December 23, 2024 
Winners believe. And believers win.
It’s a time- and science-tested mindset for high performance and one firmly embraced by Darrragh Kenny.
The Irish rider has won three 5* Grands Prix this year. He’s one of just six riders to win more than two and he did it on three different horses. But there’s one strikingly consistent variable with Kenny. He leads with belief—in his horses.
Take Amsterdam 27. After winning the 5* grand prix in Wellington in February, Kenny called his Paris 2024 Olympic hopeful “the most talented animal I’ve ever sat on.”
And he’s had a few—159 since 2015 to be exact (Jumpr stats).
When he won his career first 5* grand prix on Tokyo 2020 mount VDL Cartello at MLSJ La Silla in November, he credited the “incredible” 17-year-old Holstein stallion for making “so many of my dreams come true at high levels.”
On Sunday at London International Horse Show, it was more of the same. Kenny added another “childhood dream” to his 2024 record with the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ of London (GBR) and described his mount, Eddy Blue, as “maybe the best horse I’ve ever had.”
But believing isn’t restricted to his horses.
With five pairs advancing to Bernardo Costa Cabral’s jump off in London, Kenny made his intentions clear after the first round—“to win!”—and rode like he meant it. Without breaking rhythm or balance, they left out a stride down the first two lines and galloped through the timers in 34.76 seconds.
Sophie Hinners (Iron Dames My Prins), Ben Maher (Point Break) and Robert Whitaker (Vermento) gave chase but failed to catch the time. Realizing he’d won, Kenny leapt up and punched the air in elation.
“I’ve been watching this show since I was four years old, to get the opportunity to even compete at this level is fantastic, so to win this is just amazing,” Kenny shared.
The 12-year-old Oldenburg gelding joined Kenny’s string last summer. In the year and a half since, they’ve landed on 16 podiums, half at the 5* level, and made a Nations Cup appearance, helping Ireland to a third place finish in Falsterbo. Over 12 starts at 1.60m+, they have a 58% top 10 finish average.
With Leg 8 of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Western European League on the books, Kevin Staut (FRA) and Robert Whitaker (GBR) are tied atop the standings with 60 points apiece. Gregory Wathelet (BEL) lies in third position with 43 points.
The “Battle for Basel” next heads to Mechelen, Belgium on 30 December.
