October 23, 2022 
“I can always count on Antidote,” said Bliss Heers (USA) after team Helios’s win in Friday’s Major League Show Jumping (MLSJ) CSI5* Team Competition in San Miguel de Allende.
For 12-year-old stallion Antidote de Mars it was already a job well done in Mexico. But the pair was still set to go out under the lights one more time on Saturday for the highly anticipated GNP Seguros CSI5* Grand Prix.
Once again, Antidote proved he’s a horse to rely on, this time achieving a career defining finish. The pair jumped the Olaf Peterson shortened track in a brisk 33.32 seconds, which is exactly what Heers needed to win her first 5* Grand Prix.
The win is special to Heers, no doubt, but it is Antidote who truly has her heart.
“Antidote is a magnificent creature. He’s a gift from God. He’s a unicorn. There are no words to describe him. I mean, he’s as chill as they come. But the most incredible athlete, I think, in the world,” gushed Heers.
Her affections for the stallion aren’t just rooted in the success, nor accolades accrued thus far in their career together. It was a connection established on day one. After a bad accident on a younger horse that resulted in an injury and rattled confidence, Heers needed a partnership that was solid and unconditional to reach the championship level again.
“Even though I was barely riding at the time, we just clicked. When I rode him I felt like he just wanted to take care of me. It didn’t matter what I asked of him, he just wanted to do a good job, and that’s all I can ask,” said Heers in a reflection of their first ride in 2018.
Fast forward to today and she’s “…covered in champagne and sweat,” laughed Heers.
Jokes aside, ringing out a champagne soaked jacket after riding your heart out is evidence enough of a good night class. But the prospect of winning the 5* Grand Prix at MLSJ San Miguel de Allende started off as just that; lighthearted banter.
“It’s really surreal. It’s funny because we were joking about it all summer long, that we’re going to get to Mexico and we were going to win the Grand Prix. So it was all building up to ‘Let’s win the Grand Prix in San Miguel,'” said Heers.
Her record supports the lofty aspiration. She’d been zeroing in on a 5* Grand Prix win for some time now, landing third on the podium in a CSI5* Grand Prix in Wellington this winter and again in the Netherlands this summer.
On the MLSJ tour Heers helped Helios to their first of now four wins in Vancouver, then headed over to Europe for a bulk of the summer. She’s now officially back in the MLSJ game with the team that leads in both league points and camaraderie, to which she also credits her new level of success.
“I’m very happy to be back with the Major League. I spent all summer abroad and I missed out on a bunch of shows. Major League has just brought everyone together, all the riders. There’s a camaraderie that really didn’t exist before. And it’s just so inspiring. So every day, you know, you’re rooting for your teammates,” said Heers.
One of those teammates on Saturday was Karl Cook (USA), who had to sit out of Friday’s Team Competition because his horse was under the weather. He and 12-year-old mare Kalinka Van’t Zorgvliet finished second with a time of 34.14 seconds in Saturday’s Grand Prix. In team Helios, you can still have friendly competition while rooting for your teammates.
“I knew I could go flat out…Karl was incredibly fast as were his turn backs. The mare covers ground incredibly. I knew I had to come out of the five stride coming around the corner if I wanted to see that one less to the vertical,” explained Heers, citing her team’s unwavering support system for giving her the extra boost of confidence to ride bolder lines, and take out the strides she needed to shave just enough time off the clock.
“When you’re positive and you know you have a team behind you that supports you, it changes your whole mentality. You stop thinking ‘what if’ what if? And you start thinking ‘let’s go. I can do it,'” said Heers.
Fellow Helios rider Eugenio Garza (MEX), who rode through agonizing back pain in Friday’s Team Competition, also finished top ten in Saturday’s Grand Prix with 11-year-old mare Contago.
“I’m really happy right now…I’m kind of speechless. God is great. My horse is great. My whole team has been so supportive and what an experience.”
Rounding out the podium was Northern Lights rider Vanessa Mannix (CAN) and nine-year-old gelding Kingston, finishing third on 36.05 seconds.
