by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 21, 2025
I wasn’t around for the first Badminton Three-Day, or even the first Kentucky event. But I have covered every MARS Maryland 5-Star at Fair Hill since that fixture started five years ago.
So I’ve monitored first-hand the impressive annual evolution of the world’s newest 5-Star. The 2025 edition convinced me that there is even more promise ahead.
The biggest change was Paris Olympic course designer Pierre Le Goupil giving a different look to the cross-country in his first 5-Star effort, where the footing was superb and intriguing fences built by Tyson Rementer and his team added visual enrichment. While some riders were quite apprehensive after walking the route, it turned out well.
Jennie Brannigan and FE Lifestyle tackle the cross-country course.
Each year at the event, I have a chat with Terry Hasseltine, executive director of the Maryland Sports Commission, and also the president and chairman of the Sport and Entertainment Corporation of Maryland. So he’s the man who knows what’s going on in Maryland, which has more horses per square mile than any other state.
Terry doesn’t make empty promises. In the past, he told me there would be betting on the event (there is) and that racing would resume at the site (it did).
So I asked him what’s next for one of the country’s most scenic equestrian venues.
“We want to continue to strengthen the level of competition for both the Young Event Horse, the 3-Star and the 5-Star,” he responded.
“Working with a new cross-country course designer changed perspective on what the course can do, looking at it from a different lens. We’re really curious as to what Year Two looks like under Pierre’s guidance on the course.”
Priorities involve promoting growth during the Thursday and Friday portions of the 5-Star event, as well as bringing additional marquee activities to the facility — perhaps stand-alone dressage and show jumping competitions at various times during the season, and maybe a concert. Along with that, there could be an opportunity to have more permanent structures at the site.
“It’s just a matter of fine-tuning the expectations of what we can do on the grounds,” Terry said.
Here’s the big issue though: “In the 5-star, we still get really great competitors,” the executive observed, then asked, “How do we get back to having 40-plus 5-star (entries)?
The answer?
“That’s sometimes an adjustment on the calendar,” Terry believes.
There were 45 entries at the first Maryland 5-Star in 2021, but that was a different time, after the Covid blackout when people were eager to get things back to normal, and the idea of participating in a brand new event was intriguing.
Terry is seeking “serious conversations” with the U.S. Equestrian Federation and the FEI (international equestrian federation) “about logistics leading up to our event. Are we on the right calendar environment, are we sitting in the perfect space to make sure we can have bigger fields or grow our competition level?
Terry Hasseltine
“I know they’re trying to do something new to grow the sport, foster new riders, foster long-term support of eventing in general. We want to be open and receptive in supporting that process, but we’d like to also be in a position where we are part of the narrative.
“How do we support Fair Hill International (which presents horse trials on another side of the property) and the work that they’re doing on the grass roots level to get more kids on the back of horses, learning the trade and what is involved in being a rider?” asked Terry, praising the efforts and cooperation of that organization.
In the quest to boost the base, he added, “You need the highest standard of your sport being the thing that gets the benefit of calendar dates and the benefit of fiscal support. Sometimes, when those things don’t align, it creates challenges. We don’t want to be a one-hit wonder, we want to be a sustainable event that grows year and year after helping to grow the sport, but also helping to grow what is an economic festival for the northeast region of the state of Maryland.” And in the bigger picture, it “really is a Mid-Atlantic event.”
Entries are strong for the Maryland 3-Star Long and the Young Event Horse sections, so there’s plenty to watch on the 5-Star weekend, where Joanie Morris is competition manager. And ticket-holders also can enjoy attractions such as the Corgi races, Shetland pony racing and the Real Rider Cup for off-track thoroughbreds, as well as rows of vendors and lots of food trucks.
But while the 5-star division is the foundation on which the rest of the event is built in terms of crowd appeal and prestige, it hasn’t been overwhelmed with entries, as Terry pointed out. This year, there were 22 starters, with 13 making it to the final show jumping phase. That was five more for the finale than in 2024, but the feeling is, that’s still not enough on Sunday afternoon.
The best-known foreign riders who were Maryland regulars, such as Britain’s Oliver Townend or New Zealand’s Tim Price, did not come (they’re headed to the Pau, France, 5-Star this week). It’s expensive for riders and their horses to cross the Atlantic, so travel grants have helped to a limited extent (including for the winner, Felix Vogg of Switzerland) but the organizers can’t pay for everyone’s trip.
