Swail a five-star winner on week in which Irish triumph en masseConor Swail was a five-star victor in Mexico on a monumentally fruitful week for Irish show jumping, during which Niamh McEvoy posted a brace of four-star wins in Morocco, and there were two-star Grands Prix garlands for Daniel Fitzgerald, Niall Talbot and Cormac Hanley in Belgium, Spain and America respectively, while James Connors Smyth, Diarmuid Howley and Bertram Allen were also triumphant in Germany and Belgium.Into the bargain, Cian OConnor edged out Denis Lynch for a place on the podium in the prestigious five-star Grand Prix at the Longines League Of Nations Final show in Spain.Swail had a very fruitful few days in Puebla and he kicked it off with a podium finish and almost 11,000 when piloting Conall Murrays Casturano to third in the 1.50m jump-off class on Thursday.The Down maestro and his high-class 13-year-old gelding were among nine combinations to qualify for the tiebreaker.Victory went to hometown hero and Mexican legend Nicolas Pizarro, with the nine-year-old Chou Fleur Ra, edging out compatriot Carlos Rodolfo Molino Gordillo, with Kansas Santa Rosa, by four-hundredths of a second with another clear round in 38.86 seconds.Swail and Casturano also left all the rails up on their return, and a time of 39.60 bagged the bronze medal.The duo went closer in the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup on Saturday, but one rail down in a very testing course proved costly.Amazingly, only Sharn Wordley (NZL) with Brin dOr de Haute Melen Z, left all the jumps in place. Nobody would have thought they had registered what would be an unsurpassable target as the sixth duo into the ring, but that was the case, the time of 82.67 not rapid but inside the time allowed.Swail and Stan (above) were third-last and much quicker, in 80.77, but the delicate white plank tumbled. Being fastest of the four-faulters earned them second, however, and Swail moves alongside compatriot Shane Sweetnam In joint third after just two legs of the North American League of the World Cup series.Anderson (Lima) never builds a soft course, but I must say, it was fair, Swail said afterwards.Even if there are a few mistakes (made by riders), the horses are being educated. There probably should have been three or four clears today if a couple of us had a bit more luck.Swail completed a clean sweep of podium berths by keeping the best until last, swapping spots with Wordley as he guided Theo 160 (Mannon Farm) to the honours in the 1.45m jump-off class, and also shared third thanks to a double clear with Nadal Hero & DB (Mannon Farm).This was a desperately tight affair, with less than three-tenths of a second between the top four pairings involved.Swail and Theo 160 did what they have done so often in these competitions, blitzing to a clear in 45.65. That was just seven-tenths faster than Wordley, with Champion League. Third was shared by Swail and Nadal Hero & DB with Diego Beoya Yaez (BOL) with Ding Dong van Overis Z on 45.94.McEvoy is on the crest of a wave at present, following her World Breeding Championship success in Lanaken a fortnight ago and her first visit to Tetouan yielded a considerable bounty.The Tyrone tyro got the Morocco Royal Tour series off to an encouraging start with a third-place finish on Jargon DN (Gbbs International), their time of 67.29 just six-hundredths of a second shy of that recorded by runners-up Santiago Diaz Ortega (COL) with Jump For Joy in the 1.45m speed class on Friday.It wasnt far off the winning time of Simon Delestre (FRA) and Oh Sissi either, 66.81 topping the table.McEvoy did not wait long before climbing two more steps on the podium, this time with Sevilla van de Berghoeve Z (Gbbs International) in Saturdays 1.45m speed class.Only two of the 19 combinations partaking were able to go clear and her nine-year-old mare (above) were comfortable, with a time of 66.64 almost two seconds faster than that recorded by Belgiums Virginie Thonon, with Salerno van de Looise Heide.This is my first time competing in the Morocco Royal Tour. The horses are really well here, the facilities are incredible, and I love the course. I have four horses with me, and they are all in great shape. Sevilla is a really special mare, and Im very happy with her. Today, the main goal was to have a good round, so I couldnt have hoped for a better result, McEvoy said