CHIO Aachen 2025: Kent Farrington wins the Turkish Airlines-Prize of Europe in a Night to Remember

Kent Farrington and Myla stole the spotlight in Aachen. The American rider claimed victory in the prestigious Turkish Airlines-Prize of Europe at the CHIO Aachen 2025, reaffirming his place at the top of the international show jumping world and delivering one of the most thrilling moments of the entire event.

The competition, initially delayed due to adverse weather conditions, kept the audience on edge until the very last fence. But it was well worth the wait: the world number one delivered a masterclass in precision, bravery, and speed.

Myla, a Star in the Making

“A big heart in a small package”: that’s how Kent Farrington describes Myla, a ten-year-old Holsteiner mare by Crunch, who once again proved her talent. Last to go in the jump-off, Farrington and Myla managed to edge out Daniel Bluman with a winning time of 38.53 seconds, shaving 0.28 seconds off the Israeli rider’s round.

“I knew exactly what I had to do. I trust my mare and her quickness – even if I add a stride, she has a faster step,” Farrington said after his round.

Bluman and Maher Round Out the Podium

Daniel Bluman, riding Corbie v.V. (a Cornet Obolensky daughter), finished second with a strong time of 38.81 seconds. While pleased with the performance, Bluman admitted to mixed emotions:

“I’m emotionally frustrated, but realistically I have to acknowledge we’re competing against the very best here. Of course, I’d rather be in Kent’s position, but I’m really happy with how my mare jumped. Aachen is the show every kid dreams of riding at.”

Third place went to Ben Maher and Dallas Vegas Batilly, a Selle Français mare. Their time of 39.65 seconds may not have been enough for the win, but it marked an important step forward:

“Lately I’ve had some issues in jump-offs—I’ve pushed too hard and Dallas lost a bit of confidence. Today, I was slow over the first two fences and lost some time, but she jumped with great confidence. It was the perfect prep for tomorrow’s Nations Cup.”

Top German Finish

Richard Vogel was the best of the German riders, finishing fourth aboard the eleven-year-old Holsteiner stallion Cloudio v. Casall, with a clear round in 39.92 seconds.

Weather Drama and a Stunning Finale

Despite a turbulent start to the day, the competition ended on a high. “We knew the weather would change today, but we didn’t expect it to get this bad,” explained CHIO Aachen’s Head of Sport, Birgit Rosenberg. “We were actually lucky, and I’m so glad we could finish with such a fantastic class.”

A Night to Remember

The prize-giving ceremony took place under the lights of Aachen’s show jumping stadium, with Kent Farrington and Myla at the center of the celebration. Joining him were Fuat Firat (Vice President Sales Central and Northern Europe for Turkish Airlines) and ALRV President Stefanie Peters. A giant board behind them displayed the symbolic “1,000,000 MILES” prize – a fitting end to a memorable evening.

Photo: CHIO Aachen/Diana Wahl

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