MIKEY Pender and Irish Sport Horse HHS Calais secured four-star honours in Wiesbaden, Germany, on Sunday when they came out on top of a field of 39.
This 13-year-old Cavalier Royale gelding, bred by Ita Brennan and owned by Bravo Hughes, jumped double clear in the CSI4* 1.55m Preis des Hessischen Ministerprasideten at the Longines PfingstTurnier in the fastest time to win the €56,8000 contest.
Number six ranked Under 25 rider in the world, Castledermot native Pender was 17th into the arena and steered HHS Calais to what was the third clear over 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 registered 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, who scorched around in 42.83.
“I knew David would come after me and he is always fast, I had to perform,” said Pender. “I have to say, it is a brilliant show. It’s my first time here, but I will definitely come back.”
Billy Twomey also had some top 10 results at the venue, coming eighth in Friday’s CSI4* six-bar with his own Ace of Hearts Z (Action-Breaker) and third with the same horse in the CSI4* Small Tour 1.40m class on Saturday.
He was also fifth with Julius (Mylord Carthago) in the CSI4* Medium Tour 1.45m.