The Trelawny Trailblazers won the $262,500 Major League Show Jumping (MLSJ) Team Competition, presented by Hagyard Equine Medical Institute, on Friday during Leg 8 at the Kentucky International. Photo © MLSJ / Meraki Creative Group.
Press release from Major League Show Jumping, edited by World of Showjumping
The Trelawny Trailblazers are taking aim at a third championship title, and started with a win in the $262,500 Major League Show Jumping (MLSJ) Team Competition, presented by Hagyard Equine Medical Institute, on Friday during Leg 8 at the Kentucky International, held alongside the iconic Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event in Lexington, Ky.
After ending both Season 3 and 4 on top of the leaderboard, the Trailblazers—owned by Cara Raether Carey—started to make their move on a hat trick. Team members Charlotte Jacobs (USA) riding Rincoola Milsean (Aldatus Z x Cruising), Lillie Keenan (USA) aboard Chagrin d’Amour (Candy de Nantuel x Stakkato) and Abdel Saïd (BEL) on Max (Grandorado TN x Andiamo) were called up to the winning squad this week.
Abdel Saïd and Max. Photo © MLSJ / Meraki Creative Group.
“At the end of the season, every point matters for us,” said Keenan after the Trailblazers closed the gap between them and current overall leader Maccabi United. “We're sitting in second, and we hope to make that first after next week.”
The League next moves to the Monterrey Finals in Mexico, April 29 - May 2, where double points are on the line in team competition.
“All three of our horses were aiming for Kentucky,” continued Keenan. “The atmosphere of the three-day week here is so special. The best horses grow in that situation, and for us, it proved to be an advantage.”
Charlotte Jacobs and Rincoola Milsean. Photo © MLSJ / Meraki Creative Group.
Both Keenan and Saïd started the team off with clear rounds in the opening speed phase, while Jacobs pulled one unlucky rail. Their score was enough to keep them above the cutline and advance to the jump-off, where Jacobs posted a pivotal clear on the board alongside another foot-perfect round from Keenan. Together, they sent Saïd to the medal round to jump for gold against Maccabi United’s Mark Bluman (COL) riding Ubiluc (Ubiko x Lucian).
“I was disappointed in my riding in the first round,” admitted Jacobs, who returned to Rolex Stadium this week with “Roy” after earning podium successes there in the past. “I really wanted to bring it home for the team and knew that he's naturally quick, so I just tried to stay on a solid clear.”
Despite one rail on the floor, Saïd stopped the clock at 46.21 seconds after three penalty seconds were added. Bluman had three rails down to add nine seconds and finish nearly four ticks (49.96) off the winning pace over Guilherme Jorge’s (BRA) course.
Friday night marked the Trailblazers' second victory of the season after also winning at CSI Greenwich last fall.
Lillie Keenan and Chagrin d’Amour. Photo © MLSJ / Meraki Creative Group.
“The team spirit is incredible,” said Saïd, a Trailblazers rookie joining the podium with two veteran team riders. “We know each other very well, and it’s a lot of fun to be here with them. I think Major League is a fantastic tour on all levels.”
Bluman was joined as the runner-up by Maccabi United teammates Thaisa Erwin (AUS) on Koberlina TN (Eldorado vd Zeshoek x Verdi TN) and his cousin Daniel Bluman (ISR) riding Hummer Z (Harley VDL x Hemmingway). In third, the Northern Lights buoyed their season position with a much-needed podium after Canada's own Kyle Timm and Glamour du Chanu (L’Arc de Triomphe x Papillon Rouge) bested Roadrunner’s Laura Kraut (USA) on Kaylee (Carrera VDL x Numero Uno) in the bronze medal jump-off.
The Kentucky International—held at the Kentucky Horse Park—joins The League this season as the penultimate event of the schedule. Action continues at the Kentucky International CSI5*, presented by Hagyard Equine Medical Institute, as the week culminates in the $340,000 CSI5* Grand Prix on Saturday at 7pm ET.
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