Final Postcard: 2009 Syracuse Invitational Sporthorse Tournament
November 1, 2009 -- Darragh Kenny couldn't sleep last night. Restless, he texted his mentor and boss, Missy Clark, congratulating her on Saturday's triumphs at the Syracuse Invitational Sporthorse Tournament, where she and the North Run crew coached Zazou Hoffman to victory in the Maclay and Darragh and Hillary Dobbs to first and second place in the $100,000 grand prix at the Oncenter Complex.
How do you follow an act like that?
"You know what?" he told her shortly after dawn. "It's only going to get worse today." Then he smiled and said to me, "It turns out it didn't."
Yes, that's right. Triumph piled on triumph, as Darragh won the Animal Planet Sport Horse Cup, the show's final class.
"Suppose," I suggested to Darragh, "I had told you at the beginning of the week that you'd win all this?"
"I would have said you were crazy," the charming 21-year-old rider retorted immediately with an engaging smile.
The Cup takes the top seven show jumpers at the tournament and pits them against each other in a three-phase deal, dreamed up by Syracuse founder John Madden to showcase different aspects of show jumping. The first round involves a speed test, while the second is a four-bar, with four jumps in a row being raised incrementally. The last obstacle got to 6-feet, 2 inches, but no one managed to clear it and leave all the rails in place.
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The third phase is a grand prix-style test against the clock. Darragh went clean with Gael Force (he rode Bazooka de Muze in the first round, Gael Force in the others.) Then he had to wait to see whether McLain Ward and Esplanade 7 could go clean in a time faster than he had logged. He didn't have to wait long; McLain's horse crashed the second fence, ending the suspense and giving Darragh yet another big moment.
"It's been phenomenal. I'm shell-shocked," he said after holding the glass trophy aloft and then kissing it.
All the success has boosted Darragh's confidence, and we talked about whether he wanted to ride on a team for his native Ireland..
"It's what I hope. That's every kid's aim from when they were very young, and it was mine as well, My biggest one is to ride in the Olympics. My second-biggest is to jump on the team at the horse show in Dublin. To ride for my country would mean so much to me," he commented.
Since he lives here, I was wondering if he had any thoughts about becoming an American.
"None whatsoever," he replied. "I'm very patriotic. I love America, it's a great country, but I was born and raised in Ireland and that's how it will always be."
The closing session carried a lot of emotion, as the stallion Judgement was retired and bid farewell to his fans.
Beezie Madden, John's wife, who is recovering from shoulder surgery, mounted up and rode the stallion around the ring to a standing ovation. His accomplishments are legion, from winning the $1 million CN class at Spruce Meadows to victory in the 2006 and 2008 Animal Planet Cups. There was plenty in between, and Beezie will miss her stalwart partner.
We talked about what he meant to her.
Listen: Beezie MaddenOn hand for the ceremony was Judgement's breeder, Mary Alice Malone of Iron Spring Farm, who spotted his considerable talent early. The horse first went to Michael Matz, and when he retired from riding, on to Beezie.
Mary Alice and I also talked about this stalwart 18-year-old, who won more than $1.5 million in his career and looked as if he could go right out and win some more this afternoon.
After Darragh's victory, he commented how much he had enjoyed the show and expressed an insight.
"John does a good job. He's brilliant," Darragh said. That sums it up. The Tournament is John's baby. It's unique; he has made it a reflection of what he thinks show jumping should and could be. But there are some questions about its future.
The National Horse Show joined forces with Syracuse last year, and chatter has been abundant that it might move elsewhere. I asked Mason Phelps, the National's president and CEO to comment.
For his part, John wishes the National well, whether it remains with Syracuse or goes out on its own.
"I want the National to be tremendously successful," said John, who said he wishes the same for the Palm Beach shows, the Hampton Classic and other fixtures.
"I want to raise the level of show jumping in the world, and I have no ego about it," he contended. "My ego is satisfied by success."
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