Mother’s advice pays off for Lillie Keenan
Last summer a win in Aachen heralded the start of good things to come for Lillie Keenan and Chagrin d’Amour – fast forward to the Winter Equestrian Festival [WEF] and the duo added a victory in the 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic at Wellington International.
“It is like the pinnacle for any young horse,” she said of Aachen’s Youngster Cup. “I knew I had a special horse with a chance to win and that was the first time in that kind of atmosphere. He just grew and showed what he is really made of.”
Lillie was not entirely convinced of the potential when she first met the stallion. She bought the horse as a seven-year old on the advice of her mother, Pam. “My concern when I first tried him was, I knew he had all the ability, but I didn’t know if mentally he had the desire,” Lillie said. “My mother told me to buy him. She watched the video and she was like, you are not coming home without that horse. So I did what my mother told me and, as usual, she was very right.”
Since then, the partnership has blossomed. Closing out week one of WEF, the 1.50m class brought out 32 horse and rider combinations, with Lillie and her stallion, last to go in the 12-strong jump off. “He’s not the quickest galloping horse you have to sometimes leave out in turns or be willing to take risks because he has extra scope – and yes it paid off. I didn’t think I was fast enough, but I guess I was,” she said. “That’s also a partnership thing, having him for the time that I’ve had. I know the places that I can ask more than maybe you could with just any horse.”
McKayla Langmeier filled the runners up slot with Pepita Vd Rollebeck – her second podium finish this year, after a win in the Premiere WEF week Grand Prix – and Ireland’s Cian O’Connor and Ulysses claimed third.
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