The battle for the MLSJ show jumping championship was neck-and-neck down to the final moments, but ultimately, it was the Trelawny Trailblazers who took home their second consecutive title.
Heading into the final, the Trailblazers sat in third place in the overall standings, but when team owner and manager Cara Raether Carey tapped Daniel Bluman (ISR), Lillie Keenan (USA) and Conor Swail (IRL) to ride on Saturday night, she knew they could get the job done – and that’s just what they did.
At the conclusion of round one, the field of eight teams was narrowed to the top four to advance to rounds two and three. For the Trailblazers, clear rounds from Bluman on Corbie V.V. and Swail on My Lady Lavista guaranteed them the chance to come back to vie for the win.
“I jumped [My Lady Lavista] last night, and it didn’t go as planned,” said Swail. “We sort of unraveled a little bit. I felt I didn’t do a good enough job with her, and she got a little bit edgy. So obviously coming into tonight, I wasn’t just brimming with confidence, but I trusted the mare. She warmed up beautifully. It was a difficult course, and when I went in, I knew I needed a clear round to make sure we were going to go through [to the second round]. Lady felt so comfortable, and I was really clear with my plan and how to ride her. Everything came up perfectly.”
From there, it was on to round two, where Bluman and Keenan represented the Trailblazers flawlessly, each delivering fault-free performances.
For Bluman, the many clear rounds turned in by the Trailblazers are a testament to the quality of horses each of them is choosing to compete in the MLSJ team events.
“It all comes down to putting the team before you put yourself,” explained Bluman. “We managed to do that really well with the guidance of Cara. We understand that whatever the decision is, and when we are selected to jump in the team, we need to give it a good shot and deliver. So, we're putting really good horses and really good riders.”
In speaking of Corbie V.V., a Zangersheide mare, owned by Bluman and Abigail Wexner, Bluman continued, “For me, I rode my best horse who I think, humbly, is one of the best horses in the world right now. She’s a 9-year-old that is incredibly special. So that shows you how much it matters to me to perform in the League!”
Heading into the final, the Trailblazers sat in third place in the overall standings, but when team owner and manager Cara Raether Carey tapped Daniel Bluman (ISR), Lillie Keenan (USA) and Conor Swail (IRL) to ride on Saturday night, she knew they could get the job done – and that’s just what they did.
At the conclusion of round one, the field of eight teams was narrowed to the top four to advance to rounds two and three. For the Trailblazers, clear rounds from Bluman on Corbie V.V. and Swail on My Lady Lavista guaranteed them the chance to come back to vie for the win.
“I jumped [My Lady Lavista] last night, and it didn’t go as planned,” said Swail. “We sort of unraveled a little bit. I felt I didn’t do a good enough job with her, and she got a little bit edgy. So obviously coming into tonight, I wasn’t just brimming with confidence, but I trusted the mare. She warmed up beautifully. It was a difficult course, and when I went in, I knew I needed a clear round to make sure we were going to go through [to the second round]. Lady felt so comfortable, and I was really clear with my plan and how to ride her. Everything came up perfectly.”
From there, it was on to round two, where Bluman and Keenan represented the Trailblazers flawlessly, each delivering fault-free performances.
For Bluman, the many clear rounds turned in by the Trailblazers are a testament to the quality of horses each of them is choosing to compete in the MLSJ team events.
“It all comes down to putting the team before you put yourself,” explained Bluman. “We managed to do that really well with the guidance of Cara. We understand that whatever the decision is, and when we are selected to jump in the team, we need to give it a good shot and deliver. So, we're putting really good horses and really good riders.”
In speaking of Corbie V.V., a Zangersheide mare, owned by Bluman and Abigail Wexner, Bluman continued, “For me, I rode my best horse who I think, humbly, is one of the best horses in the world right now. She’s a 9-year-old that is incredibly special. So that shows you how much it matters to me to perform in the League!”