Belgian bliss for world champ Pender

Mikey Pender made it a spectacular three-in-a-row at the FEI WBFSH Jumping World Breeding Championship for Young Horses in Lanaken by winning the 5-Year-Old title this morning in a pulsating jump-off with Marta Hughes-Bravo’s HHS Private Ryan.

And Eoin Brennan brought another outstanding week for the Irish squad led by Taylor Vard to a stunning conclusion when landing the feature 7-Year-Old crown on Augustus Z, bred and owned by his father, Tim and something of a miracle horse, having recovered from a serious accident as a three-year-old to conquer the world stage.

It was a day to remember too for last year’s world champion Niamh McEvoy, who guided BP Othello, the Irish Sport Horse bred by the Brennans’ fellow Kilkenny equestrians, the Hughes brothers of Ennisnag Stud, and owned by Fiona and Michael Roche, to the silver medal in the 6-Year-Old division.

Carlow pilot Jason Foley, also ensured a Tricolour on the podium, by steering the Shay Hesnan-bred and Martin Egan-owned Tysons Lady Lux (ISH) to third behind Pender in the 5-Year-Old class, Pender was backing up his triumph in the same class at the prestigious annual championships in Belgium in 2023, when HHS Ocala (ISH) was his ride, and followed up in the 7-Year-Old class with HHS Mercedes (ISH) 12 months ago.

To claim a world title for the third straight year is quite some achievement for the Castledermot man and the Kilkenny-based Hughes Horse Stud operation and the Irish success did not stop there.

A field of 49 five-year-old horses went to post in the final of the 30th annual FEI WBFSH Jumping World Breeding Championship for Young Horses at the Zangersheide Stud.

Nine of those starters were members of Taylor Vard’s squad of horses representing the Irish Studbooks, or Wildcards, with six going forward to the jump off.

First to go in the jump was was Ballypatrick-based British rider Harry Wood with BP Paloma (KWPN), whose four faults in a time of 40.10 was good enough for eventual 12th place.

Second to go was Pender but there was no joy on this occasion with HHS Evorra (ISH), whose four-fault round was good enough for 13th.

Tenth to go in the jump-off was Foley with Tysons Lady Lux (ISH), bred by Shay Hesnan from Co Dublin, who made the trip to Zangersheide to see his homebred in action all week.

The mare had been foot-perfect all week to qualify for this final and their double clear round in 40.33 seconds was enough to secure a brilliant bronze medal.

The winners of the 5-Year-Old Championship at the 2025 RDS Dublin Horse Show were Shane Dalton and the stallion Unicum-H (BWP), approved in both the Belgian Warmblood and Warmblood Studbook of Ireland. A masterful piece of riding from Dalton saw him guide the stallion home with a double clear in a time of 40.45 seconds to secure an overall fifth.

Ballypatrick Stables had a second representation in the decider with Tabitha Kyle and Calzerra (ISH) aiming to repeat the history-making weekend of Niamh McEvoy in 2024.

Victorious in Saturday’s 5-Year-Old Consolation Final with Otanni Z (ZANG), the young rider had the final fence down in a time of 40.06 seconds to earn an 11th-place finish.

The last rider in was Pender with his second qualified horse, HHS Private Ryan (KWPN), and the talented young athlete knew nothing less than a quick double clear would earn him a medal.

It was the same position he found himself in last year in the 7-Year-Old final with HHS Mercedes (ISH). Last to go, and only a fast clear would be enough.

A blistering round from the Kildare man, who has had so many successes in this arena, saw him add yet another gold medal to his haul from the world famous venue, when he came home double clear in a time of 38.23 seconds, over a second ahead of the silver medal-winning Doron Kuipers for Holland.

McEvoy made a bold bid to follow Pender onto the winner’s rostrum when joining Jack Ryan, with Thera van Heiste, in a seven-combo jump-off.

The tiebreaker did not work out as planned for Ryan and his grey mare owned by David and Donal Lynch but seventh was a fantastic achievement.

McEvoy was right in the mix however, but had one rail down on a jump-off track that caught out every pair bar the one of Max van de Poll (NED) and Ortane.

The Tyrone rider and her chestnut gelding were the fastest of the four-faulters however, ensuring another outstanding result at these championships.

The climactic conclusion to the 7-Year-Old championship had everyone on the edge of their seats, with the added ingredient of a 16-year-old from the host nation, Niels Van Rossem in the melting pot with Speedy van Klapscheut.

In all, there were ten still standing after the first round, and with four of Vard’s squad included, the percentages were in favour for another green jacketed triumph.

Pender’s chances of a dream double came a cropper as the Bravo Hughes-bred HHS Venice (ISH) knocked two poles to finish eighth.

McEvoy posted another top-five result by recording the quickest four-fault round with the Ronan Rothwell-bred Boleybawn Alvaro (ISH), flying around in a time of 36.41.

Just ahead of her was Lucy Stack who was flawless in the jumping department with Aggie van de Start Z, the duo notching up a double clear for fourth.

Van Rossem had the home crowd in raptures when guiding the appropriately named Speedy van Klapscheut to a second clear in 35.76 but they had to settle for runner-up, as Brennan and Augustus Z were not just foot-perfect but also incredibly pacy, stopping the clock on 35.20 to be champion of the world.