Meet younger Irish showjumping star Seamus Hughes Kennedy

Irish showjumper Seamus Hughes Kennedy is just 21 however he’s undoubtedly one of many world’s brightest younger abilities, the rising star of his technology. Seamus made an enormous impression throughout his years on ponies, he received the seven-year-old world championship with a home-produced mare Cuffesgrange Cavadora in 2019, then in 2023 he obtained everybody speaking when he was topped younger rider European champion and in addition received group gold with a string of remarkable performances using the eight-year-old ESI Rocky.

He made his five-star debut at Dublin Horse Present in August and he sealed an unforgettable yr with victory within the prestigious under-25 Defender Grand Prix on the CHI Geneva in December, once more with the 11-year-old Cuffesgrange Cavadora. We caught up with Seamus to replicate on what has been a monumental few months.

Speaking concerning the Defender Grand Prix in Geneva, Kilkenny-based Seamus says: “The mare has a lot of expertise now and I used to be fourth to go within the jump-off, so I obtained to see what to be careful for. There was a decent flip again to the double that caught out a number of folks. I believed if I saved her in an excellent rhythm, she’s very fast throughout the bottom, so I knew she’d be laborious to beat.

“She’s a beautiful mare, she’s received a number of two-star grands prix already this yr and a three-star grand prix and positioned in lots of rankings lessons. She was the seven-year-old world champion in 2019 and she or he’s a terrific mare that we had since she was two or three.”

From broodmare to the very best in Europe

Cavadora is by Z Wellie 72 and out of Seamus’s multi-medal and pony World Cup-winning Cuffesgrange Cavalidam, who they purchased from a neighbour as a “hardly damaged” nine-year-old former broodmare and produced her into “top-of-the-line ponies in Europe”. They finally offered her to Coolmore and she or he jumped to nice success for each Tom and Max Wachman.

“Once we realised the horse was good we requested the neighbours if they’d the rest from her and so they had this small three-year-old within the discipline – we purchased her and she or he’s ended up being one other actually good one,” says Seamus, who hails from a household with a wealthy equestrian heritage. “My mum loves the younger horses and she or he’s a terrific eye for them, so I’m very lucky to have her give me a hand.

“All of the horses we now have this yr have been horses we’ve produced all the way in which up. They’re all native, too, all from throughout the Kilkenny area. So it’s been superb to convey them up and win with them – it’s good to see once they’re making progress, it’s an excellent feeling.”

Seamus Hughes Kennedy: “I saved using at arm’s size until I used to be 11 or 12”

His twin gold-medal successful experience ESI Rocky was bred by his mom’s cousin Richard Hughes and each his proud dad and mom, mom Clare and father Melvyn, had been there to see him to be topped European champion in Gorla Minore, Italy.

“Our household has at all times been into horses and my sisters had been mad into it, however I didn’t begin going cross-country, doing hunter trials and hunts, till I used to be 11 or 12. That’s what obtained me into it as I’d saved it at arm’s size up until then!” says Seamus. “I lasted rather a lot longer than the remainder of them! Then I used to be so fortunate to have Cavalidam as my pony, then every little thing saved rising from there. It’s all been from one step to a different reasonably than one grand plan. I’ve simply saved going ahead and by chance good alternatives saved arising.

“All of the horses I’ve now, I’ve had for a lot of years and I’ve been constructing all of them up regularly, so I knew this was going to be the primary yr after I had a couple of horse at rating degree and for the larger lessons. I knew this was the primary yr I’d be capable to give every little thing a little bit of a run anyway. I’m very grateful for that.

“It was good to complete 2023 on a excessive with Geneva, so now I’m getting caught again into the younger horses till February. Then hopefully we’ll head right down to the Sunshine Tour in Vejer, Spain, the place we’re going to start out off the brand new season. I need to attempt to do a number of three-star Nations Cups to start out with and see the place we find yourself and go from there.

“I’d like to be again at Geneva subsequent yr and do the five-star – I did my first five-star at Dublin Horse Present, having obtained in on the younger rider wild card after the Europeans, in order that was additionally good. Hopefully we’ll be again there once more. I’d identical to to maintain the ball rolling and preserve transferring ahead.”

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H&H showjumping editor

Jennifer is passionate at showjumping and her position as H&H’s showjumping editor has taken her all over the world reporting from exhibits and interviewing riders, connections and people concerned behind the scenes. Since becoming a member of H&H from BBC Sport in 2005, she has written on each topic throughout the equestrian sphere — from turnout rugs to secure administration — and has interviewed gold medallists, world champions and winners galore. She additionally has first-hand expertise of working within the equestrian business as a using teacher and yard supervisor.