A FANTASTIC performance from Kildare’s Mikey Pender and the Irish Sport Horse HHS Calais saw them finish in a share of second place in Saturday's five-star Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix at Hamburg in Germany.

Pender was one of just eight riders to make it into the second round where he jumped clear in 51.33 seconds – the exact same time as Germany’s Andre Thieme and DSP Chakaria. The winner's prize of €100,000 went to Germany’s Christian Ahlmann and Dominator 2000 Z after they crossed the line clear in 50.51.

The result adds to an already hugely successful weekend for Irish show jumping. On Friday night, Chef d’Equipe Taylor Vard led the Irish team of Richard Howley, Jessica Burke, Kevin Gallagher and Jenny Rankin, to victory the Longines EEF Nations Cup of Lisbon.

Meanwhile at Rome in Italy, Darragh Kenny landed a double of five-star wins with Volnay du Boisdeville.

Win for Swail

Across the Atlantic, Co Down’s Conor Swail guided Nadal Hero to victory in a five-star speed class at Thunderbird in Canada, while there was also an Irish win for Daniel Coyle at the same venue with Ivory TCS.

Breeding details

HHS Calais (ISH) – 2011 gelding by Cavalier Royale (HOLST) out of MHS OBOS Cruise (ISH) by OBOS Quality (OLD). Breeder: Ita Brennan, Co. Kilkenny. Owner: Bravo Hughes Ltd. Rider: Michael Pender (IRL).

Source: Horse Sport Ireland press release