equestrian sport venues in the world.
“The best riders come out [for these events], so we always have the highest level of sport, great prize money and the prestige of a Rolex event puts us on the map,” Farrington said.
Leading the way in the opening round, Maher was the first to crack the code on Jorge’s course. Settling for second in a time of 43.72 seconds, his 12-year-old Selle Français gelding, owned by Charlotte Rossetter & Pamela Wright, set a tough standard to beat.
“It’s always hard to go first when you have these guys after,” Maher said. “Kent’s always there, and he’s always fast, but I’m proud of my horse. I’m happy and disappointed at the same time.”
Reigning European Champion Richard Vogel finished third riding Gangster Montdesir, a 10-year-old Selle Français stallion. Stopping the clock in 42.87 seconds, he suffered a heartbreak rail at the final fence of the jump-off.
“That’s why our sport is so exciting — it’s only over when it’s over,” he said. “Unfortunately, there wasn’t great riding to the last fence. I should have done one less stride. Gangster was right there with me, and I’m super proud of how he performed and how he jumped.”
Jorge has designed the finale Grand Prix at Wellington International for 12 consecutive years.
“I live in Wellington, so it’s obviously very important for me to have a show like this and to be able to be the course designer at home,” he said. “I’ve been coming to Wellington since 1999, and year after year, the show is getting better, and we’re getting a higher level of competitors. I think this year is probably the highest level that I have had on the final. It’s very challenging, but it’s a great show and a great Grand Prix to build.”
Wellington International President Michael Stone was proud of the evening’s competition.
“We’ve always strived to elevate the sport in the U.S., and to be able to have a competition tonight with the level of the riders that are here is mind-blowing,” Stone said. “I’ve been in the sport almost all my life, and to be able to sit here with these guys, it’s special. It’s what we’ve been trying to achieve, and it drives us to achieve more.”
