August 18, 2022 
“We catch up on the phone and talk about the plans, of course,” said Ireland’s James Chawke of his colleague, the (also Irish) world number four, Conor Swail.
The plans at the moment? Divide and conquer.
It’s been a notably good year for the team. Swail has been on a Thunderbird Show Park (tbird) win streak since Major League Show Jumping (MLSJ) Vancouver after collecting a series of 5* wins with nine-year-old Nadal Hero & DB and the CSIO5* Nations Cup of Canada with 15-year-old gelding Count Me In. By Swail’s own confession, tbird is a special show, and has been for a while.
With Swail at the Dublin Horse Show this week, riders in Langley might be tempted to relax, and breathe easy with their glimmering sights on titles that look free for the taking.
Not. So. fast.
Stable mates James Chawke and Vanessa Mannix (CAN) are playing defense this week, and their tactic has been successful so far.
On Wednesday, Chawke galloped off with the premier class of the week in the CSI3* George and Dianne Tidball Legacy 1.45m win aboard new ride, nine-year-old Howard du Seigneur. Chawke put down a blistering 68.29 seconds in the Anderson Lima’s (BRA) designed speed class.
Second step on the podium was Jeffrey Fields (USA) piloting Sherlina Ale to a brisk 69.05 seconds, followed closely by Samara Henrichs Prat (CAN) and Peninsula Swanky in 70.69 seconds.
The horses are up for the challenge too
“He’s a little bit green for nine, but he’s good jumper and very careful. Last week, I moved him up and down a bit. I jumped [the CSI3* tbird Speed 1.45m] and then did the 1.40m and [went a bit faster] with the hope that I could walk in today, and he could be good and competitive. He was a lot more competitive than I was expecting. He was so good,” said Chawke.
Chawke acquired the ride from Ali Ramsay (CAN), who asked him to sit on her horse and offer some advice. Turns out, Chawke and Howard du Seigneur just clicked. Ramsay wasn’t one to step in the way of a good thing, so she let Chawke stay in the irons for a while. Good friend, eh?
“Ali has been a friend of mine for a few years, and she said to me, why don’t I jump a class or two and see what I thought,” said Chawke.
“We got along quite well, and she just said, ‘Why don’t [you] keep him a little while and see how things go?’ So, I took him to Spruce [Meadows], and he was great there, and then she went to Europe, so she left him with me.”
Last week was just as sterling, with two second place finishes in the CSI3* 1.40m and 1.45m classes. While it seems there may be a pattern appearing, Chawke acknowledges this course he got a bit lucky, as the track worked well for them.
“This course suited me a bit. [Howard] doesn’t have the biggest step in the world, so the lines kind of suited me, because you could run along a little bit. He’s really starting to figure it out and just follow me, which is nice. The last few lines were really tight, so I did one less [stride] the last two lines. He was quite good.”
Quite good, Ramsay and the rest of us can agree an international win might be a wee bit better.
Vanessa Mannix is also on the way up
Mannix may be a student of Swail’s, but she’s well learned in the art of succeeding in the Fort Grand Prix arena. Coming top five in three 3* classes last week, she’s been flirting with a win, and is surely hungry for a top spot this week.
So while Swail isn’t around to defend his titles this week, the reins of their stable are in capable hands.
