Rockwood, Toronto, Ontario, Canada – August 16, 2024 – There’s a new team in town and they were on fire at Major League Show Jumping (MLSJ) – Toronto. With fresh names joining their 2024 lineup, Helios topped the 5* Team Competition at Angelstone Tournaments on Friday night to take over the top spot in the season standings from reigning champions, Trelawny Trailblazers.

Under the bright lights of Angelstone—the second of three Canadian stops on the MLSJ tour—Helios brought Ireland’s David O’Brien (IRL) to the gold-medal round against the Desert International Horse Park’s Roadrunners.

O’Brien jumped off against former Helios rider, Ashlee Bond (ISR), who now riders under the Roadrunners banner.

“My horse was ready to jump tonight,” said O’Brien, who piloted El Balou OLD to only two time faults in the opening round.

After Bond (ISR) and Elka de la Pomme pulled two rails in the faults-converted face-off for gold, O’Brien had a ten-second cushion in his pocket. “We wanted to get points on the board early here then towards the end of the season, hopefully we can be ahead,” said O’Brien. “That’s exactly what we did tonight.”

Helios brings a completely fresh roster to the 2024 season with all three of Friday night’s athletes being newcomers to The League.

“It was great experience for me in my first time with Major League, and it’s nice to start with a bang,” said Abdel Saïd (BEL), who’s leads his team into MLSJ Ottawa with guarded confidence. “I think in this sport, ego brings you down. We start on zero again next week. But it’s, for sure, very motivating, and it gives a lot of confidence, especially that we’re all new [to The League].”

Saïd put up a clear second round after a time fault in the first aboard Figueras de Laume.

The only rider to execute a double-clear performance for her team was California’s Skylar Wireman (USA) riding Tornado.

“My goal [in the second round] was to put another clear round in and be fast enough so that if there was a bunch of clears, we didn’t miss out,” said Wireman, who mastered both Guilherme Jorge’s (BRA) tracks. “I did just what I wanted to do. I walked in for the jump up, and it was real enough; the turn back to the Kubota vertical was tall, and it was enough track that you had to be a real contender.”

The Roadrunners took silver with Bond (ISR) teaming up with Jessica Mendoza (GBR) on In The Air and Samuel Hutton (GBR) aboard Melusina BVL Z.

The bronze went to 2023 season champions, the Trailblazers, who now sit second in the season standings. Their squad included Philip McGuane (IRL) on Ophea HQ, Lillie Keenan (USA) riding Kick On and Daniel Bluman (ISR) aboard Gemma W.

The focus shifts to the MLSJ individual standings on Saturday night at Angelstone Tournaments as the $200,000 Kubota Grand Prix CSI 5* goes under the lights at MLSJ Toronto. Tune in live at 8:20pm ET on MLSJ TV.

Final Results – $300,000 Cabana Coast Major League Show Jumping of Toronto – Team Competition CSI 5*

1) Team Helios

2) Team Desert International Horse Park’s Roadrunners

3) Team Trailblazers

Source: Press Release from MLSJ – Major League Show Jumping

Photos: © MLSJ / Mackenzie Clark

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