DOWN’S Conor Swail made his journey to Mexico worthwhile, when he was the joint winner of the two-star 1.45m La Querencia jump-off class at La Silla, Monterrey on board the 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse stallion Clonterm Obolensky, bred by Brian Duff in Co Meath and owned by Oliver Raymond Glancy. There were 46 on the start list for Friday’s class, with 17 of them jumping clear within the time allowed in the first round. Two withdrawals left 15 combinations to battle it out for the placings and 11 of them completed fault-free.

Swail and his mount stopped the clock in the fastest time of 43.03 seconds, but so did Brazil’s Rodrigo Lambre on Take-Off Diara PS, resulting in a dead heat and the two riders shared first and second prize to each take home MEX $126,000.