The Trelawny Trailblazers galloped into the history books on Friday evening, claiming the top spot in the $200,000 Major League Show Jumping (MLSJ) Team Competition presented by Hagyard Equine Medical Institute. This marks a significant milestone for the tour, as MLSJ made its highly anticipated debut at the prestigious Rolex Stadium during the Kentucky CSI5*.
As the eighth leg of Season 5, the competition in Kentucky served as the final high-stakes battleground before the tour heads to Monterrey, Mexico, for the season finals next week.
A Tactical Battle in the Medal Jump-Off
The Trailblazers’ victory was a testament to grit and precision. After strong preliminary rounds from teammates Lillie Keenan and Charlotte Jacobs, the pressure fell on Abdel Saïd to seal the win in the gold-medal jump-off.
Riding the 9-year-old KWPN gelding Max (Grandorado TN N.O.P. x Andiamo), Saïd faced off against Mark Bluman of Maccabi United. Under the unique MLSJ format, faults are converted into time. Despite a single knockdown that added 3 seconds to his clock, Saïd’s blistering pace resulted in a final time of 46.21 seconds.
This proved more than enough to overtake Bluman, who suffered nine uncharacteristic points with the Mecklenburger gelding Ubiluc (Ubiko x Lucian), finishing on a converted time of 49.96 seconds.
Trailblazers’ Path to the Podium
The Trailblazers’ consistency across the 1.50m tracks was the key to their success. Lillie Keenan delivered a masterclass aboard Chagrin d’Amour (Gfe Candy de Nantuel x Stakkato), producing double clear rounds and a final JO time of 46.37. Charlotte Jacobs and the Irish Sport Horse Rincoola Milsean (Aldatus Z x Cruising) anchored the team's early efforts, recovering from a 4-fault opening round to post a vital clear in the first jump-off (46.10).
Maccabi United and Northern Lights Round Out the Top Three
While Maccabi United took the silver on Friday, they remain the dominant force in the overall Season 5 standings. The team, consisting of Daniel Bluman on the Zangersheide stallion Hummer Z (Harley VDL x Hemmingway), Thaisa Erwin with Koberlina TN, and Mark Bluman, currently holds a 42-point lead over the Trailblazers heading into the finals.
The battle for third saw Northern Lights clinch the bronze. Kyle Timm delivered a standout performance in the bronze-medal jump-off aboard Glamour du Chanu (L'arc de Triomphe x Papillon Rouge). He outpaced Laura Kraut of the Roadrunners, who saw her podium hopes vanish after a costly refusal at the Liverpool jump with Kaylee.
