Classic Eventing Nation

Ballaghmor Class and Oliver Townend. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

We knew we’d be looking at a true 5* test after hearing the riders react to Ian Stark’s final cross country design here at the MARS Maryland 5 Star, presented by Brown Advisory. As we waited in the viewing tent at the finish, we watched Harry Meade and Away Cruising going out of the box as the first on course (original trailblazer Jessica Phoenix withdrew Fluorescent Adolescent ahead of cross country this morning), figuring we’d be watching a deceptively easy first trip around. But then Harry reached the top of the hill to the MARS Sustainability Bay, jumped the long route bounce, and then pulled up. His horse was lame, and quickly the tone of the day changed.

First, a quick update as I know we’re all concerned about Away Cruising, and I’m happy report that while he did lose a shoe and seems to have some bruising on his foot, radiographs came back clean and he will be ok to fight another day.

We then welcomed Lillian Heard Wood and the ageless LCC Barnaby home after delivering a solid round with one missed flag penalty and time, and the ship began to feel somewhat righted for the rest of the field yet to come. It was riding tough, but was still early, and our first rider to interview predicted the time would be achievable.

We were certainly wrong.

Oliver Townend and Ballaghmor Class. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

A few horses later, we waited with trepidation as overnight leaders Tamie Smith and Mai Baum headed out of the startbox. After jumping the first half of the course in classic Mai Baum style, the German gelding began to tire up the huge pull to the highest point of the course, and just before the most intense parts of the track. Tamie made the decision to pull him up before the influential Sawmill Slices, therefore ending her bid for a second 5* win in the 18-year-old gelding’s final event at the level.

In the end, we would see just eight finishers out of the original 22 starters, which would later drop by one when Boyd Martin withdrew Tsetserleg after falling with Commando 3 at fence 3. This makes for a 38% completion rate, just over 50% less than the 64% completion rate we saw in 2023 over a very similar course.

So this leaves Oliver Townend and Ballaghmor Class atop the podium and poised for a fourth 5* victory after delivering a clear round with 12 seconds of time, sitting on a two-day score of 31.3.

Before we get too deep into the leaderboard, let’s talk about, well, what everyone’s talking about: the course and the numbers.

First, it’s easy to look at this completion rate and think “wow, that was carnage” — and certainly in many ways, it was. It’s also easy to look at the numbers and wonder if the course was unfair or dangerous.

Putting my opinion hat on for a moment, I don’t believe it was a course issue. Now, does this mean I also unequivocally believe this course is perfect? I’m not sure I’m really qualified to make that judgement, but from my view as an observer I do know there are multiple opinions on it since this event began. In fairness, the same can generally be said about most of the other 5* events as they — and the sport – have evolved.

To back this up, I went into the numbers from 2023, which saw nearly the exact same track built by Ian. He changed a few fences this year, moved some things around, made some adjustments to lines based on what he saw last year, but in many ways it was very similarly routed.

David Doel and Galileo Nieuwmoed. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

If you look closely, the leaderboard from 2023 also bears some similarities to its 2024 counterpart. After cross country last year, the top three placings were held by British horses (Cooley Rosalent, Graffenacht, Brookfield Cavalier Cruise). Two strong American horses who also competed here this year, Sorocaima and LCC Barnaby, jumped around clear. Hannah Sue Hollberg and Mia Farley also finished strong, with Mia being the only one to catch the optimum time. Nine pairs were eliminated or retired. The remaining four horses who completed cross country last year all collected jumping penalties.

Cool as a cucumber, Jennie Brannigan navigates the MARS Sustainability Bay with Twilightslastgleam. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

So, yes, the optics of this year’s result look worse, on paper. But the story is still the same: this course is tough, and the strong cross country horses emerge on top. It’s no secret the British are strong on these types of courses; more than once, the Maryland track has been compared to Burghley in terms of terrain and its stamina element. So it should really not be a surprise to see two very seasoned, proven English horses in possession of the top two spots (and another in fourth), and an equally strong New Zealand pair (Tim Price and Falco) holding third. It should also not be a surprise, after looking at last year’s results, that Sorocaima with Buck Davidson now holds fourth place, and save a 15 penalty mark for missing a flag, Lillian Heard Wood and LCC Barnaby also delivered a strong performance. Another strong horse on cross country for the U.S. is Jennie Brannigan‘s Twilightslastgleam, who delivered a clear aside from a 15 penalty mark for missing a flag at 17 (the Sawmill Slices).

Oliver Townend and Ballaghmor Class. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Oliver Townend and Tim Price both spoke to this after their rides.

“Brilliant, Ian,” Oliver, who has competed at this event since its inception in 2021, said. “I know it’s been a tough day, but this event is going to be as important as Badminton, Burghley, and Kentucky. Nothing comes near these four events. I thought last year was plenty tough enough. And I think, you know, it’s Ian’s last year. Why shouldn’t he let his imagination go a little wild? He wanted to build a five-star, and that’s what he’s done. And it’s a fair course. It’s just, you know, we haven’t got 80 runners, so when 23 set off and only 10 or 12 come home, it doesn’t look great. But that’s nothing to do with being an unfair track. It’s just the the field and and the way it’s panned out.”

Tim, who sits third on Sue Benson’s Falco (the horse he competed with in Paris this summer and with whom he won Pau in 2021), echoed this. “[Equiratings] needs to look at the world ranking of riders and use that as a part of the benchmark that they’re measuring against when building things to do with ratio of riders to clear rounds,” he said. “I think if you had more riders of mine and Ollie’s ilk and there’s others — I’m gonna apologize for leaving people out, this is an abbreviation of the top riders — if you had a few more of those, I think you’d see more clear rounds and good rounds. You know, they’re good on good horses, and they’ve mastered these courses after they’ve walked them a few times, and they will come out with a plan and and nail it, but look, it’s just a decent track. I think you would still see good combinations struggling, whether it was with the time or whether it was with a combination here or there, or a jump here and there. It’s five-star.”

Bubby Upton, who jumped a beautiful, gritty mostly-clear with Cola save a frangible pin at the coffin, also summed up the ask that Ian Stark puts on his courses quite well:

“The thing is, with Ian, why he’s so clever, and why the course rode so tough, is because if you commit to the straight route, basically you’re in and there’s no room for error,” she said. “So that’s kind of where we then pay quite a high price if it goes wrong.”

So, where does this leave us?

David Doel and Gaileo Nieuwmoed. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

We’ve got Oliver Townend with the seemingly ageless Ballaghmor Class in first, followed by David Doel and Galileo Nieuwmoed, who took Mia’s place this year and were the sole pair to catch the time (doing so grandly, coming home nearly 24 seconds fast), and Tim Price in third with Falco. Buck Davidson leapt his way up to third place despite a broken martingale on course with Sorocaima, and Bubby Upton would’ve been placed higher but broke the pin at the A element of the Irish Horse Board Coffin Question and now sits in fourth with Cola on a score of 50.5. Jennie Brannigan and Twilightslastgleam, sitting fifth overnight with time and the flag penalty added today for a two-phase score of 52.3.

Equiratings now gives Oliver a 51% chance to pick up another 5* win with Ballaghmor Class, who adds a legend-status 12th cross country completion at the level to his resume.

“He’s been phenomenal,” Oliver, who was visibly emotional about this horse of a lifetime in the mixed zone, said. “I worked him this morning and he spooked at a bin, wouldn’t go past the generator, and I thought, ‘yeah, it’s hopefully gonna be a good day.’ It’s his sharpness and his strength, and that’s why I’m lucky enough to have kept the ride on him. Only a couple of people ever tried him, but they got off fairly rapidly. One fell off and one got off! So yeah, I’m just very privileged. He is a special horse.”

