Three British riders are among the Mars Maryland 5 Star entries for this year’s event (13-16 October).
Harry Meade returns to the US autumn five-star with Mandy Gray’s and his own Superstition, on whom he finished seventh at Maryland last year.
US-based Brit Leslie Law and Tre’ Book’s Voltaire De Tre’ also have their second crack at the event, having come 22nd last year.
Oliver Townend, who was second at Maryland last year on Cooley Master Class, will be back this time riding John Peace’s five-star first-timer As Is, who was recently second in the CCI4*-S at Blair Castle Horse Trials.
Disappointingly, there are only 25 Maryland 5 Star entries at present, although this is likely to continue to rise over the next week, with 30 September the final closing date.
Three members of the US’s silver medal-winning team at last week’s eventing World Championships in Pratoni have a ride in the five-star class, with Will Coleman bringing forward Don Dante, Tamie Smith riding Danito and Lauren Nicholson piloting Landmark’s Monte Carlo. In addition, World Championships reserve combination Phillip Dutton and Z will be in action.
Boyd Martinwon Maryland last year, but he is the only US rider from Pratoni not starting in the five-star class according to the current entries list, although he will compete in the accompanying CCI3*-L and young horse classes.
Liz Halliday-Sharp will start among the favourites with a strong hand in her two entries – Deniro Z, who was selected for last year’s Olympics though he had to be withdrawn owing to injury, and Cooley Quicksilver, whose three wins at CCI4*-S include victory in the hot supporting class at the Kentucky Three-Day Event in April.
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Buck Davidson and Jennie Brannigan are the only other riders with two horses in the class, with Buck slated to start on Carlevo and Sorocaima and Jennie riding FE Lifestyle and Twilightslastgleam.
Doug Payne and Quantum Leap were the best US combination in the five-star at Kentucky in the spring and they will be at Maryland, too.
Young US talent Woods Baughman will try to make amends for a disappointing cross-country performance at Burghley Horse Trials when he brings forward C’est La Vie 135.
Fans of Hannah Sue Burnett’s veteran ride Harbour Pilot will also have a chance to see him in action as the 19-year-old is on the start list.
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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.
