Wednesday: Swail Does It Again
Sometimes a horse-and-rider pair gets on a hot streak. And sometimes, the rider is the hot streak. Case in point: Conor Swail.
The Irish show jumping sensation delivered yet another masterful win in Wednesday’s CSIO4* Nations Welcome Qualifier, piloting Casturano to the top of the leaderboard and securing his fifth international victory in eight days at Thunderbird Show Park.
Swail stopped the clock clean in 62.03 seconds, leading a competitive field at the Odlum Brown BC Open. The win follows a staggering four victories last week, each aboard a different mount, cementing one of the most versatile runs in recent tbird memory.
“The nice thing about last week, obviously, is I had four wins, but there were four different horses,” Swail said. “And now this is five wins on five different horses. I’m very, very proud of that. I have a nice group of horses here, and they’re in good form.”
Thursday’s victory was not entirely smooth sailing. Approaching the first fence, Swail faced an unexpected interference—by a bird.
“I could see the crow just sitting on the grass behind [fence one],” Swail recounted. “Usually they sit on the wings, and the horses don’t seem to mind as much because they’re up high. But this one was behind the jump. I’m about a stride away, and the old crow knows I’m coming—the thing pops up!”
The momentary startle didn’t derail Swail. He navigated the rest of Peter Holmes’ 1.50m track smoothly and cleanly.
“I got neatly over to the liverpool, which caused a bit of trouble because it was in a big shadow there,” he said. “Some of the horses, including my first one [Nadal Hero & DB], struggled with it. But I thought it was nice and smooth everywhere. I’m very happy with him because he had a quieter week last weekend. He has a day off now and then he goes on Friday for the Grand Prix.”
Swail also credited a recent equipment adjustment for Casturano’s relaxed, powerful performance.
“I just changed the bit [a few weeks ago] in Mexico,” he revealed. “He used to go in a little Pelham for a long time. Now it’s just a little straight rubber bit—really soft. I do feel it makes him a little freer. Feels great on him so far.”
With five wins across five horses—including Casturano, the latest to join the winner’s circle—Swail said the streak has created a virtuous cycle.
“It definitely helps when all the horses are feeling good, and I am feeling good about it as well,” he said. “They’re confident, and I’m riding with confidence.”
A pair of Canadians – Braden James with Kannandine and Kassidy Keith riding Havana – placed 2nd and 3rd, respectively.
Full results here.
Canadian Gavin Moylan and Anton 869 put an end to Swail’s 4* winning streak. (tbird/Kim Gaudry photo)
Thursday: “It’s Always Fun to Beat Conor”
Gavin Moylan knew exactly what—and who—stood between him and victory in the CSIO4* Table A 1.45m at the Odlum Brown BC Open. Watching from the in-gate, he saw Irishman Conor Swail lay down another characteristically quick jump-off round. Then Moylan and Anton 869 went one better.
“It’s always fun to beat Conor,” Moylan said with a grin after stopping the clock at 32.03 seconds, edging Swail’s 33.56. (Swail would not be denied on this day, however; the Irish rider picked up his sixth international win in just nine days at tbird, this time piloting Kazelli VDL to victory in the CSI2* 1.45m Friends of tbird Qualifier.)
Swail already had five international wins on five horses under his belt at tbird’s spring series when he set the time to beat in Thursday’s jump off class. But Moylan used the draw to his advantage.
“I was lucky that I was able to go late in the jump off. I followed Conor, so I was standing at the in-gate watching him,” Moylan explained. “He put in a quick Conor trip, but I certainly thought that if I could get a good run to fence one, I could maybe beat him between one and two.”
The plan went precisely to plan. “I caught what I wanted from one to two, and then things kept coming up a little quick for me. That black-and-white vertical came up a little bigger than I was thinking it would, and my horse was very good to me. Anton tried really hard there—left a good long ways away from that and jumped it well. We had a good rollback back to the combination, and then I could just kind of be patient to the last jump.”
Swail and Nadal Hero & DB settled for second, while Mexico’s Juan Pablo Gaspar Albañez took third with Diareno Blue PS in 34.06 seconds.
Moylan, originally from Grande Prairie, Alberta, now rides for a true family operation. “We’ve owned Anton for a year and a half. He’s owned by my mother-in-law, who’s also my sponsor—she’s also a good friend of mine,” Moylan said. “We kind of have a family endeavour going on right now between my in-laws, my mother, my wife, and myself. It’s all a family affair. All the horses I ride are ours.”
Of Anton 869, he added: “He’s been just solid, solid, solid. This is really his niche—these kind of speed classes at 1.45m, 1.50m. He’s just very competitive every day, and I feel like I’ve got a chance every time I go in the ring.”
Though he has lived in the United States for 30 years, Moylan remains proudly Canadian. “Still an Oilers fan—just like everyone else, I’m praying for a goalie,” he joked. “But I’ve always dreamed and hoped that I could ride for Canada and the team one day.”
This week at the Odlum Brown BC Open, he is. Moylan is one of five riders named to the Nations Cup team representing Canada.
Four-star competition at the Odlum Brown BC Open continues this week with the Grand Prix on Friday, the 1.50m on Saturday, and the Nations Cup on Sunday.
Full results here.
Livestreaming here.
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