David Doel has been knocking on the door of a 5* win for what feels like ages. His closest call came with a second place finish at Burghley last year, and now he finds himself in similar stead with the speedy round he delivered aboard the 13-year-old KWPN gelding today.

“We didn’t actually have the best of preparations,” David said. “We were originally aiming for Burghley and Galileo actually had a bit of an infection in his hock following Luhmühlen. So it was either go back to Pau or come out here, and I know we’ve got a good galloping and jumping horse underneath me there.”

“He was ten seconds up at about the seven minute mark,” he continued. “And I just sort of felt like he kept on cruising, really. I just had him gallop underneath me, and he’s just so smooth to ride — I don’t really need to do too much on top. He was phenomenal in his assessing of the flags today, and really tried to make sure you jump between the flags. It was almost a little bit embarrassing going that quick. But it just was within his stride. I never really felt like I was pushing him. I never felt like it was actually going to go into his limit.”

Tim Price and Falco. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

I would certainly not say there was a question mark around Falco‘s suitability for a bigger, beefier track than what he would have seen at Pau or Paris, but Tim acknowledges that for a horse that’s got just 28% Thoroughbred blood, it would on paper be a challenging ask. I found his approach to the course today fascinating, though, so I’ll let him speak for himself:

“He’s always had a bit of a system where we start out quiet, we build up through the middle, and we push at the end,” he described. “And [there’s hardly] been one occasion where we’ve had him racing from the start. When you’re asking a horse that, it might not be this most natural thing to push and to dig and to find a second wind and to stay balanced, not just blindly running. You do it in a way that you’re asking something that they’ve got to give. I was quiet at the start. [Giving] him clean jumping is the other thing. I’m giving him good distances. He’s not up against anything. [The jumps are] just passing underneath. So that’s good for energy conserving. And then let’s ask a little more as he goes, and it’s a bit of a rinse and repeat. I’ve done it lots of times now, so he knows that he can do it, and he has belief in himself.”

Tim picked up 7.2 time penalties, but the result is good enough to put him within a rail of Oliver and Ballaghmor Class, .1 penalties behind David’s 34.5.

Buck Davidson and Sorocaima. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Buck Davidson is the top-placed American, sitting fourth with Sorocaima on a score of 39.2. “Look, he’s a great cross country horse,” Buck said, noting that he’d had to change his bridle due to FEI rules and decided to put on the ill-fated martingale as a result. The breakage of the martingale did cause some rideability difficulty, but Buck got the job done. “Last year, the Sunken Road was a bit funny, and this year it was like he’d done it before. I’m pretty happy with him. When you go up past eight minutes [on a Thoroughbred], you think, ‘whew, I’m still going!’. His steering wasn’t amazing today, but maybe I shouldn’t have put the martingale on. He’s amazing. He tries to get through the flags even if there’s no chance, so I couldn’t be happier.”

Buck has been vocal in the past about his thoughts on this Maryland track, and in contrast to some of his fellow riders, he actually has had some gripes about the difficulty — as in, he thinks in some ways it’s not quite up to 5* standard.

“I mean, it’s a different kind of five-star,” he said today. “I’m not sure it’s really five-star, to be honest with you, but it’s hard enough work. The way he’s tightened the ropes up, it’s not as flowing and the horses do have to work to get around here. I think Morven Park is harder, if I’m being honest. I think the hills, yeah it feels pretty hard at that top water if you’re not on a Thoroughbred, but I think usually the let-up fences at a five-star are really big, and they’re not big here. They’re almost, in a way, too small. The worst jump we had was at that little log before the [Foxcatcher Flyer at 24]. If there was a big jump there, that might maybe help a little bit. But it’s unique and different and it still has to be jumped. It doesn’t appear that many people have finished, because I don’t see a lot of people here [in the vet box], so maybe I just have a really good horse.”

Tamie Smith and Mai Baum. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Looking to the rest of the field, as I mentioned earlier we saw Tamie pull Mai Baum up after running out at the Sawmill Slices at 17. It had always been her plan that if she had any trouble, she’d pull up, and for her, it was an easy decision.

“I think that that long pull on that hill, I just got to the top and he ran out of steam,” Tamie told me, out grazing Lexus. “He felt great all over through the whole thing and then just that whole climb he just ran out of steam. Nothing technical, he looks great now. He thinks he finished. “I already said if I had a problem I would stop. Honestly, Maryland’s terrain…I don’t know whether Lexus could have ever been able to withstand that. He did everything really easy and he’s good and he’s happy. Just the prep coming in, he could’ve maybe had another run or another gallop — or maybe not, I’m not sure. But the most important thing is he’s happy.”

Boyd Martin had a weekend he’d like to forget, first falling from Mo Chroi in the 3* earlier in the day and subsequently withdrawing Barney Rubble so he could regroup for his two 5* riders. He then fell with his first 5* horse, the debutant Commando 3, at the A element of fence 3, the Select Event Group’s Locust Log Pond, when the horse got his back legs tangled up over the fence and sent both of them tumbling into the water. Thankfully, both horse and rider are ok. Boyd opted to withdraw Tsetserleg and will now focus on the two horses he’s got running at Pau next weekend.

Bubby Upton and Cola are fifth after cross country. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Cosby Green also had a down day, logging three refusals (two at the coffin and the last at the Sawmill Slices) after a really strong start with Highly Suspicious and therefore ended her weekend prematurely.

In terms of his final course, Ian shared some thoughts with us at the end of the day.

“The ones that got around looked phenomenal, and there were others that I thought looked amazing but had a hiccup that could have happened anywhere, anytime, and it stopped them completing,” he reflected. “But I thought there was some great riding and some fabulous horses, and there were some green combinations that they had the odd hiccup that they’ll learn from. The main thing, from my point of view, is the horses and riders are all at home in one piece and ready for another day.”

We are happy to report that no injuries to horse or rider have been reported from the 5* today. In the 3*, one rider, Kiersten Miller, did have screens put up after her horse landed on her at the Timber Rails early on in the course. We did receive reports that Kiersten was back on her feet, but have not received any further reports on her or her horse at this time. We will work on getting an update from Kiersten.

We now move on to show jumping tomorrow, and the final trot-up has been pushed to 9:30 a.m. Show jumping will then begin with the 3* at 11:35 a.m. EST, followed by the 5* at around 3:00 p.m.

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The B element of the Brown Advisory Canoe and Cascade.

The 2024 MARS Maryland 5 Star is not like any other year. This year we are saying goodbye to course designer Ian Stark as he retires from designing and turns his attention to coaching. I may not ride his courses, but I will miss seeing his bright smile and listening to his jokes as he gives the media the rundown on his latest course.

For his last CCI5* design, Ian has stuck mostly to his design of previous years, but with subtle and nuanced changes that will make a big difference to the pairs on course. Some feathers have been particularly ruffled by the second water. The fence is not only a picture frame-style keyhole, but also features water raining down from the top of the frame into the water below. Despite the controversy (what’s a 5* without a little added spice?), the riders all agree on one thing: Ian is a talented course designer and his tracks will be missed by everyone.

So, let’s get to it.

📣 Who said our title quote?
💪 Who’s worried about fitness?
🗻 Who’s surprised by the terrain?

Tamie Smith – 25.3 – 1st

“That’s a bit bittersweet too. I’ve known Ian since he had a dark, full head of hair. So, it’s a little bit sad. Selfishly, I’m thinking that maybe he’ll have more time for coaching, because he’s brilliant at that, and a great mentor. But what better place to have your last cross country than here in America, Maryland’s 5* So I think a lot of us are sad, and actually happy for him as well.”

