Conor Swail of Ireland, riding Grafton, took home first prize at the final event of the season at Angelstone International Grand Prix in Erin on Aug. 29.
“I may be a little biased but I feel I have the best horses here … both horses were great tonight and I’m very pleased I got the win eventually,” he said in an interview with the Advertiser after the event.
The Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI) sanctioned CSI*** event featured 30 horses and riders from Canada, the United States, Ireland, New Zealand, Chile and Columbia.
The course, built by a German course designer, eliminated all but 12 horses for the final jump off.
Canadian Mac Cone on Gasper Van Den Doorn jumped clean in both rounds and was only two seconds behind Swail to claim second place.
In third place, Sharn Wordley on Barnetta passed both rounds with zero faults, but his time in the second round was a full nine seconds behind second place, leaving him in third. Wordley also placed sixth on his horse Casper.
Canadian Olympian Ian “Captain Canada” Millar, riding Baranus, jumped clean during round one but ended up with 16 faults during the jump off, landing him in 10th place.
U.S. Olympian and two-time Angelstone International Grand Prix winner Leslie Howard faulted with Backstory but jumped clean with Gentille Van Spieveld in round one. In the final jump off, Gentille Van Spieveld knocked off a rail, leaving her in 5th place.
Swail also placed 4th on his horse Dillinger, bringing his total prize money up to $36,120 for the event.
Carli Hunchak, a Grade 4 student from St. Catherine of Alexandria School in Georgetown, joined Swail on the podium. Hunchak was the lucky student paired with Swail to win a $1,000 scholarship from the Angelstone Commitment to Educate fund.
The international event was the last jumping event of seven during the summer at Angelstone this year.
