Sep 17, 2021

Oliver Townend Heads All-Star List of Athletes Entered to Compete at Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill

By Maryland 5 Star - Edited Press Release
USEA/ Leslie Mintz photo.

Baltimore, Maryland – September 17, 2021 – Oliver Townend of Great Britain, World #1 on the FEI Eventing World Athlete Rankings, heads an All-Star list of riders currently entered to compete in the inaugural Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill. The list also includes the world’s #2, #7 and #8 ranked riders as well as Olympians from five countries. Townend will compete with his accomplished gelding, Cooley Master Class, winner of back-to-back Kentucky Three-Day titles (2018-2019).

The Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill, one of only two five-star level events in the United States and just the seventh worldwide, is set for October 14-17 at the newly constructed Fair Hill Special Event Zone in Elkton, Maryland (Cecil County). The event’s prestigious five-star (CCI5*) designation is the pinnacle of the Olympic sport of Eventing, often described as an equestrian triathlon.

Joining Townend, team Gold Medalist at the Tokyo Olympic Games, are previously announced New Zealand Olympians Tim and Jonelle Price, ranked #2 and #7 respectively, plus the entire U.S. Olympic Team from Tokyo:

  • Phillip Dutton (USA) – seven-time Olympic veteran with two team Gold Medals and the 2016 individual Bronze
  • Boyd Martin (USA) – three-time Olympic veteran and World ranked #8
  • Doug Payne (USA) – sixth-placed individual at the 2021 Tokyo Olympic Games and World ranked #20

Joining them are the following Olympic veterans representing Australia, Canada, Great Britain, New Zealand and the U.S.

  • Clayton Fredericks (AUS) – two-time Olympic veteran and 2008 team Silver Medalist
  • Hawley Bennett-Awad (CAN) – two-time Olympic veteran
  • Jessica Phoenix (CAN) – two-time Olympic veteran
  • Leslie Law (GBR) – two-time Olympic veteran with two team Silver Medals and the 2004 individual Gold
  • Joe Meyer (NZL) – 2008 Olympic veteran
  • Lauren Kieffer Nicholson (USA) – 2016 Olympic veteran and World ranked #15
  • Will Coleman (USA) – 2012 Olympic veteran

The full list of entries to-date is available at https://maryland5star.us/entries/. FEI definite entries close on September 30. More announcements will be made as entries continue to come in.

In addition to the five-star competition (CCI5*-L), the event will feature a three-star competition as well (CCI3*-L), which is serving as the USEF CCI3*-L Eventing National Championship, and The Dutta Corp. USEA Young Event Horse East Coast Championships Presented by Dubarry of Ireland. The four days of eventing competition will feature dressage (Thu-Fri), cross-country (Sat) showcasing the new Ian Stark designed courses, and show jumping (Sun).

For ticket information please visit https://maryland5star.us/tickets/.

About the Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill:

One of only two five-star events in the United States, and just the seventh worldwide, the Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill will continue the storied legacy of Eventing at the new Fair Hill Special Event Zone in Elkton, Maryland, located in Cecil County. The prestigious five-star (CCI5*-L) designation is the pinnacle of the Olympic sport of Eventing, best described as an equestrian triathlon. The Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill is produced by The Fair Hill Organizing Committee, an affiliate of the Sport and Entertainment Corporation of Maryland, and in partnership with Fair Hill International. The Maryland Food Bank serves as an event beneficiary.

Dec 06, 2023 Convention

Fast Facts: 2023 USEA Annual Meeting & Convention

Welcome to the Show Me state and to Area IV USEA members! The 2023 USEA Annual Meeting & Convention kicks of tomorrow and features four full days of educational seminars, committee meetings, and social gatherings all with one aim—to bring the eventing community together to continue to improve upon and celebrate the sport that we all love. This year’s Convention takes place in St. Louis, Missouri, at the Marriott St. Louis Grand in downtown St. Louis from Dec. 7-10, and we have rounded up everything you need to know to make the most of your time in the heartland.

Dec 05, 2023 Education

Digital Resources to Maximize Education & Access for the Eventing Community

To accompany the 2023 USEA Annual Meeting & Convention, USEA Educational Partner STRIDER has prepared Digital Resources to Maximize Education & Access for the Eventing Community. In keeping with the USEA’s mission to expand the sport of eventing, this webinar outlines ways in which digital tools can be leveraged to increase access and education across equestrian opportunities. As part of STRIDER’s popular Professional Development Webinar Series, this presentation aims to provide a quick overview of best practices and digital tools used across the equestrian industry to boost growth.

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Young Event Horse Arden Augustus Exceeds All Expectations for Antenucci and White

Every horse who participated this year in the USEA Young Event Horse (YEH) program has a story—a background that involves a breeder who labored over bloodlines, veterinary care, initial training, and so much more. This year’s highest-placing U.S.-bred horse in the 5-year-old division at the Dutta Corp./USEA Young Event Horse Championships, Arden Augustus, is no exception. His breeder and owner, Anita Antenucci of Arden Farms in Upperville, Virginia, started her program nine years ago and said that the Warmblood gelding was a more emotionally driven breeding for her than others due to his connections with Antenucci’s long-time friend Sharon White.

Dec 04, 2023 Young Event Horse

USEA Podcast #349: All About the USEA Young Event Horse Program

Have you ever wondered why professional riders love bringing their horses through the USEA Young Event Horse (YEH) program? USEA Podcast host Nicole Brown chats with two of this year's YEH Champions, Caroline Pamukcu who won the USEA YEH 4-year-old East Coast Championship aboard HSH Afterglow, and Andrea Baxter who won the USEA YEH 5-year-old Championship with Camelot PJ, to discuss this year's Championships and all of the great things that the program has to offer.

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