Name: Christian Kennedy

Age: 17

From: Tralee Co Kerry. Our yard is in Croagh, Co Limerick.

Equestrian background: I have been lucky to have had horses around all my life. I understand the care and hard work involved in looking after them. Our family runs a stud and also a breaking and producing yard, so mostly all the horses I ride are home-bred. I’ve had the privilege of seeing them from birth to four-year-olds, developing and growing before starting them under saddle.

This year, I’ll be taking a step back from horses as I am heading into sixth year to do my Leaving Certificate and will have to put down my head and focus on school and put horses on the back burner for a short time. I’ve learned a huge amount from both my mother and father, whose experience, support and guidance have been invaluable. I’m excited to keep travelling and learning from others around the world, gaining new perspectives, skills and exercises to help me and the horses that I work to reach their full potential.

Over the years, I’ve competed at many venues like Millstreet and Cavan, gaining valuable experience while enjoying the social side of the sport, meeting other riders and making friends has been a big part of my journey.

Greatest moments: Some of my proudest moments to date would have been representing Ireland abroad as a young rider, an opportunity I’ve been truly grateful for - jumping on the Nations Cup team in Compiegne France in 2024. Qualifying for the Young Rider 1.40m class at the RDS in 2024 and qualifying two years in a row for the four-year-old class in Dublin. I was second in both qualifiers in both years. In Millstreet, I was second and third in the 148cm Young Islander Championship in 2024 and, in 2025, I competed with five four-year-olds, qualifying two for the final. My most recent placing was finishing second with the home-bred stallion Lagans OBOS Quality in the Munster Grand Prix in Hollypark.

Most memorable horse: This would have to be KBS Apple Juice, a mare by OBOS Quality out of a Maximum Joe mare. She was the mare that got me started around the bigger tracks, jumping my first 1.30m and 1.40m and my first two-star and three-star Grands Prix. She will be a mare I will never forget and always be grateful for. She is now living a new life out in America, making other young riders’ dreams come true.

Coach: I have never really had a full-time coach. I have been freeballing, watching videos of bigger and better riders jumping the best of tracks in the world and trying to implement some of their better attributes into my riding and trying my best to be the best I can with help from my family.

Horses: I am especially lucky to have a great team of horses. I have the 11-year-old stallion Lagans OBOS Quality, a son of OBOS Quality 004 out of a Cavalier Royale mare, who is jumping some great rounds. Also, a four-year-old stallion KBS Nightwalker, by OBOS Quality out of a Maximum Joe mare. He won the four-year-old RDS qualifier in Mullingar 2025. Another nice five-year-old mare by a stallion I own myself called Fast and Furious Second Life Z out of an Elvis Ter Putte mare. She is a very exciting mare for the future.

I have a lovely four-year-old gelding by Conticco out of a Beachball mare, which is related to two World Championship horses. I also have some nice four-year-olds that are well-related, and we are producing them. There are some exciting prospects in the young horses that will hopefully go on to the higher level.

Riders you look up to: Steve Guerdat because he has such a great eye on every horse. Daniel Coyle for his position, seat and quiet hands and all the horses look nice and easy with him. And I can’t leave out Tom Wachman, as he is one of the greatest under 25 riders at the moment.

2026 goals: This year, I don’t really have many goals as I am sitting the Leaving Certificate and will reevaluate my goals next year.

What you feel could help young riders: I found the SJI Young Rider Bursary Academy great and I think there should be more training camps held regularly in every province to give more young riders a chance to show their potential and to get more help of expert coaches. It would help keep Irish riders some of the best in the world.

Christian Kennedy was in conversation with Emer Bermingham.