MLSJ Rules
Major League Show Jumping blends elite 5* sport with a modern league structure built around strategy, selection, and season-long points. Each tour stop features three marquee events:
Results from these three events determine both the Team Championship and the Individual Championship at the Final.
Team Series
Your guide to the format, scoring, and season-long race for the Team Championship.
MLSJ features eight co-ed franchise teams, each built with six top-ranked international riders, including one encouraged U25 athlete. Structured around a season-long points system, the Team Series blends elite talent with strategy and selection.
Across the calendar, team managers choose three riders per event to compete in the 5* Team Competition. While all riders may jump in the Qualifier and Grand Prix, team selections are tactical—based on form, chemistry, and horsepower for the venue.
Format
At each tour stop, the Team Competition unfolds in three rounds:
Round 1
Eight teams with three riders jump a 1.50m course with the goal of surviving elimination. The top four teams with the fewest faults and fastest combined time move on to round two.
All three scores count toward the Round 1 total.
Round 2
It’s all about speed. Four teams return with two riders to take on a shortened course. Scored like R1, the top two teams in R2 will move on to battle for Gold, and the bottom two for Bronze.
Fastest combined time of two riders advances.
Round 3
It’s a head to head race for the podium where every fence down adds three seconds to their time. Each of the 4 teams will send in their fastest, final “anchor” rider to secure Gold, Silver or Bronze.
A fast, clean anchor round is often the difference between medals.
How Teams Earn Points
Teams can score points at each leg based on their finish in the three main events: the 5* Qualifier, Team Competition, and Grand Prix.
Only the highest placed rider from each team can earn points in the Qualifier and Grand Prix—teams cannot score with multiple riders in the same class. If a team does not have a placed rider, they will not earn points in that class.
Points are awarded using a 1× multiplier for the Qualifier, a 2× multiplier for the Grand Prix, and a 3× multiplier for the Team Competition.
At the Final, points are worth double.
The Championship Race
The Team Championship is won across the calendar. Points earned through all three 5* classes build the standings—turning podiums, jump-off decisions, and anchor performances into leverage.
With $4M in prize money allocated to the Team Competition for 2025–26 and both weekly and season-end bonuses in play, consistency across venues becomes the separating factor.
The Final sets the outcome. The highest-scoring team is crowned MLSJ Team Champion; if tied, finishing order at the Final becomes the decider.