Boyd Martin and the victor, Felix Vogg.
We also were missing such U.S. stars as Will Coleman and Tamie Smith, who were riding the week before the 5-Star in the first U.S. Open 4-star. Why schedule that just before the 5-Star?
As Terry pointed out about the Maryland effort, “This is a heavy lift and a significant investment, and you need to make sure you’re providing the best quality of competition and the best quality of services. We want to continue that world class environment and world class destination experience. It’s hard to do when we’re having to look at what your last day might come down to,” he said, referring to the number of competitors in the 5-Star show jumping finale.
There are several issues linked to recruiting more 5-Star participants. One is the calendar, as Terry mentioned. Another is the dearth of 5-Star horse/rider combinations in this country.
You’ll hear different takes on that subject.
“I don’t think there are that many professional event riders in America, compared to overseas,” suggested Boyd Martin, who won the first Maryland 5-Star.
“I think the country’s more based around amateurs and 20 percent what you’d call professionals, and the opposite in other countries, where there are 80 percent professionals and 20 percent amateurs.”
At the same time, he pointed out, for anyone who aspires to someday ride at the top level of the sport in a 5-Star, “You basically need a number of horses, knowing some aren’t going to make it — some might not be sound enough, some can’t jump high enough, some get injured — to get to the 5-star level. To have America have more horses, we need a bigger depth of professionals.”
At the same time, “It takes a unique animal to be able to do this (cross-country) course,” he said of Maryland’s 5-Star.
“It’s a long trip, big hills, big jumps; you need a real athletic horse.”
That’s another reason some riders feel the twisting but flatter course at Pau is a better choice for their horses.
Then there is the fact that the Olympics and Pan American Games are not at the 5-Star level (they are 4-star and 3-star respectively for cross-country), so people can pursue their championship dreams without ever riding in a 5-Star.
“Worldwide, with the 4-star being the championships, there are people who don’t do as many 5-stars as they used to,” pointed out David O’Connor, the USEF’s chief of sport.
USEF Chief of Sport David O’Connor
However, he doesn’t see a permanent shortage of American 5-Star riders, noting, “We’ve got a bunch of young riders coming up through the levels that are very, very good and have the desire to do 5-stars.”
Regarding the number of entries at Maryland, he mentioned, “There are always not as many horses in the autumn as there are in the spring.” In that regard, someone else mentioned that at Britain’s iconic events, there tend to be less entries at Burghley in September than at Badminton in May.
In terms of Maryland’s future, David said, “I don’t see it growing exponentially in the 5-star. But they do a great job here with a full eventing weekend. Is this (the 5-Star) going to be 50 horses? No, it’s too expensive a lot of times for the Europeans to come over.”
While the grant system will help to some extent for a few riders, he pointed out that so many riders are going to Pau, and compared the price to competing at Maryland for Europeans.
If it’s a financial decision, “You have something that costs you $5,000 to go to and you have something that costs you $40,000 to go to,” he said.
Leslie Law, Olympic gold medalist, chef d’equipe and high performance manager for the U.S. eventing team, noted the shorter format events that two decades ago replaced the classic format’s speed and endurance segments meant there are fewer thoroughbreds or horses with significant amounts of thoroughbred blood competing. But a few thoroughbreds are still heard from occasionally; Monica Spencer’s Artist, a thoroughbred, was second in Maryland.
“With where eventing is right now, dressage and show jumping (segments) are extremely influential,” said Leslie.
That format favors warmbloods and their way of moving and jumping..
“You could be successful with a different type of horse, but those horses don’t always materialize into the 5-Star horses of today,” Leslie commented.
“We’ve almost got two sports, in a way. It’s a little bit like the jumpers. They have their grand prix horses but they also have their speed horses. The speed horse will never be a grand prix horse, probably, and the grand prix horse is probably not a speed horse.
“You’re seeing a wider range of horses (in eventing), but perhaps they’re not all 5-Star horses,” said Leslie.
U.S. Eventing Chef d’Equipe Leslie Law. (Photo by Devyn Trethewey/U.S. Equestrian)
On the other side of the Atlantic, the numbers indicate a different situation because of how many countries are involved in the sport there.
“They’re drawing from across Europe and you’ve got a lot of New Zealand and Australian riders based in the UK,” Leslie explained. It should be noted that there are also six Americans at Pau, including Boyd.
