Just one British pair appear among the Mars Maryland 5 Star entries for this year’s event (16-19 October), as Alex Bragg is set to make his debut at the event.
This is not only Alex’s first time competing at Maryland, but his first time eventing in the USA. His ride will be Mike and Naomi Roe’s Quindiva, with whom he was third at Badminton Horse Trials and eighth at Burghley Horse Trials last year. The 15-year-old mare has sat out much of this year, but in September jumped double clears at Cornbury CCI3*-L and Little Downham advanced.
There are 25 pairs on the Maryland 5 Star entries list, including three other riders flying in from Europe.
Swiss rider Felix Vogg will head there with Cartania, owned by her rider and Phoenix Eventing S.a.r.l., having missed out on a planned run at Burghley as Felix injured his arm in a fall during the build-up. The mare has been in the top 15 at British five-stars three times , and also has two top-15 championship placings on her CV, though she had a fall at Badminton this spring. This will be Felix’s first time competing in the five-star at Maryland.
Jonelle Price, the New Zealand rider who lives in Devon, will also make the trip to Maryland, with Nikki Axon and Merrill Halstead’s five-star debutante Chilli’s Midnight Star, recently sixth in the CCI4*-L at Scone Palace. This will be Jonelle’s second time riding in the five-star at Maryland, after she finished eighth in 2021 with Classic Moet.
An entry from US-based Monica Spencer with the syndicate-owned consistent five-star campaigner Artist takes the New Zealand tally to three.
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Strong home-side contenders will include Boyd Martin with Yankee Creek Ranch’s Commando 3 and the syndicate-owned Luke 140, who were second and seventh at the Kentucky Three-Day Event this spring. Caroline Pamukcu has four rides entered, including her Paris Olympic horse HSH Blake, owned by Mollie Hoff and Sherrie Martin. Mia Farley returns to Maryland with David O’Connor’s fast thoroughbred Phelps, fifth here in 2023.
Buck Davidson is also one to watch with his own and Carl Segal’s Sorocaima, who has seven starts and seven finishes at this level, three of them in the top 10. Jennie Brannigan will want to recapture her best five-star form with Nina Gardner’s FE Lifestyle, fifth here in 2022 and 12th at Burghley the following season.
For Canada, Jessica Phoenix has two rides and will catch the eye again with the skewbald Fluorescent Adolescent, an unusual sight at this level. Lindsay Traisnel is also set to start with Patricia Pearce’s Bacyrouge.
Sophia Hill is the sole Australian entry with Humble Glory, the horse with whom she was 22nd at Burghley last year and has bee competing Down Under again this season.
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Pippa is a true eventing geek and has been H&H’s eventing editor since 2005. She has first-hand experience of competing up to British Eventing intermediate and international CCI2*-L level, and has worked in the industry on a top event yard. Pippa enjoys nothing more than immersing herself in the sport at the highest level, reporting from the five-stars and international championships, including the Olympics.
