JAMES Chawke will certainly remember last Wednesday night, after he secured his maiden five-star international victory at Desert International Horse Park in Thermal, California.

The Portlaoise native has enjoyed plenty of success in the last two years in bringing Daido van’t Ruytershof Z through the ranks and it was fitting that they combined to score in the 1.45m speed class at the California venue.

Irish duo, Alan Wade and Colm Quinn set the course in the Grand Prix Stadium and Chawke was able to elicit the quickest clear by some distance with the pacy 12-year-old mare owned by Jan Van Alken, the time of 61.78 seconds seeing off next best Tiffany Foster (CAN) and Battlecry, who stopped the clock in 63.43.

“I’m really happy,” said Chawke of his inaugural victory. “I thought the track was very good. Alan always builds a good course. I actually didn’t think it was so easy; all the lines were a bit the same in that everyone kind of had to do the same number. So, it was just trying to be quick around the turns.”

Quick proved no problem for Chawke and the Zangersheide mare.

“She’s a really quick horse. She’s very careful and very game. She’s spicy for sure. She has her own opinions, but she’s very sweet.”

Success for Swail

Meanwhile, Conor Swail was a two-star speed winner back at Desert International Horse Park the same evening, partnering Mannon Farm’s ultra-reliable and consistent Theo 160 to blitz the field with a clear in 63.19 seconds, 2.79 seconds clear of runner-up Michelle Berry (USA) and Thank You RS.

“I thought today Alan built a bit of a tougher track,” said the Darragh Cross native. “All your sort of turns and rollbacks made it so that the horses saw the jumps a little late. It just made it a little more difficult for the horse to catch the jump and jump it correctly and do everything smoothly. Myself and Theo have had a great partnership together for many years now. So, those type of tracks are not maybe as much of a challenge for us because he’s a bit older, and I’m a bit older and wiser. It’s maybe a little less challenging as opposed to a more green horse.

“He’s always been a wonderful horse for me. He has jumped five-star grands prix when he shouldn’t have, but he does because I asked him to do so. He’s a wonderful little guy. Now I try and aim him at sort of the 1.45m and some 1.50m. You can see he’s still very competitive and great at it. He owes me nothing. He’s been such a great horse for me, it’s great for him to have another win under his belt.”