“The pool they’re drawing from is really much greater. Every European country is going to have its riders and they’re pushing their system. If you look at Pau, there’s probably not much more than (four) French riders there, but they’ve (the event has) got a big entry.” The British tend to flock there, with 28 competing at Pau this month.
“If that was a standalone event, like we have here, then it starts to look much more comparable,” Leslie said.
by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 13, 2025
He’s not an American, but Alan Wade spends a lot of time in the U.S.
So he will be a very familiar face as the show jumping course designer for the 2028 Olympics at Santa Anita. The Irishman laid out the routes for the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final 2017 in Omaha and the FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2018 in Tryon, N.C. He has Olympic mileage, too, as the assistant course designer at the London 2012 Olympic Games alongside Bob Ellis.
At LA28, Alan joins Alec Lochore of Great Britain, who has been named the cross-country course designer. Sad not to have U.S. designers in those roles. but that would seem to point to a dearth of U.S. officials at the level required for an Olympics.
Alan Wade grew up immersed in equestrian sport and began designing his first tracks at age 12 at the local gymkhanas in County Tipperary. He is the son of jumping great Tommy Wade, part of Ireland’s winning Aga Khan Cup team in 1963 and 1967 aboard the legendary Dundrum.
In 2009, Alan began designing in the main arena of the Dublin Horse Show for the first time. Since then, he has officiated in Dublin over a dozen times. He has designed in Rotterdam, Istanbul, Abu Dhabi, Lisbon, and Rabat. His reputation for excellence has crossed the Atlantic and his popularity has grown in North America. Currently, the majority of his designs are created for shows in the United States alongside some in Canada and Mexico.
“I would like to congratulate Alan Wade on his appointment as the Jumping Course Designer for the Olympic Games LA28,” FEI President Ingmar De Vos said. “This is a crucial role for the success of equestrian in Los Angeles and I’m convinced that we have made the right choice. Alan Wade is hugely experienced and has a profound understanding of the sport. He is well known for his subtle designs, which are challenging but set a fair test for the athletes and the horses and reward skill and horsemanship. I’m looking forward to world class Jumping at the LA28 Olympic Games.”
“I am honored and grateful to accept the role of Jumping Course Designer for the Olympic Games LA28,” Alan said. “I would like to thank the FEI Board and Olympic Games LA28 Organising Committee for entrusting me with the important role of creating the courses and fence designs. I look forward to designing courses that produce good competition and present our sport in the best way possible on the world stage that is the Olympic Games.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 6, 2025
Anderson Lima, who did such a good job laying out the route for the Sapphire Grand Prix of Devon last spring, has been named as the course designer for the April 2026 FEI World Cup Show Jumping Finals in Ft. Worth.
Anderson Lima walking his course at Devon.
The Mexican designer has been part of the design team at the Olympics and several FEI World Cup Finals, as well as the Pan American Games and other international championships. He will be joined by Bernardo Costa Cabral of Portugal as the foreign technical delegate.
Anderson thinks that in this era, the riders, more than the horses, are tested by the courses. He is known for being fair.
“I like to create nice lines and a balance between forward distances and a little bit shorter distances and normal size jumps. For sure when you talk about grands prix, being fair means creating the right dimensions. But I do like to challenge horses and riders with colors, jumps with a little bit more open space, jumps that are a little bit more solid, or by having planks and walls.”
Using a variety of options, he pointed out, he can keep testing riders and their mounts in new and different ways.
by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 19, 2025
Through the ups and downs of the leaderboard at the MARS Maryland 5-star at Fair Hill, Swiss rider Felix Vogg inched his way forward; from third place after dressage to second following cross-country, finally achieving victory in the show jumping finale on Sunday.
Felix Vogg and Cartania on their way to victory.
The standings had been steady at the top — New Zealand’s Monica Spencer led the 22 starters in dressage and stayed first after finishing well within the optimum time on cross-country on her intrepid thoroughbred, Artist.
But her luck ran out in the show jumping, where the rails started falling along the route designed by Michel Vaillancourt. First it was the vertical at fence 6 after the double combination, then another rail at the vertical after the triple bar. The one fence she had in hand over Felix and his elegant mare, Cartania, wasn’t enough — as Monica had suspected on Saturday, when she contemplated the final phase and how Artist might fare.
She was philosophical about her placing.
“To be second at a 5-Star is the stuff dreams are made of,” she commented.
