Rockwood, Toronto, Ontario, Canada – August 15, 2024 – Canada’s own Jacqueline Steffens Daly (CAN) is no stranger to Major League Show Jumping (MLSJ) victories with longtime mount Freaky. She returned to the spotlight on Thursday evening by taking top call in the BFL Qualifier CSI 5* on opening day of Major League Show Jumping Toronto during leg two of season four.
With Freaky, Steffens Daly has collected eight MLSJ team podiums during her time as a member of Team Eye Candy. Now she’s chasing individual glory with the 14-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding (Darco x Litho X) she owns with Team Eye Candy.
“The focus this week is the grand prix; I tried to prioritize tidy turns and going forward where I could but balancing for the fences themselves,” she said.
Steffens Daly stopped the clock at 41.46 seconds in a fiercely quick 8-horse jump-off over Guilherme Jorge‘s (BRA) course. “Freaky feels in amazing form, so I think we are going in strong for the grand prix and excited about it.”
A bright star on the horizon of U.S. show jumping, Alessandra Volpi (USA) left it all on the line but finished five tenths of a second off the pace to take second riding Candy Luck Z, an impressive nine-year-old Zangersheide mare by Comme Il Faut 5.
Thursday was a good day at the office for the entire Daly family as Jacqueline’s husband, Dylan (IRL), jumped onto the podium in third aboard Cinderella Z, a 14-year-old Chacco-Blue mare owned by Double C Stables.
The 5* Kubota Grand Prix takes center stage on Saturday evening and has Steffens Daly chasing superstitions. During the three MLSJ seasons, it has become customary for the qualifier winner at MLSJ Toronto to also win the grand prix. Daniel Bluman (ISR) stole the honor in both 2021 and 2022 before Kent Farrington (USA) did it in 2023.
“No pressure,” joked Steffens Daly.
Five-star action continues at Angelstone Tournaments on Friday as teams chase the Trelawny Trailblazers’ early season lead in the highly anticipated $300,000 Cabana Coast Team Competition CSI 5* at MLSJ Toronto. Tune in live at 8:20pm ET on MLSJ TV.
Final Results – $62,500 BFL Qualifier CSI 5*
1) Jacqueline Steffens Daly (CAN) & Freaky – 0 / 0 – 41.46
2) Alessandra Volpi (USA) & Candy Luck Z – 0 / 0 – 41.96
3) Dylan Daly (IRL) & Cinderella Z – 0 / 0 – 42.04
Source: Press Release from MLSJ – Major League Show Jumping
Photos: © MLSJ / Mackenzie Clark
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Categories: CSI 5*, English, Jumper News Canada
