IRISH riders featured strongly in the two major five-star Grand Prix competitions that took place today (Sunday) in Spain and Switzerland, with Mikey Pender and Darragh Kenny both claiming fourth place finishes.

Riding the Irish Sport Horse HHS Calais, Kildare’s Mikey Pender was among seven riders made it through to the jump-off in the Longines FEI World Cup Grand Prix at La Coruna in Spain. Pender went on to post the fastest time of the jump-off, with a single fence down costing him what would have been his first World Cup win, taking fourth place at the finish. Victory went to Germany’s Philipp Schulze Topphoff and Concordess NRW.

Kenny fourth

Meanwhile in Geneva, Switzerland, another brilliant performance from Offaly’s Darragh Kenny and VDL Cartello saw them take fourth place in the five-star Rolex Grand Prix. A tough first round saw Kenny post the first clear when 24th to jump and he would eventually be joined by five other combinations for the deciding jump-off.

First to go against the clock, Kenny jumped clear again in 43.47 seconds with his Tokyo Olympics mount VDL Cartello who is owned by Heathman Farm LLC to collect 100,000 Swiss Franc for a fourth place finish. The winners prize of 330,000 Swiss Franc went to Switzerland’s Martin Fuchs and Leone Jei with a clear in 41.54.

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).