“WE’RE so strong at the moment we could have put three teams together.”

A couple of days after Ireland’s Nations Cup win in Florida, Kevin Babington is reflecting on the strength and depth of the Irish show jumping squad.

It’s a reminder too of when he and Carling King were part of a similar golden run 20 years ago. And, by coincidence, it was at the 2007 Nations Cup show in Wellington where ‘King’ officially retired on March 9th.

“As far as a family horse, I’d have to say Mark Q, but as my horse of a lifetime, it has to be Carling King. He took me from jumping small Grand Prix in America to the world stage and kept me there for a long time.

“He brought me to every championship; the Europeans twice, the Worlds once, the Olympics. The only thing I never focussed on with him was the World Cup because, while he was never a bad indoor horse, he was even better outdoors. And so, he has to be my horse of a lifetime.”

Carling King was bred in 1991 by Glenamaddy’s local GP, Patrick (Pat) Geraghty.

By Clover Hill out of Gortnageer Star (Chair Lift), his breeder’s medical skills were put to good use when the young colt cut his knee and Pat stitched up the wound.

His son, Darragh, recalls bringing King to Ballinasloe’s Country Fair Day, the traditional foal fair held on the Saturday after the main horse fair.

“We brought a few to sell that day, it was the place then to sell foals. My father was very fond of the Clover Hill colt and we kind of got a bit of stick when we went home and said he was sold! He was bought by a Connolly man from Tipperary, a great man to buy foals at the time.”

Pat Geraghty, Denis Heenan and John Hoolan, the breeder of Pride of Shaunlara, at the Country Fair Day in Ballinasloe in 2003 \ Susan Finnerty

“Big, big red horse”

According to the information on the Munster Show jumping website about the Carling King pony league, Finbar Harrington from Cappoquin bought Carling King as a yearling, selling him two years later to Mike Buckley.

The combination won the Dublin five-year-old class and King made his first Irish team appearance at the World Breeding Federation for Sport Horses (WBFSH) at Lanaken.

In a previous feature in The Irish Field in November 2018, Kevin recounted how Carling King was sold across the Atlantic.

“Paddy Hughes had told Eamonn Hughes about the horse originally. Eamonn had tried to buy him as a coming six-year-old and he wasn’t for sale at the time. Then, Paddy called Eamonn and said, ‘Michael Buckley is going to Australia, the horse might be for sale.’”

“I’d literally spoken to Eamonn a couple of days before and said, ‘If you know of anything that could be suitable for me and Saly [Glassman], keep us in mind.’”

“He called and said, ‘You have to get on a plane and come see this horse.’”

That was Saturday, Kevin flew home on Monday.

“Michael was an amazing rider. He could, for sure, have brought him as far as I brought him.’”

Reputation

There is always that hope when a young horse with a big reputation arrives in a rider’s yard that this could be ‘the one’. Dianna, Kevin’s wife, had her initial doubts though, when she collected Carling King from quarantine when he arrived stateside.

She phoned Kevin. “He said, ‘Is he a big, big red horse with a flaxen mane and tail?’ I said, ‘Yeah, but he’s got furry draught feet and he doesn’t look like a show jumper!’ ‘That’s him!’ he said, ‘Pick him up.’”

That was in 1998. “I think he came to me at a good time in my life when I was hungry, really hungry for it. I thought I knew what scope was until I sat on him, and then realised what a real horse was. It wasn’t like I jumped up on him the first day and it was plain sailing – there were a few times when he ran away with me in the ring!

“I knew if I could make that breakthrough, with him being strong and such a sensitive horse, that he’d bring me to the top level. King was great and, like a friend said to me, ‘He took you from the minor to the major leagues,’” added Kevin, who never wore spurs or carried a whip on board the Galway-bred.

In several ways, King reminds Kevin of another Irish team horse, bred by Patrick Connolly in Cummer: James Kann Cruz.

“They both have blood, always taking you to the jump, they’re both light off the ground and I would imagine that he’s also very sensitive.

