Tamie Smith has pulled up Mai Baum on the Mars Maryland 5 Star cross-country course, ending hopes of a fairytale win on his retirement from top-level eventing.
The US pair were the dressage leaders and were going well today until the hill up to fences 17 and 18ab, the Sawmill Slices, when the 2023 Kentucky Three-Day Event winner suddenly looked tired. Tamie didn’t really even try to make the turn to the fence, putting her hand up to call time on the 18-year-old world team silver medallist’s five-star career.
Other well-placed riders besides Tamie Smith have also had problems on the Maryland 5 Star cross-country course, which has proved extremely influential.
Bubby Upton and Cola, third after dressage for Britain on their Maryland debut, suffered a broken frangible for the second time at five-star this season when they incurred 11 penalties at the rail into the Irish Horse Board Coffin at 12a. They then took a couple of long routes, but held it together to complete with 12.8 time-faults.
Canada’s five-star debutante Lindsay Traisnel (eighth after the first phase) was held on course because Grace Taylor had a fall from Game Changer. Lindsay then had two run-outs with Bacyrouge before retiring.
Boyd Martin took a fall when Commando 3, seventh after dressage, hit the first table oxer at fence 3a, the Select Event Group Locust Log Pond, and came down in the water on landing. Both walked away.
Britain’s David Doel went clear inside the time earlier over Ian Stark’s track with his own, Mary Fox and Gillian Jonas’s Galileo Nieuwmoed and has the best score on the board of those pairs who have completed. He will finish the day in fifth or better.
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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.
