Darragh Kenny & Funke van’t Heike in winning form at Olympia. Ph. Yasmina Bello for Noelle Floyd
The 12-year-old BWP mare Funke van’t Heike (Action Breaker x Grandeur) that Darragh Kenny brought into the spotlight last month at London Olympia CSI5* will be seen under Germany’s Christian Ahlmann.
Kenny, of Ireland, paired up with the mare last summer, taking over the reins for Guilia Martinengo Marquet of Italy. Kenny, who is known as one of the sport’s most talented and profitable catch riders, quickly picked up CSI2* and CSI3* wins with Funke van’t Heike at Knokke and Valkenswaard, and also won at CSIO5* Barcelona in September.
At London Olympia in December, he picked up two high profile CSI5* victories, including the Holly Speed Stakes.
The mare that will now be ridden by Longines FEI Ranked World No. 2 Ahlmann certainly has a bright future ahead of her. She is of the same breeding as Ahlmann’s mount Epleaser van’t Heike. Both horses were bred by Karel Boonen of Belgium.