CONOR Swail and Dermott Lennon, both from Co. Down, took second and third places in last night's (Wednesday) World Cup competition at the prestigious Royal Fair show in Toronto, Canada, picking up 36,000 dollars in prize money between them.

For Swail, who is from Crossgar, the runner-up place at such a top level Grand Prix is another high point on the upward curve of success he has been achieving with his Dutch-bred stallion Lansdowne since last year, and the combination missed taking the top prize at Toronto by just under half a second.

Lennon, from Loughbrickland, has also been on a roll with Woods Rosbotham's gelding Hallmark Elite for the last few years, and last night's third place was achieved through being one of only three combinations to jump clear in the seven horse jump-off.

In a talented international field Britain's Scott Brash took the 30,000 dollar top prize on the Belgian-bred gelding Bon Ami.

On Saturday the duo were in the top five again when Swail claimed a third place in the day's feature class, the Ricoh Big Ben Challenge, with Lennon close behind in fourth.

The Co. Down duo saw their combined prize money rise to 75,000 dollars.

Swail rode Lansdowne on Saturday, while Lennon was aboard Hallmark Elite in a competition that was won by Holland's veteran international Harrie Smolders, with Regina Z.

Earlier in the evening Lennon brought out Judith Sossick's Irish-bred mare Loughview Lou Lou for a third place in the speed class, which was won by Britain's Nick Skelton and the Dutch-bred gelding Unique.

BREEDING
Loughview Lou-Lou (ISH) – 2002 bay mare by Limmerick (HOLST) out of Loughview Diamond Lucy (ISH), by Jack Of Diamonds (ID C1). Owner/Bred by Judith Sossick, Randalstown, Co. Antrim. Rider: Dermott Lennon (IRL)
 

Conor Swail