subsequently.The best was yet to come for the 22-year-old, who added to her bounty significantly by filling all three podium positions in Sundays three international classes.She garnered her second success of the week with Jargon DN in the 1.45m jump-off class (main photo, top), beating off 10 other pairings in the decisive round with a clear in 42.86.Italian Lorenzo Argentano, partnered with Dakota Blue Girl, was second while the Dutch rider Mel Thijssen, riding Juice, took third place.I had a great week here with my four horses, who all jumped very well, McEvoy declared. Jargon, in particular, finished third on Friday before winning today. For my first time competing in the Morocco Royal Tour, Im really delighted: the facilities are excellent, the horses like the arena, and the courses have been very well designed all week.She later guided Sevilla van de Berghoeve Z to third in the World Cup Grand Prix with another brilliant double clear, the time of 42.49 earning the bronze medal and 15,900.Victory went to Switzerlands Anthony Bourquard with Fontaineblau Manciais, who stopped the clock In 40.63.McEvoy then bagged a silver medal In the two-star Grand Prix with Rock N Roll Ter Putte (Hillary Drummond Sport Horses) to crown an unforgettable few days in North Africa.At the Longines League Of Nations Final show in Barcelona, OConnor offered a precursor to his up his scintillating double clear in the team decider with Chatolinue PS, by finishing third in Fridays Grand Prix with another Karlswood Partners-owned horse, Kentucky TN.It was a cracking effort by the 11-year-old across the 1.60m track, the jump-off time of 47.73 just edging out Lynch with the remarkably consistent 17-year-old Brooklyn Heights (Molly Ohrstrom & Lynch)In all, there were seven clear rounds over the initial test, with victory going to Jessica Mendoza and In The Air (46.94), by 12-hundredths of a second from former Ireland chef dquipe, Rodrigo Pessoa (BRA) with Major Tom.Connors Smyth combined with Elzandor Z (Beerbaum Stables) to claim the honours in Thursdays 1.45m speed class at Riesenbeck International (below).Entering the arena at the mid-way point, as the 31st pairing of 60, the Waterford athlete and Elzandor Z were electric, the intent there to win rather than set a challenging mark. The 10-year-old was up to answering every question asked, crucially going clear. The time of 69.81 remained unchallenged. Hannes Ahlmann (GER) was the nearest on 70.30 with Madness.Connors Smyth concluded proceedings with a bronze medal in the U25 Grand Prix, with Coffee Shock (L Pathy Equestrian), on SaturdayOn Friday, Howley won a 1.45m jump-off class at the Bonheidens two-star show in Belgium, navigating Ladiva (Javad Zakeri Dana) to two clear rounds. The Sligo rider took care of business first over 15 jumping efforts, and then a significantly quicker jump-off round of 41.52 over the shortened eight-jump test than Wilm Vermeir (BEL), with Jonkheer VanT Veldhoven, who stopped the timers in 43.09, cemented the spoils.There was further two-star fare at Sentower Park and on Saturday, Allen and the nine-year-old Danger 76 (Turn A Blind Eye) took a 1.45m speed class at the Belgian facility.The Wexford pilot and his promising grey gelding were head and shoulders above the rest, their winning time of 57.57 more than two seconds quicker than that recorded by runner-up Pieter Clemens (BEL) with Gambas de lOcean.Fitzgerald won the shows concluding feature, the Prijs Aloga Equestrian the 1.45m Grand Prix with Casino Royal Z (Psz Sport Horses)This was a tighter affair, as one might expect, though the examination was stern indeed. There were 77 participants, and only seven of those managed to avoid knocking a fence and combine that with keeping within the time allowed, to advance to the tiebreaker.Fitzgerald and his 16-year-old partner set a standard that proved beyond those that followed, however, with a stunning clear in 37.14 seconds. Brecht Goossens (BEL) got them out of their seats in the stands, with Alaska Z, but when the clock came to a halt, their 37.41 meant they had to settle for the silver, while Amhrn na bhFiann got another airing in the arena.The Autumn series of the Mediterranean Equestrian Tour got under way and Fitzgeralds fellow Kildare athlete, Talbot, also secured a 1.45m two-star Grand Prix, with his own Charming Dream Z (below) securing the Trofeo Centro