Oliver Townend – 26.5 – 2nd

“Looking at the course, I don’t think we’ll be worrying about the dressage by the end of tomorrow. It’s a couple of degrees more difficult every time I’ve come here. The time was incredibly gettable the first two years, and year three and four– that definitely ain’t gonna happen. It’s big. TV isn’t going to do it justice, because you just cannot get over to people how many big jumps after big jumps, after big jumps with such accuracy as well. One trip, one slip, and you’re over. You need a lot of luck at 5*, but you need a willing partner. It’s going to be a proper, proper 5* competition.”

Bubby Upton – 26.7 – 3rd

“Ian’s definitely going out with a bang. It’s a really tough track. There’s four or five really, really difficult questions, he’s [Ian Stark] such a clever course builder. Oh my god, we’re going to miss him so much in this sport! Because basically when you commit to the straight route, you’re in and there’s no way of getting out, so there’s no room for error. Fingers crossed, I’ll have my A game on because like I said, it’s just my job to do Cola justice because I know that he’ll fight for me right to the end.”

Tim Price – 27.4 – 4th

“I have the utmost faith in Falco. He’s surprisingly good at galloping for a long time for a horse that’s only 28% blood and it’s there to be done, the job’s to be done. There’s some things that neither of us have seen before but I think we’re at the stage in our partnership to throw ourselves through.”

[Here we asked him about fence 10.]

“The water– yeah, I think it’s cute. I think Ian knows what he’s doing. We always put our faith in these world class designers that know how horses see things first and then try to make things a little bit scary for the rider. I think hopefully that’s what he’s done there [with the water]. It’ll just be a shame if even one horse had a stop at it. It’s not like we can practice that at home. So I’ve got my utmost faith in Ian, but yeah I think it’s a little bit gimmicky.”

Cosby Green – 28 – 6th

“It’s nice to be sitting on a good jumping horse out there. I think there’s a lot of scope questions and the terrain is quite hillier than I remember. Now that I’ve seen some more tracks, it is quite impressive– the terrain. Thankfully, he’s fit and ready to go and I can have trust in his scope and his fitness. The last water – the Crab – you gallop up to the top of the hill and then that’s a major scope and athleticism question, and I’m actually quite excited to do that with him.”

Lindsay Traisnel – 30.7 – 8th

“It’s not quite as scary as I thought! I just need to make sure I got all my lines right. If I just ride [Bacyrouge] right, he’ll do it.”

Harry Meade – 31.2 – 9th

“There’s lots to jump. I think the time will be tight. There’s obviously quite a few places where it’s very technical and slow.”

“It’s a proper course. I’m a big fan of Ian Stark’s courses. I’ve known him all my life, and I think we sort of have a shared philosophy on what eventing, what cross country, should be, and I slightly follow him around. I certainly follow him around Britain and Europe, and have gone as far as following him around the globe.”

“It’s a lovely flowing course. I think he’s been a little bit clever in places where the stringing of the course and some of the turns to get to the fences will waste a lot of time, and it really brings your average speed down. I like the course each year I come here. I missed last year, and the people who didn’t come the first two years, said ‘Oh it was beefed up so much!’ and I got here, and actually, it’s not that different. Obviously, there’s a few new questions, like the Sunken Road, which is a tough question, but I think it’s more a sort of mega speed bump to try and bring the speed down.”

“But you’ve got to have a horse that is brave, straight, keen, enjoys their job and is able to settle into a rhythm and gallop. So it’s one I’m really looking forward to getting my teeth stuck into and certainly, this is what makes me do the sport. It’s what makes me want to just keep going.”

Tiana Coudray – 31.9 – 10th

“I haven’t fully made my decisions on it yet. Overall, I’m pretty happy with it. There’s a lot of terrain, especially towards the end; that’s no surprise to anybody. There’s plenty to do out there. There’s some big jumps, there’s some big hills, but it’s a beautiful course. It’s beautifully laid out, and I think it’s there to be had. So hopefully we’re up to the task.”

Buck Davidson – 34 – 13th

“The ground is stiff enough. I think the course is mainly the same as last year. Ian Stark has maybe just softened that top water a little bit. It’s just going to slow people down a little more. Hopefully they can punch the ground and water the heck out of it. It’s nobody’s fault there’s not been any rain, but for sure, the ground is firm, and there’s a lot of jumps on downhills with drops and stuff, so I’d like to see it a little bit softer, I think they’re working on it.”

Grace Taylor – 34.1 – 14th

“It’s tough, but I think a lot of Ian as a course designer and I’m looking forward to trying to get it done.”

Colleen Loach – 34.1 – 14th

“The course looks great, really good. A lot to do, but there’s breaks here and there, too. So that’s kind of nice, but if Goldie is his usual self, he should storm around there. I’m not sure what the point is of the water feature [at fence 10], to be honest, for the horses. I think when the horses are going and they hear the water splashing, I’m not sure how much of a difference it will make, but I just don’t see the point.”

David Doel – 34.5 – 16th

“There’s real terrain out there. There’s some really big fences, some really decent combinations. It’s definitely not going to be a dressage competition this weekend.”

Ema Klugman – 35.6 – 18th

“The course is definitely beefy. In a weird way, it feels familiar, because a lot of it is similar to last year. The track is exactly the same and several of the jumps are kind of the same. I mean, not identical, but similar. So I’m definitely going to be reviewing the videos from last year tonight and seeing how people did it, and also where mistakes were made, and how those happen. But, I’m really excited to tackle it with Bronte. She’s a super honest, very brave, very scopey horse. This will be the biggest fitness test she’s ever done, so we have her really fit, and hopefully she gets a good night’s sleep. I don’t think I will, but I’m looking forward to it.”

Emily Hamel – 36.2 – 19th

“I’ve only walked it once. Everything looks pretty good. I need a little bit of a better plan in a couple of places, like the coffin, because he gave us a lot of options. It’s like, ‘How brave are you going to be?’ That’ll be interesting to see if people choose to go left or right. Then the crab water is always entertaining and there’s always a lot to do.”

Lillian Heard Wood – 38.6 – 20th

“It’s very similar to last year, which I did with this horse. So I know where I nearly had some trouble last year, so I’m going to be paying attention there. There are a few new things that I’ve got to wrap my head around. But, it’s a beautiful track, and they’re doing everything I can, and I’m excited about it.”

Jessie Phoenix – 39.3 – 21st

“Ian Stark has nailed it. It’s a beautiful 5* track. It’s big. It asks every single question. It’s really thoughtfully done, so if there’s any issues out there, you can still come home. I think he’s just a designer for the centuries. What he has given this sport is truly remarkable, and I think it’s such an honor to be able to go around his last course.”

Joe Meyer – 43.7 – 23rd

“It’s pretty big and tough. There’s a couple of combinations that I’m still sort of umming and ahhing about distance-wise and things. It’ll just depend a little bit how he jumps into them and stuff. I don’t think there’s anything he can’t do, but it’s all got to be done well. The hills will be a test as well, because this will be the hilliest course I’ve ridden. It’s quite a bit more than Kentucky; there’s plenty to do.”

MARS Maryland 5 Star: [Website] [Entries] [Tickets] [Timing & Scoring] [Live Stream] [Volunteer] [EN’s Coverage]

Our coverage of the MARS Maryland 5 Star is brought to you by our incredible supporters, Kentucky Performance Products, your one-stop shop for science-backed nutritional products to keep your horse feeling their best at all times. They’ll even get on the phone with you to help you formulate a solid supplementation plan for your horse’s individual needs! We’d really appreciate your support of KPP, as they’re champions for our sport and beyond and are wonderful people to boot. Check them out here.

Fence 25, the Fair Hill International Rollercoaster and Drop.

