Top Irish show jumper Carling King retires

Irish show jumper Carling King has been retired. Together with rider Kevin Babbinton, the 16-year-old gelding by Cloverhill won a team gold medal for Ireland at the European Championships in 2001 and was a member of 11 winning Nations Cup teams.

His achievements were honoured at the Nations Cup in Wellington, Florida and a presentation was made to rider Kevin Babbinton and owner Saly Glassman by International Horse Board (IHB) director general Nick Finnerty.

‘‘This was a remarkable horse, and the Irish teams were enriched by his presence,” said Dan Butler, Equestrian Federation of Ireland Secretary General afterwards. “Everyone here, I am sure, will join me in wishing Carling King a long and happy retirement.”

Carling King was bred in Glenamaddy in Co. Galway by the late Dr Pat Geraghty. He won the five-year-old national championships at the Royal Dublin Horse Show in 1996 before being bought by Saly Glassman as a seven-year-old and moving to America where Ireland’s Kevin Babbinton took over the ride.

During the course of his career Carling King finished individual fourth at the 2004 Olympics in Athens and won the King George V Cup at Hickstead in 2003, as well as the Hickstead Grand Prix in 2000.

His retirement will be spent with Kevin Babbinton in Pennsylvania, USA.

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