Irish show jumper Conor Swail had a stellar day in Vancouver. During the TBird competition, Swail jumped to victory in both the CSI4* and CSI2* Grand Prix qualifiers, riding Nadal Hero & D.B. and Kazelli VDL.
Six combinations qualified for the jump-off of the 1.45m CSI4*. Together with Valentijn de Bock's former ace, Nadal Hero & Db (Kannan, breeder: Valentijn de Bock & Hello Jumpers), Conor Swail secured the ultimate win. The Irishman finished more than half a second faster than Nicole Walker and the KWPN gelding, Excellent B (Berlin, breeder: J.G. Boomkamp). Hilary Scott completed the top three with Clarima (Clarimo), bred by Mart Vossen.
"My wife was jumping him in the 1.20m and 1.30m for over a year," he continued. "The only reason I'm riding him is because she's just after having a baby."
When asked whether his wife might want the ride back, Swail smiled: "She already knows the answer, I think."
Conor Swail Makes it Two-for-Two
The Irish rider did not just win the CSI4* qualifier; he also claimed victory in the two-star competition. There, he relied on the VDL Stud-bred Kazelli VDL (Arezzo VDL). The pair was the only combination to jump a double clear round. Gavin Moylan followed in second place with a single time penalty aboard Memphis (Royal Diamond), while Karrie Rufer completed the top three with Stern Dei Folletti (Toulon).
