Darragh Kenny and Eddy Blue Conquer $500,000 Bainbridge Companies CSI5* in First WEF Grand Prix Victory
Irish Olympian Darragh Kenny and his European Championships mount Eddy Blue had never won a grand prix at the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) until this week. Under the shine of Saturday Night Lights at Wellington International during Week 9, the pair broke that maiden by storming to a win in the $500,000 Bainbridge Companies CSI5* Grand Prix from a field that included six of the world’s top 10. WEF hosts 12 weeks of FEI competition—four of which are five-stars—running through March 29, in Wellington, FL.
Clear rounds were not easy to come by over tracks set by Alan Wade (IRL), who has been tapped as the course designer for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. However, nine horses advanced to the tie-breaking jump-off, with riders representing five nations.
The jump-off pathfinder, Marilyn Little (USA) set the time to beat at 41.92 seconds aboard her own La Contessa, an 11-year-old Mecklenburg mare (License x Cornet’s Prinz). Six rounds later, Australian Thaisa Erwin and her Paris Olympic mount Hialita B matched Little’s footfalls in perfect unison to cross the final timers in a rarely seen dead heat aboard the 14-year-old Dutch-bred mare (Emerald x Vaillant) owned together with Michael Smith. Little and Erwin shared second-place honors on the podium.
Kenny returned as the penultimate challenger aboard Eddy Blue, a 14-year-old Oldenburg gelding (Eldorado vd Zeshoek TN X Chacco-Blue) owned by Carol A Sollak. He used the horse’s massive stride and quickness across the ground to stop the timers at an uncatchable 41.77 seconds.
“He’s been second and third here [at WEF] and placed in a lot of five-stars, but to finally win one here is really deserving for the horse—he’s an incredible athlete,” said Kenny, who won the FEI World Cup™ of London with Eddy Blue in 2024. “He tries so hard every time he goes in the ring, and I am really proud of him and how he competed tonight.”
Of his jump-off round, where he left a stride out in the first line, Kenny noted, “Eddy Blue is a very careful horse, so I can take a bit of risk with him. The relief of winning tonight was quite big.
“He’s a championship-type horse because he wants to leave the jumps up every day,” he continued about his long-term goal to be named to the Irish team for the FEI World Championship in Aachen in August.
Kenny’s groom, Shauna Murray, was presented with the Double H Farm Grooms Award and a $500 cash prize for her care and preparation of Eddy Blue.
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