Rolex Grand Prix of Geneva 2025: Farrington and Greya Finish the Job
The Rolex Grand Prix of Geneva delivered a defining moment in the 2025 indoor season, as Kent Farrington and the exceptional Greya converted resilience, consistency, and season-long form into victory on one of the sport’s most demanding stages.
After narrowly missing out on the Rolex IJRC Top 10 Final earlier in the week, Farrington returned to the Palexpo arena with a clear objective. This time, the outcome was decisive.
A Performance Built on Pressure
The Geneva Grand Prix track placed an immediate premium on accuracy and discipline. Long lines off the rails, careful verticals, and combinations that punished even minor hesitation meant there was little margin for error from start to finish. Riders who chased time too early found themselves exposed, while those who stayed patient and allowed their horses to jump through the questions were rewarded.
Farrington and Greya delivered exactly that type of round. Their performance was defined by efficiency rather than risk, with Greya’s carefulness and consistency coming to the fore as the course intensified. Where others struggled to maintain rhythm late in the track, the pair stayed balanced and composed, producing two faultless rounds when it mattered most.
Reflecting on the turnaround from Friday to Sunday, Farrington was clear about how he approached the Grand Prix, saying: “To win here, any class, on any horse, is always special, just because of the environment and the show, and how much it all means to us riders to compete at Rolex Majors. I was really hoping for a great result today. I was annoyed with myself the other night [Friday for the IJRC Rolex Top 10], because I felt like my horse Toulayna jumped incredible and I did not ride my best. I put myself under a lot of pressure; I came all the way here to Geneva, I need to show up and ride a little bit better with these horses that are so good. I am thrilled with the result today, thrilled with my horse and happy for my whole team that makes this all possible.”
That mindset proved decisive in a class where pressure built with every clear round.
History Written, Again
With the Geneva victory, Farrington secured his ninth five-star Grand Prix win of 2025, surpassing his own previous best from 2017 and setting a new benchmark for success in a single calendar year.
For Greya, the result was equally historic. The win marked her seventh five-star Grand Prix victory of the season, making her the first horse to achieve that milestone in one year. The previous record, set in 2017 was also set by Farrington, with his then partner, Gazelle.
Geneva was not an isolated success for Farrington and Greya, but rather the culmination of a season built on sustained top-level performance. Throughout 2025, Greya has delivered consistently strong results at the CSI5* 160cm level, maintaining one of the most reliable performance profiles among the elite horses competing on the global circuit. That dependability across venues, atmospheres, and course styles has become the defining feature of the partnership, with Geneva providing the most visible stage yet for a season already written into the record books.
Podium Performances, Fine Margins, and a Statement Win
In a week that highlighted just how narrow the margins are at the top of the sport, their ability to transform disappointment into determination set them apart. Geneva closed not only with a new Grand Prix winner, but with a partnership that has come to define the 2025 season.
Second place went to Shane Sweetnam, who produced a sharp and committed performance aboard James Kann Cruz. The result in Geneva was a continuation of a highly consistent season for the partnership, with James Kann Cruz repeatedly delivering clear and competitive rounds at the CSI5* level throughout the year. That reliability under pressure has become a hallmark of the horse’s 2025 campaign, and Geneva once again highlighted his ability to perform on the sport’s biggest stages.
Completing the podium was Thibaut Spits, whose performance marked another significant step forward at the very top level. Riding with composure and confidence, Spits delivered a measured round that stood up under intense pressure, reinforcing his growing presence among the sport’s emerging elite.
The class also underlined the fine margins at this level. Scott Brash, winner of Friday’s Rolex IJRC Top 10 Final, did not feature on the Grand Prix podium after 8 faults in the first round; a reminder of how quickly momentum can shift at top level of this sport.
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