SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, Calif.--Ireland’s Conor Swail started the Blenheim season the same way he ended the 2023 season: winning.
Conor Swail on Vital Chance de la Roque (Photo by McCool Photography)Swail on Vital Chance de la Roque won the $32,000 CSI4* Welcome Speed Stake on Friday, April 5 at the Blenheim Spring Classic I, held at the Rancho Mission Viejo Riding Park in San Juan Capistrano.
Swail had capped off his season at last year's Blenheim shows by winning the $226,000 FEI Jumping World Cup Las Vegas qualifier on Count Me In.
This year, Swail on “Vinny” was one of 28 entries to take on the one round speed class over a course designed by Jaime Morillo and built on the Oaks International Grand Prix Field.
When Swail went as the 10th in the order, the time to beat had been set at 58.98 seconds by fellow Irishman James Chawke on Daido van’t Ruytershof Z.
“Vanessa Mannix, James Chawke and Alexis Sokolov as well, we all work together," said Swail. "I was lucky enough that I saw James’ round right before mine. I thought James had a very, very quick round. I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to beat him, to be honest.”
SWAIL nearly did not, but as he crossed the final vertical the timers flashed 58.68 seconds, making him just three-tenths of a second faster, even with a few of Vinny’s signature bucks thrown in.
“I knew I had to really be on every stride, but thankfully Vinny has a lot of experience," said Swail. 'He jumped a good round today.”
Chawke placed second, and Michael Williamson on Call Me Baby Quick PS. was third, clean in 60.70 seconds
Australia’s Zoe Brown, 19, on Bling VD Duvelshoeve Z won Thursday’s $5,000 CSI2* Power & Speed Two Phase with a time of 31.41 seconds .
Williamson on Call Me Baby Quick PS was second in 31.94 seconds, and Kyle King on Vivalunaika Blue was third.
