Tag Archives: Conor Swail

Swail and Viva Colombia Impress in $212,000 Holiday & Horses Grand Prix CSI 4*

Conor Swail and Viva Colombia. Photos: ©ManciniPhotos.

Wellington, FL – November 28, 2014 – In an exciting jump-off finale, Conor Swail (IRL) and Viva Colombia finished with top honors in the $212,000 Holiday & Horses Grand Prix CSI 4* presented by Palm Beach Sports Commission and Discover the Palm Beaches at Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC). Swail and Viva Colombia bested the talented jump-off of eight competitors with a time of 37.922 seconds. Eugenio Garza (MEX) and Bariano finished just off the pace for second place, crossing the timers in 38.25 seconds while Hardin Towell (USA) and New York posted the remaining double clear effort of the night with a time of 39.072 seconds. Competition will conclude at PBIEC tomorrow with the $34,000 Consolation Classic beginning at 1pm.

The class of 32 competitors in the grand prix faced a difficult track set by course designer Anthony D’Ambrosio (USA), which had eight competitors move forward to the second round, while nine pairs dropped a rail on course, incurring four faults. Tiffany Foster (CAN) and Victor were the only duo to finish with a single time-fault in the first round and would finish in ninth place.

Swail rode late in the order aboard Viva Colombia, a 2005 Oldenburg mare (Couleur-Rubin x Lando Lady) owned by Ilan Ferder, and made the most of his trip around the track, which called for scope and adjustability.

“We had planned to leave Viva for tonight. A good friend of mine, Ilan Ferder, owns her and I’ve had a really good year with her. She’s just getting better and better,” said Swail. “I thought tonight she was just wonderful and jumped great in the first round. Things worked out for me in the second round with Samuel [Parot] and Kent [Farrington] being a bit unlucky, but for me it felt like we were going to be close and I wanted to go for it.”

Eugenio Garza and Bariano
Eugenio Garza and Bariano

Garza would finish with the first double clear effort of the night, which seemed tough to beat, as Towell followed but couldn’t reach the 38 second mark. A single rail burdened Parot and Farrington, who blazed around the course, both finishing in less than 37 seconds. Farrington, piloting longtime partner Uceko, seemed to have all but added another win to their record after dashing through the course in a nail-biting effort, but a rub at the final vertical kept Farrington from his second win this week, as the duo added four faults for fourth place.

Towell was proud of his third place finish aboard New York, stating, “Tonight was a great class and I was really happy with New York’s performance. We got him a couple of months ago and he’s been out of the spotlight a bit compared to my other horses Emilie and Lucifer. I was really proud of how he handled everything tonight.

“I think he’s really stepping it up and I’m looking forward to what he has in store for the future. I am so thankful to have the support of Jennifer Gates behind me with all of the horses and it feels great to have finished so well in a very competitive class,” he continued. “Conor is a close friend and it’s never fun to lose but I’m so happy for him that he won. Eugenio rode great and is really stepping up to the plate in the bigger classes. I think it was a great show of talent tonight.”

Motivated to finish with a respectable result, Swail felt the course was well-suited for his mare, even though the track proved difficult for many of the night’s competitors. He elaborated, “I thought the course looked quite nice when we walked it and it wasn’t so big, but it was extremely careful and there was a bit of width on the oxers. In that respect, you needed a really good horse to jump around it.”

In a careful but quick effort, Swail nudged out Garza for the fastest double clear effort in the jump-off, pushing for the final finish and earning his 23rd FEI victory of the year. Viva Colombia, both talented and scopey, has proven her consistency in many of the large FEI classes the duo has contested together this year.

“For me, when I got her in the beginning, I felt like it was really important for her to gain confidence in our program and our system. I worked on her balance a lot this year. The carefulness and scope was always there with her. I wanted to focus on making her stride a bit more adaptable and adjustable. I think now she’s really learned that throughout the year and has been very successful,” he continued. “Viva has been quite fast and has won several speed classes too, which has helped her be a little bit quicker in her mind. The balance has gotten a lot better, and she’s much more adjustable.”

Swail had a tremendous fall season and collected numerous wins during the indoor circuit season. He will now give his string a rest before looking towards the commencement of the Winter Equestrian Festival circuit in just a few short weeks at PBIEC.

“She’ll get a nice break. She deserves it. We probably won’t bring her out again until week four or five during circuit. It’s been great to finish the way we have with her, and she’s just fantastic,” he noted. “Her consistency has been extremely solid, and I’m delighted for Ilan and myself that things are going well. We have a real quality horse on our hands.”

Steadily shifting up the world ranking leaderboard this year and currently sitting in 37th, Swail has set his sights on reaching the top ten in 2016.

“I’d really like to get into the top ten in the world. It’s a pretty big goal, but I’m 37 now and feel like that’s where I need to be. I know that what I need to do is get a few bigger grand prix wins this year. I think I have enough ranking class wins, and it’s time to focus on getting good results in those bigger classes. I don’t think I could have had a better start than tonight,” he said. “I want to focus on improving those results so that’s kind of what the main goal is right now. We have some very nice horses, and we’re looking forward to another great go at it this season.”

The Holiday & Horses CSI 4* will conclude tomorrow with the $34,000 Consolation Classic beginning at 1pm in the International Ring. For more information and to see a full list of results, please visit www.pbiec.com.

Conor Swail and Simba de la Roque Win Opening Speed Class at WIHS

Conor Swail and Simba de la Roque. Photos © Shawn McMillen Photography.

Katy Hamilton and Sacha 12, Tegan Elizabeth Treacy and Catalyst Victorious in WIHS Children’s and Adult Jumper Championships

Washington, D.C. – October 21, 2014 – The 2015 Washington International Horse Show (WIHS) hosted its first day of jumper competition at Verizon Center in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday with a win for Ireland’s Conor Swail and Simba de la Roque in the feature $10,000 International Jumper speed class, sponsored by Amalaya Investments. The $10,000 WIHS Children’s and Adult Jumper Championships were also highlighted with a win for Katy Hamilton and Sacha 12 in the $10,000 WIHS Children’s Jumper Championship, sponsored by Shamrock Ventures, and victory for Tegan Elizabeth Treacy and Catalyst in the $10,000 WIHS Adult Amateur Jumper Championship. WIHS continues through Sunday, October 25, featuring hunter, jumper, and equitation highlights.

Anthony D’Ambrosio (USA) is the course designer for the jumper competition at WIHS this week. D’Ambrosio opened the international competition with 38 entries in the $10,000 speed class, sponsored by Amalaya Investments, and ten clear rounds. Belgium’s Jos Verlooy set early speed aboard Axel Verlooy and Euro Horse Bvba’s Farfelu de la Pomme to eventually finish fourth in 54.75 seconds. Francois Mathy (BEL) quickly took the lead with a time of 53.97 seconds riding Team Harmony and Francois Mathy’s Polinska des Isles, eventually settling for second place. Margie Engle (USA) completed a fast round in 54.60 seconds riding Abunola for Elm Rock Partners LLC to secure third place honors. Second to last in the order, Ireland’s Conor Swail stole the show with a time of 49.05 seconds riding Susan Grange’s Simba de la Roque.

Swail and Simba, a nine-year-old Selle Francais gelding (Kannan x Allegreto), have been on quite a roll recently. “It has been since I got him really,” Swail noted. “He has won a class at every single show he has jumped at. It is phenomenal what he is doing and what he continues to do. I have been using him sparingly, but every time he goes, he wins. It seems like he has been around a lot, but he has had good breaks as well. I do not know what to say about him anymore, he is just such a good horse.”

Latest wins include last week’s Pennsylvania National Horse Show in Harrisburg, PA and a victory at the Rolex Central Park Horse Show in New York City just before that. For Wednesday’s win, the pair had the luck of the draw on their side at the end of the class.

“I had already been in with one horse and she jumped a great round. It gave me an idea about the winning time and what it took to win,” Swail detailed. “It was not my intention to go particularly fast on him, but I thought if I did the numbers and a few tight turns, there was a class there for the taking and as usual he did not let me down. He was phenomenal. It felt very comfortable for him.”

This is Swail’s second time competing at WIHS and a great start to the week for Simba de la Roque as he contests some bigger classes in the coming days.

“This is a beautiful setting in the middle of the city and a great stadium with good footing,” Swail stated. “It is great to come here and compete against the best riders. Simba has a big step, but at the same time he is quick on his feet and quick in his mind, so it seems that he is taking to the indoor circuit well. He is fast across the ground, so he works well on both a big surface and a small surface, which is great. It makes him adaptable and durable for where you want to go and what you want to do.”

Katy Hamilton and Sacha 12 Top $10,000 WIHS Children’s Jumper Championship, sponsored by Shamrock Ventures

Jumper competition got underway early Wednesday evening with a win for Katy Hamilton in the $10,000 WIHS Children’s Jumper Championship, sponsored by Shamrock Ventures, aboard Sacha 12, owned by Old Barrington, LLC.

