From Wellington to World Stage: The Meteoric Rise of Greya
As we look ahead to a year that will include the first ever US Equestrian Open, we look at one horse that might keep the spoils on home soil.
In an extraordinary season marked by consistent podium finishes and record-breaking achievements, Kent Farrington's rising star Greya has established herself as one of show jumping's most promising talents.
A Breakthrough Year for Greya
Kent Farrington & Greya started the 2024 season on a great note with a fourth place finish in the five-star Grand Prix at WEF9 in Wellington.
They continued this form when the pair travelled to Riyadh for the Longines FEI World Cup Finals to finish just beside the podium in fourth position. This result had quickly boosted Greya to take the running title of highest-rated 10-year-old horse in the world according to the EquiRatings Jumping Elo rating, a title she held onto until November 2024.
Their form continued to improve as they travelled across the Atlantic to compete on the European circuit. In one of the most nail-biting jump-offs of the year, Farrington and Greya emerged victorious in the prestigious Rolex Grand Prix of La Baule ahead of fellow countryman, Karl Cook & Caracole de la Roque.
This run of results allowed the pair to be named on the US Team heading to the Paris Olympic Games in the summer, where an unfortunately timed allergic reaction kept them from competing. They returned to upper-level sport with a bang as they took victory in the World Cup leg of Traverse City.
Making History: Elite Company at Age Ten
Greya completed the 2024 season on an Elo rating of 769, her highest rating achieved to date. She finished the year as the second-highest rated 10-year-old horse of 2024 behind only Ben Maher’s Point Break.
Since 2010, only 12 other horses have ever managed to achieve an Elo rating of 769 or higher at the age of 10. Greya now joins HH Azur as the second US horse in the list of top Elo ratings achieved by 10-year-old horses since 2010.
She finds herself in strong company alongside both the 2016 and 2021 Individual Olympic Champions, Explosion W & Big Star. The reigning European Champion, Dynamix de Belheme, also achieved an Elo rating of 769 last year at the age of 10 and went to on to claim Individual Silver at the Paris Olympic Games this year.
With this remarkable track record at just 10 years old and her proven ability to excel under the Saturday Night Lights at the Wellington International, Greya could enter the inaugural US Equestrian Open Series as one of the strongest contenders to secure an American victory on home soil.
