CONOR Swail is on a roll at present and had another very successful show last weekend, this time at the Blenheim Equisports Spring series at San Juan Capistrano in California, USA.

The highlight of the show was when Swail rode Count Me In to win the $117,000 CSI3* 1.50m Blenheim EquiSports Spring Classic Grand Prix on Saturday. The Co Down man and the 17-year-old Count Grannus gelding, known as Crosby, were among just six clear rounds from the 23 starters. In the second round, only three combinations jumped clear again, with Swail the fastest of those, in a time of 39.83 seconds, over two and a half seconds ahead of American runner-up Nicole Haunert on My Lady Lavista (42.40), who was followed by Canada’s Vanessa Mannix on Carmela Z in third (43.51). Fellow Irishman, James Chawke claimed fifth place in the class on Daido van’t Ruytershof Z.

The $32,000 FEI CSI3* 1.45m Jump-off Classic Ranking class saw a fantastic result, with the Irish taking the top three placings. Abbeyleix native Chawke won the class on Nacara van BerkenBroeck Z, with a fast jump-off time of 34.56 seconds and also placed third on Isa (38.20). They were separated by Swail on Vital Chance de la Roque in the runner-up spot, whose time of 35.89 seconds just couldn’t catch Chawke on this occasion.

Friday saw another success for Swail, when he rode Vital Chance de la Roque to win the $15,000 FEI CSI3* 1.40m Jump-off Classic. There were 27 starters over the course designed by Olaf Peterson, with only seven of them jumping clear. Swail was among them and his second round with 15-year-old Vital Chance de la Roque, in a time of 38.13 seconds, could not be caught. American riders Keri Potter and Chandler Meadows completed the podium.

“There was enough tricky things to make enough faults today, so I was pleased with how I went,” Swail said afterwards. “Thankfully, we had a good day yesterday and today. I’m looking forward to tomorrow and I’m ready to go.”

James Chawke and Nacara van Berkenbroeck Z had multiple wins at San Juan Capistrano in California at the weekend \ McCool Photography

Winning ways

Show jumping got underway at the Blenheim Spring series at San Juan Capistrano last Wednesday, April 10th, and saw James Chawke taking first and third places in the $5,000 FEI CSI3* 1.45m Power and Speed Two-phase with Nacara van BerkenBroeck Z and Daido van ‘T Ruytershof Z respectively.

On Thursday, Chawke won the Seven-year-old class with Cadence de Hus Z and then took first place in the 1.30m class on Ikonic PB, ahead of Swail on Amy 365 in second. Chawke was then fourth in the $5,000 FEI CSI3* 1.40m Speed Stake on Isa.

Swail had the Irish flag flying again on Thursday night, when he jumped a fast clear on Count Me In to win the $32,000 FEI CSI3* 1.50m Welcome Speed Stake Ranking class at San Juan Capistrano. Swail also placed fifth with Theo 160, while Chawke was seventh on Daido van ‘T Ruytershof Z.

Chawke won Friday’s Seven-year-old class on Cadence de Hus Z and the pair went on to take second place in Sunday’s Seven-year-old class to conclude the show.