Katy Hamilton and Sacha 12
Katy Hamilton and Sacha 12

Hamilton, 16, trains with Amelia McArdle at Old Barrington Farm and hails from Chicago, IL. The original field included 32 and Hamilton was one of 12 to advance to the jump-off, besting six double-clear efforts in 32.38 seconds for the win.

Mary Elizabeth Cordia and Zodiac, owned by Mr. and Mrs. Bertram Firestone, crossed the timers just fractions slower to finish second in 32.822 seconds. Grace Boston and Whiskey Rox took third in 33.699 seconds, while Kiana Fiore finished fourth aboard her own Arvakur. Haley Redifer capped the top five on Gerry 79 in 34.689 seconds for Dawson Equine Investments, LLC.

Hamilton’s only goal for 2015 was to qualify and compete at the Washington International Horse Show with Sacha 12, but winning was an accomplishment she never dreamt could happen. For the victory, she was awarded The H. Fenwick Kollock Memorial Perpetual Trophy, donated by Friends of Fen.

“It’s all really unreal; seeing horses in the streets, the schooling area inside [Verizon Center] and traveling as far as we did. I’ve been shaking the last couple days because I was so nervous,” said Hamilton, who made an 11-hour trip for her first-ever WIHS appearance. “I’m confident in Sacha and I know she’s fast, but I figured we were going to be against the fastest in the country, so I didn’t know what to expect.”

After riding hunters for the past ten years, Hamilton sat on Sacha 12 – her first jumper – last August and immediately felt at home. “I always noticed her around the barn and thought she was so cool, but I never thought I’d be riding her,” she said.

When Hamilton began preparing for her transition to the jumper ring, she immediately pitched her trainer on leasing Sacha 12, but McArdle thought the 16-year-old mare had too much blood for a young rider.

“I nagged her a bit and I guess the nagging worked,” laughed Hamilton. “I started hacking and taking lessons on Sacha [last summer] and we clicked right off the bat. She carries me through every mistake and every time we go in the ring she jumps her heart out. You can feel that she wants it just as bad as I do – she’s unlike any other horse I’ve ever ridden.”

“She’s definitely a horse show horse,” said Hamilton. “When she gets to the show, she’s in the zone and doesn’t look at anything. She’s perfect. But, at home she likes to push your buttons. She was my first jumper so I didn’t know what I liked and what I didn’t like, but I sat on her and thought she was the coolest mare ever.”

While Hamilton’s win at WIHS was a highlight, the evening was bittersweet. Wednesday marked the end of Sacha 12’s lease and their last time in the ring together. However, thanks to Sacha 12, Hamilton has found her niche in the jumper ring and hopes to return to WIHS in 2016 aboard the junior jumper mare she recently purchased.

Tegan Elizabeth Treacy and Catalyst Win $10,000 WIHS Adult Jumper Championship

Tegan Elizabeth Treacy and Catalyst
Tegan Elizabeth Treacy and Catalyst

The $10,000 WIHS Adult Jumper Championship was held next in the evening session with a win for Tegan Elizabeth Treacy (19) of Needham, MA, riding Starlight Farms LLC’s Catalyst. Thirty-one entries started over the first round course set by Anthony D’Ambrosio, and 17 advanced to the jump-off, where only seven cleared the short course without fault in a competitive race against the clock.

Sydney Crenshaw and Fit to Print Farm’s Camera Ready were fast in 30.03 seconds to finish third. Dean Dignelli and Heritage Farm, Inc.’s Redefin blazed through the course, taking a hard inside turn that gave him the edge in 29.78 seconds, but the pair eventually settled for second place. In the end, Treacy and Catalyst, a 16-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare (Cruising x Ceredigion) clocked the winning time of 29.38 seconds. They were presented the Dorothy Foote “Goodie” Taylor Memorial Perpetual Trophy donated by Mr. & Mrs. Robert Ashton Hill and Miss Linden Joan Hill.

“I haven’t ridden much in the past few months; I started at Duke University in the fall, so I think I have ridden possibly five times just including Capital Challenge, Harrisburg and now Washington,” Treacy detailed. “She is a jumper that I got at the beginning of the season after I aged out of the equitation and I did a lot with her in Florida and all around New England for the summer. I definitely trust her a lot. I made several mistakes undoubtedly in the jump-off, but having such a loyal mare by my side definitely makes me comfortable to be able to kind of let go and let her take care of me.”

This was Treacy’s first time competing at WIHS and a great experience, though she immediately heads back to school on Thursday.

“I’m only here unfortunately for a very short period of time. I flew in this afternoon and fly out at 6 a.m. tomorrow, but what I have seen of it I love,” she noted. “It was a lot of fun to come. Washington has definitely been like no show I have experienced before – just the fact that we are in the city – the stabling is literally hundreds of feet away from my hotel. It is way different than a lot of other shows, and I think the excitement of the city itself definitely shows through.”

The Washington International Horse Show continues on Thursday with the beginning of Junior Hunter competition in the morning and Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper competition, as well as a $35,000 International Jumper Welcome Stake later in the day. The evening session will welcome local horse lovers, riders, trainers, and their families for Barn Night, presented by Dover Saddlery, beginning at 6 p.m. The $20,000 International Jumper Gambler’s Choice costume class, sponsored by the Winter Equestrian Festival, will be the highlight event of the evening. For full results, please visit www.wihs.org.

About Washington International Horse Show, www.wihs.org
Established in 1958, the Washington International Horse Show is one of the most prestigious equestrian sporting events in the U.S. More than 26,000 spectators attend the six-day show, which includes Olympic-level competition along with community and charity events. More than 500 top horses and riders come to D.C. from all over the globe to jump for more than a half a million dollars in prize money. Event highlights include the $125,000 Longines FEI World Cup Jumping Washington, presented by Events DC, for the President’s Cup (Saturday night), The Boeing Company Puissance high jump competition on Military Night (Friday) and Kids’ Day (Saturday), a free, fun and educational community event. The Washington International Horse Show Association, Ltd. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization headquartered in Washington, D.C. WIHS is an official USEF Heritage Competition and is recognized as a Top 25 Horse Show by the North American Riders Group. WIHS is rated CSI4*-W by the Fédération Equestre Internationale, the world governing body for horse sports.

Conor Swail Pulls Off Repeat Victory in U.S. Open $40,000 FEI Speed

Conor Swail and Simba De La Roque. Photos by Josh Walker for The Chronicle of the Horse.

Nicole Bellissimo Conquers U.S. Open $25,000 Under 25 Grand Prix

New York, NY – U.S. Open Show Jumping commenced at the second-annual Rolex Central Park Horse Show in Manhattan’s Wollman Rink on Thursday evening with a $40,000 FEI Speed Class, presented by Canadian Pacific Railway, and the $25,000 Under 25 Grand Prix. Ireland’s Conor Swail, who also took top individual honors in the 2014 $50,000 “NYC vs. The World” Team Speed Challenge in Central Park, jumped to victory again in the FEI Speed, this time aboard Simba De La Roque. Also earning U.S. Open accolades, Nicole Bellissimo took top honors in the $25,000 Under 25 Grand Prix in the irons of Harley David to kick off day two of the Rolex Central Park Horse Show, which continues through Sunday, September 27.

International designer Guilherme Jorge of Brazil set the track for the $40,000 FEI Speed Class, presented by Canadian Pacific Railway, which served as an opening round to the U.S. Open $212,000 FEI 3* Grand Prix, presented by Rolex. Twenty-seven competed in the speed test with faults converting to points and carrying over to the U.S. Open Grand Prix on Friday, Sept. 25.

Swail and Simba De la Roque entered the ring, backed by the New York City skyline, from 14th in the original order, and the nine-year-old Selle Francais gelding (Kannan x Allegreto) left all the rails intact in Jorge’s 13-effort course. He stopped the clock clear and fast in 57.36 seconds for owners Susan & Ariel Grange.

Swail’s time bumped fellow Rolex Central Park Horse Show veteran Todd Minikus (USA) from the lead into second. Minikus and Quality Girl, owned by Quality Group, finished as the runner up in 58.10 seconds. Daniel Bluman and Conconcreto Believe capped the top three in 59.33 seconds for owners Blue Star Investments and Colombian colors.

Hardin Towell (USA) and the aptly-named New York, owned by Jennifer Gates, LLC, took fourth in 61.57 seconds, while Kent Farrington and RCG Farm’s Uceko rounded out the top five finishers on 62.17 seconds.

Coming off a win in the $125,000 New Albany Classic last week, Swail and Simba De La Roque have enjoyed a string of recent successes, topped by Thursday’s U.S. Open win.

“It’s great to be here again. The horse was great and the venue is just amazing,” said Swail. “The course builder wanted us to ride it a certain way and I don’t think there was any other way to do it. We all did similar numbers all the way around.”

