Edited press release from Old Salem Farm

Course designer Alan Wade set a winding 15-effort track in Thursday’s $38,700 FEI 1.45m two-phase at the Old Salem Farm Spring Horse Shows, which saw 76 entries representing nine countries vie for top honors. Just ninth to go in the order, Conor Swail (IRL) proved to be uncatchable with his double-clear time of 28.37 seconds, bringing home the win aboard his and Asta Torokvei’s Gamble. 

The Old Salem Farm Spring Horse Shows are one of the premier stops on the nation’s hunter-jumper horse show circuit, offering a full schedule of world-class competition May 7-12 and May 14-19 that features the nation’s best in equestrian sport. 

Swail’s countryman Darragh Kenny went fifth in the order for the $38,700 FEI 1.45m two-phase, posting an early time to beat (28.57 seconds) with Serendepety, Oakland Ventures LLC’s 9-year-old Hanoverian mare. Swail and his 13-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding then sliced and diced their way into the top spot in 28.37 seconds, a time no other competitor could match as the class continued. 

“I didn’t see Darragh’s round, but everyone had said it was very quick,” Swail said. “With these two-phases, there’s a really short period of time that you have to go quick in the first phase, and then you really have to run in the second phase. You can’t miss any steps; you’ve got to be quick everywhere. Even finishing ahead of Darragh pleased me. There were so many in the class, and we both went so early. If the horse has jumped great and done everything you’ve asked him to do, after that, you have to take wherever you end up. Today was Gamble’s day, and it was nice to be able to hang onto the lead. 

“My horse is such a great guy,” he added. “I’ve been riding him for three or four years now, and we know each other inside-out. Everything came up really well today. I think I probably caught everybody on the last green [jump]. When we rode the oxer and turned and ran for home, there was a big gallop coming into the last fence. I’d say I took a few less steps than the rest of the competitors. My horse has a huge, huge step, which I tried to use to our advantage. He also shifts off the ground very well for me, so if I just lean my body over, he starts moving even before takeoff. He’s a big horse, but he’s so agile with his movements that he turns into quite a quick horse.” 

Kenny and Serendepety ultimately landed in third place after Nayel Nassar (EGY) stopped the clock just 0.08 seconds behind Swail’s winning time toward the end of the class. Nassar finished second in 28.45 seconds aboard Linguini de La Pomme, Evergate Stables LLC’s 13-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare.  

“This is my first time jumping in the sand ring here,” said Swail, who last competed at Old Salem Farm in the grass field. “I’d say it rides very well. A grass ring is always lovely, but with the weather (this week), it would’ve been hard to maintain. The sand ring jumped super, and my horses felt really good on it today. They’re both showing again tomorrow, and I’m feeling good about the rest of the weekend. If we stay in good form, fingers crossed we get a couple more good opportunities to get into the prizes.”