Thermal, CA – March 9, 2025 – Course designer John Doyle set a challenging track for Sunday, March 9’s $40,000 FarmVet 1.45m Open Classic at the Desert International Horse Park, but it proved to be no match for Conor Swail and Count Me In.
As Swail and “Crosby” gear up for Desert Circuit 10’s CSI4* competition, they bested a 45-horse field to close out Desert Circuit 9 with a win.
“I thought I just needed to give him a few rounds [this week],” said Swail of his plan to jump Sunday’s class with the 18-year-old Hanoverian gelding, owned by Sandy Lupton and Mannon Farm. “These national classes are great to be able to jump your horses at a good standard. I was very happy.”
Swail had good reason to be happy. He was one of only four riders to jump fault-free in the first round in the Grand Prix Arena, and he was ultimately the only rider to produce a double clear effort.
“[Jos Verlooy went first] and things didn’t go the way he wanted, so he came out,” said Swail of the first pair to jump-off, Verlooy and Quality Touch L3B. “Then [Maddee Morley and Champions Legue] went in and had a few fences down, so it was a bit strange going in, and you have 12 faults to beat!”
Swail continued, “At the same time, I suppose, I knew Amanda [Gomez] was coming last, and her horse has won a lot. It’s very, very quick. So, I still had to give her something to think about. I think I had a nice round. I didn’t go too crazy. I just wanted to put a nice round in that she would have to go a little bit and hopefully there would be a mistake.”
That proved to be exactly what happened, as Verlooy and Quality Touch L3B took home fourth, Morley and Champions Legue finished in third on 12 faults, and Gomez and Charly-Ann earned second place with just one rail down for four faults.
Click here to view complete results of the $40,000 FarmVet 1.45m Open Classic. Show jumping competition at the 2025 Desert Circuit continues through Sunday, March 16. To learn more, visit www.DesertHorsePark.com.