Swail gave credit to Simba De La Roque for being careful and accurate in striking surroundings, but acknowledged that his challengers were sitting on horses with similar talents. “The 1-2-3 horses are all very careful and very shifty with quickness off the ground. You need to be on something that can be that way in this atmosphere. Now and again you try and make the horse fit the venue and I think it’s working so far,” he added.

Bluman agreed, saying, “It’s about picking a horse that can jump like it’s an indoor competition. You also have to have a horse that can walk into a very impressive venue right off the bat, feel comfortable with the crowd and rise up to the occasion.”

Bluman and Conconcreto Believe jumped near the end of the order, leaving Minikus’ time with Quality Girl from the 9th place in the order intact.

“My plan was not to go as quick as I did, and when I came in the ring, Quality Girl seemed like she woke up a little bit. I overrode the first jump, but then she felt on her game and we just tried to stay on the same page the whole way around,” said Minikus.

All three top riders agreed that the class was the perfect preparation for Friday’s signature event. The U.S. Open $212,000 FEI 3* Grand Prix, presented by Rolex, takes center stage in Wollman Rink on Friday at 8 p.m., when riders will not only aim to take home the blue ribbon, but an exciting bonus as well. While cashing in on their share of the $212,000 purse, the winning rider will be presented with an additional $25,000 for the U.S. Open honor.

After Thursday’s win, Swail set his sights on preparing for Friday, but was quick to acknowledge his gratitude for being invited to the Rolex Central Park Horse Show, and to Canadian Pacific Railway for their dedication to promoting horse sport.

Canadian Pacific’s President and Chief Operating Officer Keith Creel joined riders at the closing press conference and expressed his satisfaction with being part of the second-annual Rolex Central Park Horse Show. “I was here last year and this exceeded expectations again – it’s phenomenal,” he said. “I sat here sending pictures to my wife and my daughter – it’s just an incredibly special place for a competition and was first class. We’re so happy to be a part of it.”

This year serves as the unveiling of the U.S. Open at the Rolex Central Park Horse Show, a concept that Mark Bellissimo, International Equestrian Group (IEG) CEO, is confident will expand. “We’re already seeing the riders bringing their better horses this year and I think it will just continue in the right direction,” he said. “Over time, we want this to be one of the greatest stops in show jumping. Bringing something to the market like this is very different and I think there’s an amazing opportunity for the sport here.”

U.S. Open $25,000 U25 Grand Prix
Earlier in the evening, 21-year-old Nicole Bellissimo and Harley David made her father, Mark and The Bellissimo Family proud with a win in the U.S. Open $25,000 Under 25 Grand Prix. She piloted her eight-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding (HarleyVDL x Libby) to the only double-clear effort of the class, finishing in 38.07 seconds after a four-horse jump-off.

Abigail McArdle and Harriri V.D. Maltahoeve posted the first clear round from the first position in the original order for owners Plain Bay Sales. She was later joined by Kelli Cruciotti aboard Serenity Equestrian Ventures’ Chamonix H, Hayley Barnhill with The ISB Group, LLC’s Beezie, and finally Bellissimo.

Returning first in the jump-off, McArdle had two rails to finish fourth. Next, Cruciotti and Barnhill both pulled one rail apiece before Bellissimo returned with an open door.

“I was obviously in the advantageous position of going last,” said Bellissimo. “At the same time, I wanted to make sure that if I had a rail I wasn’t too slow and I tried to ride that plan.”

Nicole Bellissimo and Harley David
Nicole Bellissimo and Harley David

Bellissimo broke the beam clear in 38.07 seconds for the win, while 18-year-old Cruciotti claimed second on four faults in 37.31 seconds, and 22-year-old Barnhill third with four faults in 37.34 seconds.

“I’m so thrilled to be here, and I want to thank The Chronicle of the Horse and Rolex for putting on this fantastic event. To think that we’re competing in the middle of New York City with that skyline behind us is an incredible experience,” added Bellissimo. “I’m so happy with my horse. He’s only eight, so he really had to step up this year and he absolutely did tonight.”

The Under 25 Grand Prix Series is designed to give young riders a valuable stepping-stone from the junior and amateur ranks to the grand prix level and was spearheaded by Equestrian Sport Productions (ESP) and Artisan Farms at the Winter Equestrian Festival in 2010.

“I’m very proud of all three riders, but especially proud of the winner,” said Mark Bellissimo, CEO of both ESP and IEG. “As a father thinking of the strategy, you know there were no clear rounds so I thought she would go slow, but she took some turns that I wouldn’t have taken. That’s why I’m sitting in the stands and she’s not.”

Bellissimo continued, “It was the perfect kick-off to a great event and I’m excited to see the Under 25 division emerge.”

The Rolex Central Park Horse Show continues through Sunday, September 27, with more multi-discipline equestrian sport. In addition to Arabians, the schedule includes the inaugural U.S. Open in the following categories: Jumpers, Dressage, Hunters, and U25 Jumpers. All classes will be streamed live at www.centralparkhorseshow.com.

About Rolex Central Park Horse Show

Launched in September 2014, Rolex Central Park Horse Show is the first-ever outdoor, multi-day equestrian sporting event in New York City, showcasing some of the best show jumpers and dressage riders in the world as they vie for top prizes against a backdrop of skyscrapers in one of the world’s most iconic venues. As the event founder, Mark Bellissimo is the CEO of Equestrian Sport Productions and International Equestrian Group LLC; Managing Partner of Wellington Equestrian Partners (WEF), Tryon Equestrian Partners and Colorado Equestrian Partners; and Publisher of The Chronicle of The Horse magazine. In its second year, Rolex Central Park Horse Show will make its triumphant return from September 23 to 27, 2015 and will feature five days of multi-discipline equestrian sport and performances, ranging from Arabians and Dressage to Hunters and Show Jumping. The Rolex Central Park Horse Show will also host the inaugural U.S. Open in the following categories: Jumpers, Dressage, Hunters, U25 Jumpers, and Arabians. For more information, visit http://centralparkhorseshow.com, on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/CPhorseshow, and follow @cphorseshow on Twitter and Instagram.

Media Contact:
Shin-Jung Hong
Nicholas & Lence Communications
ShinJung@nicholaslence.com
Tel: 212.938.0005

Equestrian Media Contact:
Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.
Lindsay Brock
lindsay@jenniferwoodmedia.com

Stage Is Set for Inaugural U.S. Open Show Jumping Championship at Rolex Central Park Horse Show

Georgina Bloomberg at the 2014 Rolex Central Park Horse Show. Photo ©Rolex/Kit Houghton.

Canadian Pacific Railway and Rolex sponsor the two-round competition where McLain Ward, Kent Farrington, Georgina Bloomberg, Todd Minikus, and Conor Swail lead the list of top riders vying for the U.S. Open Title

New York, NY – From Olympians to up and coming talent, the Inaugural U.S. Open Show Jumping competition will highlight the Rolex Central Park Horse Show, running Sept. 23-27 in the heart of New York City’s Central Park. Founded in 2014, the second-annual Rolex Central Park Horse Show is dedicated to attracting the best in equestrian sport to compete at a once in a lifetime location.

U.S. Open Jumper events at the 2015 Rolex Central Park Horse Show will welcome the world’s best to contest two rounds of competition over courses set by international designer Guilherme Jorge of Brazil. The $40,000 FEI Speed Class, presented by Canadian Pacific Railway, kicks off the schedule with an opening speed round on Thursday, Sept. 24 at 8 PM.

Faults from Thursday will be converted to points and carry over to the U.S. Open $212,000 FEI 3* Grand Prix, presented by Rolex, Friday, Sept. 25 at 8:00 PM. Riders will pilot the same horse in both rounds, and the highest ranked rider will not only be crowned the inaugural U.S. Open winner, but receive an exciting bonus. While cashing in on their share of the $212,000 purse, the winning rider will be presented with an additional $25,000 for the U.S. Open honor.

Hometown girl and accomplished international rider Georgina Bloomberg took top call in the 2014 Central Park Grand Prix and will return to her native city to defend her title this year in hopes of being crowned the first U.S. Open Jumper Champion. The world will be able to watch her efforts as the U.S. Open CSI 3* Grand Prix is scheduled to air on NBC Sports Network during prime time from 9-10:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, September 27.

“Winning last year’s Rolex Central Park Grand Prix in front of a New York City crowd was one of the highlights of my career,” said Bloomberg. “New York is my home and to be able to compete in this city is an experience like no other. I am proud to see show jumping return to New York and I can’t wait to showcase the sport that I have dedicated my life to in the heart of Central Park again this year.”

In addition to Bloomberg, the prestige of show jumping in Central Park has attracted a star-studded cast of high-performance riders all vying for the U.S. Open title, including the likes of Kent Farrington, Todd Minikus, Conor Swail and McLain Ward, to name a few.

