United States Eventing Association

The standings shuffled significantly this morning after cross-country in the $60,000 Adequan USEA Advanced Final at the USEA American Eventing Championships (AEC) presented by Nutrena Feeds, but one thing stayed the same—Boyd Martin and Tsetserleg TSF are at the top of the leaderboard.

With a Pan Am team and individual gold medal, two FEI World Eventing Championships, and an Olympic Games to his name, Tsetserleg TSF has earned the title of “king” around Boyd Martin’s barn. And today, the king was back in good form at the USEA American Eventing Championships (AEC) presented by Nutrena Feeds for his first outing after a Badminton CCI5*-L (England) completion in May.

There was a feeling of excitement in the air today at Stable View as some of the country’s top riders took a spin around Helen West’s CCI4*-S cross-country course in their final preparations for the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event in three weeks’ time.

Boyd Martin has big aspirations for Commando 3 this year, including a trip to the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event for the ultra-competitive CCI4*-S, and he’s off to a strong start this weekend at the Stable View CCI4*-S, leading the division after dressage and show jumping.

There aren’t many riders who can say they competed at five of the world’s seven five-star events in 2023, but the 2023 World Equestrian Brands USEA Rider of the Year Boyd Martin can. With nine starts across the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event, Longines Luhmühlen Horse Trials (Germany), Defender Burghley Horse Trials (England), MARS Maryland 5 Star, and Pau (France), Martin earned five top-5 finishes.

The final CCI5*-L of the year took place from Oct. 26-29 at Pau in France, and the United States had four riders represented.

It’s not deja vu—the 5-year-old Zangersheide gelding Shmick (Luigi d'Eclipse x Winter Lady), owned by Anne Hennessey, has claimed another Young Event Horse Championship title. Last year’s Dutta Corp. USEA Young Event Horse 4-year-old East Coast Champion returned to this year’s finale at Fair Hill and amazed the judges for a second time to add the title of 5-year-old champion to his growing resume.

Boyd Martin knew he had a talented partner in Commando 3, but with just under a year competing together, Martin hadn’t truly tested the gelding until this weekend at the Morven Park International CCI4*-L.

It can often be an unknown when a rider buys a horse produced by someone else, and top riders like Boyd Martin aren’t immune to that. When he tried Commando 3 late last year, the gelding had competed through his first CCI4*-S with Swedish rider Louise Romeike, and while Martin had high hopes for “Connor,” he knew he wouldn’t really find out what kind horse he was until he tackled a tough CCI4*-L course.

With a strong third place finish in their first CCI4*-L together this spring at Tryon (Mill Spring, North Carolina) and a win in their most recent CCI4*-S outing at the same venue, it might be tempting for Boyd Martin to target a fall five-star with Commando 3, but he says he’s planned for 2023 to be a building year for his newest top talent.