“I’m not sure I’ll be sleeping very well tonight,” joked Ema Klugman after we asked her how she was feeling about the MARS Maryland 5 Star cross country yesterday.

It’s a hallmark saying when riders take a walk around an Ian Stark-designed course, and it’s one he’s always gleefully acknowledged he doesn’t mind. Lucky (and sadly, really) for these riders, this morning marks the last one they’ll wake up from a fitful rest filled with nightmares of yawning ditches and jumping through waterfalls, as it also marks the opening of Ian Stark’s final cross country course here at the MARS Maryland 5 Star — and the final cross country course design of his legendary career.

While Ian didn’t toss every idea that’s ever floated into his brain out there as a last-ditch effort to tick some boxes, this year’s CCI5* track still stands on its own as a true test of mettle, stamina, and preparation. And of course, he’s perennially hesitant to definitively say if he’s happy with his designs or not, preferring to wait until the final horse crosses the finish safely to make that judgement. After all, while he’s quick to tell you he doesn’t mind if a rider loses an hour or two of sleep, it has remained paramount to him throughout his career that the horses must be able to read and understand the questions he sets, full stop.

As I sat down to write this preview, I started gathering quotes from Ian Stark, collected when he graciously came to the media center and sat down to give us a fence by fence preview. I asked my colleagues what stood out to them about his explainer, and quickly a theme emerged.

If you haven’t met Ian before (and I truly hope you get a chance to if you haven’t), he’s a really fascinating person. He oozes enthusiasm when he talks about his courses (or anything, honestly), and his dry sense of humor makes everything he says just a little funnier. He also Just. Really. Cares. about the horses on his courses. Yes, he believes in old-fashioned, bold cross country riding. Yes, he builds dimensionally enormous fences that demand absolute bravery and, failing that, a sturdy pair of Depends. But the amount of thought, of changing and tweaking and modifying — both on his part and on the part of his team of course builders, including Tyson Rementer, Jon Wells, and Mike Smallwood — is immeasurable. It’s difficult to put this into words, the effort made by so many to put on exciting, safe, fair cross country.

An example of one such question on this year’s course that Ian put some extra thought into after seeing it ride last year comes at the Sawmill Slices (18AB), the third water complex of four (though they’ll not enter the water here, at least not on purpose). Last year, Phillip Dutton had a fall on Azure at this question after missing his line and trying to get back to it. This year, Ian’s strategically placed small trees to help keep the riders on a good line here.

“There’s trees in the back of each element on the left to stop horses drifting left and landing in the water. I’m expecting them, these two, to jump [well]; they’re kind of imposing, but they’re understanding them to jump rather well. And there’s a tree on the approach to this, and that’s thanks to Philip last year. He missed the turn, he came back and he tried to get there. So I put the tree in to stop that line, and the tree in the back to try and keep horses straight.”

There are also long routes positioned at the combinations with more difficult lines, presenting an option should a rider not feel confident approaching a direct route.

The course for this year is set at an optimum time of 11 minutes, 15 seconds. In comparison to the three preceding years of this young 5*, it’s the second-longest optimum time. 2022’s optimum of 11 minutes, 30 seconds, is the lengthiest track this venue has seen, and that course saw a 58% completion rate.

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The course hasn’t changed a lot from 2023, running in the same direction and using a majority of the same combinations, though the look and feel of some of the above has been modified.

The B element of the Brown Advisory Canoe and Cascade.

One of the buzzy “new year, new me” changes on course comes at the second water, the Brown Advisory Canoe and Cascade (9). This jump features running or falling water on both the A and B elements, including water falling like rain from the framing above the jump at the B element. It’s been called “gimmicky” by more than one rider, though historically speaking if we look at past fences with running water, they haven’t generally caused any significant trouble. Jumping through falling water certainly could; the fact that by the time the 5* starts the sun will be fairly directly overhead and will therefore not be as likely to be casting weird lighting may help soften the visual challenge here.

Ian’s fairly nonplussed about the question.

“There’s been some talk about the B element,” he said. “People wondering how the horses are going to react. And way back, way back — remembering I’m 70 — when I was very young, we had two or three one-day events [that had] this, and they actually rode fine. So I just thought it was a bit of fun. If it had been raining, nobody would see the water. If it’s sunny, they can see it, but we’ve turned the water down. It’s dribbling more than running. One rider said to me that they were very unhappy about it, and then I said there is an alternative. You don’t have to jump in. And they said to me that, ‘yeah, but I can’t be competitive.’ And I went, ‘Okay, you can’t have it both ways.'”

The Irish Horse Board Coffin Question (12ABCD) is another key complex that will challenge riders accuracy and their horses’ rideability. Set on a downhill approach, the coffin features a frangible upright rail in, then a steep uphill to a log on the hill, followed by the rider’s choice of a left or right turn to a narrow brush.

“I brought the coffin back in this year, but I’ve given various choices,” Ian explained. “When we put the fence there, for me, the right hand line was there. It was obvious. But a lot of the riders have asked my opinion, and if you have a great ride, the right hand way is by far quicker, and it’ll take less out of your horse, and it should give you a really good feel. But if the horse leaves a leg on the rail, there’s no room for error. So you’ve kind of got to weigh up the risk factor.”

Here’s a look at Ian and Tyson Rementer at the coffin complex:

After the aforementioned Sawmill Slices at 17 and 18, riders will crest the big climb to the highest and furthest point on the course at the MARS Sustainability Bay (20ABC) and the MARS Sustainability Step and Angles (21ABCD and 22). There are plenty of options here if you can manage to remember them, but the direct route here is similar to last year, though some riders remarked that they feel the step up out of the water and the fences after have been slightly softened (which is not what I thought when I walked it, but this is reason #487 why I am a 5* writer, not rider).

Here is another example of small things that can be done to ensure a friendlier course to horses. “It is a two meter drop, so it’s maximum drop. We ramp the landing. The water is about an inch and a half deep, and the ground runs away, and I like doing that, just to soften [it]…I hate landing on flat ground because they land jarred and the you can feel it all the way up the horse’s legs, up the shoulders, and up through you. So if it’s a tiny bit of a ramp, it let’s them unfold on the landing better.”

The penultimate combination comes at the Fair Hill International Roller Coaster and Drop (25ABCD), which Ian made slightly bigger this year having felt it’s been somewhat of a “gimme” in previous iterations.

Fence 27AB, the Belgian Owls.

From there, the pairs will gallop down toward the finish, which features one final combination in the dueling Belgian Owls (27AB), which have jumped well in the past, though they came earlier on the course last year. They have been used at the end of the course, in the first year of this event, and they did not cause any major problems, and Ian feels they should ride similarly.

The final jump is a tribute to Ian in the Scotty’s Farewell (28), and a mannequin decked out in ski gear awaits riders at the finish as a final wave good-bye from Ian.

You can view the whole course, including photos of each fence and video walkthroughs of key combinations, on CrossCountryApp here.

We’ll be eager to see how this year’s track rides, and we know time has gotten harder to get each year. This year stands to be no different, and with perfect weather and a hardworking grounds crew working on watering the ground, it should be a thrilling day of eventing sport.

You can tune in live for the 5* cross country beginning at 1:30 p.m. Cheg Darlington will be bringing you a live blog from the 5* division, and stay tuned for our full report on both the 3* and 5* to come this evening. See the link list below for live stream information.

MARS Maryland 5 Star: [Website] [Entries] [Tickets] [Timing & Scoring] [Live Stream] [Volunteer] [EN’s Coverage]

Our coverage of the MARS Maryland 5 Star is brought to you by our incredible supporters, Kentucky Performance Products, your one-stop shop for science-backed nutritional products to keep your horse feeling their best at all times. They’ll even get on the phone with you to help you formulate a solid supplementation plan for your horse’s individual needs! We’d really appreciate your support of KPP, as they’re champions for our sport and beyond and are wonderful people to boot. Check them out here.