“New York City’s Central Park is a unique host and presents a change from the typical venue for both us as riders, but also our horses. However, it’s worth the effort to have a show in the center of the city and highlight the sport with many top riders,” said Ward, who most recently took home an individual gold medal for the USA at the 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto, Canada.

Show jumping was last seen in New York City’s Central Park in 1981 and at Madison Square Garden in 2001, but the Rolex Central Park Horse Show found a home at Wollman Rink last year. “We all miss what showing at the Garden was, and this is bringing that back in a similar way,” added Ward.

“I was both overwhelmed and encouraged by the positive response from participants, spectators and media outlets to last year’s event in Central Park,” said Mark Bellissimo, CEO of International Equestrian Group, LLC (IEG). “There is no better place to showcase horse sport through the U.S. Open than in the iconic New York City. I have confidence that the Rolex Central Park Horse Show’s U.S. Open will become one of the premiere events on the show jumping calendar.”

Tickets can now be purchased at http://bit.ly/1AV2imv. To request table information in the Hospitality Tent, please e-mail Anne Caroline Valtin at vip@centralparkhorseshow.com or call 561-784-1133.

Additional information can be found at www.coth.com and www.centralparkhorseshow.com.

Media Contact:
Shin-Jung Hong
Nicholas & Lence Communications
ShinJung@nicholaslence.com
Tel: 212.938.0005

Equestrian Media Contact:
Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.
Lindsay Brock
lindsay@jenniferwoodmedia.com

Conor Swail and Fortis Fortuna Win Final $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix of HITS Saugerties Series

(C) ESI Photography. Conor Swail and Fortis Fortuna.

SAUGERTIES, NY (September 6, 2015): Saturday morning’s Grand Prix Stadium competition commenced with the eighth and final $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix of the 2015 HITS Saugerties Show season. A first time visitor to HITS-on-the-Hudson, Conor Swail of County Down, Ireland, rode Fortis Fortuna, owned by Susan and Ariel Grange, to a memorable finish and a blue ribbon souvenir to remember his time in Upstate New York.

Thirty-two competitors made their way through the round one course designed by Steve Stephens of Palmetto, Florida, and Swail, along with nine others, did so without disrupting the field-of-play for a spot in the jump-off round.

First to test the abbreviated course, Swail reemerged at the in-gate and was ready to set the standard for the round. That he did, as he sailed over the seven fences, seemingly in one smooth motion, going clear and crossing the timers in 35.829. The next four entries did not have the luck of the Irish on their side and all left the ring with downed rails in their path.

Kristen VanderVeen and Bull Run’s Faustino de Tili, owned by Bull Run Jumpers Five LLC, were next in the order and the next to go clear. With a time of 36.479, she wasn’t quick enough to snag the top spot, but did earn herself the second place position for the time being.

Clear rounds continued and seventh in the order, Kelli Cruciotti aboard Wallenberg, owned by Serenity Equestrian Adventures clocked in at 36.706 to place just behind VanderVeen. Julie Welles and North Run Inc.’s Virginia WZ followed, going clear in a time of 35.974 which was just enough to move up the leaderboard and find herself second to Swail.

The final clear round of the day went to Pablo Barrios riding Chaco 34. They whipped through the course chasing the clock but finished in 36.116, ultimately landing them in third place and bumping VanderVeen to fourth and Cruciotti to fifth.

$5,000 Brook Ledge Open Welcome

Laura Chapot, of Neshanic Station, New Jersey, and Umberto, owned by Mary Chapot, did it again adding another HITS Saugerties win to the books. They cruised to a cool $5,000 Brook Ledge Open Welcome win to start their last week of competition off on a high note.

Thirty-eight tested the 11-fence course set at 1.40m and designed by Steve Stephens. An impressive 25 went clear, including Chapot on two different entries, to move on to the jump-off and the momentum continued as riders reentered the ring.

Chapot was thirteenth in the order and ninth of the previous competitors to go clear. Her quick finish in a time of 29.296 put her in a familiar place – at the top of the leaderboard. It wasn’t until Chapot reentered the ring, this time on Shooting Star, owned by Mary Chapot, that the second place finisher was decided. Clocking in at 29.839, Chapot now stacked the leader board with first and second place standings.

The remaining six entries all went clear, but none were able to disturb Chapot. Third place was awarded to Roberto Teran with Brilliant Du Rouet, owned by Liubov Kochetova. Commissario, owned by Nuvolari Holdings, LLC, piloted by Michael Hughes received fourth place, followed by Conor Swail and Susan and Ariel Grange’s Fortis Fortuna in fifth.

For more information and a complete schedule of classes and events, visit HitsShows.com. Stay connected with HITS: join us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter and Instagram.

HITS, Inc. • 319 Main Street • Saugerties, NY 12477-1330
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Conor Swail Is Coming Up Trumps at Spruce Meadows ‘North American’ Tournament

Conor Swail and Grand Cru vd Vijf Eiken. Photos © Spruce Meadows Media Services.

Irish Rider Wins Two in a Row; Canada’s Lamaze Also Victorious on Thursday

Calgary, AB, Canada – July 2, 2015 – It is always difficult to get a win in the International Ring at Spruce Meadows with many of the world’s top horses and riders competing. It is even harder to win back-to-back competitions in one day, but that is exactly what Ireland’s Conor Swail did on Thursday of the 2015 ‘North American’ Tournament.

Swail began the day with a win in the $50,000 Suncast Cup 1.50m riding Simba de la Roque. He continued on to claim victory in the 85,000 Progress Energy Cup 1.55m. Also competing on Thursday, Eric Lamaze (CAN) won the $50,000 Sun Life Financial ‘Reach for the Sun’ 1.50m aboard Rosana du Park.

Watch highlights from Thursday’s competition!

Continuing through Sunday, July 5, the ‘North American’ Tournament boasts $1.3 million in prize money across 14 FEI events throughout the week. Highlights include the $400,000 ATCO Power Queen Elizabeth II Cup on Saturday and the $210,000 Cenovus Energy Classic Derby on Sunday.

Spain’s Santiago Varela set the course for 50 starters in Thursday’s highlight $85,000 Progress Energy Cup. With 19 clear rounds, 18 chose to return for the jump-off, and only five entries were able to clear the short course without fault. It was a star-studded line-up in the second round as top riders representing eight different countries vied for the winning prize of $28,050. In the end, Conor Swail earned his second win of the day in the International Ring aboard Grand Cru vd Vijf Eiken, owned by Vanessa Mannix. The pair completed the fastest clear round in 34.10 seconds.

Pablo Barrios (VEN) and ZL Group, Inc.’s Zara Leandra finished second in 34.61 seconds. Eric Lamaze (CAN) and Artisan Farms LLC’s Coco Bongo were third in 34.70 seconds. Beezie Madden (USA) and Abigail Wexner’s Cortes ‘C’ placed fourth in 35.54 seconds, and Rodrigo Pessoa (BRA) guided Pessoa Stables’ Status to fifth in 37.75 seconds. Barrios also finished sixth with his second mount, Antares. The pair had the fastest time of the jump-off in 33.48 seconds, but one rail down.

In addition to his two major wins in the International Ring, Swail was also first and second in a 1.40m competition in the All Canada Ring with mounts Dillinger and Fortis Fortuna on Thursday.

“It has been an amazing day,” the rider beamed. “I have won three classes. It has been fantastic and that was a great win with Grand Cru. He is a wonderful horse owned by the Mannix family here in Calgary.”

“He was amazing today,” Swail said of the nine-year-old Belgian Warmblood stallion (Contact vd Heffinck x Heartbreaker). “He was good here the first two weeks and then he got a few weeks off. He was a bit green yesterday. He jumped around nicely, but then today he was just right back at it again. He really showed what sort of performer he is.”

Coming into this week’s ‘North American’ Tournament, Swail was due for a win in the big ring. He placed second in three different competitions during the ‘National’ and finished in the top five three more times that week, but a win had eluded him.

“Even yesterday, the first day back in the International Ring, I thought I had it won and then I was second again. I was like, ‘Here we go again,’” Swail laughed. “It is not easy to win, so when you do, you have to cherish it and enjoy it. I have great horses and a good team of people around me, and things are going well, so it helps the process. Today was just my day.”

Commenting on his jump-off round with Grand Cru, Swail detailed, “I think it was very smooth. My horse is an extremely big mover. Fence one to two was smooth. I went down to the double nicely and I was trying to get one less stride after the double, but I did not get it. I got a nice eight strides to the white jump that not too many people got. Then I turned to the last fence and saw a distance extremely early and thankfully the horse picked up on it. We really raced to the last and he jumped it extremely well off a very difficult distance and speed, so he was very good to do that.”

