Sport

Equestrian: Mikey Pender makes history at the Puissance

The 20-year-old from Co Kildare became the youngest ever to land the prestigious title

Ireland’s Michael Pender riding Hearton du Bois Halleux competes in the Cayenne Puissance during day three of The London International Horse Show at London Olympia. Photo: Steve Parsons/PA Wire

Margie McLoone
Thu Dec 19 2019 - 09:00

Ireland’s Mikey Pender, who made show jumping history when becoming the youngest rider to win the famed Hickstead Derby in June, did so for a second time on Wednesday night in London when partnering the same horse, Hearton du Bois Halleux, to land the Puissance competition at Olympia.

The 20-year-old from Co Kildare, who was competing at the venue for the first time, cleared the wall at 7’ 2” on Paul van den Bosch’s dynamic 12-year-old Belgian Warmblood, sharing the spoils with Britain’s William Whitaker riding RMF Charly. This is the first time that the same horse and rider competition has won both the Hickstead Derby and the Olympia Puissance in the same season.

Earlier in the day, Co Offaly’s Darragh Kenny landed the 1.55m jump-off class on his own and Ann Thompson’s Important de Muze while Charlotte McCracken, a member of the Iveagh Branch in Northern Ireland, joined forces with Germany’s Michael Jung to place second in the Pony Club mini/major competition.