Pender prevails in Germany via Calais

Four-star triumph achieved on Irish Sport Horse

Mikey Pender and Irish Sport Horse HHS Calais exhibited the qualities that have earned the pair World Cup success when securing four-star honours in Wiesbaden, Germany today.
Pender came out on top of a field of 39, with the 13-year-old Cavalier Royale gelding bred by Ita Brennan and owned by Bravo Hughes jumping two clear rounds and going quickest in the jump-off to win the €56,8000 contest.
The number six ranked U25 rider in the world, Castledermot native Pender was 17th into the arena at the Pfingstturrnier competition and steered HH Calais to what was the third clear of the 17 jumping efforts in the 1.55m class at that juncture.
Two more followed to make it a field of five for the jump-off against the clock.
After Jorg Oppermann (GER) had had four faults, Koen Vereecke (BEL) and Oilily de Muze set the target for Pender with a clear round in 46.84 seconds.
That proved no problem to the Kilkenny-based Kildare man and HHS Calais, who scampered around the ring without even a rub and in a stunning time of 42.83.
That forced German pilots, Anna Maria Kuhlmann and David Will to force it, leading to fences down, with Will and Kansall having to settle for third behind Vereecke.
Elsewhere, Laois’ Alexander Butler and Jurry Bleu K were third in a three-star 1.55m class in Kronenberg.
The Irish combination were one of ten to navigate the track without a problem first time around and proved very competitive in the jump-off, making the podium with a clear in 38.37.
Petronella Andersson (SWE) was victorious on Odina Van Klapscheut, with Canadian Elizabeth Bates runner-up on Heartbeat W.

BREEDING
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).