ShowBiz Feature
EddiE MACkEn
When Irish Eyes
Are Smiling
B
y his own account,
Eddie Macken has
only been a 'trainer'
for the past four
to five years. All his show jumping
life he has been a 'competitor', if he
has to put a word on it. Owning his
own barns, riding show jumpers and selling some
horses, he has risen to the top of our industry and now he
has moved into a different phase. He currently is the trainer-ground
person, and on occasion the rider, for several West Coast competitors.
Born into a farming family, Eddie was not originally even though I only had a couple of shows on it. It turned
destined for the show jumping world as we know it. out to be the Champion pony in England for many years."
Instead, being the youngest, he was raised with the ex- "After that I got a 3 yr old horse, from then on only
pectation of taking over the family business of farm- the young horses. We always teased dad that he had
ing, cattle dealer and butcher in Granard, Ireland. 'short arms and long pockets' so the money was always
"From an early age," says Eddie, "I was riding every farm- hard to reach when it came to buying ponies and horses.
er’s pony around. Dad always had a horse and bought me The first pony cost 47 pounds (about $150 dollars then),
my first pony when I was 10 yrs old, a 13.2 hand, 3 year old the most expensive horse or pony was 500 pounds."
that I had to break and ride. It never jumped a clear round "I never set out to be a trainer, but my first love was
the first year I showed it but by the third year it was very always horses. I decided I wanted to do horses prop-
successful in the pony jumpers, even at the Dublin horse erly and left high school. Dad was disappointed but
show in 1960-1961. Then we sold it at auction and brought on January 13, 1969, I went to Iris Kellett's in the cen-
another 3 yr old pony, I showed it, the same thing happened ter of Dublin for a time as a working pupil. I wanted
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