Thermal, California, USA – March 07, 2024 – Conor Swail (IRL) always has a winning season in the desert, and Desert Circuit 2024 has been no exception. The Irishman came in strong once again on Thursday of Desert Circuit 9, presented by Kubota, and took first and third places in the $32,000 Sandhaven Farm CSI 3* 1.50m Speed aboard Count Me In and Theo 160, respectively, giving him high hopes for a strong finish as the circuit winds down.
“Honestly all the horses have been great,” he reflected on his season in Thermal. “[Crosby] has had a great circuit. He hasn’t knocked so many jumps down and he’s consistently fast and clear. That does win you a few prizes.” Swail now has quite a few Yeti coolers in his possession after taking FEI victories.
Swail went early on with Theo 160, another top-performing horse, and it seemed that his time of 68.10 seconds would be hard to catch, until he went in on his second mount, Count Me In, owned by Mannon Farms. Their new time of 67.33 seconds took over the lead, and only Mathijs Van Asten (NED) came close with Hotspot, taking over second and pushing Theo 160 to third.
For Swail’s winning formula, it’s been important to give the horses proper rest and to mix up their competition schedule just enough to keep them fresh and on their toes.
“It is nice that we do a little on the sand, a little on the grass, and under the lights,” Swail said of the various atmospheres for upper-level jumping at DIHP. “It does mix it up a little bit so each time you come out the horses are freshened up. You have to make sure to not overuse them, which I think I’ve done well. My guys have only jumped two or three weeks in total.”
“We actually stable just down the road, and it’s nice to have a base outside the show if you’re staying for long periods of time,” he said of getting the horses away from the park. “They can get out into the paddocks. They can relax and feel like they’re at home for these few months. They can go out and have a roll and feel like they’re not at a horse show this week. It’s very important that they’re able to get away from the horse show vibe.” Swail is always in tune with how his horses are feeling, so much so that they can jump a perfect clear round and the Irishman still knows if they may be slightly uncomfortable.
“Nearly all my horses I’ve had for quite a while now, and I can feel if there’s anything a little unusual,” he remarked. “Even if their performances are good I can feel if they’re a little uncomfortable or nervous. It’s about trying to cut out those possibilities. Obviously you want to go in and be successful, but you also want the horse to be very comfortable doing what he’s doing. I feel that myself and our team do that very well. You have to exercise them and need them sharp, but at the same time it’s about trying to keep them healthy and mental health is a huge part of that.”
Final Results – $32,000 Sandhaven Farm CSI 3*
1) Conor Swail (IRL) & Count Me In – 0 – 67.33
2) Mathijs Van Asten (NED) & Hotspot – 0 – 68.10
3) Conor Swail (IRL) & Count Me In – 0 – 68.68
Source: Press Release from Desert International Horse Park
Photos: © DIHP / TB Photography / High Desert Photo / MG Photography
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