AS reported last week, Co Down’s Conor Swail had an amazing day at Desert International Horse Park in California last Thursday, when he took first and second places in two classes, namely the $32,000 CSI3* 1.50m Speed and the $25,000 FarmVet 1.45m Open Classic.

Swail was on top form again in the $40,000 National Grand Prix on Saturday, when he claimed both second and third places with Gamble and Vital Chance de la Roque respectively. The top spot was taken by Belgium’s Gregory Wathelet riding Mr Europe.

35 combinations started the class, of whom just six were clear within the time allowed. Only two of these jumped clear again – Swail on Gamble (38.381) and Wathelet on Mr Europe (34.754), with the Belgian rider finishing in the faster time to take the win. Swail rode Vital Chance de la Roque round the course in 36.751, but had a fence down to put them in third.

Placings

There were numerous other Irish successes among the results over the course of the show.

Last Wednesday, February 21st, James Chawke on Nacara van Berkenbroeck Z were runners-up in the $10,000 1.35m Welcome Speed class.

Thursday saw Liam Deery ride D’Artagnan into fourth place in the $1,000 1.20m Open Jumper class, while Chawke had another second place in the Seven-year-old Young Jumper class on Cadence de Hus Z - but the pair went one better on Saturday, when they won the day’s Seven-year-old 1.30-1.35m Young Jumper class.

On Sunday, Chawke on One Edition placed third in the $25,000 1.40m Open Classic Series, in which he also placed ninth with Isa. Deery and D’Artagnan came fifth in the $1,500 1.20m Open Classic.

Sixth place

To conclude another good weekend, Swail and Count Me In finished sixth in the $32,000 FEI 3* 1.45m Classic, where they were among the six clear first rounds to get through to the jump-off. They rode a very quick second round and had the fastest time, but an unfortunate pole on the ground relegated them to sixth place. The class was won by Canada’s Ali Ramsay on Godfather B Belesbat.