Eddie Macken
| Eddie Macken | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Eddie Macken | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nationality |
 Ireland
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| Discipline | Show jumping | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born |
October 20, 1949 Granard, Ireland |
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| Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 174 lb (79 kg; 12 st 6 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Eddie Macken (born October 20, 1949 in Granard, Longford, Ireland) is an Irish equestrian show jumper, who was a member of the Irish team - along with Paul Darragh, Capt. Con Power, and James Kernan – that won the Aga Khan Cup three years in a row (1977 to 79). Other notable career highlights include a record four consecutive Hickstead Derby wins (1976 to 79), two individual silver medals at the Show Jumping World Championships, 1974 with Pele and 1978 on Boomerang, and an individual silver medal at the 1977 European Championships with Pele. Macken has many major Grand Prix victories worldwide. Many of Macken's achievements were gained in partnership with his Irish bred gelding, Boomerang. From Macken's first rides with Boomerang as a four-year-old in 1970, the pair blazed a trail of wins that lasted a decade.
Macken represented Ireland at the Olympic Games in 1992 Barcelona (on Welfrenkone finishing 75th individually – team 14th) and in 1996 Atlanta (on Schalkaar finishing 37th individually – team 8th), and as team trainer in 2004 (Athens).
Controversy swirled around the Irish team during the 2004 Olympics. Originally selected as team trainer, Macken was sacked in June 2004 after a power struggle with Chef d'Équipe Tommy Wade, an event that came to be known as the "Macken Sackin' Affair". A group of senior Irish riders complained, and in July Macken was reinstated as team trainer and Wade was removed as Team Manager. Top team rider Cian O'Connor chose to stay out of the controversy and continue to support Wade, which raised the ire of some fellow riders. All seemed well as O'Connor went on to win the individual gold medal, and the team overall finished 7th. However the gold medal was later stripped when O'Connor's horse - Waterford Crystal - tested positive for a banned substance.
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