Traverse City, MI – August 8, 2025—The fifth season of Major League Show Jumping hit full stride Friday at the Great Lakes Equestrian Festival, presented by B&D Builders, where Team Helios topped the $312,500 Cabana Coast Team Competition to seize an early lead in the overall standings.
Marina Azevedo (BRA) set the track for the evening’s event, which welcomed eight teams of three riders in the unique MLSJ format.
Team Helios, led by Helena Stormanns, got off to a strong start in round one, with two riders recording clear efforts, making the cut into the top four. In round two, Michael Duffy (IRL) aboard RMH Clinton Son and Rene Dittmer (GER) with Cody 139 produced two more clears to secure the team’s spot in the gold-medal jump-off. Returning in second place, the rest was up to final rider Roberto Teran (COL) and Dez’ Ooktoff.
Teran was the only Team Helios rider with previous experience in the MLSJ format, and his jump-off round proved to be a clutch one. He put just enough pressure on Julien Anquetin (FRA) and Blood Diamond du Pont, who came up short, taking the silver medal for the Roadrunners. Bronze went to the Trelawny Trailblazers after the day’s fastest jump-off time from Philip McGuane (IRL) and Paso Doble SCF.
“The second round was so important for us to be on the podium and be top two,” Teran reflected after the win. “That’s why we sent in the faster guys in the second round. They did a great job, and I just had to do a clear round. It happened and we’re here.”
Teran knew he could depend on his partner Dez’ Ooktoff, the big-strided 17-year-old stallion he’s piloted at the world’s top events.
“He has jumped all over the world – Aachen, Olympics, World Equestrian Games – he’s one of my top horses,” Teran continued. “He has given me everything. He can jump any five-star in the world, and he’s just a sweet guy.”
Helena Stormanns was intentional about crafting her team, which also includes her son, Tony Stormanns (GER), Richard Vogel (GER), and Genevieve Meyer (USA).
“I like having experienced riders,” she said of her thought process when selecting athletes. “It’s good to get a couple young ones on there, like Genevieve or Tony, but you need good, solid riders to get the job done. I’m so proud we got to win this week. We have a good mix of experienced riders and young riders.”
Duffy, at just age 30, checks both of Stormanns’ boxes, as he’s competed all over the world and in various international team competitions. With RMF Clinton Son, Duffy didn’t touch a pole throughout the two rounds of jumping.
“I’ve done lots of global tours and nations cups, so when the opportunity came up it was super to come and see new parts of the world and a new format,” Duffy said of his opportunity to join the MLSJ tour. “The jump-off aspect made it very interesting and competitive. It’s another feather in our cap as riders.”
Dittmer and Cody 139 are newer to the five-star level as a pair, but in their first visit to Traverse City, they proved they belonged in MLSJ action.
“I got Cody last year and since then he’s developed unbelievably,” Dittmer said of the 10-year-old gelding. “He showed today he’s ready to do this. It’s a lot of pressure when you come in, and I was thinking about how fast I need to go in my round because there were a couple teams with one down. I wanted to, for sure, jump clear. It’s exciting.”
With a revised format this year, including the opportunity to earn team points at each stop in the Qualifier and Grand Prix, Teran is excited for the rest of the season to come.
“I think it’s great because every year they keep improving and making it more exciting and competitive,” he shared. “It’s great that the grand prix points are also included. Every year it’s a little bit better and we’re excited.”
Team Helios now sits atop the leaderboard, but only by a margin of one point. Maccabi United is close behind, just missing the podium but benefitting from Daniel Bluman’s (ISR) win in the 5* Qualifier earlier in the week.
Five-star riders will return to the Turtle Creek Casino & Hotel International Ring for Saturday’s $340,000 B&D Builders CSI5* Grand Prix.
Complete results from the $312,500 Cabana Coast CSI5* MLSJ Team Competition can be found here.
Skylar Wireman Keeps Winning in $32,000 Munson Health Care CSI2* Speed
Fresh off her double gold medal performance at the FEI North American Youth Championships, Skylar Wireman (USA) kept her momentum rolling Friday, topping a 58-horse field in the $32,000 Munson Healthcare CSI2* Speed. Riding Cielo, owned by Justin Resnik, she claimed the win by a convincing margin.
“He’s actually the son of my horse Citoki who’s here this week jumping the five-star,” Wireman said of Cielo, a 10-year-old American Warmblood gelding (Citoki x Quick Star). “Citoki came along after I’d been riding Cielo.”
Cielo jumped a few national grand prix before spending a year jumping the 1.15m with a junior rider. Back under Wireman’s saddle, they’re continuing their quest for top sport.
“I’ve had him for a couple years now,” she continued. “I did him as a 6-year-old and I just got him back [from a lease] this summer. He’d never done FEI so now this week he’s really shown up to the party. I think he’s going to be a top horse.”
Coming into Friday’s class, Wireman knew she could be competitive, but with such a large start list she was just hoping to take home a solid placing.
“I knew that he’s done a few speed classes and he’s quite a fast horse,” she said. “He’s very cat-like and can think about turning. He’s picked up a lot at home with smaller turns. I knew I could go for it a bit. I didn’t expect to win it, but I wanted a top-five ribbon.”
Wireman had the unique opportunity to spend some time training with some of the very best in the sport this summer, so she’s been absent from U.S. horse shows, but for good reason.
“I got to spend two months in Europe this summer working with Laura Kraut and Nick Skelton through Road to the Top,” she explained. “I couldn’t be more grateful for their support. It’s a wonderful program and to spend time with people at the top of the sport is very valuable. It was an amazing experience and I learned a lot.”
Now back on her home soil, along with the help of her mother, Shayne, and some remote guidance from Peter Wylde, Wireman’s success is showing in spades. Her unbeatable performance at NAYC provided some extra confidence, and she feels that all her horses are going as well as they ever have.
“I think it [gave me confidence] especially because NAYC has eluded me for so many years,” she said of her feat. “Winning everything and staying so consistent throughout the week I feel like I’m on point and it gives me confidence that I can keep winning these classes.”
In second place was Erynn Ballard (CAN) riding Chatadel PS, and Jessica Mendoza (GBR) took third with I-Cap CL Z.
Earlier in the day in the Polk Family Jumper Ring, Hannah Barker of Northallerton, NY, topped the 1.20m Jumper, presented by Brook Ledge Horse Transportation, riding Escola du Golfe.
The 11th season of GLEF proudly hosted its first-ever FEI Nations Cup, highlighting six weeks of FEI competition running through August 10. GLEF also featured the FEI North American Youth Championships and the return of Major League Show Jumping CSI5* competition to Traverse City. Catch up on all the action here.
About Traverse City Horse Shows
Traverse City Horse Shows (TCHS) offers 13 weeks of top equestrian competition each summer at Flintfields Horse Park in Williamsburg, Michigan—just 15 minutes from downtown Traverse City. The venue blends world-class sport with the natural beauty of Northern Michigan and features 12 weeks of FEI-ranked events, including three five-stars and an FEI Nations Cup CSIO3*.
The season culminates in the three-week Tournament of Champions, highlighted by the $340,000 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ CSI5*-W—Traverse City and $340,000 American Gold Cup CSI5*. New this year, the $100,000 Dudley and Barb Smith 3’6” Equitation Championship and $50,000 Cherry Capital 3’3” Equitation Championship deliver big prize money and prestige to the equitation ranks.
For more information on the season, visit TraverseCityHorseShows.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for updates.
