Boomerang (horse)
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Boomerang | |
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Breed | Bay , Star, near the hind sock |
Breeder | Jimmy Murphy |
Owner | Eddie Macken |
Last updated on: 18 December 2023. |
Medal record | ||
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Equestrian | ||
World Championships
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1978 Aachen |
Individual jumping | |
European Championships | ||
1979 Rotterdam | Team jumping |
Boomerang, later
The horse was bred by Jimmy Murphy of Maifield. He and his wife Mai, who owned racehorses, sent their
Macken by this time had moved into the heartland of continental competition when he went to the Schockemöhle brothers Paul and Alwin in the spring of 1975. A rich German owner, Dr Herbert Schnapka, eased Macken's way by providing horses for him to ride in the Schockemöhle yard.[1] Easter Parade, Macken's best horse at the time, broke his back in a freak accident on his way back from the cancelled spring meeting at Hickstead in 1975. By way of an interim replacement, Paul Schockemöhle said to Macken:
...take my speed horse Boomerang for the time being until you get something better.'[2]
Over the period 1975–1979, Macken and Boomerang were to win or take second in a record-breaking 32 major
In 1977, Dr Schnapka gave the outright gift of Boomerang to Eddie Macken.[1]
In 1978, Macken and Boomerang reached the final four of the
When Boomerang was at his peak, Macken was barred from competing at the Olympic Games because he was a professional and had sponsorship. The 1979 European Championships, in Rotterdam again proved a disappointment. Boomerang did not knock a single fence in the first three rounds and helped Con Power on Rockbarton, Gerry Mullins on Ballinderry and John Roche on Maigh Cullin to a bronze medal behind Britain and Germany.[1] Boomerang was in the individual lead and heading for gold when a judge made a late decision that he had hit the tape at the water jump, and he and Macken finished in fourth place.
That autumn Boomerang and Macken won the main class at
Boomerang and Macken won four consecutive Hickstead Derbies from 1976 to 1979, and also the Hamburg equivalent in 1976. They, along with James Kernan on Condy, Paul Darragh on Heather Honey and Capt. Con Power on (Coolronan 1977, Castlepark 1978 and Rockbarton 1979), won the Aga Khan Trophy at the RDS Dublin (Ireland's Nations Cup) from 1977 to 1979.
In early 1980, Boomerang had to be retired because of a broken
Major achievements
- 1979
- Horse of the Year Grand Prix, Wembley, London
- Championship, Wembley, London
- Spruce Meadows Grand Prix, Calgary, Canada
- Team bronze at the European Championships, Rotterdam, Netherlands
- Individual 4th, European Championships, Rotterdam, Netherlands
- Nations Cup (Aga Khan Trophy), Dublin, Ireland
- Nations Cup, Aachen, Germany
- Hickstead Derby, Hickstead, England
- Hickstead Derby Trial, Hickstead, England
- Horse of the Year
- 1978
- Health Trophy, Dublin Indoor International
- Horse of the Year Grand Prix, Wembley, London
- Hickstead Derby, Hickstead, England
- Individual silver medal, World Show Jumping Championships, Aachen, Germany
- 2nd place, Dublin Grand Prix, Dublin, Ireland
- Nations Cup (Aga Khan Trophy), Dublin, Ireland
- Aachen Grand Prix, Aachen, Germany
- Championship, Aachen, Germany
- Rome Grand Prix, Rome, Italy
- Championship, Rome, Italy
- Hamburg Grand Prix, Hamburg, Germany
- Nice Grand Prix, Nice, France
- Gothenburg Grand Prix, Gothenburg, Sweden
- 1977
- 1976
- Championship, Wembley, London
- New York City Grand Prix, U.S.A
- Helped Macken become Leading Rider in Washington.
- Wins in Toronto gave Macken the overall award for the three shows on the North American circuit.
- Hickstead Derby, Hickstead, England
- Hamburg Derby, Hamburg, Germany - (8th 1975, 4th 1977, 6th 1978)
- Professional Championship, Cardiff, Wales
- 2nd place, Grand Prix, Lucerne, Switzerland
- 2nd place, Nations Cup, Lucerne, Switzerland
- 1975
- Horse of the Year Grand Prix, Wembley, London
- Championship, Wembley, London
- 4 faults, Hickstead Derby, Hickstead, England
- Hickstead Derby Trial, Hickstead, England
- 2nd place, Dublin Grand Prix, Dublin, Ireland
- 2nd place, Nations Cup (Aga Khan Trophy), Dublin, Ireland
- St. Gallen Grand Prix, St. Gallen, Switzerland
- Wiesbaden Grand Prix, Wiesbaden, Germany
References
- ^ ISBN 0-86327-657-1.
- ^ Horse and Hound, London: 11 February 1988: p. 36.
- ^ http://www.measuringworth.com
- Hickstead Derby results Archived 2006-06-22 at the Wayback Machine
- Aachen results