Oliver Townend has seized the lead at the conclusion of the Mars Maryland 5 Star dressage.
The British rider looked delighted as he completed his test, giving Cooley Rosalent big pats on her neck at the final halt. The mare showed super work throughout the performance, with an uphill outline and impressive movement. Her scores dropped down only for her final flying change, which was late behind and earned a four and two fives.
Oliver received plenty of eights and 8.5s from the ground jury to land a final mark of 23.1. His only nine came from US judge Robert Stevenson at M for his entry, though Brit Judy Hancock at C was less impressed, giving 6.5 for this movement.
“It’s a great start and we couldn’t be happier with Cooley Rosalent – Rosie to her friends,” said Oliver. “She’s only nine but she’s got plenty of experience at the levels below so fingers crossed she’s up to the cross-country challenge, but it looks like a serious course out there.
“I think a few riders were saying too much that it’s a four-and-a-half-star or a kinder five-star, but that isn’t the case this year. It’s pretty huge and there are lots of questions – all fair questions, but there are plenty of them and I think the time will also play a part.”
Oliver has finished second and third at Maryland the past two years and said he couldn’t give enough credit to the Maryland team.
“Everything is as you’d wish a five-star to be,” he commented.
Although Paul Ridgeon’s Cooley Rosalent is only nine years old, this is already her second five-star as she ran round Luhmühlen Horse Trials in June. She won Blenheim Horse Trials’ eight- and nine-year-old class in September. If she could also triumph here she would emulate William Fox-Pitt’s ride Oslo, who won that young horse class and then a five-star (Pau Horse Trials) the same autumn in 2011.
Oliver’s impressive performance means the three Brits who have made the trip to the US hold the top three spots after the Maryland 5 Star dressage. Piggy March (Brookfield Cavalier Cruise) is in second and William Fox-Pitt (Grafennacht) in third.
It looked like 2021 Maryland winner Boyd Martin, the last rider in, might have challenged the top three during his trot work with the light, elegant mare Contessa, but messy flying changes meant he finished the day in fifth on 28.8. He is the best placed US rider.
Monica Spencer (Artist) and Caroline Powell (Greenacres Cavalier Cruise) have claimed fourth and sixth for New Zealand, with five-star first-timer Jacob Fletcher in seventh on Fabian.
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