USEA Guarantees Continuation of 2026 YEH East Coast Championships & Reiterates Support for MARS Maryland 5 Star
Since the event’s inception, the United States Eventing Association (USEA) has made the MARS Maryland 5 Star a focal point of our fall media coverage and has supported it both publicly and privately with the regulatory bodies of our sport, as well as with others in positions to positively influence the event’s long-term success.
The USEA has also annually served as a sponsor of the Maryland 5 Star by securing and funding multi-million-dollar competition liability insurance for the event. In addition, we have actively worked to bring new sponsors and partners to the event, several of which have continued to support the event since its very first year.
The USEA has further supported the Maryland 5 Star by allocating the USEA Young Event Horse (YEH) East Coast Championships to the event and helping fund the development of the YEH cross-country course through various terrain builds. This championship is a premier showcase for the nation’s top young horses and consistently draws more than 75 horses (along with wait-listed horses due to the limited number of competition spots), as well as their riders and owners each year, drawing additional international attention to the event and making it a significant and highly visible feature of the Maryland 5 Star.
We know that the Maryland 5 Star also generates substantial economic impact for surrounding jurisdictions. The state of Maryland can be incredibly proud of this event, and the work that all those involved have put in to make this a globally recognized competition in the Olympic sport of eventing.
With the announcement that the five-star will not take place in 2026, the USEA would like to reaffirm our support of the event and its future.
In addition, the USEA would like to confirm that the USEA YEH East Coast Championships will continue to take place in the fall of 2026.
“We are committed to running the YEH Championships at Fair Hill if the CCI3*-L takes place on that weekend, subject to the USEF’s negotiation with the new licensee, and approval of the USEA Board of Governors,” said USEA CEO Rob Burk. “However, we know there are a couple of other venues who would be eager and willing to host the YEH Championships, and we would be willing to relocate. But for the time being, we are committed to holding it on the same dates at the same venue, if that is possible.”
Rob Burk, USEA CEO
Molly Pellegrini, USEA President
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