Horse Tales with Cat

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The youngest of 11 children, Kevin wasn’t sure about how he was going to make a life with horses growing up in Ireland but he was obsessed with them from a very early age.
He initially thought his future was in racing but thankfully for us he made friends with some showjumpers and pursued that path instead.
In part one of this two part chat we talk about where Kevin’s passion started and the journey that took him to America. He shares the story of the people who influenced him and the mounts who made his dreams a reality .
This episode was originally recorded on May 24, 2026 but we delayed releasing it due to the launch of the book sharing Kevin’s story.
Be sure to check out “Babington: Triumph, Tragedy, Inspiration “ available on Amazon. All proceeds benefit the Kevin Babington Foundation.

This episode is brought to you in part by Horseflight, an equine transport company established in 2007, known for excellence in international shipping. When you fly with Horseflight, you fly first class.
This episode is brought to you by the international law firm of Cooley LLP.
Clients partner with Cooley on transformative deals, complex IP and regulatory matters , and high-stakes litigation. 
Our connection to the law firm comes through Cooley Partner and jumper rider Cullen Drescher , who competes in the High Amateur and Grand Prix levels in addition to leading Cooley's Business Restructuring practice from the firm's offices in New York City.

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From as far back as she can remember, Lauren Hough always wanted to go to the Olympics. She knew that her father had gone and so she was determined to do the same ,albeit in a different discipline.
She set her sights on the 2000 Olympics in Sydney and managed to convince a group of clients (with the assistance of her mother Linda )that she had found the horse to do it. 
She still marvels today that she had such confidence in herself and her horse Clasiko , that she was able get a syndicate together. 
 Even more remarkable was that she qualified to be a member of the show jumping team by winning enough of the  trials . All this at the age of 23 and as a member of an all women US team who were all first time Olympians. 
Although the team did not win a medal - they finished 6th- Lauren would go on to medal 4 times at the Pan American games . She would also go on to be a member of 40 Nations Cup Teams.
Always on the path of learning, Lauren has worn different hats within the sport- rider, trainer, horse developer, commentator  and judge .
However, she is now circling back to pursue her earliest passion which is the riding.
 Here’s hoping that we get the opportunity to see her represent her country internationally once again on the Olympic stage proving that “once is not enough “.

This episode is brought to you in part by Horseflight, an equine transport company established in 2007, known for excellence in international shipping. When you fly with Horseflight, you fly first class.
This episode is brought to you by the international law firm of Cooley LLP.
Clients partner with Cooley on transformative deals, complex IP and regulatory matters , and high-stakes litigation. 
Our connection to the law firm comes through Cooley Partner and jumper rider Cullen Drescher , who competes in the High Amateur and Grand Prix levels in addition to leading Cooley's Business Restructuring practice from the firm's offices in New York City.

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Stal Hendrix has been an institution in Europe for almost 50 years. Their breeding, training, selling and auction business was built on commitment to quality , relationships , respect and word of mouth.
If you meet, Janou Hendrix , the head of marketing behind the brand , you understand why they are so successful . She is humble, authentic, passionate and smart. There is a quiet strength and grace about her and a positive energy you want to share.
Janou and the rest of the family have a clear vision of how they wish to maintain their business and adapt it for the next generation. 
Janou shares their story and how they have adapted to meet the changing needs of the world around them. She talks about how they are constantly striving to improve. Most importantly they have made their love of the horse centre stage.
I walked away from our conversation inspired and convinced that they will be around for another 50 years.
This episode is brought to you in part by Horseflight, an equine transport company established in 2007, known for excellence in international shipping. When you fly with Horseflight, you fly first class.

This episode is brought to you by the international law firm of Cooley LLP.
Clients partner with Cooley on transformative deals, complex IP and regulatory matters , and high-stakes litigation. 
Our connection to the law firm comes through Cooley Partner and jumper rider Cullen Drescher , who competes in the High Amateur and Grand Prix levels in addition to leading Cooley's Business Restructuring practice from the firm's offices in New York City.

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They say that there is a heart horse for everyone and for Rowan Willis , that may have been Blue Movie. Rowan met Carrots ( her barn name ) when she was a foal and spent everyday with her for 19 years.  She was a complicated mare and it took a non traditional approach to train her, but in the end she gave everything and their partnership took them to the top of the sport.
Rowan retired Carrots from jumping in 2024 and she is now enjoying her life in England.  Today he has a string of new horses he is campaigning and hopes to represent Australia at The World Equestrian Games , The Pan Americans and ultimately at the Los Angeles Olympics.
I was struck by the fact that he is both thoughtful and emotional in his approach to the horses- I loved his descriptions of the characters of his mounts and how that dictates how he trains them. We got down to details as far as what bits he uses and why and I appreciated what I found to be a sophisticated choice.
While it is going to be hard to duplicate the partnership Rowan had with Carrots, he has several potential mounts that are her babies and siblings .
Fingers crossed that one of them gives Rowan Willis the fairy tale ending he deserves .
This episode is brought to you by the international law firm of Cooley LLP.
Clients partner with Cooley on transformative deals, complex IP and regulatory matters , and high-stakes litigation. 
Our connection to the law firm comes through Cooley Partner and jumper rider Cullen Drescher , who competes in the High Amateur and Grand Prix levels in addition to leading Cooley's Business Restructuring practice from the firm's offices in New York City.

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It has been 50 years since Michel Vaillancourt won an individual silver medal in showjumping at the 1976 Olympics in Montreal but it feels like only yesterday when you hear his story. 
At 22 years of age with a young horse who had no international experience , he was a longshot just to qualify for the team. 
Couple that with an incredibly difficult course , a jump-off following a deluge of rain and an unexpected delay after warm-up and you recognize how extraordinary his accomplishment was.
Michel remains the youngest equestrian to have ever won an individual medal at the Olympics.
He has gone on to have a successful career as a coach and course designer and has no regrets about any of his choices.
I would say that is about as good as it gets in the horse world.

This episode is brought to you by the international law firm of Cooley LLP.
Clients partner with Cooley on transformative deals, complex IP and regulatory matters , and high-stakes litigation. 
Our connection to the law firm comes through Cooley Partner and jumper rider Cullen Drescher , who competes in the High Amateur and Grand Prix levels in addition to leading Cooley's Business Restructuring practice from the firm's offices in New York City.