The opening day of five-star showjumping competition at Olympia, London International Horse Show was certainly one to remember for Darragh Kenny. The 30-year-old Irishman and the 11-year-old gelding Cassini Z (Cassini II x Capone) first pipped Great Britain's Robert Whitaker on Catwalk IV (Colman x Corleone) by just one hundredth of a second to take top spot in The Santa Stakes supported by Olympia.
Kenny then made it a memorable double after he and his 10-year-old bay gelding Carlson (Contendro I x Stolzenberg), fought off a valiant effort from Great Britain's William Funnell on Billy McCain (Cevin Z x Cruising) to take the honours in The Musto Inside Edge Stakes.
The London International Horse Show attracted a sell-out crowd for The Cayenne Puissance, one of the star attractions of the week-long event. The Puissance title was eventually shared by Great Britain's Guy Williams on Mr Blue Sky UK (Chacco Blue x Cento) and France's Mathieu Billot on Dassler (Douglas x Cassini II) , after both pairs cleared the formidable 7ft 4in (2.23m) high 'red wall' in the fifth and final round.
Press release from Olympia, The London International Horse Show
Photo © HPower Group