Ecuestre Oliva Nova, in Oliva on Sunday.There were 16 jumping efforts (13 obstacles) to be navigated In the opening round, and just over half a kilometre to cover and 11 of the 63 combinations survived.The draw favoured the Irish duo, and Talbot utilised the information gathered from watched five pairings repeat their opening clears at various speeds and with various levels of risk taken, to maximum effect.It was Briton Jamie Wingrove, with Belvedere who set the target of 36.36, 0.99 quicker than the next best mark of Malin Baryard-Johnsson (SWE) with Ccstuds Liisolde.But if that implied there wasnt much juice left to be squeezed from this particular lemon, that did not allow for the vision and determination of Talbot and his 11-year-old stallion, who registered a clear in 35.49 for victory.I thought it was a really nice course, Talbot said afterwards. For the jump-off course, I think I was really lucky that I was the last to go so that I got to watch everybody. I could see what worked and what didnt work, and then I knew where I could risk and where to be a little bit more careful. So I think it definitely helped me to go last.We have been coming here since the very first year; we come here religiously. Were here for this MET I, well be back for MET III, and then well be back again for the spring next year. Were here quite often its one of our favorite places to be.Earlier in the week at the Spanish event, Galwegian Lt Raphael Lee was runner-up with the Alfie Hillen-bred Irish Sport Horse Derrycush (Minister For Defence) in a two-star Grand Prix qualifier, a little over half a second off the winning time of Laura Renwick (GBR) and NFS Top Gun in the speed class, but with a time of 66.20, more than two seconds quicker than that posted by Lars Kersten (NED) WITH Carmen H Z in third.Richard Howley was third on Saturday with eight-year-old HK Stakkata (Morgan Kent) thanks to a double clear In a 1.45m jump-off class in Oliva.With severe bad weather forecast for later, the Core Specialty Equine Grand Prix at Tryon International was moved forward to Saturday morning local timeCormac Hanley and Santiago VH Netehof (Heathman Farm) were not discombobulated in any way by the earlier than scheduled start. Seven of the 55 protagonists qualified for the jump-off in Tryon Stadium Ring 5. Only two of those had manged to replicate their blemish-free initial efforts when Hanley and his horse emerged from the pocket as the penultimate pairing.The Mayo native and Santiago were electric and accurate, stopping the clock in 34.8, more than three seconds faster than the target time.Richard Spooner (USA) was the final threat with Lyjanair and though they were quick enough to secure the silver medal, they were still a second off the unbeatable bar set by Hanley.Shannonsiders Paul OShea and his former protg, David Blake also podiumed at the North Carolina show, with Limerick man OShea combining with Spy (Spy Partners) for another Irish silver medal, in the Welcome Stake, behind Amanda Derbyshire and Cornwall. The margin between the top two was minimal, as both jumped double clear, with the Briton stopping the timers in the jump-off in 33.63, compared to 33.80 by the runners-up.Derbyshires partner, Clare native, David Blake just missed out on the podium in fourth with Gucci Des Embruns (Pine Hollow Farm) but Blake improved one spot in the following days speed class, with Elton P Z (Pine Hollow Farm).At the three-star show in Amenia, New York State, Philip McGuane guided Paso Doble SCF (Evergate Stables) to third in the Jumper Classic, on Friday , while Anna Duff and the Matthew McBreen-bred Irish Sport Horse MC Crosskeys (Anna & Brian Duff), were silver medallists at the three-star show in Wiener Neustadt, Austria.BREEDINGMC CROSSKEYS (ISH) 2016 gelding by S Creevagh Ferro Ex Siebe (KWPN) out of Jumeirah (ISH) by Ard Vdl Douglas (KWPN). Breeder: Matthew McBreen, Co Cavan. Owner: Anna Duff & Brian Duff. Rider: Anna Duff (IRL).DERRYCUSH (ISH) 2014 gelding by Emerald Vant Ruytershof (BWP) out of ISHD Caldato (ISH) by Aldato (KWPN). Breeder: Alfie Hillen, Aughnacloy, Co Tyrone. Owner: Minister of Defence. Rider: Lt Raphael Lee (IRL).Photo creditsConor Swail: FEI/ Rodrigo CeceaNiamh McEvoy: Morocco Royal TourJames Connors Smyth: Riesenbeck InternationalNiall Talbot: MET/Herv Bonnaud/www.1clicphoto.comThe post McEvoy is magic in Morocco appeared first on .