"Because I'd never been here before, I went to Calgary as a warm up for this show and Dublin," said Kent, 30, who is from New York.
British fences
Course-designer Kelvin Bywater's track contained some typically British fences, including a double of gates at nine, a hedged oxer at 10 and Hickstead's double of water ditches at 11.
It was these two double combinations that fell more than any other fences on the course, with the water ditches preventing most access to the final round.
However, 10 of the 48 starters did navigate the course cleanly to jump again in the order they went clear in round one.
Immediate double clear
Germany's Hans-Dieter Dreher (Magnus Romeo) was first to go and set what looked to be a strong target with a fast clear (56.78). The water jump, which was closed for the jump-off, sat right between the penultimate oxer and final Hickstead planks, so riders had the option of which route around it they could take.
Hans, like most, opted for the left-hand track.
"I thought Hans was quick," said Kent. "But I didn't think he'd gone crazy fast."
So close, so far
France's Olivier Guillon (Lord de Thieze) followed and was well up on the clock. He took a risk galloping to the planks, but it didn't pay-off and the top one fell. He finished in 53.55 seconds, but that one rail cost him dearly as the showdown progressed.
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| Robert Smith and Talan, runners up |
Another Brit, Ben Maher and his homebred Tripple X, took 0.01 seconds off this time, too, but at the expense of those Hickstead planks. Britain's Peter Charles, riding Murka's Vindicat W for the first time in a five-star Grand Prix, opted for the right-handed side of the water jump, but he'd already toppled the penultimate vertical. He was nonetheless happy with the performance of the nine-year-old son of Guidam.
Close times
Then came the turn of the USA's sole rider in the jump-off, Kent Farrington. He followed Robert's route as close as was possible but gained an extra bit of speed heading to the last and pinched 0.44 seconds (54.36) back to go into the lead.
Just three remained. The Netherlands' Leon Thijssen, who actually sold Uceko to Kent as a seven-year-old, was the first of those with Tyson.
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| Leon Thijssen and Tyson, at the fence where the Dutch rider thought he lost the class |
However, on this occasion Tyson wasn't quite able to catch Uceko or Talan, but a clear in 54.96 seconds secured third in the €64,000-to-the-winner class.
"I think I lost it at the hedge oxer," said Leon. "Then I got an awkward line. I went on the right of the water because that's just the way I landed coming over the oxer."
Two left
Jerome Hurel (Ohm de Ponthual) also jumped clear, but their time of 56.92 seconds was only good enough for sixth. Then the sole lady rider in the class, Ellen Whitaker (Equimax Ocolado) took her shot at making history.
The class has never been won by a lady, before 2007 it was a gentlemen's Grand Prix. However, the home-crowd agonised as the first part of the second double fell, followed by the final planks, leaving her 10th overall.
Appreciative crowd
"It was very special to win here as most people are clued up on the sport," said Kent, who used to be a rider for British Olympic silver-medallist Tim Grubb. "[US chef d'equipe] George Morris will be very happy."
Robert Smith, who has won the class on three occasions and was runner-up to Tim Stockdale last year, was also happy with his performance.
"I wouldn't have done anything differently," he said. "Talan won a Grand Prix last week and was second here today, both in good company."
He also praised the going in the international arena, which was redone last August.
"It was absolutely superb today," he said. "As good as anywhere in the world."
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