CONOR Swail had another successful weekend at Desert International Horse Park in California, when he secured a number of podium finishes with different mounts.

While the top spot just eluded him, Swail took two podium places in Saturday’s three-star $117,000 1.50m Grand Prix. From a start list of 33, only four combinations jumped clear in round one for the chance to jump again, with Swail accounting for two of them. The Co Down native placed second with Theo 160 (38.17) and third with My Lady Lavista (38.87). They were only beaten by Jos Verlooy (BEL), but with an Irish connection, as he rode the Frank and Laura Glynn-bred 15-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding FTS Killossery Konfusion (by SIEC Livello (HOLST) out of Killossery Kruisette (ISH) by Cruising (ISH)[TIH]) to clock the fastest time of 37.94.

On Friday, Swail and My Lady Lavista were runners-up in the three-star $63,000 1.50m Welcome Speed class with a clear round in 64.43. They were beaten here too by class winner Jos Verlooy (BEL) on FTS Killossery Konfusion (ISH), who were not going to be caught, finishing almost two seconds ahead in 62.73. David O’Brien on El Balou OLD placed 10th in the class.

“FTS Killossery Konfusion is just a great horse. He’s so competitive. He always wants to do his best. He knows what he has to do is leave the rails up and just knows the game. I’m so happy I’m able to ride him,” a delighted Verloy said of his mount following their win.

In the placings

Swail got the ball rolling at Desert Circuit 9 last Wednesday, when he placed eighth with My Lady Lavista in the three-star $1,000 1.40m special two-phase. The pair jumped double clear in a second-round time of 34.79. Kaitlin Campbell (USA) on Questa VD Heffinck was the clear winner in a time of 31.69, a second and a half faster than runner-up Brian Morton (CAN) on Ice Man Du Houssoit (33.26).

Thursday saw Antrim’s Christopher Megahey on Fuhrer De Maugre place seventh in the $1,500 1.30m Open Jumper class, while Swail rode Count Me In into fourth place in the $1,500 1.40m Open Jumper class. Megahey on Casian S then placed ninth in Friday’s $24,999 1.40m Open Classic.

There was a one-two for Ireland in Saturday’s $10,000 1.35m Futurity Series, when James Chawke rode LFS Etoile into first place, followed by Swail on Clique in second.

On Sunday, Swail won the $40,000 1.45m Open Classic Series on board Count Me In, when jumping double clear in a jump-off time of 40.15. Only four of the 45 starters made it through to the jump-off, with just three completing the second-round course. Mark Finnerty on Lestro VD Valckenborg placed seventh in the class after incurring four faults in the first round.

“I thought I just needed to give him a few rounds [this week],” said Swail of his plan to jump in Sunday’s class with the 18-year-old Hanoverian gelding, owned by Sandy Lupton and Mannon Farm. “These national classes are great to be able to jump your horses at a good standard. I was very happy.”

WKD Aimex Moi (by Je T’Aime Flamenco (BWP) out of My Honey Hill (ISH)), an Irish Sport Horse bred by Joanne Sloan Allen in Co Antrim, had a win at Desert International Horse Park three weeks ago and repeated this success on Sunday, when winning the three-star $32,000 1.45m Classic with Sameh El Dahan (GBR) in the saddle.

“[WKD Aimez Moi] is quite quick on the ground,” said El Dahan of the 15-year-old mare, owned by himself and Joanne Sloan-Allen. “She covers a lot of ground at speed. So, to be honest, I didn’t watch anybody, because I know she’s fast. I just have to stick to my plan and not get too distracted with the number of strides that the other people are doing. She was brilliant. She was very, very quick on the turns… That’s why I think I was two and a half seconds faster.”