Michael Pender earns himself another World Champion title!

Under a radiant morning sun and in front of a large crowd, this morning at Ratina Z Arena the starting shot was fired for Super Sunday, the final day of the FEI WBFSH Jumping World Breeding Championship for Young Horses. Traditionally, it kicked off with the final for the five-year-olds, which immediately provided both excitement and spectacle. And it became a true déjà vu: just like last year in the final for the seven-year-olds, it was once again the Irish top rider Michael Pender who outsmarted everyone and took home the world title.

This final for the five-year-olds was built at a height of 1.30m and brought together the best 49 combinations from the qualifications on Thursday and Friday. The level was again sky-high, as no fewer than 18 of these 49 contenders managed to finish the clear in the course built by designer Bernard Mathy's and his team.

In a nail-biting jump-off, which had the audience on the edge of their seats, there was a fight to the bitter end with speed demon Michael Pender again as final winner. In the saddle of the KWPN gelding HHS Private Ryan (El Barone 111 Z x High Shutterfly) from the breeding farm of M. Van Der Velde, he entered the ring again as the very last combination, and with a masterful round in 38.23 seconds, he managed to outdo everything and everyone this time too!

"I have only been riding this horse for about six weeks. Therefore, all praise goes to everyone who has helped bring Private Ryan to where he is today. He is naturally very fast and we flew through the jump-off, keeping exactly the right pace, not too much, not too little, just steady, and that worked fantastically."

Michael Pender and HHS Private Ryan's fantastic round pushed Dutch rider Doron Kuipers into^2nd place. Pender had taken the lead earlier in the jump-off with the Zangersheide mare Olympic van 't Roosakker VK Z (Minute Man x For Pleasure) out of the breeding farm of Stoeterij Van Kleef, but thus had to ultimately make peace with silver.

The bronze again went to Ireland thanks to Jason Foley and the Irish mare Tysons Lady Lux (Tyson x Lux Z) from the breeding farm of Shay Hesnan. Foley, who was World Champion in the five-year-olds in 2019, also kept all the bars in the scoops, finishing in 40.33 seconds.