Tamie Smith and Mai Baum. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

We knew we’d be looking at some new faces at the top of the MARS Maryland 5 Star leaderboard on Friday, with major heavy-hitters coming forward for their dressage tests this afternoon. What we weren’t quite sure about was exactly what order said heavy-hitters would fall in once the dust in the main stadium settled.

A showdown between Mai Baum and Ballaghmor Class has been the hotly-touted story of the week, though it would be unwise to discount any of the other horses in today’s top five as threats to the leaderboard, as they’ve all gotten sub-25 scores on the books in the past. Yet as we watched Tamie Smith and Oliver Townend together in the final warm-up, it was difficult not to think of two heavyweights in the boxing ring nodding to each other, touching gloves before heading to their respective corners to prepare for battle.

But it would be Tamie Smith who emerged as our day two leader, earning a 25.3 with the Ahearn and Markell families’ Mai Baum (Loredano – Ramira, by Rike). It’s a higher score than the 21.8 they scored at Kentucky last year, but in fact Tamie described this test as her best 5* test with the 18-year-old German gelding.

Tamie Smith and Mai Baum. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

While most associate Ian Stark’s name with cross country riding, Tamie shared that he’d been helping her also with her dressage (he’s a man of many talents, that Scotty).

“I haven’t actually been focusing much on flat work,” she elaborated. “I’ve been riding a lot with Ian Stark on the flat, actually, which most people would find to be odd, but he’s quite good on the flat, and he just helped me get the horse really in front of the leg. I mean, I’ve never had an extended trot until today! I mean, once they know their job, they know their job, and it’s mostly just been keeping him strong and healthy.”

“It’s actually really great to be here,” Tamie continued. “He started his four-star Long career here at Fair Hill, so to be back here for the five-star — his final five star — is actually very special.”

It is to be Mai Baum’s final 5* event this weekend, and with that in mind one would perhaps assume Tamie would be quite emotional. She’s taken a different approach though, and says she’s just enjoying the ride.

“My whirlwind of a year has been more like a whirlwind of a decade!” she said. “So he’s always keeping it exciting and right when I think I can plan something, I can’t, so I don’t know what I’m going to do, and he’s not giving me gray hair! I seriously think I have like, five more places of gray hair now, because of Lexus. You know, it’s hard, because at one point we were like, ‘maybe he needs to retire.’ He got hurt and we’re thinking it was bad, and then it wasn’t so he actually doesn’t need to retire…Just for us, I think, and his owners, we want him to go out of the sport feeling the way he feels today, and not just running him ragged, if you will.”

Tamie Smith and Mai Baum. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

“Five-star is hard,” Tamie continued. “The amount of work and pressure and all the stuff to put on a horse at that level, you know, you always want them to be feeling at their prime. And I don’t know that at 19 any horse is going to be really feeling at their prime. So we’ve just chosen that this would be his last five-star, and he’s done [nearly] everything but Burghley, and I wouldn’t take him to Burghley. So it’s kind of like, why not just have him enjoy his career and I’ll do fun stuff on him. But I’m trying not to focus on the fact that this would be his last five-star. I thought that maybe I would be emotional, but I feel really happy because I’m just taking in every moment, because I am never going to sit on a horse like this again.”

Oliver Townend and Ballaghmor Class. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

We also knew Ballaghmor Class (Courage II – Kilderry Place), another seasoned veteran with multiple 5* wins under his belt, was capable of delivering a test to beat; in fact, his personal best at 5* is a tick lower than Mai Baum’s with a 20.8 scored at Badminton in 2018. Today, however, “Thomas” and British Olympian Oliver Townend couldn’t quite catch Tamie and Mai Baum, scoring a 26.5 to give Tamie a 1.2 point advantage heading into the second phase.

How did the two tests compare on the scoring sheets? I’ll drop the two sheets below so you can take a look for yourself.

Interestingly, Ballaghmor Class was scored more consistently across the three judges, with a 2.5% spread between the three. For Mai Baum, the judges were a little less consistent, with a 4.8% differential among the three for his score. Tamie earned a 10 from Christina Klingspor (SWE) at C for her final halt, and also secured 9s on her extended canter, her final flying change, and her collective Harmony mark. I always find this fascinating to dig into, especially when you go and watch the test back. And in a game of tenths of penalty points, every single mark matters.

Oliver acknowledged his dressage mark wasn’t where he can be in this phase (this mark of 26.5 hits the board marginally over their career 5* average score of 24.6), but, he says, he’s not putting any worry to the matter ahead of tomorrow. “He’s done another very good clear round at the level,” he said. “It’s just great to have him back here. I don’t think we’ve quite got him dressage-wise where he can be, but at the same time, he’s fit and extremely well, and looking at the course, I don’t think we’ll be worrying about the dressage by the end of tomorrow.”

“He’s pretty much naturally a fit horse,” Oliver said in terms of “Thomas'” longevity at this level, with 11 5* runs currently under his belt. “And he enjoys his job immensely, and sometimes it’s keeping the excitement working for you rather than against you. But he’s an incredibly tough, incredibly sound horse, and has been throughout his whole career. And you know, his enthusiasm for his job [plays a role]. I don’t quite know what we’re going to do with him once his job as an event horse has finished, because I can’t see him doing too many other jobs with ease.”

Oliver Townend and Ballaghmor Class. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Oliver notes that Ian Stark’s course has increased in difficulty by a small amount each year, and predicted that the optimum time of 11:15 will not be gettable. “It’s big,” he said. “TV isn’t going to do it justice because you just cannot [communicate to] people how many big jumps after big jumps with such accuracy as well. One trip, one slip, and you’re over. So you need a lot of luck at a five-star, but you also need a willing partner.”

Bubby Upton and Cola. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Third on the day and first in the ring this afternoon were another British pair, Bubby Upton and Rachel Upton’s Cola (Catoki – Vanessa XII, by Contender). Bubby’s on her first trip to the U.S. and has brought over her whole crew of family and friends with her to enjoy the experience, and a 5* personal best score of 26.7 was enough to secure them a podium position ahead of cross country.

“He delivers every time,” Bubby said in the mixed zone today. Today’s score bests her previous 5* low by .6 penalty points. “It’s kind of my job to do him justice with everything.” But getting to the point where she can pull out scores like this has been the result of trial and error when it comes to warming up and preparation.

“With him, it’s kind of a bit of a risk it all strategy,” she chuckled. “I’ve got it wrong in the past, like in my first year at Badminton. I thought that the atmosphere would really get to him, so I worked him too hard and he was really flat and tired, so it made that test quite hard to navigate. So now it’s very much the minimum is best. I literally was in [warm-up] for 15 minutes before the test, and [in arena familiarization], I just walked around like once, and that was it. I kind of used the atmosphere to lift him, and I went in and I was like, ‘Oh God, I may have left this a bit too on the edge!’ because he was a little bit spooky when we went in, but [the atmosphere] kind of just lifted him.”

Bubby and Cola lost some ground in their flying changes, which she said she’d be keen to review on her rewatch later today. They clawed back some marks in the final movement of the test and also, earlier, earned 9s across the board on their halt before reining back.

“It’s just a pleasure, honestly, to ride him every time,” she said. “And I’ve gained a huge amount of perspective in the last year. So it feels beyond special. It’s pretty impossible to put into words what it means to be here with my very, very special best friend.”

