Lexington, Ky. – For the first time ever, three U.S. athletes occupy the number one spot in their respective discipline world rankings, with Kent Farrington moving into number one on the Longines FEI Jumping World Ranking List, and Boyd Martin earning the number one position on the FEI Eventing World Ranking List for the first time in his career. Fiona Howard still holds her position as the number one athlete in the world in the FEI Para Dressage Rankings. Farrington last held the honor in 2018, while Martin’s jump to the top of the rankings is the first time a U.S. eventing athlete has held the honor in more than 20 years.
“I’m excited to return to world number one—Henrik’s three-year reign has been incredibly impressive; it sets a high bar and deserves to be celebrated,” said Farrington. “This is an honor not only for me, but also for my team and everyone who helps support me in this sport. Reflecting on 2018 when I last held the world number one, I had an incredible group of horses. Today I’m very proud to be back with a totally different, but equally talented group. I’ve been riding most of my current horses since they were seven years old or younger and I really enjoy the process of developing them. It’s a rewarding journey and I’m excited to see where we can go from here.”
For Farrington, his jump to the top of the rankings unseats Henrick von Eckermann (SWE), who held the coveted position for the longest span in history, with his reign beginning in August 2022. Farrington last held the honor in 2018, where he was uncatchable in the rankings for a year. In the last year, Farrington has jumped 31 rounds at 1.60m, producing 15 clears, six wins, and 12 podium finishes, with a clear rate of nearly 50%.
Boyd Martin’s quest to world number one has been 25 years in the making. Martin has amassed more than 71 starts at the CCI5*-level throughout his career, producing more than 48 clear cross-country rounds, with an impressive 73% completion rate at the level. With three horses finishing inside of the top ten at the 2025 Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by MARS Equestrian, Martin’s success has pushed him atop the list, marking the return of an American athlete to the forefront of the global rankings for the first time since Kim Severson in 2004. Martin remains one of the top cross-country athletes in the world, delivering more than 416 jumping clears throughout his career, and earning more than 56 international wins.
“It is a huge honor and privilege to be named the number one rider in the world in eventing. It’s a goal I’ve been chasing for decades now. Many of my idols, who are champions in the sport and riders I’ve always tried to emulate, have accomplished this honor at some point in their careers,” said Martin. “It’s really a humbling moment, and even though it’s my name on the list, I would not have been able to do it without the incredible horses and owners, as well as my dedicated team working day in and out in the stable. Lastly, to share this with my wife and kids, who have been with me on this journey every single day from the very beginning, is really special.”
2024 Paralympian and triple-gold medalist from the Paris Games, Fiona Howard, still holds her spot as the number one athlete in the world in Para Dressage. After a breakout season in 2024, Howard has remained on top of her game so far this year for the U.S. Para Dressage Team, helping the team secure three-straight victories so far in CPEDI3* competition in the United States.
Longines FEI Jumping World Ranking List
FEI Eventing World Ranking List
FEI Para Dressage World Ranking List
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