FIVE-YEAR-OLD FINAL

KILDARE teenager Michael Pender (16) pulled off a sensational medal double, winning silver and bronze in the five-year-old final at the World Breeding Jumping Championships in Lanaken, Belgium, on board Irish Sport Horses.

The talented student from Carlow’s Knockbeg College took on - and beat - some of the world’s most experienced riders in what is one of the most prestigious competitions on the world show jumping circuit.

Pender’s extraordinary achievement in winning silver and bronze was all the more remarkable as a massive 229 horses and riders started in the five-year-old competition, with Ireland qualifying five combinations for the final.

Double-handed in the decider, the 16-year-old Irish rider took the early lead with a time of 39.04 seconds in the 20-horse jump-off with the mare Z Seven Canya Dance (ISH) (Can Ya Makan/Cavalier Royale), bred by Anne Hughes from Co Kilkenny. Incredibly, Pender then beat his own target time, posting 38.86 with his second mare, Z Seven Caretina, who was also bred by former Olympian Marion Hughes.

Second last to go, Tipperary’s Darragh Ryan also almost made it onto the podium with Lackamore Storm (ISH), bred by Ian Heslin in Co Longford.

They knocked just the very last fence but still held on for a top-10 finish, taking ninth place overall.

Pender looked to have both gold and silver in the bag until the final rider into the arena, experienced Dutchman Willem Greve, pulled out all the stops with the KWPN stallion Garant (Warrant/Verdi TN) to take the World Championship gold medal, finishing just four-tenths of a second ahead of Pender, who took silver with Z Seven Caretina and bronze with Z Seven Canya Dance. Pender had earlier scored a win in Saturday’s six-year-old consolation final with Curra Clover Flight (ISH), bred by Harry Quigley in Co. Wexford.

In the first five-year-old qualifier, a total of 111 horses jumped clear from a field of 228 starters over Luc Musette’s course.

A delighted Pender said: “These medals are the biggest thing I’ve won until now - I’m still going to school but I definitely want to be a professional rider!” said the young Irishman.

Of his horses, Pender said: “They are careful and they have scope so I knew I could go for it today!”

Comdt. John Ledingham, manager of the Irish Sport Horse Studbook team who travelled to Lanken, said: “To win two medals is a fabulous performance. Michael (Pender) has had an incredible season.

He was on the Irish Junior team at the European Championships and also had brilliant results in the young horse classes at the Dublin Horse Show. We had a very strong team of young horses here in Lanaken this year and to get 12 through to the finals was exceptional.

“Darragh Ryan also was very unlucky to knock just the last fence and almost took the bronze. This is a great achievement for the Hughes family, who have a huge contingent who travelled here to Lanaken, and a brilliant result for Irish breeding.”

BREEDING

DETAILS

Z Seven Caretina (ISH) – 2011 mare by Coltaire Z (ZANG) out of Caretina (HOLST), by Caretino (HOLST). Bred by Marion Hughes, Co. Kilkenny. Owner: Team Z7. Rider: Michael Pender (IRL)

Z Seven Canya Dance (ISH) – 2011 mare by Can Ya Makan (HOLST) out of HHS Chantilly Lace (ISH), by Cavalier Royale (HOLST). Bred by Anne Hughes, Co. Kilkenny. Owner: Team Z7. Rider: Michael Pender (IRL)

Lackamore Storm (ISH) – 2011 chesnut gelding by Kroongraaf (KWPN) out of Currabawn Shauna (ISH), by Indoctro (HOLST). Bred by Ian Heslin, Co. Longford. Owner: GBBS Int Ltd. Rider: Darragh Ryan (IRL)

Curra Clover Flight (ISH) – 2010 mare by Barnaby Flight (ISH) out of Ramiro Clover Lass (ISH), by Ramiro B (BWP). Bred by Harry Quigley, Co. Wexford. Owner/Rider: Michael Pender (IRL)