Tamie Smith and Mai Baum at Kentucky.
Entries have closed and we now have a small but mighty field to look forward to at this year’s MARS Maryland 5 Star, presented by Brown Advisory (October 17-20). As always, the Maryland 5 Star also features a large CCI3*-L entry list, as well as entries for the USEA East Coast Young Event Horse Championships for 4- and 5-year-olds, all of which run alongside the CCI5* division.
The North America-Based Contenders
Boyd Martin and On Cue. Photo by Abby Powell.
It goes without saying that all eyes will be on Mai Baum, the Defender Kentucky champion from 2023, who returns to the CCI5* level for one last hurrah with Tamie Smith. The 18-year-old German gelding owned by the Ahearn and Markell families narrowly missed out on a team spot for Paris this summer after dealing with some minor injuries, but Tamie set her sights on Maryland as an ideal “plan B.” “Lexus” has had a light year due to the aforementioned downtime, winning an Intermediate at Twin Rivers this summer en route to the East coast. He last competed at the 4*+ level earlier this year after finishing third individually at CHIO Aachen in the summer of 2023, winning the 4*-S at Galway Downs to kick off his 2024 season. He also won the Open Intermediate at Twin Rivers in September as his final prep for Maryland.
Paris Olympian Boyd Martin features on this list with three horses who are household names at this point. This includes the inaugural Maryland 5 Star winner, On Cue (owned by the Turner family), who was 10th at Burghley in 2023. “Cue”, who is also one of three 18-year-old horses in the field, has also enjoyed a lighter prep this summer, leaning on her experience to prep her for this start without unnecessary wear and tear.
Boyd Martin and Tsetserleg. Photo by Sally Spickard.
Boyd’s Tokyo partner Tsetserleg (owned by the Turner family) also joins the field, just missing out on the 18-year-old club membership at 17 this year. Of all the 5* starts to this U.S.-bred Trakehner gelding’s record, Maryland 5 Star has never been one of them, and Boyd has eyed this up as his goal for his longtime friend after taking him to Badminton earlier this year.
Boyd Martin and Commando 3. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Making his debut at the 5* level is Commando 3 (owned by Yankee Creek Ranch), who was Boyd’s direct reserve horse in Paris. In the short time Boyd’s had the ride on this 11-year-old Holsteiner gelding, he’s ticked off all the prep stops one would imagine en route to a competitive 5* debut, including a second-place finish in the Lexington CCI4*-S in April, a win in the CCI4*-L at Morven Park last fall, and a top 5 in the CCI4*-S at Bromont last spring. While this is very much a horse for the future, you also shouldn’t let the first 5* deter you from picking “Connor” as a top finisher.
Jennie Saville and Twilightslastgleam. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Jennie Brannigan is another one to watch on the U.S. side, bringing forward the Gardners’ homebred Twilightslastgleam, a 14-year-old Thoroughbred gelding who made his 5* debut here at Maryland in 2022, finishing just outside of the top 15. Fun fact, this horse also competed in the Young Event Horse Championships at Fair Hill when he was just a young gun!
Buck Davidson and Sorocaima. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Buck Davidson will bring forward the 13-year-old Thoroughbred gelding Sorocaima, who seriously impressed at Kentucky this spring with a sixth place finish. Buck and “Cam” were also inside the top 10 in the final standings at Maryland in 2023.
Emily Hamel and Corvett. Photo by Sally Spickard.
Emily Hamel is another name most eventing fans will recognize, thanks in part to her partner, Corvett‘s “unusual” jumping style. This will be Emily and “Barry’s” eighth CCI5* start together, and their third time competing in the Maryland 5 Star. They’ve done nearly every 5* there is to be done in the world at this point, except for Pau and Adelaide, and they’re consistent performers who can generally be trusted to jump clear and finish close their dressage score.
Ema Klugman and Bronte Beach. Photo by Abby Powell.
Ema Klugman is back for another 5* start with the athletic mare Bronte Beach Z. This will be Bronte’s second CCI5* start, having debuted at the level in Kentucky this year, where she finished just outside of the top 20. Ema, who just started a new job as a newly-minted attorney working as a law clerk, balances her new career with managing several horses at the Advanced and Intermediate levels, and Bronte Beach is a product of this system. We can anticipate improvement from this pair as the 12-year-old Zangersheide mare gains more experience and strength for the demands of the top level.
Allie Knowles and Morswood. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Allie Knowles and Morswood are another pair we’ve come to anticipate on these 5* entry lists, coming forward this time for their seventh start at the level. They took an abbreviated trip around Burghley’s cross country last month, an unlucky parting of ways cutting their trip overseas short and putting a re-route on their path.
Joe Meyer and Harbin. Photo by Sally Spickard.
Riding for New Zealand but very much a part of the U.S. community is Joe Meyer, who will bring foward Harbin (owned by the Meyers as well as Theresa Foote), a 14-year-old Thoroughbred gelding, for his second CCI5* start. This was another pair that caught our eye in Kentucky with their gritty performance, where they finished in the top 15.
Jessie Phoenix and Wabbit. Photo by Nico Morgan Media.
Three-time Canadian Olympian Jessie Phoenix will bring forward fan favorite (it’s all in the ears!) Wabbit (owned by Jim Phillips) for his second CCI5* of the year after completing Badminton this spring. Wabbit is yet another Thoroughbred in this year’s field, and Jessie will be looking to improve upon her top 20 finish with this horse at Maryland in 2022. She will also ride the 16-year-old Canadian Sporthorse mare Fluorescent Adolescent (owned by Makayla Rydzik) in her CCI5* debut.
Lindsay Traisnel and Bacyrouge. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.
