Press release from Major League Show Jumping 

Some familiar faces climbed atop the podium at MLSJ San Miguel. Under the brilliant lights of Otomí Club Hípico, Helios won their fourth CSI5* team competition of the 2022 MLSJ season. 

After leading off the season with a win at the premiere event in Vancouver, Canada, Ashlee Bond (ISR), Eugenio Garza (MEX), and Bliss Heers (USA) clinched another victory. The two wins are combined with two other top placings in Traverse City, MI, and Toronto, ON, earlier in the year, which have them handily leading the league standings.

Garza and Victer Finn DH Z, a 14-year-old Zangersheide gelding (Va Vite x Stakkato) led the team to their fourth title with a clear performance in the gold-medal round against Jordan Coyle (IRL) and Picador (Lupicor x Concorde) of Spy Coast Spies. Consistent trips by Bond riding Donatello 141, an 11-year-old Westphalian gelding (Diarado x Lamoureux 1) and Heers on Antidote de Mars, a 12-year-old Selle Français stallion (Diamant de Semilly x Jarnac) ultimately sent Garza to the final head-to-head round.

Coyle pulled a rail in the jump-off, but delivered a podium finish alongside teammates Lacey Gilbertson (USA) riding Karlin van't Vennehof (Fantomas De Muze x Quasimodo vd Molendreef) and team manager Shane Sweetnam (IRL) on Birdy du Thot (Magic d'Elle x Le Tot de Semilly). The finish earned Spy Coast Spies its fourth runner-up title of the season. Rounding out the podium was an all-Irish squad of Paul O'Shea on Squirt Gun (Diarado x Quick Star), Connor Swail riding Gamble (Vingino x Indoctro) and Richie Moloney aboard Rocksy Music (ARS Vivendi x Diamond Serpent) for Eye Candy.

"I have to thank both of these girls for putting me behind Jordan. He is such a fast rider. They made my job a lot easier. Even though he had a rail, his time was still pretty quick. I trust Victor. He's a super fast horse and he's always game. I was just hoping not to mess it up for the team. We're on top again," Eugenio Garza said. 

"Our goal was to find the strongest, fastest people and put them on one team. I think the strategy was to try and put the fastest horses for round two today, and all of them are very fast. Eugenio brought it home for us!" Ashlee Bond commented. 

"I knew it was going to be a tough field, and I knew we had to be clear. I really wanted to give Helios a good result, and I can always count on Antidote. We've been utilizing our ground man quite well - Karl Cook - and he gave us pointers on how we should execute; just be smooth and do what we do best. That's what we did!" Bliss Heers added. 

Action at MLSJ San Miguel continues on Saturday as the GNP Seguros CSI5* MLSJ Grand Prix takes center stage under the evening lights of Otomí Club Hípico. MLSJ's 2022 debut in Mexico runs through October 23 at Otomí Club Hípico in San Miguel de Allende, Mex.