CONOR Swail claimed victory in Saturday’s $32,000 five-star Winning Round class at the Major League Show Jumping fixture at Thermal, California, when riding the 10-year-old mare My Lady Lavista into first place, with a double clear in a jump-off time of 37.45.

His nearest challenger was Mark Bluman (COL) on Kenya RM, who was more than a second behind in 38.80 to take second place. The podium was completed by Eve Jobs (USA) on High Point VDL (38.97). Max Wachman and Lexington placed seventh, when incurring four faults in round two in a time of 38.30.

The top 10 riders from round one progressed to the second round, regardless of faults, where they started with a zero score. Bluman and his mount had set the early time to beat of 38.80 seconds. While no one else was able to catch him, Swail and My Lady Lavista flew round the Olaf Petersen Jr. and Alan Wade-designed course in 37.45 seconds to secure the win.

“I was sort of fortunate that I was a little bit more toward the end of the class in the draw,” said Swail. “I knew I needed to go clear. I knew all the correct numbers to do. I think that helped a lot.

“I have gone [in a winning round] a few times, where I went early and jumped a clear round, and I didn’t get through, so [being later in the order] helped a lot. Then, in the jump-off, there’s a very high-quality field this week, so the plan is to go as fast as you can go. There’s no other way of doing it, if you want to be the winner.

“She’s a wonderful mare,” said Swail of 10-year-old Holsteiner mare, My Lady Lavista, owned by Cherokee Show Horses. “I was very lucky to get her in May time, and it has been pretty good right from the beginning.

“We’re getting to know each other as each week goes by. I haven’t actually shown her an awful lot. I feel that we’re still going to grow. We’re only in the beginning stages. I’m very excited about what is going to come next with her.”

Swail continued: “She’s very gutsy, very determined. She really is such a little fighter. She has her own way; she sort of scampers along and runs you into the jumps a little bit. What I’m always trying to do is get her to slow down a little bit. She always wants to go a little quick. I feel that we’re starting to gradually get better and better and, even when we’re improving, we’re still winning a lot of classes.”

Team work

The night before, the Trelawny Trailblazers had taken the top spot in the $200,000 five-star Team competition, with Co Down’s Swail on Casturano being accompanied by American team mates, Lillie Keenan on Kick On and Natalie Dean on Oasis Van De Bucxtale. With only one more week to go in the 2024 Major League Show Jumping season, the Trelawny Trailblazers have left themselves in a good position, with their win gaining them enough points to move up to third in the MLSJ team standings.

“It was a very important night for us,” said Swail of the MLSJ team competition held at the Desert International Horse Park. “It is quite exciting as a spectator. There are at least four teams that are capable of winning next week. We do have a very, very strong team.

“The first round maybe didn’t go the way that we planned,” said Swail, referring to himself and Keenan each having a pole down. “I thought Lillie’s horse [Kick On] jumped great. She was a wee bit unlucky. I made a mistake on that rollback, so it put us on the back foot a little bit. Thankfully, Natalie was super all night, and she kept us in it for that first round. Thankfully, we hung on, and we got into the second phase. Then, it was all good!”

The Trailblazers’ focus will now be on the MLSJ Team Final, where the class is worth double points. Maccabi United currently leads on 107 points, with the DIHP Roadrunners a close second with 106 points. The Trailblazers move to third place with 97 points, while the Northern Lights are on 94 points.

Top 10 finishes

Last week saw Major League Show Jumping move to La Quinta, near Thermal, California, with the latest FEI five-star show running from Thursday, December 5th until Saturday, December 7th.

There was a great turnout of Irish competitors and the first five-star class of the show, a two-phase, saw Meath’s Cian O’Connor and the eight-year-old gelding Belvedere take eighth place, jumping double clear in a phase two time of 38.15. He was followed by Max Wachman on 10-year-old gelding Lexington in ninth place (40.58), while 10th place went to another Irish man, Andrew Bourns, riding 13-year-old gelding Sea Topblue (43.33).

In the $32,000 two-star Speed class, Ireland’s James Chawke was runner-up with Daido Van’T Ruytershof Z, when they jumped clear in a time of 62.93. Brazilian winner Eduardo Pereira De Menezes on Calypso Des Matis was not going to be caught by any of the 74 on the start list, as he rode round in a very fast 61.58.

Friday’s two-star Grand Prix saw a pleasing result for the Irish contingent from a start list of 59, when Swail on Theo 160 placed fourth with a jump-off time of 39.64, followed by O’Connor on Quick Step in fifth (40.78). American rider Natalie Dean took the win on board Dotcom D’Authuit (39.06).

O’Connor secured another top 10 finish in the $62,500 five-star MLSJ class, when he rode Belvedere into ninth place in a time of 82.03. There were 46 starters in the class, which was won by Belgium’s Nicola Philippaerts on Derby De Riverland (75.61).

Swail was back in the top 10 in Saturday’s concluding $1,000,000 MLSJ Grand Prix, when he slotted Casturano into seventh place, having incurred an unfortunate four faults in the jump-off. The top prize went to Israel’s Ashlee Bond on Donatello 141, who were best of just five double clears out of the 41 starters, finishing in 39.33 seconds.