Also representing Canada is Lindsay Traisnel, who will compete Patrica Pearce’s 13-year-old Selle Francais gelding Bacyrouge in his first CCI5*. Lindsay has started a 5* before (Pau – 2012) but will be looking for her first completion and a long-awaited return to the level with the horse she took to the Pan American Games last fall, earning a team gold medal and individual bronze.
Lillian Heard and LCC Barnaby. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.
Lillian Heard Wood is partnered with the third 18-year-old horse in the field in one LCC Barnaby, who comes forward for his 15th CCI5* start. This horse has competed at this level for nearly a decade with Lillian, and she’s the first to tell you he’s only gotten better (and more rideable on cross country!) with age.
Last but certainly not least, three UK-based American riders are coming “home” for a visit and a trip around the Maryland 5 Star.
Tiana Coudray and Cancaras Girl. Photo by Nico Morgan Media.
London Olympian Tiana Coudray and Cancaras Girl burst onto the 5* scene at Badminton earlier this year, their sophomore effort at the level after parting ways on cross country in the now-14-year-old mare’s debut. At Badminton, they put Burghley to bed for good with an emphatic top-25 finish that featured a near-personal best dressage mark.
Cosby Green and Highly Suspicious. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Cosby Green, fresh off a 16th-place finish at Burghley with Copper Beach, will bring the 14-year-old Irish gelding Highly Suspicious for his 5* debut. This is a horse Cosby’s had in her program for the better part of 10 years, methodically producing him for this moment. She’s got a lot of experience at this level now, but bringing a first-time horse versus one that’s done it before requires a different approach. She’s done that in spades, working with the Prices (with whom she’s been basing in the UK) and selecting the right events to test the horse’s mettle before stepping up to 5*. She and Highly Suspicious are coming off back-to-back 4* podium finishes in Ireland and France and have also finished strong in their two CCI4*-L competitions.
Grace Taylor and Game Changer. Photo by Nico Morgan Media.
Grace Taylor is also coming over from the UK, bringing the 12-year-old Irish Sporthorse gelding, Game Changer, for a third CCI5* start. This pair has jumped around cross country at Badminton (18th – 2024) and Burghley (withdrew before show jumping – 2023) and come forward well-prepared for their first 5* on American soil.
One notable absentee from this roster on the U.S. side is Diabolo, who was to contest his first 5* with Will Coleman at Maryland. Will shared with EN that “Dab” picked up a minor injury in his last prep run in Unionville and will be sidelined for the remainder of the season.
The Overseas Entries
Six of the entries on this year’s Maryland list come from international riders (not counting the U.S. riders based in the UK mentioned above).
Oliver Townend and Ballaghmor Class. Photo by Shelby Allen.
Current world #3 and defending Kentucky champion Oliver Townend (GBR) is making another trip over for Maryland, this time with another former Kentucky champion, Ballaghmor Class (owned by Angela Hislop, Val Ryan, and Karyn Shuter). One of several 17-year-olds in the field, “Thomas” capped off 2023 in a big way, winning Defender Burghley for the second time and adding to his bursting trophy cabinet. This is the most successful horse in the field, winning three 5*s and finishing off the podium just once, in fifth place, in nine starts. This 10th 5* stands to be a big one for Oliver and Ballaghmor Class if they can return to the form they’ve demonstrated to this point.
Tim Price and Falco. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
World #7 and another winner here at Maryland, Tim Price (NZL), will compete with Falco (owned by Sue Benson), who was his partner for a sixth place individual finish in Paris this summer. Falco is also a 5* winner in his own right, taking the Pau title 2021, which has been his sole 5* start as he’s been aimed primarily at championships in the intervening years. He was individual and team bronze at World Championships in Pratoni and at 14 still has much left to give — including, potentially, another 5* trophy in his first event on U.S. soil.
Harry Meade and Away Cruising. Photo by Nico Morgan Media.
Harry Meade (GBR) finds himself rather flush with 5* horses this year, bringing two to Maryland after competing three other horses at Burghley last month. He’s got two solid contenders in the Dear and Opperman families’ 17-year-old Away Cruising (also making his 10th 5* start at Maryland) and 5* debutant Et Hop Du Matz (owned by Mandy Gray).
Bubby Upton and Cola. Photo by Nico Morgan Media.
Bubby Upton continues her incredible comeback story with a first trip to the U.S. aboard Cola, who was 10th at Badminton this spring. Bubby had a series of massive injuries last summer after a fall while riding on the flat. She underwent extensive surgeries to stabilize a burst fracture of the L3 and a horizontal fracture of the L2 vertebrae, and went on to return to the 5* level at Badminton. And she hasn’t just launched a comeback — she’s in it to win it, and she’s got a horse to do it on. A frangible pin penalty at Badminton created a “what could have been” scenario, but she’ll be ready to put that to bed this month in Maryland and leave it all out on the cross country track.
David Doel and Galileo Nieuwmoed. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
David Doel is making his second trip to the U.S. and first to the Maryland 5 Star with Galileo Nieuwmoed (owned by Mary Fox, Gillian Jonas, and the rider), making their ninth CCI5* start together. This pair is yet another serious threat to the top of the leaderboard, having coming second at Burghley last year. They’ve finished at least in the top five in four times in their 5* partnership and stand to make it a fifth this. month.
And there you have it! It’s a small field, but in an Olympic year and with two other 5*s on the late summer/fall calendar, it’s to be expected. We’ll be cheering on each and every rider, and you’ll be able to learn even more about the 5* pairs in our forthcoming Form Guide, which is included in the MARS Maryland 5 Star Digital Program.
You can view full entries to the MARS Maryland 5 Star and much more information on the event here.
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