Maryland Friday Lunch Break Look Around: Young Horses, Mustangs, and 3* Wraps Dressage

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Mia Farley and Invictus. Photo by Abby Powell.

We’re well into Friday already here at The Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill. It’s been a relative quiet morning, but the bustle is picking up as we creep towards the afternoon session of dressage where we’ll watch the second half of the 5* division finish out the first phase.

The top three competitors remain the same at the conclusion of dressage for the USEF CCI3*-L Eventing National Championship, which is led by Kurt Martin and D.A. Lifetime. Daniel Clasing turned in the top ride of the day on Olney Uncle Sam, earning a 26.0 and slotting into 4th place.

Daniel Clasing and Olney Uncle Sam. Photo by Abby Powell.

The YEH jumping ring was bustling with activity this morning, as a number of spectators made the trek out to the Sawmill Field to watch the jumping portion of the 5-year-old championship. The crowd got into it too — hooting and cheering as the riders demonstrated their horses’ gallop. At the time of writing this report there are a brand new top three in podium position, with half the division still to go after lunch.

Mia Farley and Invictus, an American Warmblood gelding (Diarado — Sunset Paradise) owned and bred by Karen O’Connor are leading the pack thanks to perfect scores across the board for cross country efforts, overall jump impression, and general impression. They’re closely followed by Phillip Dutton and Lincoln’s Address, a off-the-track Thoroughbred gelding (Union Rags — Sincerely) owned by wide Evie Dutton, and then Tim Bourke and Kung Fu Quality, a Thoroughbred/Warmblood gelding (Imothep — Rose and Crown) owned by himself, wife Marley Stone Bourke, and Sharon Church. All the horses earned a perfect 10 score for their general impression. You can view the 5 Year Old scores here.

We’re headed back out to the arena for the start of the five-star dressage now! Stay tuned for much more to come, but in the meantime enjoy a gallery from my walk around this morning.