THE Irish have certainly been front and centre of FEI World Cup competitions over recent weeks, with an incredible run of success on both sides of the Atlantic. Co Down’s Conor Swail continued that winning streak at the weekend, when he claimed victory with Count Me In in the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup North American League fifth leg in Las Vegas (USA) on Saturday, held in the unique venue of the South Point Hotel and Casino.

German course builder Olar Petersen, Jr.’s first round track provided a challenge for the 28-strong field – just six managed to secure a place in the jump-off. In fact, there were no clear rounds until the 18th combination, Katie Laurie (AUS) and her home-bred Django II, kept all the poles intact. Five others made it through to the jump-off, all coming from the final eight riders. These included Swail and his student Vanessa Mannix (CAN). Then, in the jump-off, clear rounds proved elusive, until Swail and Count Me In produced a clear round in a time of 38.28 seconds.