Michael Pender is a U25 rider but you’d never guess that looking at his Jumpr stats.

The Irish rider has amassed 339 international podium finishes, 27 Grand Prix titles and over €2.5 million in earnings on his record. As of Friday in Barcelona, he’s won six 5* Grands Prix. At age 25.

Simply put: He’s a winner.

Pender’s 1.60m career started eight years in 2017. At age 20, he won his first 1.60m Grand Prix, the CSI4* Al Shira’aa Derby at Hickstead. In 2021, he added another in Vilamoura, Spain and in 2022, picked up his first 5* Grand Prix wins on the Longines Global Champions Tour in Valkenswaard and Riyadh.

Friday at the Longines League of Nations Final in Spain saw Pender pick up his sixth title with the CSI5* Grand Prix of Barcelona—and spectacularly so.

Aboard his veteran partner HHS Calais and last to return for the second round, the Irishman stopped the clock at 50.88 seconds in a veteran 12-horse lineup. They were the only pair to come in under the 51 second mark and were nearly a second fastest in a top four separated by mere tenths of a second.

Switzerland’s Rolf-Goran Bengtsson and Zuccero HV took second in 51.64s. Spain’s Armando Trapote was third in 51.78s and world no. 1 Henrik von Eckermann (SWE) and King Edward, fourth in 51.83s.

Did we mention that Pender is only 25?

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