I’d say James Kann Cruz could be Shane’s horse of a lifetime, just like Carling King was mine.

The Pennsylvanian-based pair could have concentrated on the lucrative American Grand Prix circuit. However, thanks to owner Saly Glassman’s generosity, Carling King and Kevin started shuttling across the Atlantic for Irish team duties.

“I have to say, Saly gave me free rein. I could have just stayed back in the States, jumping for big money.”

You could easily debate how times, horses and courses have naturally moved on since. However, even 20 years after the Athens Olympics, where they finished joint-fourth, the career highlights list speaks for itself in any era.

“I don’t think that’ll ever be done again when any team can win 10 Nations’ Cups in one season,” Kevin said.

There was also their team gold at the 2001 European championships in Arnhem, individual eighth place at the 2002 World Equestrian Games in Jerez de la Frontera, a King George V win and the pair’s double clear at the next Europeans in Donaueschingen (also in 2003) clinched Ireland’s place at the Athens Olympics.

“Another very fond memory was he was the only horse to jump a double clear round in Rome and was fifth in the Grand Prix. That was actually a very good year (2004) for him, because he had won back-to-back Grands Prix in Wellington, then he won at La Baule. Didn’t jump great at Rotterdam, so we gave him a break and he came back fresh for the Olympics.”

The plan worked, as Kevin and Carling King finished joint-fourth at the Athens Olympics, the best-ever result by an Irish rider and Irish-bred horse combination.

Out of that lengthy roll of honour, what’s the highlight?

“I’d have to pick winning the La Baule Grand Prix. And, you know, part of the reason is there were some really great riders behind me, like Ludger [Beerbaum] and Michel Robert. I remember looking at the video and Michel went before me, he was fast and I think he actually threw his hat in the air, as he was pretty sure he had it won.

Retirement Ceremony: Kevin and Carling King at the Irish-bred’s retirement ceremony during the Nations Cup show at Wellington in 2007

First Nations Cup

“So that was a proud moment to be able to go in and beat him and the likes of Ludger and Michael Whitaker.

“I’d have to say, that’s probably one of my fondest. But the other was the very first Nations Cup I got to jump in. Aachen! I remember Dianna was bawling her eyes out when I came out of the ring, because it was surreal,” he said recalling his baptism of fire in the famous German arena.

Pat Geraghty was one of the most infectiously enthusiastic, jovial characters you could meet. I phoned him after Carling King’s brilliant round, apologising for interrupting his GP surgery hours. “Not at all, we’re all here watching the telly! Didn’t they do brilliant!”

Kevin and Pat met just once at the Dublin Horse Show in 2001, when Pat and Terence Harvey, the breeder of Arnhem gold medal teammate Dermott Lennon’s Liscalgot, received a presentation in the main arena.

“I know the trophy, it’s still at home, along with all the press cuttings. My mother kept them all, every time there was something in the papers,” said Darragh.

Legendary stallion master

Two years later, Pat, who had arranged for a locum GP to cover his practice, and Nuala came to Ballinasloe on Country Fair Day for the first-time presentation of the Philip Heenan Cup to the champion foal.

The legendary stallion master had passed away in March, and his friends, including Capt. Donald Swan, John Allen, Philip’s brother Denis and namesake nephew gathered in the Showgrounds, yards from the Fair Green where, a dozen years previously, Carling King was sold.

You could have heard the proverbial pin drop as Pat spoke warmly about his visits to Ardcroney, Philip and ‘The Boy,’ as Clover Hill was known, over the public address system.

“Dad got on very well with Philip Heenan, lots of people got turned away when they went for Clover Hill, but not him. Philip didn’t want money, he wanted a foal for the customers.

“I passed by [Ardcroney] one day, stopped, went back to the shop at the crossroads, went and looked up the hill where the stables were. It’s a place with a lot of history.”

Sadly, Pat passed away in December 2004. The Athleague native was revered in Glenamaddy for his kindness and good work in the community, including a Day Care centre, sheltered accommodation to cater for the elderly in the wake of mass emigration from the West, an airstrip, Meals On Wheels and volunteer fire services.

