Ireland’s Conor Swail scored his first Major League Show Jumping (MLSJ) grand prix win during leg 6 of the 2024 season in the KASK 5* on Saturday evening at Tryon International in North Carolina. Swail, a valued member of the Trelawny Trailblazers, sits second in the season standings just eight points off the lead after consistent finishes throughout the first half of the season.
From a stacked field under the glistening lights of Tryon International, the world no. 13 rider piloted Casturano, an 11-year-old Holsteiner gelding (Castelan 3 x Canturo) owned by Conall Murray, to victory in a six-horse jump-off. Returning last over course designer Peter Grant’s (CAN) tie-breaking short course, Swail and “Stan” — as Casturano is known around the barn — stopped the clock at 41.54 seconds.
Swail’s time shot to the top of the leaderboard and bumped U.S. team Olympic silver medalist and world no. 4 Kent Farrington to second aboard his own Greya, a 10-year-old Oldenburg mare (Colestus x Contender). Just fractions slower than Swail, Farrington stopped the clock at 41.89 seconds to retain his spot at the top of the individual season standings.
“This means a lot,” said Swail after his first MLSJ grand prix win. “I’ve jumped a lot of these grand prix and to not win one is frustrating, so it’s nice to get one and hopefully when there’s one there will be more.
“He’s been an incredible athlete right from the beginning,” continued Swail of Casturano, a mount he’s been partnered with for almost two years. Together they have collected 10 international victories. “This year, we moved him up and every time I step up, he keeps answering all the questions. He is extremely careful, so it’s just about keep keeping him confident. If he’s relaxed and happy, he comes and does his job.”
The lead changed hands with nearly every new jump-off round. Early in the order, Swail’s fellow Trailblazer Daniel Bluman (ISR) took over the lead from Paris 2024 duo Tiffany Foster (CAN) and Figor, but settled for third in the end. He rode new mount Corbie V.V., a nine-year-old Zangersheide mare (Cornet Obolensky x Chacco Blue), owned together with Abigail Wexner. They stopped the clock at 42.21 seconds. Foster and Figor ended up placing 5th.
MLSJ action came to a close at Tryon International on Saturday and will soon head south and continue with a return to Club Hípico La Silla in Monterrey, Mexico, for leg 7 beginning on October 31. Watch it all live on MLSJ TV.
Results here.
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