U.S. Tokyo Olympic team silver medalist Kent Farrington has found yet another leading lady in Toulayna, who scored her first grand prix victory in the $226,000 Horseware Ireland CSI4* on Saturday night. Befitting of St. Patrick’s Day week, the event highlighted Week 10 of the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, Florida.

Stepping up to the biggest test of her career to date, the 9-year-old Zangersheide mare (Toulon—Vuelta, Parco), owned by Kent Farrington LLC and Rabbit Root Stables LLC, could not be caught over the Andy Christiansen Jr. (USA)-designed jump-off track. Nine horses advanced to the tie-breaking short course where the lead changed five times.

“This is definitely the biggest track she’s jumped,” said Farrington of the mare that was also third in the NetJets CSI4* Grand Prix during WEF 3. “I have high hopes for this horse. She’s fast, careful and everything I like in a show jumper.”

Ridden by Kent Farring, Toulayna scored the first grand prix win of her career March 18 in the $226,000 Horseware Ireland CSI4* in Wellington, Fla. Sportfot Photo

Farrington’s 2021 Tokyo Games teammate Jessica Springsteen set the pace as the first clear round aboard her Olympic mount Don Juan Van De Donkhoeve for owner Stone Hill Farm. Their time of 39.58 seconds was soon eclipsed by fellow U.S. rider Lillie Keenan on Chansonette Farm’s Agana Van Het Gerendal Z in 39.10 seconds.

Ireland’s sole representative in the Horseware Ireland Grand Prix was Darragh Kenny in the irons of Amsterdam 27. They stole the lead from Keenan and stopped the clock at 38.94 seconds before Nicole Shahinian-Simpson took it back for the U.S. in 37.94 seconds with Akuna Mattata. Farrington did just enough to seal the deal by stopping the timers at 37.38 seconds.

“I’m very confident on this horse, and that’s the way I like to do it—get them when they are young and produce them myself so I know them quite well,” said Farrington, who has ridden Toulayna since the mare’s 7-year-old year. “Even if they are green stepping up to this level, I know where I can take a shot.

“[Toulayna] is extremely sharp, and I was very quick to the verticals,” he continued, speaking of his jump-off round. “Taking a run down to that single is probably where I made up some time. She has a big stride, but I wasn’t sure if I could get eight strides to the last jump. She jumped so strong out of the double, it was easy.”

Farrington has high expectations for Toulayna—ones that she is already meeting.

“She’s a very high-strung horse with a lot of blood and very sharp, but I try to keep the horses fresh and interested in the job because it’s a long season here,” he said. “She’s done four weeks this season, and I think that’s plenty. We will hit the trails now and just chill out.”

See complete results here.

Watch the winning jump-off round, courtesy of Wellington International: