Maryland 5 Star

The Maryland 5 Star joined the exclusive family of five-star horse trials around the world in 2021. It is the world’s seventh five-star and the second in the US, alongside Kentucky Three-Day Event in the spring. The 2026 event is scheduled for 15-18 October.

The site where Maryland takes place, Fair Hill, had hosted events up to four-star for many years before taking on the five-star. The five-star event is at the Fair Hill Special Event Zone at the venue.

The cross-country course at Maryland 5 Star is currently designed by Paris Olympic course designer Pierre Le Goupil. He took over from British multi-medalled former event rider Ian Stark in 2025. Ian made his five-star course-design debut here at the inaugural event in 2021.

The home side’s Boyd Martin won the first edition of the event on board the British-bred mare On Cue. This was the first US win at five-star since Phillip Dutton triumphed at Kentucky in 2008 on Connaught. Oliver Townend was second on Cooley Master Class for Britain, with New Zealand’s Tim Price finishing third and becoming the first person to complete all the world’s seven five-stars.

Other winners of the Maryland 5 Star to date include Tim Price, who won in 2022 (Happy Valma) and 2023 (Coup de Coeur Dudevin), Ireland’s Austin O’Connor (Colorado Blue) who triumphed in 2024 and Swizerland’s Felix Vogg, who topped the podium with Cartania in 2025.