18 year-old equestrian Lillie Keenan from New York will leave Florida after the winter season with one horse less since her Grand Prix mount Pumped Up Kicks was sold to Jennifer Gates (USA) on April 7.
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“I wish the best of luck to ‘Kix’ with his new owner, and I’m really excited about their partnership and how much he will be able to teach her and how much she will teach him. I think they’ll have a lot of success,” said Keenan.
“I’m super grateful that Lillie Keenan is giving me the opportunity and knows that he’ll have a good home, and I feel really lucky to be able to ride him,” so a very happy Jennifer Gates.
The now tewlve year-old son of Levisto Z x San Juan was bought by the Keenan’s Chansonette Farm in 2012 as a junior jumper for Lillie. But the duo developed quickly and in 2013 they celebrated their first Grand Prix win. In August 2014 they were already part of the Nations Cup equipe in Bratislava (SVK).
Die im Besitz der Familie Keenan stehende Chansonette Farm hatte den mittlerweile zwölfjährigen Levisto Z x San Juan Nackomme 2012 als Juniorenpferd für Lillie gekauft, doch die beiden machten rasante Fortschritte und feierten 2013 ihren ersten Grand Prix Sieg. Im August 2014 waren die beiden Teil der Nations Cup Equipe in Bratislava (SVK).
“We had no plans of competing him in 1.60 m classes,” Keenan said. “He proved us all wrong. He’s a horse that has an immense amount of heart which is the most important quality in a partner.”
Selling Pumped Up Kicks was not planned either but the Kennans knew that Jennifer was looking for a horse to get up to higher classes just like Lillie Keenan. Since Lillie rode some of Jennifer’s former horses, she knew it could work.
„Not only are we close friends, I also rode a lot of horses that Jennifer rode before, so I know what she likes. We have a similar taste and look for the same qualities in a horse, so I knew he was the right one for her.“
„He is a great type and has a lot of blood but is easy to control. He is very brave. My best horse Lord Levisto just injured himself, so I was lookinf for another horse that I would feel confident with in higher classes. Kix is very easy to ride and I am glad to have him.“
Lord Levisto and Pumped Up Kicks are half-brothers. Jennifer will train with her coach Hardin Towell before competing Kix for the first time im May.
“I’d like to get more confident in higher classes. Maybe we’ll jump some FEI World Cup qualifiers on the West Coast eventually, but we’ll just have to see,” she said. “I want to take it slow. He’s a great horse, but I have to develop a partnership with him as well. I think it will go well, but I want to take my time and just really enjoy riding him because he’s a spectacular horse regardless of the height we are jumping.”
Source: chronofhorse.com
