KENT FARRINGTON & GREYA GRANDEUR: A GRAND VICTORY AT THE 2025 ROLEX GRAND PRIX OF CHI GENEVA
Showjumping aficionados were on the edge of their seats for the spectacular decider of the Rolex Grand Slam of Showjumping, the Rolex Grand Prix at CHI Geneva. Forty of the world’s leading horse and rider combinations battled it out on Sunday for a massive prize fund of €1,205,000, with the victor also beginning their campaign for the sport’s ultimate challenge, the Rolex Grand Slam.
The demanding 1.60m course, masterfully designed by Swiss course designer Gerard Lachat and his French counterpart, Paris Olympic designer Gregory Bodo, ensured only the most precise and daring combinations would make it through. The initial round, a fierce test against the clock with a tight limit of 74 seconds, saw several superstars fall victim to the towering obstacles. Crowd favourites such as Steve Guerdat and Martin Fuchs bowed out early, and even the Live Grand Slam Contender Scott Brash, alongside previous winners Richard Vogel (2023) and Harrie Smolders (2024), finished with frustrating faults.
As the razor-sharp battle carried on in the packed Palexpo arena, only eight elite combinations punched their ticket to the jump-off: Piergiorgio Bucci riding Hantano, a very focused Shane Sweetnam and his feisty "Gizmo" James Kann Cruz, Marc Dilasser riding Arioto du Gevres, Jason Smith riding Picobello Van't Roosakker, Kent Farrington riding his superstar Greya, Thibeau Spits riding Impress-k Van't Kattenheye Z, Sophie Hinners riding Iron Dames Singclair, and Christian Ahlmann riding Dourkhan Hero Z.
The eight contenders now faced a lightning-fast dash where every stride and every risk had to pay off. Sweetnam set the pace, clearing the track in a challenging time of 41.39 seconds.
Next, the American powerhouse Farrington powered through his round, shaving over a second off the leading time to finish clear in a blistering 40.04 seconds.
Spits managed a clean round but could not match the pace, clocking 42.21 seconds. The pressure fell entirely on Christian Ahlmann, the last to enter, but an early fence down sealed his fate.
Kent Farrington had held his nerve and the top spot. In a season of unprecedented dominance, the world number one showjumping rider has now won his second career Rolex Grand Prix at CHI Geneva, setting the stage for a dramatic year ahead.
--ENDS--
Full results here
Info. on Rolex at CHI Geneva here