Darragh Kenny continues brilliant run with fifth place finish in €1 Million Rolex Grand Prix of Aachen

Another exceptional performance from Offaly’s Darragh Kenny has seen the Offaly rider take fifth place in today’s (Sunday) €1 Million Rolex Grand Prix of Aachen in Germany, which was part of the Rolex Grand Slam.

Darragh Kenny and Babalou 41 took fifth place in the Aachen Grand Prix

Riding the Jack Snyder-owned 14-year-old mare Babalou 41, Kenny was one of seven riders who jumped clear in the first two rounds over the demanding Aachen course. The third round jump-off saw Kenny finish with one fence down in a time of 48.04 seconds which would see him finish fifth and collect €60,000.

Victory and a winners prize of €330,000 went to America’s Kent Farrington and Gazelle with the fastest of just two triple clear rounds. Germany’s Daniel Deusser finished as runner-up with Scuderia 1918 Tobago Z while Britain’s Ben Maher finished third with Explosion W.

The Aachen Grand Prix is one of the most prestigious competitions on the annual Show Jumping calendar. Past Irish winners include Denis Lynch with Lantinus in 2009, Trevor Coyle with Cruising in 1999 and Eddie Macken with Boomerang in 1978.

Meanwhile in the five-star Grand Prix at Ascona in Switzerland, Cork’s Billy Twomey finished fourth with Chat Botte Du Ruisseau Z, just ahead of Denis lynch in fifth with GC Chopin’s Bushi.