Conor Swail and Simba de la Roque
Conor Swail and Simba de la Roque

Earlier on Thursday, Swail was the winner in the first competition of the day, the $50,000 Suncast Cup 1.50m riding Susan Grange’s Simba de la Roque. In a nine-horse jump-off out of 30 starters, Swail and ‘Simba’ raced to the fastest time of 43.01 seconds out of five double clear rounds. Their time was over two seconds faster than second place finishers, Quentin Judge (USA) and Double H Farm’s HH Dark de la Hart, who stopped the clock in 45.05 seconds.

“It was great to finally get a win in the International Ring,” Swail remarked. “I have been knocking on the door for a few weeks now and finally I got the door opened. It is also nice to get a win with Simba. He is a new horse for us. We got him just before the winter in Florida and he has been really good. He went a bit green at the beginning of the summer, but he is coming up trumps this week!”

“He is much happier in this main International Ring. We can get a nice gallop, and get under the front foot and off he goes,” Swail noted. “In the jump-off, everything came up smoothly for me. He covers the ground well and he is always very careful. It was a good round. I have to say, I was delighted with it.”

Juan Manuel Luzardo (URY) placed third aboard Mauricio Guerra Colorado’s Stan in 45.17 seconds. Emanuel Andrade (VEN) finished fourth with his own Nokia de Brekka with a time of 47.20 seconds, and Jaime Azcarraga (MEX) guided his family’s Anton to fifth place in 53.81 seconds.

Swail is taking his time to develop a good partnership with Simba de la Roque and has learned a lot about the nine-year-old Selle Francais gelding (Kannan x Allegreto) in the last several weeks.

“I think this is where we are getting to know each other as the weeks go by,” the rider detailed. “Sometimes he can be tricky enough to ride. He gets a little careful and nervous, so it is just about trying to hold his hand and make it as comfortable for him as possible. Equally, we still have to make progress moving forward, learning how to win and learning how to jump bigger jumps. It is just that fine line between over doing it and doing enough. You have to find out what is enough and maybe take a step back and then move forward again. He has been fabulous and I am looking forward to the months ahead with him.”

Swail originally purchased Simba de la Roque himself, and was thrilled when owner Susan Grange chose to add the horse to her string and secure the ride.

“I always have to thank the owners,” Swail acknowledged. “I bought the horse, and told Sue to watch him and see if he would fit into our team and she took a chance on him. He looks like he is going to be a fantastic horse, so onwards and upwards.”

The final competition on Thursday was the $50,000 Sun Life Financial ‘Reach for the Sun’ 1.50m with a win for Canada’s Eric Lamaze and Rosana du Park. Twenty-six entries contested the first round course, with six moving forward to the jump-off and four double clear rounds.

Lamaze and Artisan Farms and Torrey Pines Stable’s Rosana du Park, a ten-year-old Selle Francais mare (Kannan x Ukase), soared to the win with a clear round in 42.48 seconds, last to go.

Nicola Philippaerts (BEL) finished second in 44.57 seconds aboard Ludo Philippaerts’ H&M Quenzo de la Roque. McLain Ward (USA) and Double H Farm & Francois Mathy’s HH Azur finished third with their time of 45.04 seconds, and Brian Morton (CAN) and Grafton Farm’s Atlantis T placed fourth in 49.32 seconds.

Lamaze and Rosana finished second two days in a row during last week’s ‘Canada One’ Tournament, but this time they had the advantage of going last in the jump-off.

“You cannot complain about being second at Spruce Meadows. I would take second any day, but in the other jump-offs I did not get to go last,” Lamaze noted. “Going last is always an advantage. You know exactly what you have to do and you know you have nobody behind you that can beat that time. A lot of these jump-offs, if you go earlier, you really have to risk everything because there is so much speed behind you and great riders. Going last is a big advantage in any competition.”

While he was waiting for his turn, Lamaze heard what was happening and knew what he had to do.

“They said that McLain went quite fast and then Nicola took the lead from him,” he detailed. “Rosana is really quick across the ground, so one to two was a good opportunity to make up some time, which I felt that I did. You could only go around the playpen to go to the Sun Life oxer, but I thought I was for sure on the inside track to the double. Then I did six strides, which I’m sure most people did. I do not think anybody risked five. Then I knew I was pretty close (to Nicola’s time). If I was not ahead, I was at least close. I just needed to not knock down the second to last jump and try to secure that turn. At the end, I saw a really forward distance and Rosana was really kind to me to make the effort that she did. I ended up quite far from the last jump, but that kind of gave me a little rhythm to finish up.”

Just ten years old, Rosana du Park started showing last year with Carly Anthony, and Lamaze took up the ride at the end of the summer. He spoke of how much she has improved this year and even throughout this series.

“Last year I struggled a bit with her here. It was her first time at Spruce Meadows. One of my riders, Carly Anthony, rode her here at the beginning and then I took her on at the end and I was not sure where she fit,” he remarked. “Then we came back this year and she has been great. I am a great believer that when you leave here, you know what you have and for sure the horses you came with are going to be improved. I think I came here with good horses and I am going to leave with better horses. This really tells you where you are.”

The ‘North American’ Tournament continues on Friday featuring the $50,000 LaFarge Cup 1.50m and the $34,000 Pepsi Challenge 1.45m.

For a complete tournament schedule and full results, please visit www.sprucemeadows.com.

Lauren Fisher for Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.

Spruce Meadows Media Services
caroline.weilinger@sprucemeadows.com
403.974.4232
sprucemeadows.com

Kent Farrington and Gazelle Triumph in $126,000 Scotiabank Cup at Spruce Meadows

Kent Farrington and Gazelle fly to victory over the final fence in Friday’s $126,000 Scotiabank Cup. Photos © Spruce Meadows Media Services.

Ward and Swail Win on Day Two of ‘Continental’ Tournament

Calgary, AB, Canada – June 12, 2015 – Spruce Meadows hosted the second day of competition at its ‘Continental’ Tournament CSI 5* on Friday with world-class show jumping featured in the Meadows on the Green. The highlight $126,000 Scotiabank Cup 1.55m was held in the evening with a win for USA’s Kent Farrington aboard the nine-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare, Gazelle (Kashmir van Shuttershof x Indoctro). McLain Ward (USA) and HH Azur finished second, and Pablo Barrios (VEN) and Zara Leandra placed third.

Also competing on Friday, Ward guided HH Carlos Z to victory in the $40,000 AltaGas Cup 1.45m, and Conor Swail (IRL) and Viva Colombia topped the $40,000 Friends of the Meadows Cup 1.45m.

The second week in Spruce Meadows’ Summer Series, the ‘Continental’ Tournament continues through Sunday, June 14. Upcoming highlights include Saturday’s $85,000 Repsol Cup and Sunday’s $400,000 CP Grand Prix.

Anthony D’Ambrosio (USA) is the course designer for international competition in the Meadows on the Green this week. For the $126,000 Scotiabank Cup, D’Ambrosio saw 70 entries contest his first round 1.55m track, with 18 clear rounds. In the jump-off, only seven were able to clear the course without fault.

McLain Ward and Double H Farm & Francois Mathy’s HH Azur were the first duo to clear the short course in 37.05 seconds and eventually placed second. Pablo Barrios and ZL Group, Inc.’s Zara Leandra were also clear in 37.73 seconds to earn third place honors. Up next, Eric Lamaze (CAN) jumped into fourth with his time of 38.61 seconds aboard Artisan Farms LLC’s Coco Bongo. Kent Farrington immediately followed with the winning round in 36.56 seconds riding his own and Robin Parsky’s Gazelle.

One of Farrington’s up-and-coming horses, Gazelle was recently named as his mount for July’s Pan American Games in Toronto. He got the mare at the end of her seven-year-old year and has been slowly been bringing her along with high hopes for the future.

“This year she has really stepped up to a new level and I am really excited about the horse,” Farrington noted. “She is extremely careful. She is a little bit sensitive, but I think she is a great competitor. What more can you ask for?”

Gazelle proved exactly why she is ready for the big leagues by jumping a great first round clear followed by a fantastic jump-off Friday night.

Commenting on his winning round, Farrington remarked, “These classes here are very competitive. You have extremely fast riders on a big, open field. There were a large number of horses in the jump-off today, so you knew that it was going to be very competitive.”

“I got to watch McLain go, so I knew the track that he did and what it was going to take to win,” he continued. “I took a risky move today to the last jump. I was not sure if it was possible to do eight strides, but after McLain went, I thought that was maybe the only chance to catch him. My horse has a pretty big step, so we went for it.”

The risk paid off and earned Farrington the winning prize of $41,580. Margie Engle (USA) was fifth with a clear jump-off round aboard Elm Rock LLC’s Royce in 39.39 seconds. Hardin Towell (USA) guided Jennifer Gates’ Emilie de Diamant AS to sixth in 39.40 seconds, and Emanuel Andrade (VEN) jumped the only other double clear round in 43.91 seconds aboard his own Hardrock Z to place seventh.

