It's the day we have all been waiting for, cross-country day at the inaugural Maryland 5 Star! Both the CCI5*-L and CCI3*-L field will contest Ian Stark's terrain-filled track across the historic grounds at Fair Hill today and there is lots of chatter about how the questions, terrain, and time allowed might impact the current placings.
The first rider to gallop out of the start box on the CCI3*-L track will be Allison Springer and the RICO Syndicate LLC's 7-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding Vandyke (Vancouver x Shannondale Willow) at 9:15 a.m. Overnight CCI3*-L leader Kurt Martin and Debbie Adams' 9-year-old Holsteiner mare D.A. Lifetime (Flemmingh x Timeless) are 20th in the order-of-go and will kick off their cross-country run at 10:12 a.m.
Buck Davidson and the 14-year-old Holsteiner gelding Carlevo (Carasino x Ramatuelle) owned by Katherine O'Brien are the first CCI5*-L pair to tackle Stark's impressive course. All eyes will be on overnight leader Oliver Townend and Angela Hislop’s 16-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding Cooley Master Class (Ramiro B x The Swallow)as they make their way around the track starting at 2:26 p.m. Not only does Davidson have the honors as the first CCI5*-L rider to try their hand at the course, but he also will be the last rider to contest it with Erroll Gobey (Cassini II x Ula II) the 11-year-old Holsteiner gelding owned by Cassie Segal, Natalie Sander, and Lisa Darden.
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