International show jumping during HITS Hudson Valley VIII at HITS Hudson Valley in Saugerties, New York, continued on Thursday, September 4, 2025, with the $65,000 CSI3* Welcome. HITS Hudson Valley VIII, also aptly referred to as Championship Week, represents the culmination of an action-packed summer season, featuring an FEI CSI3* division as well as a World Champion Hunter Rider (WCHR) designation. With a stacked list of highlights, excitement was at an all-time high. Exhibitors and spectators alike gathered around the Douglas Elliman Grand Prix Stadium to watch the day’s headline event, and after two thrilling rounds of sport, they were treated to a win by Kent Farrington and Orafina.
The famed Alan Wade (IRL) was the mastermind for the course that tested the 38 horse-and-rider combinations. As always, his expertly designed track saw riders galloping the full expanse of the arena as they navigated the various tests of adjustability, scope, and carefulness. Second in the ring, Michael Walton (USA) and Blues RW produced the first clear effort within the 78 second time allowed. Immediately after, Wednesday’s $31,020 Dapper Horse CSI3* Jumper Classic winner Nayel Nassar (EGY) made it a jump-off with his five-star partner Igor van de Wittemoere. Then it was the world number one, Kent Farrington (USA), and Kanny-Fee that joined the list for the short course. Sixteen others followed, totaling 19 and setting the stage for the all-deciding jump-off.
“This is a three-star show, but the list of riders is very strong,” explained Farrington, who has topped the world ranking for the fifth consecutive month. “We have one of the best course designers in the world this week in Alan Wade, so I think the course was very good. It can sometimes happen that you have more in the jump-off when you’re setting a qualifier event to try to get everybody going for the week. We’re riding young horses, some of us, and it’s a very mixed group of very experienced older horses and some younger ones coming up. You end up with a difficult class to build, which can happen, but there’s also an impressive caliber of riders we have in the Northeast staying in America to do these shows.”
After Farrington withdrew Kanny-Fee, saving her for another day, it was the third to go in the jump-off, Olympian Daniel Bluman (ISR) and Landon de Nyze, that posted the first clear performance in 41.79 seconds across the short course. The lead quickly changed hands as just a couple of rounds later, Michael Duffy (IRL) shaved the leading time down to 40.01 seconds aboard Chili Pepper H M Z. Then it was Samuel Hutton (GBR) that took over the top spot when he and Etincelle d’Ellipse stopped the clock in 39.40 seconds. That held up until Bluman reclaimed the provisional first place with his second ride Kapitaal L, a 10-year-old KWPN mare (Cornet Obolensky x Comme D Api vd Hacienda) he owns with Over the Top Stables LLC.
Unfortunately for Bluman, it was short lived excitement, because the penultimate duo, Farrington and his second ride Orafina, stormed the arena and raced to the fastest time of 37.86 seconds. Last to go, Brian Moggre (USA) and his incredible partner MTM Vivre le Reve, a 16-year-old Westphalian gelding (Ustinov x Chello II) owned by Major Wager LLC, gave it a great shot, jumping clear in 39.07 seconds to land in third. Bluman finished as the runner-up and Farrington notched yet another victory.
“My favorite thing about Orafina is her competitive nature,” shared Farrington of the 13-year-old KWPN mare (For Fashion x Canturo) owned by Kent Farrington LLC. “She’s just a winner. She was a winner right from the beginning, and she continues to be a winner throughout her career at almost every level. She can win a great speed class; she has won five-star grand prix classes; she has been a great horse and continues to be one.
“I watched a few go,” he continued of his jump-off strategy. “With this horse in particular, she really has her speed and her round to go, and it’s just a matter of how much you’re going to push it. Her normal fast round is already very, very fast, and today that was good enough.”
Competition continues on Friday, September 5, with the $35,000 FEI CSI3* Winning Round, as anticipation builds ahead of Saturday’s $125,000 Core Specialty CSI3* Grand Prix. National competition, including the $200,000 ClipMyHorse.TV Hunter Classic Final, will continue through Sunday, September 7, 2025. For full results, please visit showmanagementsystem.com.