Ward Wins with HH Carlos Z

Earlier in the day, the $40,000 AltaGas Cup 1.45m featured 44 competitors and 13 clear rounds to jump-off. The short course saw eight double clear rounds, of which McLain Ward (USA) and Double H Farm’s HH Carlos Z completed the fastest time of the day. Ward and his speedy mount cashed in for their second win of the Summer Series, last to go in the jump-off, with a time of 34.14 seconds.

McLain Ward and HH Carlos Z
McLain Ward and HH Carlos Z

“He is like a little ATM,” Ward said of the 13-year-old Zangersheide gelding (Chellano Z x Voltaire). “He reminds me of a mare that I had years ago called Goldika, who was very similar. She was a little, pretty bay just like him, and she could also step up. She also jumped the grand prix here at the ‘Masters’ great one year, but could win any class at the show. She was a bit of an ATM too, so it is always nice to have a horse like that in your string.”

Prior to Ward’s final round, Hardin Towell (USA) was leading the jump-off with Jennifer Gates’ Lucifer V, and eventually finished second with his time of 35.49 seconds. Molly Ashe (USA) finished third and fourth with Louisburg Farm’s Balous Day Date in 36.38 seconds and Nutmeg Group LLC’s Cocq a Doodle in 36.55 seconds respectively.

“I was lucky to go at the end,” Ward remarked on his jump-off. “I did not see Hardin’s round, but I know that he is a very fast rider and he is always really competitive. I believed that we could get four strides down the first line, and I actually maybe even over did the first jump because I got the four easy. I had a little slip; the horse could have refused easily there, but he is a trooper and he jumped it. We got away with that, and then I pushed on to the last and it worked out great.”

Swail Soars to Victory

Ireland’s Conor Swail got a win in the first competition of the day riding Ilan Ferder’s Viva Colombia on Friday. The $40,000 Friends of the Meadows Cup 1.45m saw 49 entries over Anthony D’Ambrosio’s first round course, with six clear to advance to the jump-off, and four double clear rounds.

Vanessa Mannix (CAN) set the challenge with the first clear over the short course in 40.78 seconds aboard Nirvana de Terlong, eventually settling in fourth place. Olivier Philippaerts (BEL) finished in 38.21 seconds riding Ludo Philippaerts’ Aragon van Schuttershof to take the second place prize. Leslie Howard was next to go with a clear round in 38.33 seconds to finish third aboard the Utah Group’s Utah. Swail and Viva Colombia completed the final clear jump-off round in the winning time of 37.52 seconds.

A ten-year-old Oldenburg mare (Couleur Rubin x Landor S), Viva Colombia is a horse that Swail began riding at the end of the winter this year. The pair won a FEI World Ranking competition in Palgrave, Ontario, this spring and also finished third in last week’s $35,000 Encana Cup 1.45m.

Conor Swail and Viva Colombia
Conor Swail and Viva Colombia

“I am just getting to get to know her and I think she is a very nice horse,” Swail described. “The plan is for her to be a grand prix horse. Kirsten Coe rode her in a few big classes in Florida, so the mare has had that experience, but it is a new relationship. For me, I like to teach them to be able to go fast and run and win also, so it is nice to do the 1.45m and 1.50m competitions as well just to get to know the horse. She really is learning fast with me. She does what she is asked every time she comes out, so I am very pleased.”

Detailing his winning jump-off, Swail explained, “There were only six of us, which was nice with the amount of numbers here. It was one of those jump-offs where you did not really have much to lose. I felt I was a little slow at the start to be honest. I could have had a better shot to jump one and I probably did too many steps to fence two. The six-stride was a bit too patient for her because she has such a big step, but I think after that it was very good. Coming home, I was extremely fast, so obviously that is just where I beat the other guys.”

The ‘Continental’ Tournament continues in the Meadows on the Green on Saturday featuring the $85,000 Repsol Cup 1.50m.

For a complete tournament schedule and full results, please visit www.sprucemeadows.com.

Lauren Fisher for Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.

Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.
info@jenniferwoodmedia.com

Conor Swail Swoops In to Steal $24,990 Ridge at Wellington Turf Tour Grand Prix Finale

Conor Swail and Dillinger.

Wellington, FL – March 27, 2015 – The picturesque polo fields of the International Polo Club Palm Beach (IPC) are accustomed to a vibrant social scene, the traditional bottles of champagne while stomping divots and the fast-paced game of polo. This week, as the 111th U.S. Open Championship 26-goal is about to commence, The Ridge at Wellington Turf Tour Finale highlighted the kick-off of the weekend with an astonishing race to the finish during the $24,990 1.40m Grand Prix Finale event. It was the 2015 Leading Rider, Conor Swail, who narrowly held onto the lead with Dillinger.

The talented Irishman has dominated the series this winter, cruising to six of the 12 Grand Prix victories aboard a talented string of mounts. Riding for Susan and Ariel Grange, Swail has continually supported the series from its first week until the last. The IPC generously sponsored the 2015 Leading Rider Award, donating an exclusive Equestrian Membership, valued at $6,000 for the winningest rider. Beginning January 2016, Swail will be able to enjoy all of the private accommodations of the world famous venue.

“It’s a great prize,” Swail smiled. “It is fantastic to have won such a wonderful prize, and very generous of IPC. I train Vanessa Mannix, and her brothers play a bit of polo here, so I come over to watch and sometimes have dinner. I am excited to be able to use the membership. It is perfect for an equestrian like me; I am looking forward to it.”

As only the eleventh rider of the day, Swail did not think that his time of 35.200 seconds would hold for the first place finish. He narrowly beat out Alex Granato and Zenith Dance, the first pair to go double clear in the jump off in a time of 36.378 seconds.

“Dillinger is a fantastic horse. He is only 8 years old, and he is only just starting to jump at the 1.40m and higher levels,” Swail said. “He has been extremely consistent down here in Florida. He has jumped a lot of double clears here at The Ridge. Today, he had a great round, but we have a lot of riders behind us.”

Swail was able to surpass Granato by leaving out a stride down the first line from the opening oxer to the vertical, as well as navigate the rollbacks to clear the bogey obstacle of Nick Granat and Eric Hasbrouck’s short track, the oxer-oxer double combination.

“The course seems to be a little more difficult today, and it takes a bit of jumping. There were faults everywhere,” Swail described. “The jump off for me was more suited toward a smaller and faster horse today, whereas my guy is a big mover with a slower step. I had to really take a lot of risk today to go as quick as I could. I get a really fast distance over to the skinny, and he was really good to leave it up for me. I think it puts pressure on the people behind me, but I think there is a little room left there for anyone who wants to take it.”

Although riders attempted to catch his pace, it turned out that nobody could.

Faults were found throughout the course, with the triple combination and the final double combination seeing the most rails fall. However, there was one jump that mattered the most – the final fence, the Panthera Vertical. For every time the jump was cleared, friends of the Panthera Conservation donated $50 to the organization, furthering their mission to ensure the future of wild cats through scientific leadership and global conservation action.

Granato continued to hold the second place position, just behind Swail as the competition continued. He has seen his name at the top of the jumper leader board throughout the 12-week series, and he knew that he would have to be efficient and quick to keep the consecutive competitors chasing his time.

“It is a very good course, and it is a bit tough. There were a lot of related lines and bending lines, as it should be for the final,” Granato said. “They have really been doing a great job here all circuit really building up to this. I thought they did a really nice job with the course today. I know both of my horses fairly well, so I think it was a bit to my advantage to see how I could work it to my best interest.”

Granato continued, “We have tried to bring a horse every week, whether it is a young horse or for the grand prix. They are putting on a great event, and we really want to support it. It is nice to be able to jump this much on grass. For young green horses it is good experience. You can bring young kids, young horses and really develop them outside of the limitations of the other horse shows.”

Lisa Goldman and Morocco
Lisa Goldman and Morocco

As the day was coming to an end, Chicago’s speed demons, Lisa Goldman and Morocco, laid down an astonishing round, but one additional stride in the opening line would separate them from Swail’s time, finishing in 36.104 seconds, but pushing Granato into the third place.

“Morocco was so good all circuit,” Goldman smiled. “He won a couple of the big classes with me at WEF, and I thought we would come over here and have a nice hoorah. He likes it out here, and it is a lot of fun. I thought it was a really good course; it wasn’t all short or all long. There were places you had to gallop and places you had to be steady. He doesn’t have the biggest stride, so it generally works to my advantage that we can run right up to the jumps.”

Goldman continued, “For once, I didn’t have to improvise at all. I knew I couldn’t do the five up the line in the jump off. I knew I could be fast and do the six. I definitely added a couple steps to the two-stride and went a little wider. From the rounds I saw, the double combination was the bogey.”

