Pender second at CHI Geneva

KILDARE young rider Mikey Pender finished runner-up among an illustrious list of world class riders in Thursday night’s feature 1.55m at the five-star CHI Geneva in Switzerland, one of the world’s most prestigious indoor events and home to the Rolex Top 10 final.

The 20-year-old was second to leading American rider Kent Farrington after producing a sensational round aboard the nine-year-old Irish Sport Horse HHS Burnchurch (Heritage Fortunus x Cavalier Royale), who was bred by owner Marion Hughes.

Third to go in the 13-horse jump-off, Pender recorded a time of 34.16 seconds, which looked hard to beat. That lead held until the third last combination entered the arena. Farrington and the 12-year-old gelding Creedance looked lightning fast and shaved over a second off Pender’s time to take victory in 32.88 seconds.

Dutch rider Harrie Smolders slotted into fourth place, ahead of Germany’s Christian Ahlmann in fifth. Pender received an invitation to the world class show through his participation on the 2019 Young Riders Programme.

Current junior European champion, Kate Derwin, is competing in the Under 25 classes at the show and she finished fourth in Thursday’s 1.40m aboard Jim Derwin’s Irish Sport Horse Deep Pocket (OBOS Quality x Cruising).

Darragh Kenny was Ireland’s representative in last night’s Rolex Top 10 final, where he planned to ride Romeo 88. The most recent Irish winner of the class was Billy Twomey in 2011 with Tinka’s Serenade. Sunday’s feature class, the Rolex Grand Prix, is one of the four Grand Slams of show jumping. It begins at 1.15pm Irish time.