SEAMUS Hughes Kennedy’s European and Aga Khan mount ESI Rocky (Stakkato Gold x For Pleasure) has been sold to Monaco’s Anastasia Nielson and left his Kilkenny yard on Thursday.

The 10-year-old gelding was the talking horse of the summer with standout performances at the FEI European Championships in A Coruna and a double clear round in the Aga Khan Nations Cup of Dublin.

Bred by Andrew and Niall Hughes at Ennisnag Stud in Co Kilkenny, ‘Rocky’ was purchased by the Hughes Kennedy family as a three-year-old and has been produced by 23-year-old Seamus the whole way through the ranks to five-star level.

The pair finished fifth individually at the Europeans this summer, picking up only a single time fault over five rounds, as well as fourth in the CSIO5* Rolex Grand Prix of Rome, among other top results. They were also part of the winning team in La Baule this summer.

Before graduating to the senior ranks, Rocky and Hughes Kennedy were crowned the Young Rider European Champions in 2023 and part of the gold medal-winning team.

“It is definitely bitter sweet,” Seamus told The Irish Field. “But this is what we have always done, even if you look back to selling Cuffesgrange Cavalidam when I had a year left in ponies; that sale led to us buying Rocky as a three-year-old. When we sold ESI Ali, it allowed us to keep Rocky and get him to this level. We will travel that road again now and we have plenty of nice young horses to try and make it back to that level again.”

Aga Khan highlight

Asked for a highlight of their incredible time together, Seamus said: “Cantering over the last oxer in the Aga Khan, knowing I had jumped a double clear for Ireland, and hearing that cheer… that was a great way to finish up our journey, back at home in Dublin with all the family around.

“To have been able to do it and on a horse we brought up, he has been a part of the household for so long, it was a great thing to realise.”

Nielson is trained by Ireland’s Cameron Hanley and came to Kilkenny to try the horse. “We had been talking to Cameron for a good while. Anatasia came to Kilkenny to ride him and they got on very well together, they look like a good fit. We will always be there for them and hopefully he can go on and do what he did for me for her.”