Fourth place was awarded to McLain Ward and Best Buy, while fifth place went to Amy Millar and Heros. Quentin Judge and Ciske Van Overis took the sixth place, with Karina Ulenberg and Umbra 34 in seventh place. Laura Kraut and Constable broke the beams for the eighth place. Swail and Game Ready took the ninth place, with McLain Ward and Dulien Van De Smeets finished in tenth.

The exhibitors and guests of The Ridge at Wellington Finale event were treated to an array of food during the champagne lunch, sponsored by IPC. Throughout the series, the hospitality has been unparalleled, with complimentary breakfast and lunch for attendees of the event. Whether exhibitors stayed for their round of competition, an hour, an afternoon or the whole day, rave reviews resounded throughout the equestrian community about how Nona Garson and George D’Ambrosio brought the tradition of show jumping back to the discipline.

Swail concluded, “You will indeed see me back here next year. We had seven here today. We definitely support it and thought it was very beneficial for our horses. Nona and George do such a nice job, when you believe in something so strongly and the benefits that accompany it, you want to come back every week and look forward to next year.”

The Ridge would like to thank the cooler and banner sponsor throughout the series, Dover Saddlery. They are very grateful to their jump sponsors Panthera, Hollow Brook Wealth Management and PJ Saddles.

For videos of the competition, please visit www.shownet.biz.

The Ridge at Wellington Horse Show Series Fast Facts

Events:
The Ridge at Wellington Turf Tour offers their popular 1.40m Invitational Grand Prix for its third year, with an open in gate format taking place once a week at beautiful venues throughout Wellington. The Ridge at Wellington Grand Prix Finale will take place March 27, 2015.

The Turf Tour also will host 1.30m-1.35m Jumpers every Wednesday beginning January 7, 2015 and running until March 18, 2015.

Young Jumper Classes and both Children’s/Senior Jumper Classics will find their home intermittently throughout the Wellington Turf Tour, running concurrently with the 1.30-1.35m and 1.40m Jumpers.

The Ridge at Wellington offers Equitation Shows every Tuesday of the month from January 6 – March 23, 2015. There will also be a series of schooling shows at the Ridge at Wellington for all experience levels.

Two USHJA International Hunter Derbies will take place February 6, 2015 and March 20, 2015.

What:
The Ridge at Wellington series includes several weeks of competition throughout the Winter Season with USEF Rated Equitation Shows. This winter will also feature five two-day schooling shows. The Ridge at Wellington Turf Tour will offer 1.30m-1.35m Jumpers, 1.40m Invitational Grand Prix, Young Jumpers, Children’s/Adult Classics, Masters Jumpers, Junior/Amateur Classics, two hunter derbies and the Pre-Green Incentive Stake.

Information:
Before Show – (561) 791-1471, Email: RidgeShows@aol.com
During Show – Telephone: (561) 791-1471, Fax: (561) 791-1543
Text: (908) 500-0996

Website: http://www.theridgefarm.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/359668144211383/

Management:
Nona Garson
14415 Palm Beach Point Blvd. East
Wellington, FL, 33414
(561) 791-1471 (show office)
(908) 839-3859 (show cell)
(561) 791-1543 (show fax)
Email: RidgeShows@aol.com
Website: http://www.theridgefarm.com

Media Contact:
Phelps Media Group, Inc.
12012 South Shore Blvd.
Suite 105
Wellington, FL 33414
561-753-3389 (phone)
561-753-3386 (fax)
pmginfo@phelpsmediagroup.com
PhelpsMediaGroup.com

Conor Swail Shows It’s More Than Luck, Riding to 1.40m Ridge at Wellington Turf Tour Victory

Conor Swail and Fortis Fortuna win Week 9 Ridge at Wellington Turf Tour 1.40m Grand Prix.

Wellington, FL – March 6, 2015 – Ireland’s Conor Swail rode Fortis Fortuna to a blazing time of 33.669 seconds in the Ridge at Wellington’s 1.40m Grand Prix at Tonkawa Farms to snatch up the win today. Not only did Swail secure the first place, but he also guided his other mount, Tahiti Island, to the third place finish, proving that his winning streak is more than just the luck of the Irish. It was Olympian Laura Kraut and Zeremonie that followed close behind, breaking the beam in 33.819 seconds to take the second place finish, just narrowly missing Swail’s time.

Swail set an early lead this morning at Tonkawa Farms, riding to the top finishes with his two mounts. He left nothing to chance as he guided Fortis Fortuna, owned by Susan Grange, to the jump off time of 33.669 seconds. He followed only three trips later with Tahiti Island, owned by Blue Hill Farm, to rank second with an equally impressive, but more conservative round in 36.720 seconds.

“It is another different venue, and the footing is fantastic. It is a beautiful, beautiful setting. It is the same each week at the shows; it is nice to have a place like The Ridge,” Swail said. “At The Ridge, your horses can get a great education, enjoy beautiful courses and compete at a different venue every week. Each venue has its own unique style, so it is really beneficial to bring your horses here and compete for some nice prize money, too.”

Swail continued, “Fortis Fortuna is a very nice horse who has done a few of these classes now, and today she had a very fast round. I think it would be hard to beat our time. We got a little lucky today, which is never bad. Hopefully I posted a score that will stand. It’s there to beat, but she jumped great and did everything I asked her to do. Wherever that gets me, I’m happy with that.”

Their time held strong as consecutive competitors attempted to catch it without avail. Only eight horse and rider combinations were able to jump double clear, but Olympian Laura Kraut was prepared to add some heat to the competition, showing Zeremonie to the last clear jump-off round of the day. For the first time since Swail posted the path finding time, it seemed as though defeat was a possibility.

Kraut took all the inside turns, keeping a tight track as she navigated Nick Granat’s course. She even left out strides; however, the clock would stop .15 seconds off Swail’s pace.

Laura Kraut and Zeremonie
Laura Kraut and Zeremonie

“This is the second time that I have jumped Zeremonie at The Ridge,” Kraut said of the grey mare. “She did really well the first time we jumped on the turf at the Wanderer’s Club, and she seems to really love the grass. She jumped great out there today; she was super. I am so happy that we came here. We heard rumors that the footing was amazing, and they were right – it is. It is so nice for the horses; it feels like they are jumping on a trampoline.”

Darrin Dilin and Carlotta Singular would capture the fourth place just behind Swail and Tahiti Island. They rode to the time of 37.671 seconds without fault. Sarah Wayda and Faroukh finished fifth, while the first rider of the day, Sayre Happy, rounded out the top six with Big Star.

Week 10 of the Ridge at Wellington Turf Tour is taking place at The International Polo Club, located at 3667 120th Avenue South in Wellington, FL, 33414. The show entrance will be off 120th Street between Lake Worth Road and Pierson Road.

The Ridge would like to thank Dover Saddlery for their support of the 12-week series as the cooler and banner sponsor, and they would also like to announce their most recent jump sponsor, Panthera, the leaders in wild cat conservation. Panthera joins Hollow Brook Wealth Management and PJ Saddles as the series’ jump sponsors.

Show Net will be onsite for both Wednesday and Friday events posting live results, as well as videoing rounds in both rings. For results and videos, please visit www.shownet.biz.

Meadowbrook Horse Transport will provide transportation to and from the horse show and other locations throughout Wellington for both the Wednesday and Friday events. The transportation is a nominal fee of $50 per horse, and will be calculated into the final show fees. To make a reservation for one of the three pickup times, 8 a.m., 11 a.m., and 2 p.m., please call Peter Tufano of Meadowbrook Horse Transport at (954) 415-7217, or call Nona Garson at (908) 500-0996.

The Ridge at Wellington Horse Show Series Fast Facts

Events:
The Ridge at Wellington Turf Tour offers their popular 1.40m Invitational Grand Prix for its third year, with an open in gate format taking place once a week at beautiful venues throughout Wellington. The Ridge at Wellington Grand Prix Finale will take place March 27, 2015.

The Turf Tour also will host 1.30m-1.35m Jumpers every Wednesday beginning January 7, 2015 and running until March 18, 2015.

Young Jumper Classes and both Children’s/Senior Jumper Classics will find their home intermittently throughout the Wellington Turf Tour, running concurrently with the 1.30-1.35m and 1.40m Jumpers.

The Ridge at Wellington offers Equitation Shows every Tuesday of the month from January 6 – March 23, 2015. There will also be a series of schooling shows at the Ridge at Wellington for all experience levels.

Two USHJA International Hunter Derbies will take place February 6, 2015 and March 20, 2015.

What:
The Ridge at Wellington series includes several weeks of competition throughout the Winter Season with USEF Rated Equitation Shows. This winter will also feature five two-day schooling shows. The Ridge at Wellington Turf Tour will offer 1.30m-1.35m Jumpers, 1.40m Invitational Grand Prix, Young Jumpers, Children’s/Adult Classics, Masters Jumpers, Junior/Amateur Classics, two hunter derbies and the Pre-Green Incentive Stake.