“He was always big into helping. Would you believe my mother is still involved? She was a nurse, from Claremorris and her sister was married to Luke Hunt, a well-known horseman who passed away recently.”

Carling King had his retirement party in Wellington on this date. Naturally, he remained with Kevin at Kindle Hill Farm in Pennsylvania, where in October 2008, I met the big red horse with furry draught feet enjoying his blissful retirement.

“I make a point of visiting him every day when I’m here,” Kevin said then.

Seven years after he retired, Carling King was put down after a field accident. “We were in Florida around Valentine’s Day and the caretaker called to say King had slipped on ice. Luckily, he hadn’t been down for long. He said, ‘The vet is on the way, but it doesn’t look good.’”

The Babington family now live full-time in Florida.

“We’re just outside of Wellington in Loxahatchee, it takes us about 12 minutes to get to the horse show,” said Kevin, who had spent five hours instructing earlier that day.

“There’s more Irish than ever here and it’s great to see so many good riders coming over. You know, when we, the older group that came over, we kind of had to scrap our way to the top. These guys are already polished.

“The Irish guys are great, they’d always go out of their way to come up and say hello. Even guys I wouldn’t know, as obviously I’m not in the schooling area as much as I used to be.”

Life Is Good: Carling King happily retired at Kindle Hill Farm in October 2008 \ Susan Finnerty

Foundation

Life has changed 180 degrees for Kevin and his family since a career-ending fall at the Hampton Classic Horse Show in 2019. Five years later, he is still full of positivity, dividing his time between instructing his clients and overseeing the Kevin Babington Foundation, set up to offer financial support to other show jumping riders who sustain spinal injuries.

The Foundation’s upcoming lip-sync fundraiser on March 24th will give Wellington’s equestrian community a chance to belt out their favourite hits for the cause.

Darragh Geraghty is also in planning mode as Glenamaddy Equestrian Centre, the 40,000 sq. ft facility Pat built on the Kilkerrin road, will host a Premier League round this summer (Friday, July 26th-Saturday, July 27th).

There are a couple of Carling King’s relatives still in Glenamaddy, where their spring league is currently in full swing. “We had 130 ponies jumping here the week before and we’re busy.

“I have some here of the line, including one mare [Glynnet Lux] going back to Carling King’s Ricardo Z half-sister. I’ve a couple bred off her and covered her last year with Michael Whyte’s horse, Paris Blue Merelsnest Z, here in the yard. He’s getting jumpers and I have a Glynwood Cornet three-year-old out of her too.”

Some Connacht readers will recall Darragh himself competing the 128cm dun mare Gortnageer Princess. Now, his sons, Aidan and Patrick (Paddy), are on the show jumping circuit. “Aidan is flying it, he was jumping at the two-day Cavan show and taking a great interest. Paddy is with Cathal McMunn, learning the trade. He could come home at some stage, maybe even travel a bit.”

Gwyneth, Kevin and Dianna’s eldest daughter, who like her sister, Marielle, grew up around horses, has already spread her wings.

“Believe it or not, she’s in Spain at the moment with Greg Broderick’s team. She’s going to spend three more weeks there, comes home and then hopefully goes back to Greg, so you might even see her competing in Ireland.”

Wheel turning full circle by going back to her father’s Tipperary roots?

“Yes, Carrick-on-Suir isn’t too far from Greg’s, my brothers and sisters all live around there and she has lots of first cousins her own age. It’s great, I’m very excited about it.”

Both Tipperary men – Kevin and Greg – competed at the Olympics, what about Ireland’s odds for Paris?

“This is our year to win. I honestly think every other nation would be looking at Ireland as one of the strongest nations. You know, you can never rule out the French, but I think if you look at results over the past few years, it’s going to be between Ireland and Germany.

“I’d be putting my money on both of those to be in contention for gold,” Kevin predicted.

Next week: James Kann Cruz