1. October 12, 2015 • chronofhorse.com 53
I
rishman Conor Swail is on a roll. In
the last month he’s won big money
classes at every horse show he’s
attended. In addition to Swail’s
most recent win with Simba de la Roque
on Sept. 24 in the $40,000 FEI Speed
Class at the Rolex Central Park Horse
Show (N.Y.), the pair claimed the $125,000
New Albany Classic Invitational Grand
Prix (Ohio) the weekend before. He also
collected the top check in the $85,000
American Gold Cup Qualifier at Old
Salem Farm (N.Y.) on Sept. 11 aboard Viva
Colombia.
Swail began riding when he was 4,
though his parents weren’t directly
involved with horses. His mother came
from a farming background, so Swail
said there were farm animals around,
which exposed him to horses.
He turned out to be something of a
prodigy, making his Dublin Horse Show
debut at age 6 and representing Ireland
as a pony rider in Hannover, Germany,
in 1986 when he was just 14. He rode on
his first senior Nations Cup in 1997 at
Linz, Austria, aboard Lisna Tutor.
The following year Swail went to
England to work with Peter Charles in
Hampshire before returning to Ireland
to ride young horses.
These days Swail travels all over the
world to compete and spends most
of his time in North America, riding
horses for Sue Grange. He makes the
trek to Wellington, Fla., every winter,
and then the horses move up north to
Grange’s Lothlorien Farm outside of
Toronto. He takes his string to Calgary
for two months during the summer
for the Spruce Meadows tournaments
before returning to Toronto. Swail also
Free Rein With:
Conor Swail
BY KATIE ALLARD
PHOTOS BY CURTIS WALLIS
Home Bases: Toronto, Ontario; Wellington, Fla.; Saintfield,
Ireland; Malin Head, Ireland
Age: 43
Conor Swail and Simba de la Roque
topped the $125,000 New Albany Classic
Invitational Grand Prix on Sept. 20.
HORSE SHOWS
adds a few European
shows to his schedule
as well, depending on
when he can make the
time.
He tries to fly back
to Ireland as much as
possible to spend time
with his family. His
wife, Chrissie, 37, is an
amateur rider, and the
couple has a 4-year-
old daughter named
Lauren.
►► What are
the main differences between
equestrian sport in Europe and the
United States?
There’s probably a bit more depth in
Europe, as far as numbers of quality
riders. I think in North America there
are a certain number of top class riders,
and then maybe there isn’t as much
depth. But it is just as hard to win on
either continent, that’s for sure. It’s
great to be able to win on both sides and
compete at the highest level.
►► If you could boil down your
training philosophy to just a few
sentences, what would they be?
You have to have a good relationship
with [the horse]. Some learn quickly,
and some learn less quickly, but it
doesn’t make them any less talented,
so you’ve got to move at a pace that the
horse understands. It’s a fine balance.
That’s where being a horse person
comes into it; you’ve got to know what’s
enough and what’s not enough.
►► Do you have a pre-ride routine or
any superstitions?
Not so many, no. I think the main thing
is making sure you have good focus, and
you have a very good plan, and you’re
clear in your head with what you’re
trying to do in the ring. I think that’s the
most important thing: no indecisions.
►► What word or phrase do you
most overuse?
I would say “balance” is a word I use an
awful lot.
►► What horse would you most like
to ride other than your own?
Of all the top horses in the world, Scott
Brash does a great job with his [Hello
Sanctos]. There’s another one, Fit For
Fun, that is ridden by Luciana Diniz.
He’s a really cool horse.

2. 54 The Chronicle of the Horse
New Albany Classic founder Abigail
Wexner congratulated Conor Swail
and Simba de la Roque on their win
in the $125,000 New Albany Classic
Invitational Grand Prix.
HORSE SHOWS
►► What characteristic do you
most value in a horse?
Willingness to try to jump for you.
We try to buy all these horses that
have certain traits for show jumping,
but at the end of the day it comes
down to how much heart the horse
has to want to help you. If the horse
puts in the effort, I don’t really mind
how much talent he has.
►► In a human?
Probably honesty.
►► What three words would you
use to describe yourself?
Calm, motivated and confident.
►► What is your drink of choice?
I never mind having a beer.
►► What do you always have
stocked in your fridge?
I never mind having some chocolate
in the fridge.
►► Do you have any pet peeves?
I’m not too bad actually. I don’t get
annoyed over too many things.
►► What’s your least favorite barn
chore?
I’m kind of lucky I don’t have to do
that anymore, but I suppose I would
say mucking out.
►► What’s the worst injury you’ve
ever had from riding?
I severed my Achilles tendon in 2013.
►► If you hadn’t become a
horseman, where do you think
you would be right now?
Well, I have one brother who is a
veterinary surgeon, and the other
brother is an accountant, so you
know, somewhere in the middle. It’s
hard to know what I would have
ended up doing, to be honest. I was
riding from a young age and played
a lot of sports, so that was how I
focused.
►► What’s your favorite thing to do
when you’re not riding?
Golfing at the moment. I love golfing.
►► What was the last book you read?
I read autobiographies sometimes. I
think the last book I read was from Roy
Keane. He’s an Irish soccer player; he’s
one of the best players.
►► Do you believe in ghosts?
No.
►► Jack Russells: Yes or No?
Yes, I have one. Her name is Lily, and
she’s 10 years old.
►► Where do you see yourself in
10 years?
I would like to continue being successful.
I think I would like, in the next couple
of years, to get in the top 10 in the world.
I have a great team of horses at the
moment and great owners.