Major League Show Jumping (MLSJ) team competition came to a thrilling close on Friday night of Desert Holiday II, as Team Eye Candy was awarded the gold medal and crowned season champion in the inaugural year of the tour. After three rounds of exciting competition unfolded in the Grand Prix Arena for the final round of the 10-event circuit, Team Eye Candy proved to be unbeatable, putting in solid clear rounds and lightning fast jump-offs to secure their spot atop the podium and their season title.
Conor Swail Conor Swail(IRL) and Theo 160
The Grand Prix Arena boasted a course of 13 obstacles designed by Ireland’s Alan Wade, featuring a vertical-oxer-vertical triple combination, an oxer-vertical double combination, a skinny vertical set directly in front of the in-gate, and a liverpool. In a format unique to MLSJ, the eight teams each sent three riders in for the first round consecutively, then the total scores and combined times determined the top four to return to jump off. Combined times would serve as a tiebreaker if necessary, so riders rode the first round similar to a speed class, focusing primarily on keeping fences intact.
The teams took to the course in reverse order of points, with the Blazing 7s taking center stage first and Team Eye Candy returning last on 60 points. The Blazing 7s, sitting on 33 points accumulated over the season and eager to improve upon their standings, started out strong with a clear round from Rowan Willis (AUS), but fell victim to both jumping and time penalties for a total of 16 faults. The Otomí Warriors also began on a zero score as Cassio Rivetti (BRA) put in a clear round, but his teammates fell victim to several rails across the course, putting them on a total score of 12 faults.
The Diamond Devils had three solid rounds with only one rail down and two single time faults accumulating a total of 6 faults, putting them in a promising position. The Lucky Charms didn’t quite have all the luck in their favor, totaling 12 faults after each rider pulled one rail, but posted a much quicker total time than the Otomí Warriors. The Crusaders had just one rail plus one time fault, pushing them into the lead with a total of 5 faults and guaranteeing them a spot in the jump-off with only three teams left to go.
Ashlee Bond (ISR) and Contefina LVF
Fresh off their victory in leg nine of the MLSJ tour on the grass arena at Desert International Horse Park, A.I.M. United put themselves back in a promising position with only 4 faults and overtaking the lead. The home team Roadrunners started with a bang posting a clear round from Christian Heineking (GER), but the disappointment ensued as rails fell for a total of 12 faults and a spot just below the cutoff for the jump-off.
Last to take on the first round, Team Eye Candy sealed the deal with clear rounds from Amy Millar (CAN) and Jacqueline Steffens (CAN), plus one single time fault from Conor Swail (IRL) to put them in pole position as the leaders, returning last in round two.
Jacqueline Steffens (CAN) and Freaky
In round two, each team selected two riders to jump off in order to secure a spot in the final round, the jump-off for gold. Faults were converted into an additional three seconds on the clock, so riders who had rails early felt a sense of urgency to increase their speed to make up any extra time. The quickest two times went head-to-head with the final rider in a jump-off for gold, while the third and fourth quickest times competed for bronze and the last spot on the podium.
Amy Millar (CAN) and Christiano
First to return were the Diamond Devils, who sent in Kristen VanderVeen (USA) and Nayel Nassar (EGY), who both jumped clear and to the exact same time, putting them on a total time of 103.92. The Crusaders started with a rail down for Juan Carlos Garcia (COL) but teammate Nicky Galligan (IRL) sped to the fastest clear round time at that point, to clock the team in at 103.82 seconds and overtook the lead. A.I.M. United, set on returning to the coveted jump-off for gold, pulled three rails total, adding nine seconds to their overall time, totaling 107.30 and putting them in the jump-off for bronze. Eye Candy returned and stayed true to their winning ways, pulling out a double-clear effort from Millar and Steffens in a time of 97.00 seconds and securing the top spot in the gold medal jump-off.
As the jump-off for bronze got underway, Ashlee Bond (ISR) took the quickest time of the night in 48.05 as she tried her best to snag the bronze medal for A.I.M. United, which proved successful when Natalie Dean (USA) rode to a second clear round but just behind the pace in 50.69 for the Diamond Devils.
As the jump-off for gold neared, an elimination from the Crusaders led to an automatic gold medal win for Team Eye Candy and the overall season title for the team leading the way since week one.
Katie Laurie (AUS) and Cera Caruso
To start the day in the Grand Prix Arena, CSI5* athletes took to the FEI $36,600 Interactive Mortgage 1.45m Speed. Australia’s Katie Laurie took an early lead with Carissa McCall’s Cera Caruso, blazing through the course in 63.79, setting the pace over four seconds faster than the second place competitor, Misti Cassar (USA) and Viking De Laume, owned by Alberto Riviera Torres. In third place was Mavis Spencer (USA) and Con Calle, owned by Georgy Maskrey-Segesman.
CSI2* athletes continued their schedule as the second feature class of the day in the FEI $36,600 Premier Equestrian 1.45m Speed with 43 entries contesting the track. While clear rounds were abundant, it was Nayel Nassar in the winners circle again with Oaks Redwood, owned by Evergate Stables LLC. Just behind him was Ashlee Bond (ISR) with Lazy, owned by Aurora Farms, LLC, and Stephex Stables, and in third was Mark Kinsella (IRL) and the Valhalla Equestrian entry Corradina.