Tim Price and Falco. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Tim Price (NZL) and Falco (Cardenio 2 – Witta, by Weinberg) are yet another pair who could have gone into the lead by a healthy margin today had they scored close to their previous best at 5*. For Falco, that personal best came 22.1, earned in his Pau victory in 2021. Today, Tim’s Paris horse scored a 27.4 for fourth, losing some ground in the walk and canter work after starting off on lower marks on the trot work.

Truthfully, Tim says, Falco has “never been God’s gift in dressage,” but his trainability has made the difference in producing competitive marks from his tests. “He’s such a dude of a horse to do in all ways, and we know each other really well, so I was hoping to be able to just put those things into the dressage performance,” he said. “He’s incredibly clever and trainable — all the things that are most more important than just being really good at one thing; he’s super at all things. So I think for him, that was a ten out of ten for effort.”

It’s fair to say that Falco has been targeted at championships with Tim, competing at Pratoni World Championships in 2022 and Paris, and this fall Tim and Falco’s owner, Sue Benson, decided to have a bit of fun and travel over for Maryland. “He did one five-star before this one, and then he’s been making those kind of commitments to represent New Zealand and go to those championships,” he explained. “And also, I’ve wanted to look after him a little bit as well. I’m fortunate enough to not need to run and run the horses, so I’ve protected him a little bit in the spring, sometimes in order for a team commitment in the autumn. So that’s reduced his opportunities, really, to do things like five-star. And now we’ve just got the Olympics out of the way, he’s a bit older, he feels amazing, so Sue Benson and I decided, let’s have some fun with him for the next couple of years. And so that’s what we’re doing.”

Boyd Martin and Tsetserleg. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Fifth after dressage as one of the final horses to see today was the Turner family’s Tsetserleg (Windfall – Thabana, by Buddenbrock), the Tokyo and Pratoni partner of Boyd Martin, who returns for a 10th 5* start this weekend. Boyd and “Thomas” scored a 27.7 today, earning very consistent marks from all three judges with just a .4% spread and two identical percentages given from Christina Klingspor (SWE) at C and Xavier le Sauce (FRA) at B.

Boyd’s done less and less “drilling” on the flat with Tsetserleg, who certainly knows the job well at this point in his lengthy career. “He’s just an old legend,” Boyd commented. “You know, he knows that test very, very well. And honestly, the last year I’ve ridden him less and less. He’s so trained and schooled, it’s more of a matter of keeping him sweet and happy and keeping him fit.”

This approach, however, has been a bit of out of Boyd’s typical comfort zone. “It’s been hard for me because, you know, I’ve been trained for so long the harder your work, the better you go,” he admits. “And it’s the opposite with Tom — you’ve got to keep him fresh. [Steph Simpson’s] actually hacked him around the fields more than I’ve actually ridden him, keeping him feeling fresh and happy and sweet. It’s the way to go. He’s a hero.”

And so with that, our refreshed top five and beyond look ahead to what will be Ian Stark’s final cross country course tomorrow. Cross country begins with the 3*-L at 9:00 a.m., followed by the 5* at 1:30 p.m. You can view the courses on CrossCountryApp here, and we’ll also have our course preview coming your way first thing in the morning. In the meantime, you can get a quick glimpse around in our preview video here.

Ariel Grald Best of Day Two in USEF National CCI3*-L Championship

Our top three in the USEF National CCI3*-L Championship have remained unchanged at the end of day two of dressage. Kiersten Miller and her own Mama Mia (Indoctro x Lysienne II, by Landfriese) still hold the lead on a 28.4, followed by Sara Schulman and her own Cooley Chromatic (Thorgal x Castrade) with a 28.6, and Allison Springer and Fran Robinson’s Castle Howard Romeo (Womanizer x Creagh Diamond Cavalier, by Cavalier Royale) are currently in third with a 28.7.

Ariel Grald has claimed the fourth place spot with the top score in the 3* today, a 28.9, after a great performance with Adagio’s Nobility (Adagio de Talma x Noble Lady I, by Heraldik). Only in the second year of his FEI career, Ariel has brought the eight-year-old Holsteiner up the levels. This weekend will be his second go at a 3*-L, his first attempt being at Bromont in the spring, and Ariel will look to build on this exciting young horse’s experience with tomorrow’s hearty cross country test.

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Our coverage of the MARS Maryland 5 Star is brought to you by our incredible supporters, Kentucky Performance Products, your one-stop shop for science-backed nutritional products to keep your horse feeling their best at all times. They’ll even get on the phone with you to help you formulate a solid supplementation plan for your horse’s individual needs! We’d really appreciate your support of KPP, as they’re champions for our sport and beyond and are wonderful people to boot. Check them out here.

It’s time for our team to make their picks for the ones to watch in this year’s MARS Maryland 5 Star field! Read on to see who our team members have picked this weekend:

Cheg Darlington

Bubby Upton and Cola. Photo by Nico Morgan Media.

Winner

It’s tough to overlook the obvious heavy hitters with 5* wins already on their cards, but here’s what my gut’s telling me: Britain’s Bubby Upton and Cola are in it to win it. It’s no secret that Bubby’s a gal with a strong competitive streak as well as resilience and fortitude to spare. She comes to Maryland off the back of a win with her gutsy gelding in the 4*-S at Hartpury (UK) where they finished on their dressage score of 26, and this pair were a frangible device away from winning Badminton in the spring, which has surely just fueled the fire in Bubby’s belly for a 5* win. Her absolute belief in Cola is palpable in every interview she gives and each Instagram post she shares, and that kind of trust in your equine partner goes a long way when it comes to success at the top of the sport. Despite being just 25, she’s been knocking on the door of a top level win for a couple of years; she’s weathered the unlucky mishaps that eventing inevitably throws up from time to time (like that 20 at the final fence at Badminton in 2022), and most importantly learned from them, and it would come as no surprise to me should everything come together for her this week and she ends her trip across the pond at the top of the podium.

Top International Rider

Discounting Bubby, I think Oliver Townend’s efforts to make the trip to the States with his 5* warhorse Ballaghmor Class will prove to be very prudent indeed. Without doubt one of the most successful top-level campaigners in the sport – he’s won three 5*s, been runner-up three times and has finished within the top-5 in every one of his nine top-level starts – this horse is as dependable as they come, a class act and a true eventer in every sense, with the talent and brain to keep him at the top of his game since he took on his first 5* as a ten-year-old (at Burghley in 2017) and won it. Now seventeen, he’s spent much of this season on the sidelines so it’ll be good to see him back, hopefully securing yet another excellent result at the level.

Top U.S. Rider

Tamie Smith and Mai Baum for sure get my vote this week as a pair that are likely to podium. They’ll be right in the mix, if not at the top of the leaderboard, following the first phase and won’t add much across the jumping phases. This 18-year-old has been so impressive throughout his eventing career and it would be a very sweet cherry on the top should he add another accolade to his titles in what will be his final time at the top level.

Biggest Climber

Generally for the biggest climber category I’d be looking towards the higher end of the dressage scores for those out-and-out eventers who are, really, in this game for the best bit and will storm round the cross country with whatever happened between the white boards a distant memory. However, I’m going to go off piste here and go with David Doel and finish on his dressage score specialist Galileo Nieuwmoed. If this gelding’s typical first phase score was just the other side of 30 than we’re used to seeing from him, I would most certainly plug this pair for the win. But I think the others I’ve mentioned will have the competitive edge on the first day, and, albeit it for a cross country time penalty here and there, are likely to stay close enough to their dressage score to stay above this reliable gelding once all’s said and done. He probably won’t be in the mix after the first day’s competition given the potential for a handful of scores in low-20s given the field, but he’s very likely to stay on his low-30s score and leapfrog his way up the standings in so-doing.

