United States Eventing Association

Fast Facts: 2023 MARS Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill

It’s back! The 2023 MARS Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill is getting ready to kick off its third year of competition this week with the first Horse Inspection on Wednesday afternoon. This year there are 26 pairs vying for top prize in the CCI5*-L competition. As always, in addition to five-star competition the Maryland 5 Star is also offering a USEF CCI3*-L Eventing National Championship and the two Dutta Corp. USEA Young Event Horse (YEH) East Coast Championship divisions.

The Five-Star Field:

• Of the 26 pairs, three are representing Great Britain, two are representing New Zealand, one is representing Ireland, and the remainder are representing the U.S.
• Geldings reign supreme with 17 entries in the field. There are eight mares entered and one lone stallion, John and Chloe Perry and Allison Swinburn’s 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse Brookfield Cavalier Cruise (Cavalier Carnival x Ryans Cruise), is being ridden by Piggy March.
• There are five Thoroughbreds in the field, four of which are from the U.S. and one of which, 12-year-old Artist (by Guillotine) who is owned by Monica and Andrew Spencer and ridden by Monica, is New Zealand bred.
• U.S. breeders will be pleased to note that U.S.-bred horses dominate this year’s five-star entries with eight horses born in the land of the stars and stripes.
• German-bred and Irish-bred horses follow a close second with six entries each. There are two horses entered who were bred in the Netherlands and two in Belgium. Great Britain and New Zealand were each the birthplace of one of the entries.

• Lillian Heard Wood’s own Irish Sport Horse gelding LCC Barnaby (Guy Cavalier x Lady Tanjour) is the oldest horse in the field at 17-years-old. The youngest this year will be ridden by England’s Oliver Townend, who has the ride on Paul W. Ridgeon’s 9-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare Cooley Rosalent (Valent x Bellaney Jewel).
  
• There are five riders who are hoping to tick the box on their first-ever five-star here at Maryland this week, all of whom are representing the U.S. They are Arielle Aharoni, Mia Farley, Jacob Fletcher, Sarah Kuhn, and Andrew McConnon. Each of these five-star first-timers are also riding five-star first-time horses. Keep an eye out on for an upcoming article featuring each of these riders later today.
• In addition to those five horses contesting their first five-star with their rookie riders, three additional horses are also moving up to the five-star level this week with their more veteran riders:
  • Brookfield Cavalier Cruise ridden by March
  • The 12-year-old Mecklinburg mare Lumumba (Levisonn x Lamara), owned by Bobby Meyerhoff and The Donavan Group and ridden by Meyerhoff.
  • Azure (Omar x Cavalier Rosalier), the 11-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare owned by Anne, Caroline, and Michael Moran and ridden by Phillip Dutton.
• Mia Farley’s entry Phelps (Tiznow x Boom Town Gal), the 10-year-old Thoroughbred gelding owned by David O’Connor, was purchased from Joanie Morris by O’Connor for $1 when he retired from the track.
• There are five USEA Young Event Horse (YEH) Graduates competing in the five-star. You can read more about each of these pairs here:
  • The 15-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding Dutch Times (Goodtimes x Alino Queen) owned by Christine Aharoni and ridden by Arielle Aharoni.
  • Early Review CBF (Earl x Lois Lane CBF), a 14-year-old Hanoverian mare owned and bred by Laurie Cameron and ridden by Sydney Solomon.
  • Jeanne Shigo’s 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding Ferrie’s Cello (Chello III CDL x Karelza) ridden by Andrew McConnon.
  • Doug and Jessica Payne’s 12-year-old Zweibrucker gelding Quantum Leap (Quite Capitol x Report to Sloopy).
  • Twilightslastgleam (National Anthem x Royal Child), a 12-year-old Thoroughbred gelding owned by Nina Gardner and ridden by Jennie Brannigan.
• Two horses are coming into this week off of a FEI win: Cooley Rosalent and Townend recently finished in first on their dressage score of 24.7 in the 9-year-old division of the CCI4*-S at Blenheim (GBR) last month and Caroline Powell rode Chris Mann’s 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare Greenacres Special Cavalier to the win in the CCI4*-S at Ballindenisk (IRL) in September.

The Facts:

• Gary Parsonage (GBR) is the Technical Delegate and will be assisted by Ataide Pereira (BRA).
• Judy Hancock (GBR) is serving as President of the Ground Jury for the five-star and will be joined by Andrew Bennie (NZL) and Robert Stevenson (USA).
• Ian Stark (GBR) has been the cross-country course designer since the events inception.
• Michel Vaillancourt (CAN) is this year's show jumping course designer.
• The CCI5*-L is a qualifier for the $60,000 Adequan USEA Advanced Final that will take place at the USEA American Eventing Championships presented by Nutrena Feeds.
• Live streaming information can be found here.
• The USEA will have a retail booth located at Hillside 64-65, adjacent to the Main Arena in the grass near the Timber Field.
• The USEA Grooms Committee will be leading USEA Groom's Program Educational Sessions at the Maryland 5 Star. Join one of the sessions below to build upon your horsemanship education and enter your name in to win gifts from Shapley's (you must be present to win):
  • Friday, October 20th at 12:30 p.m. in the USEA Tent | Turnout Tips and Tricks with Courtney Carson
  • Saturday October 21st at 12:30 p.m. in the USEA Tent | Cross-Country Prep and Care with Emma Ford

• There will be a cross-country course walk with course designer Ian Stark on Thursday, October 19th at 11:30 a.m. for USEA Adult Rider members. Meet up at the start box at 11:30 to hear Stark's words of wisdom on his five-star track this year!

The Competition Schedule:

Wednesday, October 18th

• Pan American Games dressage test rides: 11:00 a.m. | Main Arena
• CCI3*-S Horse Inspection: 12:00 p.m. EST | Jog Strip
• CCI5*-L Horse Inspection: No earlier than 1:00 p.m. EST | Jog Strip

Thursday, October 19th

• Dutta Corp. USEA Young Event Horse (YEH) 4- and 5-year-old East Coast Championships Dressage and Conformation: 8:00 a.m. EST | Jog Strip
• CCI3*-S Dressage: 9:00 a.m. EST | Main Arena
• Dutta Corp. USEA YEH East Coast 4-year-old Championships Jumping: 10:00 a.m. | Timber Field
• CCI5*-L Dressage: 2:00 p.m. EST | Main Arena
• Dutta Corp. USEA YEH East Coast 4-year-old Championships Awards: Approximately 5:00 p.m. | Location TBD

Friday, October 20th

• Dutta Corp. USEA YEH East Coast 5-year-old Championships Jumping: 8:00 a.m. | Timber Field
• CCI3*-S Dressage: 9:00 a.m. EST | Main Arena
• CCI5*-L Dressage: 2:00 p.m. EST | Main Arena
• Dutta Corp. USEA YEH East Coast 5-year-old Championships Awards: Approximately 5:00 p.m. | Main Arena

Saturday, October 21st

• CCI3*-S Cross-Country: 9:05 a.m. EST
• CCI5*-L Cross-Country: 1:35 p.m. EST

Sunday, October 22nd

• CCI3*-S Final Horse Inspection: 8:30 a.m. EST | Jog Strip
• CCI5*-L Final Horse Inspection: Immediately following CCI3*-S inspection | Jog Strip
• CCI3*-S Show Jumping: 10:30 a.m. | Main Arena
• CCI5*-L Show Jumping: 2:00 p.m. EST | Main Arena

​​Helpful Links

• Maryland 5 Star Website
• USEA Prize List
• Order of Go
• Schedule of Events
• Livestream
• USEA’s Coverage
• Results

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