Information:
Before Show – (561) 791-1471, Email: RidgeShows@aol.com
During Show – Telephone: (561) 791-1471, Fax: (561) 791-1543
Text: (908) 500-0996

Website: http://www.theridgefarm.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/359668144211383/

Management:
Nona Garson
14415 Palm Beach Point Blvd. East
Wellington, FL, 33414
(561) 791-1471 (show office)
(908) 839-3859 (show cell)
(561) 791-1543 (show fax)
Email: RidgeShows@aol.com
Website: http://www.theridgefarm.com

Media Contact:
Phelps Media Group, Inc.
12012 South Shore Blvd.
Suite 105
Wellington, FL 33414
561-753-3389 (phone)
561-753-3386 (fax)
pmginfo@phelpsmediagroup.com
PhelpsMediaGroup.com

Conor Swail Takes 1.40m Grand Prix Victory with Martha Louise at Wellington Turf Tour

Conor Swail and Martha Louise.

Wellington, FL – February 27, 2016 – The eighth week of The Ridge at Wellington Turf Tour saw over 30 horse and rider combinations tackle Nick Granat’s technical track, but Conor Swail and Martha Louise were the ones to beat from the get go. Irish rider, Swail, rode his veteran mount to the top of the leader board as only the sixth exhibitor of the day, breaking the beam in 38.731 seconds. Beth Underhill and Viggo nearly caught Swail later in the day, but one-tenth of a second would separate the top two finishers today.

Although the sky was grey with clouds threatening downpour, the International Polo Club Palm Beach stayed dry and offered the ideal footing for the $15,000 1.40m Grand Prix. Jeffery Welles and KM Whatever RV were the first pair of the day to ride to a double clear effort. They set the standard high with a time of 40.641 seconds, but with nearly 25 competitors hot on their heels, the day would close out with Welles in third place.

Nick Granat’s course proved more technical and built bigger than the past years, which Welles looked upon in favor. Granat utilized a tricky triple combination to catch many of the riders off guard. The line required a forward five strides to the triple, but the verticals came up quickly, requiring patience on both the rider and the horse’s parts.

Welles explained, “It seems a little more aggressive this year, which is good for this Friday class, because they have more entries. It was a nice, galloping, open track, and it had a nice flow to it. The jump off had a couple short turns, definitely more turning than galloping. It was a little cooler today, which allowed the horses to brighten up a little bit.”

Swail followed only two horses behind Welles with Martha Louise, shattering the previously set time with a double clear effort in 38.731 seconds. He was able to make tight rollbacks and eat up the ground to set the day’s unbeatable time.

“Martha Louise is one of my top horses,” Swail said of the mare. “She has had a few weeks off, so our plan is to do The Ridge for a few weeks. It is lovely to come over here and let her jump around. It is a great education for her.”

Swail continued, “I think it was a very good course today. It is well spread out and it was a very long course, but very good. I think Nick [Granat] has done a good job today. Martha Louise is quite experienced and is a naturally fast horse. She is very good at rollbacks, so I thought I would use them as best I could. I thought it was a nice round and there is possibly a little room left for someone else, but I hope I am up there somewhere.”

It was Beth Underhill who almost unseated Swail from the first place position, but one-tenth of a second would separate the two today. Underhill rode Viggo to the time of 38.835 seconds to fall just shy of Swail’s pace and finish the competition in second.

Beth Underhill and Viggo
Beth Underhill and Viggo

Underhill has been a proponent of The Ridge at Wellington since its inception, and has frequented the competitions each week. “My horse loves this ring. He loves the footing, and I think this course was excellent. I think it has become more technical each week. Viggo stayed careful and fast in the jump off, I couldn’t ask for anymore from him today, I am thrilled with him today. He tried his best today, and I couldn’t be more proud.”

Underhill continued, “I think Nona [Garson] and George [D’Ambrosio] do such a wonderful job, they are so welcoming. It is a throwback to the way horse shows used to be. I think the way that they have organized it, where you can come in and walk the course and make it work for your schedule, is something we really need for our sport. It is wonderful for the horses to get out here and have new scenery and hone their skills elsewhere, it helps out with competing at other horse shows, too.”

Chicago’s Lisa Goldman and Aslan rode to the fourth place position behind Welles, finishing the track just off his time in 40.712 seconds. Catherine Pasamore was awarded the fifth place finish for her time of 40.864 with Z Canta, while Ansgar Holtgers and Wisconsin rounded out the top six.

While the 1.40m Grand Prix was taking place down the polo field, Ring 2 was alive with action with the Low and Medium Schooling Jumpers and the much sought-after $2,000 Child/Adult Jumper Classic and the $3,000 Junior/Amateur-Owner Classic. It was Adam Prudent who kicked off the day in Ring 2, riding to the first Medium Schooling Jumper victory with Sir Lochinvar.

“The course designer did a good job with [the course]. It is quite hard to make two courses fit in one small ring, but these are very nice courses,” said Prudent. “I love jumping on grass. I think horses jump better on the grass than anywhere else, it is great to have this as an option during the winter circuit.”

Christian Currey rode Vigaro to a first-place finish in the $2,000 M&S/NAL WIHS Child/Adult Jumper Classic. Elizabeth Maloney had quite a successful day, topping the second Medium Schooling Jumper class as the owner of Bigua and winning the $3,000 NAL Junior/Amateur-Owner Classic with Quadrifolio, affectionately known around the barn as Q.

“My horse loves jumping on the grass. I don’t usually turn too tight with him because he’s my baby, and I tend to baby him too much,” said Maloney. “But I felt safe out here doing that because the footing was so good, and we don’t even have big studs in, just little studs.”

Week nine of the Ridge at Wellington’s Turf Tour will take place at Tonkawa Farms, 4150 South Road in Wellington, FL 33414. From Pierson or Lake Worth Rd, go west to South Shore Blvd. Make a left (south) onward to 50th Street. Make a right and the property will be on the right side. The Ridge would like to thank Dover Saddlery for their support of the 12-week series as the cooler and banner sponsor, and they would also like to announce their most recent jump sponsor, Panthera, the leaders in wild cat conservation. Panthera joins Hollow Brook Wealth Management and PJ Saddles as the series’ jump sponsors.

Show Net will be onsite for both Wednesday and Friday events posting live results, as well as videoing rounds in both rings. For results and videos, please visit www.shownet.biz.

Meadowbrook Horse Transport will provide transportation to and from the horse show and other locations throughout Wellington for both the Wednesday and Friday events. The transportation is a nominal fee of $50 per horse, and will be calculated into the final show fees. To make a reservation for one of the three pickup times, 8 a.m., 11 a.m., and 2 p.m., please call Peter Tufano of Meadowbrook Horse Transport at (954) 415-7217, or call Nona Garson at (908) 500-0996.

The Ridge at Wellington Horse Show Series Fast Facts

Events:
The Ridge at Wellington Turf Tour offers their popular 1.40m Invitational Grand Prix for its third year, with an open in gate format taking place once a week at beautiful venues throughout Wellington. The Ridge at Wellington Grand Prix Finale will take place March 27, 2015.

The Turf Tour also will host 1.30m-1.35m Jumpers every Wednesday beginning January 7, 2015 and running until March 18, 2015.

Young Jumper Classes and both Children’s/Senior Jumper Classics will find their home intermittently throughout the Wellington Turf Tour, running concurrently with the 1.30-1.35m and 1.40m Jumpers.

The Ridge at Wellington offers Equitation Shows every Tuesday of the month from January 6 – March 23, 2015. There will also be a series of schooling shows at the Ridge at Wellington for all experience levels.

Two USHJA International Hunter Derbies will take place February 6, 2015 and March 20, 2015.

What:
The Ridge at Wellington series includes several weeks of competition throughout the Winter Season with USEF Rated Equitation Shows. This winter will also feature five two-day schooling shows. The Ridge at Wellington Turf Tour will offer 1.30m-1.35m Jumpers, 1.40m Invitational Grand Prix, Young Jumpers, Children’s/Adult Classics, Masters Jumpers, Junior/Amateur Classics, two hunter derbies and the Pre-Green Incentive Stake.

Information:
Before Show – (561) 791-1471, Email: RidgeShows@aol.com
During Show – Telephone: (561) 791-1471, Fax: (561) 791-1543
Text: (908) 500-0996

Website: http://www.theridgefarm.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/359668144211383/

Management:
Nona Garson
14415 Palm Beach Point Blvd. East
Wellington, FL, 33414
(561) 791-1471 (show office)
(908) 839-3859 (show cell)
(561) 791-1543 (show fax)
Email: RidgeShows@aol.com
Website: http://www.theridgefarm.com

Media Contact:
Phelps Media Group, Inc.
12012 South Shore Blvd.
Suite 105
Wellington, FL 33414
561-753-3389 (phone)
561-753-3386 (fax)
pmginfo@phelpsmediagroup.com
PhelpsMediaGroup.com