Dark Horse

Ordinarily I plump for Tsetserleg in this category because I just love that guy (and he’s literally a dark horse), but really, he’s not a dark horse at all if you look at his record. Therefore, this time around I’m backing one of Boyd Martin’s other rides, Commando 3. It’ll be the gelding’s first time at 5* but he’s shown some very impressive form as he’s progressed through the levels and hasn’t finished outside the top-10 in international competition since 2022. Although his dressage scores are regularly sub-30, he’ll perhaps not be right up there after the first phase given the aforementioned low-20s scores we’re likely to see, but he’s a super reliable jumper both out on course and in the ring and has proven to have the speed to boot; he was just a few seconds over the time in the 4*-S at Kentucky on his way to second place in the spring. It’ll be interesting to see how he takes to 5* but I suspect he’ll be giving some of the more experienced horses a real run for their money.

Diana Gilbertson

Oliver Townend with Ballaghmor Class. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Winner

This week’s entry list may be a little shorter than what we are accustomed to at a 5*, but it is testament to the growing popularity of Maryland that there are several big names amongst those entries. For me, one stands out head and shoulders above the rest, and that is Ballaghmor Class, long term partner of Oliver Townend and one of the most successful 5* horses of all time. He has more top 5 5* finishes than most of us have had hot dinners, he’s already won Burghley (twice) and Kentucky and has been agonisingly close to the top spot at Badminton on more than one occasion too, not to mention his top 5 placing at the Tokyo Olympics, where he also contributed to Team Gold for the British Team. Now in the twilight of his career, a win at Maryland would be the icing of the cake for Oliver and “Thomas,” who missed out on another shot at the Badminton podium this Spring with an ill timed bruised sole. This could well be one of the 17 year old’s last ever competitions, and while they may not lead right from the front (my money is on another ageing great, Mai Baum being our dressage leaders), I would put money (if I had any, that is), on them rising to the top on the final day, in a repeat of their Burghley win last year.

Top International Rider

Technically, I have already named the Top International Rider, having put Oliver Townend and Ballaghmor Class atop the podium, but in the interests of variety I will of course, name another. Anyone who knows me even a little can easily guess who that will be – former World Number One, Tim Price, who brings forward his sixth placed Paris partner, Falco. Tim, who won here in 2022, actually had Falco entered here last year, but emergency colic surgery put paid to his plans to defend the title. Happily, Falco – “Mr Nice Guy” – has made a full recovery and will make his Maryland debut here this year instead. Talented across all three phases, he already has one 5* title to his name, having won Pau back in 2021, and if it weren’t for the afore mentioned Mr Townend and Thomas, I’d actually have him as the victor here this week, too. Instead, he will have to settle for one of the remaining spots on the podium.

Top U.S. Rider

As confident as I am that Oliver Townend will take the win at Maryland this year, there is still one combination that poses a very real threat to his claim on the top spot. Another legendary pairing, it is of course the 2023 Kentucky winners, Tamie Smith and Mai Baum. Now 18, “Lexus” missed out on his last shot at an Olympic medal, and Tamie has already said this will most likely be his last 5* appearance, so as with his main competition, Ballaghmor Class, it would be nothing short of a fairytale for him to bow out with another big win. At the risk of repeating myself (see above), I would have these two out in front – albeit by a whisker – going into cross country, but I can’t help but think Oliver and Thomas will jump ahead on Saturday. Still, it ain’t over til it’s over and Lexus has a pretty flawless show jumping record, so while I say that I am pretty sure that the Maryland 2024 title will go to Oliver Townend and Ballaghmor Class, Tamie and Lexus will be certain to fight them all the way to the end. Game on for the oldies!

Biggest Climber

This was the easiest one for me to answer, and I’m sure there will be many, many people cheering David Doel and Galileo Nieuwmoed on, as we watch them romp up the leaderboard on Saturday. That’s not to say they will be way down the placings after dressage; their first phase score has been trending in the low 30’s for the last few years, but with a multitude of fancy prancing ponies entered, they will still be outside the top 5 ahead of the cross country. But it is here that “Galileo” really comes into his own, reliable as he for delivering a very fast and clear cross country. He did just that at Burghley last year, and came agonisingly close to taking the win as a result. For not only is Galileo pretty nippy across country, he is also a very careful show jumper too; an unusual two rails in Luhmuhlen this Summer were the first faults on his record since 2022. Such is the strength and depth of the field at Maryland this week, David may have to settle for a top 5 rather than top 3 finish, but don’t discount this pair, for they are nothing other than consistent, especially at the 5* level, finishing outside of the top 10 on jut one occasion. It is only a matter of time before the spoils are theirs, surely….

Dark Horse

My perfectionist little brain would love to have an actual dark horse in this category, but in actual fact, the one that I am going for here is the exact opposite, in the Unicorn like form of “Puff,” or Highly Suspicious to give him his official title. Part of the string that Cosby Green has had based with Tim and Jonelle Price for the last two years, the 14 year old gelding will be making his first start at 5* at Maryland, though there is no doubt that Cosby will have left no stone unturned in preparing him for his debut at the level. This will be Cosby’s first competition back in the US in two years, and she will no doubt be buoyed by the support of the home crowd, as well as her increasing prowess at the 5* level, having ridden around three in the last year, with her long term partner Copper Beech. “Puff” has proved his consistency at the 4* level this season, with two 4*L podium finishes on as many starts recently, and these two could well be the ones to shake up the order this week. Cosby is one of the brightest rising stars of eventing, and this 14 year old grey gelding could be the horse that helps her to rise even further in the years to come. You heard it here first.

Veronica Green-Gott

Tim Price and Falco. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Winner

Sure, it’s been a while since Tim Price and Falco have been at the 5* level, but he’s more than capable of producing a winning round. Falco has spent the last few years demolishing championship events, putting in a top five finish at both Pratoni in 2022 and Millstreet in 2023. I’m hoping for a repeat of his 2021 performance at Pau, where Falco pulled off a 22.1 dressage score and finished on a total score of 22.5.

Top U.S. Rider

Tamie Smith and Mai Baum may not come out to compete often (at 18-years-old, Mai Baum doesn’t need to compete often), but when they do come out to play, you can bet they’re going to finish high. Together, Tamie and “the Black Stallion” have finished on the podium in every event since the start of their 2023 season. I’m willing to bet they’ll pull of a hat trick to once again finish in the top three this weekend.

Biggest Climber

Jennie Brannigan and Twilightslastgleam are my pick for biggest climber. As a Thoroughbred, “Comic” is at a bit of a disadvantage when it comes to the dressage phase and has pulled scores in the mid- to high-30s in the last two years. However, as a Thoroughbred, Comic has the upper hand when it comes to fitness, which is essential on Maryland’s long uphill track.

Dark Horse

Okay, this isn’t truly a “dark horse” but because they haven’t been on a podium yet at a CCI5*, I’m calling it my own version of a dark horse. This will be Bubby Upton and Cola’s sixth 5* start and first time competing in the United States. It will also be my first time watching Bubby ride in person and I’m excited to say the least. Cola is absolutely capable of pulling dressage scores as low as 27.5, which would shoot them to the top of the leaderboard here at the end of day two. While they usually have some time on cross country, they did go double clear at Pau in 2021 and on their last 4* run at Hartpury. It might be a bit of a long shot, but I think Bubby and Cola are set up to make a grand entrance to the USA and wind up with a podium finish.

