March 15, 2018 
We’re basing that highly speculative opinion on one fact: they share horses!
Irish show jumper Darragh Kenny took second place in the $35,000 Douglas Elliman 1.45m Classic CSI 3* on Thursday at the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) in Wellington, FL riding Horst van de Mispelaere, a horse previously campaigned by his girlfriend, Jessica Mendoza (GBR).
“Jess and I are very good between the two of us—whatever doesn’t work for one can work for the other. We swap and change a little bit and see what works, and the horse seems to work for me. I think it’s a really cool horse,” said the 30-year-old rider.
Mendoza, it’s worth noting, posted clear rounds in eight of her 10 most recent FEI appearances with the 11-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding prior to handing the reins over to Kenny, suggesting that the horse seemed to work for her, as well. And that she may, in fact, be the best girlfriend ever.
The only rider to top Kenny and Horst van de Mispelaere in the class set by Pan American Games designer Michel Vaillancourt was Kenny and Chakito, a 12-year-old Oldenburg gelding owned by his student, Teddy Vlock.
“The course suited me with both horses,” said the Irish rider. “I didn’t have to go too crazy at the start. It was a nice two phase, so it was nice to go around the first phase and get them both going around good. Then in the jump-off part, both of mine are quite good at galloping at jumps, so it suited them both.”
Come the end on the 12-week WEF circuit, Chakito will go back to his owner. No word on whether Mendoza wants her ride back or not, too.
