BP Goodfellas, bred by Kevin Babington, won the five-year-old title at the FEI WBFSH Jumping World Breeding Championship for Young Horses this weekend.
The son of Stakkato Gold out of Goodwin’s Loyalty mastered a tough 16-jumping effort test set at Lanaken, Belgium by course builder Eugène Mathy. The highest obstacles were set at 1.30 meters, with eight of 47 combinations entered making the jump-off.
Gerard O’Neill and BP Goodfellas at Lanaken. (Zangersheide photo)
Rider Gerard O’Neill topped the competition in the tie-breaker with a clear round in 40.12 seconds. They edged Ristretto Vd Heffinck, ridden by Olivier van der Vaart,clocked in 40.52 seconds.
Gerard had been riding the horse only four weeks before this championship. BP Goodfellas’ regular rider had reached the maximum of three horses to ride in the championship and thus Gerard get the nod.
“I have nothing but admiration for this horse. He didn’t need, in retrospect, to jump the double, with the speed at which I entered. But he did a great job, he is a nice horse to ride with a real winner’s mentality. I also rode his mother a long time ago, so that makes a nice story. And I expect this is only the first chapter for BP Goodfellas,” said the winner.
Kevin had ridden Goodwin’s Loyalty between 2013 and 2015. They took the 1.45 meter derby at Spruce Meadows during their time together.
Stakkato Gold is the sire of Kevin’s longtime mount, Shorapur, who is doing broodmare duty at the farm of Greg Broderick where Goodfellas was foaled. Goodwin’s Loyalty is by OBOS Quality, the sire of one of the Babington family’s most successful horses, Devon grand prix winner Mark Q.
An Olympian who was a longtime member of the Irish show jumping team, Kevin suffered a severe spinal cord injury in a 2019 accident during a grand prix and has been working hard on his rehabilitation ever since. He is still in demand as a coach and is teaching on a regular basis. Goodfella’s win is great news for him, though he has no plans as yet for the horse’s next move.