The top six competitors from the first day of the Mars Maryland 5-star event were re-directed down the leaderboard Friday, after the full field had completed the dressage phase.
On Thursday, no one was able to score less than 30 penalties, but the second day brought New Zealand’s Monica Spencer to the top on a sparkling personal best of 23.7 penalties aboard Artist, a 14-year-old thoroughbred she has worked with for 10 years. In terms of non-eventing dressage, the equivalent would have been a more than respectable 76.35 percent for the U.S.-based rider.
Monica Spencer and Artist, the leaders after dressage.
But she is well aware the real work has only just begun, with cross-country scheduled for Saturday.
“I think dressage will be long-forgotten tomorrow and it will be interesting to see how the day unfolds. It’s a serious track out there I’ve walked it three time so far and it hasn’t gotten any smaller each time,” Monica reported.
Contemplating her success and her beloved mount, known as Max, the rider became overwhelmed with emotion and burst into tears at the post-competition press conference.
“He has been such a great horse for me. He has taken me all over the world,” Monica reflected and began crying.
“He just tries so hard,” she said.
“It’s really special to be in a 5-star and be back at Maryland where our American adventure began.”
In the midst of her tears, she got a comfort hug from Caroline Pamukcu, who rode HSH Blake, her 2024 U.S. Olympic team mount to second place with 28.2 penalties.
Caroline had a baby (named Blake!) in February. As a result, even though she began riding again a week after the birth, she got a late start not only on her fitness for this year, but also on that of her Irish sport horse, who wasn’t looking so sporty after his layoff.
“He was like a balloon,” she recalled with a smile.
“We thought he was sick, because he was so fat.”
But she worked at getting in shape and praised the U.S. Equestrian Federation for the help it offered, and the training sessions held at Boyd Martin’s farm in Pennsylvania.
She did it! Caroline Pamukcu was thrilled with her dressage score on HSH Blake.
Standing third is Swiss rider Felix Vogg, who forsook next week’s 5-star at Pau in France, right next door to his homeland. He decided to fly his Holsteiner, Cartania, to the U.S. because he thought Maryland’s hilly terrain would suit her better that the flat layout at Pau. His mare’s score of 28.3 penalties was a personal best for her.
Cartania floated to her personal best dressage test under the guidance of Felix Vogg.
But with dressage in the rear view for the field of 22, the real work has only just begun. Cross-country likely is another game-changer.
The course is designed by Pierre Le Goupil, a Frenchman whose routes are unfamiliar to most American riders, except those who competed in the 2023 Pan American Games and the 2024 Olympics, neither of which were at 5-star level. But Caroline, who rode Blake in both, cited the logical progression for her horse to compete in the first 5-star designed by Pierre.
Thursday’s leader, Boyd Martin, was Caroline’s teammate in Paris, so he also is no stranger to Pierre’s style.
He noted, “it’s an unusual course, it’s very creative. It should be an exciting day.”
Boyd Martin and Commando 3.
While Boyd slipped to seventh place on his Thursday leader, Luke 140, he tied for fourth Friday on Commando 3 with New Zealander Jonelle Price aboard Chili’s Midnight Star, who is by William Fox Pitt’s great stallion, Chilli Morning. Both riders were scored at 30.3 penalties.
Another threat from the Southern Hemisphere, Tayla Mason of New Zealand on Centennial, is sixth, just 0.1 penalty behind.
Will the top three stay in place after cross-country? We’ll have to see if cross-country is as tough as everyone says it is.
The top three after dressage: Caroline Pamukcu, Monica Spencer, Felix Vogg.
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