He’s also on the list for the 3* GP in Lexington that sans weekend (the Saturday of cross-country for the 4* eventers) and the organizers are still promoting his participation, so too was wondering if he was back in the saddle and close to competing again, or if he just hadn’t scratched his entry yet.
He’s entered at both competitions (Longines Masters NY and Kentucky Invitational) and intends on competing at both that weekend! Quite a weekend for his first time back in the ring after 10 weeks!
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Dang. I sure hope he’s physically ready and not pushing it.
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He’s smart and has too much riding on his career to come back before he’s ready and hurt himself worse. When you are as great of an athlete and as fit as he is, you heal much quicker than the normal person. Send all your good vibes to him in the coming weeks!
He’s in Paris at the WCF for some kind of award? He was standing on his own power and looked great! you would never think he broke his leg 10 weeks ago. He is really fit so maybe he healed faster then if he wasn’t fit.
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Been stalking this thread for updates… seems insane to me he is almost back competing after only 10 weeks! Not sure what he broke, but I broke my tibia & fibula last year and had ORIF surgery. I wasn’t even allowed to start bearing weight for 9 weeks! Good for him if he is back this quick…wish I could have been too!
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i too am in the leave the metal in! I crushed my radial head in a freak horse accident just over 10 years ago. A plate and 6 screws later I was back in the saddle in just under 3 months. Then I noticed a screw poking out and went in to get he screw taken out. Surgeon froze the spot and said “it’s easy to take this out”…famous last words! I’d actually bent the plate and he was NOT. a fan of removing hardware as the bone basically fills around it. We left the hardware for another 9 months to make sure the bone was strong enough and then due to it “peeling and bending off” in I went for another painful surgery. Sigh another 3 months off riding while it all healed again…no way would I take hardware out if it doesn’t have to be removed (although I do have a hell of a cool key chain now lol)
Depending on the type of fracture and the surgeons one has access to, there are a lot of technologies out there that can regrow bone faster than nature itself and focused physical therapy can keep the muscling in good condition which helps support the injury as it heals.
I’m guessing with access to the best opinions in sports medicine around the world that some or all of this was a factor.
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I’m just thinking out loud, pondering. Why do you think he has the best medical care? Most riders, I imagine, are not the wealthiest individuals. Do most keep good insurance? I know my insurance costs and arm and a leg. (I don’t know anything about Kent’s finanances.) Do most people think that the horse owners cover the medical? I’m just respectfully curious.
But, GO KENT! Love to watch him ride.
I don’t think Kent would fall under most. He is a freak in the ring and has several millionaire and billionaire clients that provide him horses, and he has made a substantial amount of money for those owners on those horses as well as for himself. Not to mention his sponsors. It’s in all of their best interests to get him back ASAP. I’d put him in the same category as Tom Brady if he was a football player. The horse that caused the injury was also owned by Gates, no doubt they have access to some great doctors and Bill and Melinda are kind souls who probably felt more than obligated to help him get back as soon as he could.
Exactly. I sincerely doubt that Bill and Melinda would let him just go see whoever if they have the #1 world ranking rider riding their horses. I’d expect he’s seen some of the world’s best specialists.
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I wouldn’t care to make any assumptions about his health care arrangements. But the fact that he is back in the tack so soon suggests that he had some excellent care from somewhere. Good for him, and best of luck to him for a smooth return to the show ring.
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On the eventing side, when Boyd Martin broke his collarbone in February 2016, the US Eventing Owners Task Force intervened and got him to a great doctor in NY who could perform state of the art treatment, and he was back on track for Rio before you knew it. So, I would think it is reasonable to assume there would be similar circumstances for Kent, with enough people interested in making sure he got top care and could heal as quickly as possible.
http://www.chronofhorse.com/article/boyd-martin-breaks-collarbone
Thanks for your posts, guys. I was just curious. I know, say, with Tom Brady, he’s an “employee” of the NFL. I just wasn’t sure how most professional riders deal with their healthcare since they are pretty much self employed. I didn’t realize he was riding a Gates horse. Yeah, I’m sure he’s well taken care of. And I’m happy for him for getting back on his feet so quickly. (As I sit with a boot on my ankle, haha…but that’s another story!)
Is it customary for an elimination with a serious injury to be left off of a rider’s results listing on the fei.org site?
Just as an update: Kent has withdrawn from both competitions next week. He isn’t competing internationally in lieu either, so it’s safe to assume he’s being conservative and waiting until he is feeling a bit better to hop back in the ring. Send your healing vibes to him!!!
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I received a promotional email this morning from the Royal Windsor Horse Show, May 9-13 and they write:
Kent Farrington (USA), current world number one, will lead the line up for 2018 as he hopes to recover from a recent injury to reclaim his title in the Rolex Grand Prix.
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Good for him! He’s taking his time and does’t want to risk another injury. If he went and wasn’t 100% he could fall off and be in worse shape. He’s playing it very smart. Maybe a few more weeks will help him heal better.
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The entries for these things are in well in advance and usually list the regular rider, even when they officially withdraw or another rider takes over, it might not be reflected in press releases prepared well in advance.
He’s backkkkkkkkk.
Anyone see that insta video :D?
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