Belmont Man Strides To Success In America
Thursday, 3 February 2011
BELMONT native Daragh Kenny threw caution to the wind on Thursday last when he claimed his first victory of 2011 season. Kenny who now resides in America took the honours at Thursday's WEF Challenge Cup competition at the Palm Beach showground's in Wellington, Florida, riding the Irish-bred 'Gael Force'.
The 23 year-old US-based star, piloted Missy Clark's Cavalier Royale gelding through to a ten-horse jump-off, and beat off a strong American challenge from Brianne Goutal to win the 9,000 dollar first prize by leaving out a stride when navigating the last line of jumps.
The son of Michael and Catherine Kenny from Deerpark in Belmont only turned 23 only last week and this was a timely present that had its fair share of Irish luck. 'The horse jumped great; he jumped both rounds fantastic and he has always been a great horse for me. It was a good track and I knew Brianne was really fast. I knew that there was really no way that I could catch her other than to do my crazy five strides down the last line. It worked out for me at the time, but it was lucky,' said the rising star.
Kenny has been on the show-jumping books for many years now since he won a training bursary at the RDS Dublin Horse Show in 2007 to go and work for Missy Clark and John Brennan at North Run Stables in Warren, Vermont. He returned in the winter of 2008 to compete for them on the Florida circuit and has been based there ever since.
He had an excellent 2010 illustrated by his inclusion on the Irish team to compete in all three legs of the Meydan Nations Cup held in France, Switzerland and Italy. After all three legs, Kenny was part of the Irish team who commanded a fourth place overall.
Another highlight of 2010 was his qualification for the FE1 Rolex World Cup Final in Geneva where he came a credible 28th. Overall Kenny had five wins in 2010 with all five coming on American soil where he now makes his living. It is a super start to 2011 for the Belmont native and here's hoping to a success filled 2011.
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