Press release from Thunderbird Show Park, edited by World of Showjumping

Conor Swail struck again.

The Irish rider captured his seventh international victory of tbird’s spring series—and arguably his most meaningful yet—winning the CSI2* Uryadis Village Grand Prix 1.45m on Saturday at the Odlum Brown BC Open. 

Piloting the 11-year-old KWPN mare Kazelli VDL (Arezzo VDL x Indoctro), Swail delivered a double-clear performance that pushed his win tally to seven in less than two weeks, including three aboard the powerful Dutch Warmblood mare.

“This ring suits her. She’s got a big gallop and she’s very careful,” Swail said. 

Course designer Peter Holmes set a first-round track that saw eight pairs advance to the jump-off. Third to return for the short course, Swail went for broke with a daring leave out to the double that paid off in 40.19 seconds—it was over a second and half fastest.

“She has such a huge stride and she was jumping everything very comfortably. I thought there was eight [strides to the double], which I knew no one else would do. Honestly, if I was making the decision again, I wouldn’t do it,” Swail admitted. “The mare was very good to clear A and B, and I thought it was a little too risky. She jumped beautifully in both rounds.”

USA’s Karrie Rufer finished second aboard Shanroe Peeters (Dallas VDL x Condios) in 41.77 seconds, while Canada’s Ashley Papalia took third on Clan de Nyze Z (Comme Il Faut x Darco) in 42.29 seconds.

Swail and Kazelli VDL previously won the CSI2* qualifiers at both the Canadian Premier and the Odlum Brown BC Open.

“We talked the other day about consistency. That’s now three wins, a second, and one down in five goes,” he said. “Consistency we have got.”

Looking ahead to Sunday’s Nations Cup, Swail is looking to keep that consistency alive. Swail will don both his riding helmet and the chef d’equipe hat as Team Ireland attempts to defend its title.

“It’s going to be interesting tomorrow,” he said. “We have an inexperienced few guys—one guy is doing his first cup, and the other two guys have only done one cup each. But they’re all here on merit, and they’re good riders, and we’re all looking forward to it. Obviously, we feel we’re in with a good chance if everything goes our way.”

Saturday’s Grand Prix doubled as a fundraiser for Uryadis Village, an orphanage in Soddo, Ethiopia founded 11 years ago by former Irish team rider Jennifer Crooks and her husband Mike. Named after Jennifer’s Nations Cup horse and now home to 103 children, Uryadis Village has been a fixture of tbird’s charitable efforts since its inception.

The class raised a total of $44,000 to build Tegen’s House for children with complex special needs, in memory of Tegen Warren Terefe Crooks, who passed away three months ago. After the class, Jennifer Crooks delivered an emotional tribute to her son, thanking the equestrian community for its ongoing support.

To donate and learn more about Uryadis Village, visit uryadisvillage.org.