Belmont showjumper claims derby victory in 'The Hamptons'
OFFALY's Darragh Kenny continues to make major waves on the professional showjumping circuit in the United States.
Based in Vermont, New England, since 2007, the 23-year-old from Belmont recently won the $15,000 Autism Speaks Speed Derby, with his veteran campaigner, Obelix, at the 36th annual Hampton Classic Horse Show in Bridgehampton, NY.
"I had three horses in the class, but my good old horse, Obelix, won the class for me," said Kenny. "He was careful and tried really hard.
He was really quick, and was very, very good," Kenny was quoted telling www.hamptonclassic.com.
Kenny was also third on one of his other mounts, Quarterletto, at the prestigious Hampton Show, which is one of the biggest show jumping contests in the United States, and traces its roots back to the early 1900s.
The Derby is Kenny's biggest victory at the Classic and is one that he has longed to win.
"I've always wanted to win the Derby," said Kenny.
"It's fantastic to win here in the big ring at the Classic. It's one of the things you always wish for.
"I really like this class, it's really fun for the riders and the horses," Kenny said.
Darragh is a son of Michael and Catherine Kenny and his career in showjumping really began to take-off when he won a training bursary at the RDS Dublin Horse Show in 2007, to work for Missy Clark and John Brennan at the North Run Stables in Warren, Vermont.
The victory at the Hampton Show is the latest notch on Kenny's ever-expanding list of achievements.
Throughout the year, he claimed much praise for his performances on the HITS on the Hudson circuit, which runs from May to September.
During the circuit, held at Saugerties, New York, Kenny and the Wannahave Group's 'Wannahave' took fifth prize of $75,000 in the Pfizer Million Dollar Grand Prix.
In August, Kenny also topped the $10,000 Open Jumper High Score Awards at the conclusion of the 2011 Vermont Summer Horse Festival, while Kenny and Missy Clarke's 'Gael Force' took the top prize in the WEF Challenge Cup.
In 2010, Kenny competed at the FEI Rolex World Cup Final in Geneva, where he finished 28th.
And he was selected for the Irish team to compete at the first leg of the Meydan Nations Cup at La Baule in France.
He was also part of the Ireland squad for the second and third legs of the Nations Cup in Rome and Switzerland.
Earlier that year, Kenny (again aboard Obleix) claimed third place in the $250,000 World Cup Qualifier Grand Prix at the Hampton Horse Show.
He also won two classes at Long Island on the opening day of the CSI4, and took fifth place in the Spy Farms Grand Prix.
In 2009, Kenny created something of a sensation when beating a world-class field to win the World Cup Qualifier at Syracuse in New York State.
Riding the then 13-year-old Obelix, he scooped the $25,000 winner's purse ahead of a star-studded field.
