Las Vegas, NV – Ireland’s Conor Swail can be counted on to crank up the speed, and on Thursday evening, he and Count Me In did just that, racing to the win in the $39,000 CSI4*-W 1.50m Las Vegas National “All In” Speed Classic at the South Point Hotel, Casino & Spa in Las Vegas, NV.
Swail and the 17-year-old Hanoverian gelding were the 26th of 42 entries to take on the speed track designed by Olaf Petersen Jr., and Swail had the slight advantage of having already navigated the course on his first mount, Vital Chance de la Roque.
While Swail had one rail down on “Vinny,” his quick time of 60.68 seconds was something he wanted to emulate with Count Me In.
“I was trying to sort of replicate that round because it was a good one, even though I just had one little mistake,” explained Swail.
Swail did not replicate his time in that round. Instead, he bettered it, stopping the clock in 60.01 seconds to take the win. Finishing just behind Swail with a time of 60.36 seconds was the USA’s Charlotte Jacobs aboard Rincoola Milsean in her debut trip to the Las Vegas National CSI4*-W. Rounding out the top three were Jill Humphrey (USA) and Chromatic BF on a time of 62.06 seconds, and Canada’s Vanessa Mannix took fourth place in 63.25 seconds with her own Lehar.
For the victory, Swail was awarded an Ethel M Chocolates Premium Chocolate Gift Basket, an Ogilvy saddle pads, a Blenheim EquiSports coolerette, a Topline Design Ribbon Wreaths custom picture frame and gift certificate and horse treats, courtesy of Horseflight.
“Count Me In is a wonderful horse; he’s one of the best horses I’ve ever ridden,” said Swail of the gelding best known as “Crosby” in the barn. “He’s quite grumpy, actually, when he’s in the stables, so you have to leave him alone and let him do his own thing in the stall, but when he comes out, he knows his job. He gets on with it. He’s a prolific winner.”
Swail is a highly prolific winner in his own right and has topped multiple FEI classes at the Las Vegas National over the past few years.
“I’ve been coming here the last three or four years now; I really enjoy the show,” said Swail. “Obviously, the event itself is spectacular, and it’s nice to be able to go and do a few extracurricular things also – a bit of golf and a few shows and whatever.”
While Swail will take advantage of a day off on Friday to enjoy some of what Vegas has to offer, his sights are set firmly on Saturday night’s $226,000 Longines FEI Jumping World CupTM Las Vegas.
“[The win was] a good way to start for sure. I was very happy that it went the way that I was hoping it would go,” concluded Swail. “We’ll go and do something fun tonight and try to win this World Cup on Saturday night!”
For full results of the $39,000 CSI4*-W 1.50m Las Vegas National “All In” Speed Classic, click here.
The Las Vegas National CSI4*-W, featuring the Marshall & Sterling Insurance / USHJA National Championships, continues through Sunday, November 19, with the featured $226,000 Longines FEI Jumping World CupTM Las Vegas, taking center stage on Saturday evening, November 18. Admission is free for all events, with the exception of Saturday night, with tickets available for purchase here.
While at the South Point Hotel, Casino & Spa, competitors and guests are encouraged to also join in the Formula 1 Las Vegas fun, with a Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix Viewing Party being held in the Showroom at South Point on Saturday evening following the conclusion of the Longines FEI Jumping World CupTM Las Vegas.
Learn more about the Las Vegas National CSI4*-W at TheLasVegasNational.com.