Sally Spickard

Tamie Smith and Mai Baum. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Winner

Well, I think we all knew I was going to pick Tamie Smith and Mai Baum due to my unhealthy level of obsession with “The Black Stallion.” This is, as we know now, Mai Baum’s final showing at the 5* level, and I think it’s safe to say we will all shed a tear today in the dressage knowing we have seen a truly once in a lifetime pair over the last decade. Just the other day, I had memories on my Facebook from Tamie’s emotional win here at Fair Hill in what was then the 3*-L (now 4*-L), and how poignant would it be to go out on a bang, winning back to back 5* starts? I know Tamie will be putting her horse first all weekend, but if the cards align and Lexus can turn in a fast clear on Saturday, I have no doubt we’ll be looking at another U.S. winner this weekend.

Top U.S. Rider

Looking to the rest of the board, I’d also put some money, if I wasn’t a member of the press, on Boyd Martin and Commando 3. Yes, this is this horse’s first 5*, however I think this could be a really strong weekend for “Connor”, who just oozes presence in every phase and has the jumping ability to turn in clear rounds in both phases. I think Boyd will be playing the balancing game of ensuring he’s got a confident horse for future 5*s tomorrow, but we also know he will be putting the pedal down and really testing his horse’s mettle tomorrow.

Top International Rider

It feels a bit silly to not mention Oliver Townend and Ballaghmor Class, who will also put in their best effort to snag yet another win — and really, they should not finish off the podium no matter what. However, I am going to place my figurative bets on Falco, the championship partner of Tim Price. This is a horse that’s been strategically pointed towards championships, but Tim doesn’t fly across the globe to just come canter around. He will be right up there, if not in front, after cross country and has every tool to deliver a clear round when it counts the most on Sunday.

Biggest Climber

I’ve got bucks on Ema Klugman and Bronte Beach Z, who won’t quite challenge a 20s on the scoreboard in the first phase but have every bit of ability to make some serious moves up on Saturday. Another pair I’d keep an eye on for this prize is Jessie Phoenix and Wabbit, who are a cross country pair through and through and should deliver a fast clear come Saturday. Jennie Brannigan and Twilightslastgleam are another pair you can anticipate making some big moves in the jumping phases. We will have a different look on the leaderboard come Sunday.

Dark Horse

David Doel and Galileo Nieuwmoed. This pair has been knocking on the door of a huge finish at this level, and they are notoriously quick across the country with one of the most impeccable records in the field. This would be a big weekend for this pair if they can climb where they need to and if the course’s optimum time causes some trouble tomorrow.

MARS Maryland 5 Star: [Website] [Entries] [Tickets] [Timing & Scoring] [Live Stream] [Volunteer] [EN’s Coverage]

Our coverage of the MARS Maryland 5 Star is brought to you by our incredible supporters, Kentucky Performance Products, your one-stop shop for science-backed nutritional products to keep your horse feeling their best at all times. They’ll even get on the phone with you to help you formulate a solid supplementation plan for your horse’s individual needs! We’d really appreciate your support of KPP, as they’re champions for our sport and beyond and are wonderful people to boot. Check them out here.

As we look to the start of competition at the 2024 MARS Maryland 5 Star, presented by Brown Advisory, we’ve gathered all the information you need to follow the action from start to finish. We’ll also update this post with links to the articles we publish during the week, so you can keep this page bookmarked to stay on top of all things Maryland here on EN.

MARS Maryland 5 Star: [Website] [Entries] [Tickets] [Timing & Scoring] [Live Stream] [Volunteer] [EN’s Coverage]

Our coverage of the MARS Maryland 5 Star is brought to you by our incredible supporters, Kentucky Performance Products, your one-stop shop for science-backed nutritional products to keep your horse feeling their best at all times. They’ll even get on the phone with you to help you formulate a solid supplementation plan for your horse’s individual needs! We’d really appreciate your support of KPP, as they’re champions for our sport and beyond and are wonderful people to boot. Check them out here.

The Digital Program

EN is pleased to produce the Digital Program for the MARS Maryland 5 Star, and you won’t want to miss this year’s edition, which includes a feature on Ian Stark, a “Letter to Fair Hill” from Jennie Brannigan, a history piece on Fair Hill and its first winner, Trish Gilbert, and much more information on the event itself. Check it out here.

The Schedule

We have several divisions to see this weekend in addition to the CCI5*, making for a jam-packed schedule of both competition as well as many on-site activities for spectators. We’ll see Young Event Horse competition across Thursday and Friday, which are also dressage days for the 3* and 5*, which will happen in the morning session (3*) and afternoon session (5*) in the main arena.

You can find the entire schedule of both competition and fan-friendly activities here.

How to Watch

USEF Network and ClipMyHorse.TV will carry the livestream globally this weekend (ClipMyHorse is your go-to if you’re outside of the U.S.). You can find the live stream for all phases of competition in both the 3* and the 5* here. For local viewers, Maryland Public Television will also carry some of the broadcast, and you can view the schedule for that here.

The Officials

For the 5* this week, Sweden’s Christina Klingspor will preside over the Ground Jury, joined by the USA’s Valerie Pride (who is doing her first 5* not as a rider but as an official!) and France’s Xavier le Sauce. Both Christina and Xavier were members of the Ground Jury at the Paris Olympics this summer.

In the 3*, Peter Gray (CAN) is the president of the Ground Jury, assisted by Great Britain’s Richard Baldwin and the USA’s Amanda Miller.

Ian Stark returns for his final year of designing here at Maryland, joined by incoming designer Pierre le Goupil, who also designed the Paris cross country. Show jumping will be designed by Michel Vaillancourt.

The Entries

You can take a full look at the 5* entries in our Form Guide published today here. A total of 24 entries will take on the 5*, while another 55 are entered in the USEF National CCI3*-L Championship. You can view the full entry list for all divisions, including the YEH, in order of draw here.

EN’s Coverage

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 20

Jaguars Duende Crowned Queen of CCI3*-L at MARS Maryland 5 Star

Another CCI5* Title for Ballaghmor Class and Oliver Townend at MARS Maryland 5 Star

Quiet Final Horse Inspection at MARS Maryland 5 Star Sees All Presented Move Forward

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19

Shooting for Three Stars: Jaguars Duende Takes the Lead in CCI3* at Maryland 5 Star

All Class: Ballaghmor Class Notches Another 5* Clear with Oliver Townend

A Fierce Field and Everything to Play For: Live Blog from the Cross Country at Maryland 5 Star

Riders React to Ian’s Last Hurrah: ‘It’s Cute.’

One More Time for the Flying Scot: Preview Ian Stark’s Final MARS Maryland 5 Star Cross Country

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 18

A Showdown Between the Boards: Tamie Smith and Mai Baum Out in Front at MARS Maryland 5 Star

EN Makes Their Picks for the MARS Maryland 5 Star

THURDAY, OCTOBER 17

No Suspicion Here: Cosby Green and Highly Suspicious Claim Top Spot on Day One of MARS Maryland 5 Star

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16

All Horses Pass CCI3* and CCI5* Horse Inspection at MARS Maryland 5 Star; One Contender Withdraws Ahead of Jog

PRE-EVENT COVERAGE

View the 2024 MARS Maryland 5 Star Digital Program

Maryland Megastars: EN’s Form Guide to the MARS Maryland 5 Star CCI5* Field

Pick the MARS Maryland 5 Star Winner and Win Big from World Equestrian Brands!

Nominate a Maryland 5 Star Groom for EN’s Achieve Equine #Supergroom Superlatives

MARS Maryland 5 Star Drawn Order: Inaugural Winners to Trailblaze

Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill Partners with Maryland-Focused Sportsbook for Sports Betting

Maryland 5 Star Entry Preview: Mai Baum Returns, Strong International Contenders Feature on Roster

Pierre Le Goupil Named New Maryland 5 Star Cross Country Course Designer for 2025 Event