Monica Spencer and Artist.
Her total of 31.7 penalties was a personal best at a 5-star and the highlight of a year in which she finished eighth at Kentucky and sixth at Aachen.
For Artist, “Show jumping’s not his strength,” she said while beaming with joy and holding a bouquet of red roses after the prize giving.
“It was a technical track out there and we just fell a bit short in a couple of places. I think he tried hard and I’m pleased with him,” said Monica, who began basing herself in Pennsylvania nearly two years ago.
In 2022, when he took first place with 29 penalties on Colero at Germany’s Luhmuhlen, Felix became the only Swiss ever to win an eventing 5-Star since one of his countrymen enjoyed victory at Badminton in 1951 (though that level had a different name then). Now the 35-year-old rider has two 5-star triumphs to his credit; again the only Swiss with that claim to fame.
Felix Vogg on his victory gallop.
“Unreal,” he said after his victory gallop, in which he joyfully made a third circuit, rather than the traditional two. For exceeding the 82-second time allowed, he added only 0.4 penalties to his dressage score, giving him a total of 28.7.
“The horse is unbelievable. I wanted to win all week, but of course, many people want that. The mare actually delivered, it’s fantastic. She was all week mentally so strong,” said Felix, who has ridden her for seven years and considered her his third-string mount until recently because he was riding several other exciting horses.
When Cartania had a dental problem last summer, Felix started jumping her in a hackamore. It worked so well he has kept on using it. She won the first event of her career in July at the 4-star short at Avenches, Switzerland.
Felix received a travel grant from the Maryland 5-Star International Riders Travel Grant Program. As foreign rider after foreign rider told me, the expense of coming across the Atlantic is daunting, and with so many events in Europe, financially for some it makes sense to stay there.
“Without that grant, I wouldn’t be here,” said Felix, who left America richer, having collected $100,000 for his victory.
Boyd Martin, the only American to win the Maryland event in its five-year history, had a rough weekend, falling from Luke 140 during cross-country. With his second horse, Commando 3, he was understandably cautious on cross-country, incurring 8 time penalties for taking several long routes.
Boyd Martin and Commando 3.
He was standing fifth coming into show jumping. But then Jennie Brannigan had two rails with FE Lifestyle, Boyd produced a clean round and Mia Farley, who had been third with Phelps, dropped four poles to go from third to seventh. (Phelps did, however, win the special award for the best performance by an American thoroughbred in the 5-Star.)
That moved Boyd up to the podium on 38.3 penalties.
Speaking about Commando, Boyd noticed, “he’s finished second for Kentucky and third at Maryland. I think the best is still to come.”
Even so, being on the podium in Maryland is still an achievement.
Maryland winner Felix Vogg with Monica Spencer and Boyd Martin.
“I love to win, but it’s not so bad being third to these two champion horsemen…horsewoman,” he said, noting Monica is his next door neighbor and Felix had lived with him and his family for a year.
“My wife is secretly in love with him,” he revealed.
That seemed to be the biggest story of the day, so I asked Silva Martin if it was true, as she herded her three little boys in the VIP area.
Silva, a top dressage rider, admitted to having a crush on Felix, but she correctly pointed out it wasn’t going anywhere.
“He has a really great girlfriend, so I think that would be a better match. I’m not sure Felix would want a woman with three children by Boyd Martin.”
This was all in fun, of course.
The original field of 22 was down to 13 for the show jumping. Top 10 finishes worth noting included the oldest horse in the competition, Sunday Times, who is 18. He was tenth, with two rails down, but looked happy to be doing his job.
Sophia Hill, who came over from Australia earlier this month, didn’t have a great dressage test with a horse who hadn’t had a chance to settle in, but Humble Glory was the fastest on cross-country and wound up sixth on his dressage score of 46.2 after a brilliant show jumping display.
Sunday Times, at 18 the oldest horse in the 5-Star, with Arden Wildasin.
Click here for 5-Star results.
In the 3-Star, Isabelle Bosley held onto the lead she established in dressage, winning on 24.8 penalties aboard her Oldenburg mount, Conner. Second-place Alyssa Phillips did the same, adding nothing to her dressage score of 25.5 penalties on her Holsteiner, Rockett 19. Third-place Olivia Dutton dropped a rail at the first fence and collected time penalties but was able to keep her third-place standing with a score of 32.9 on Jewelent, an Irish Sport Horse who is rather a new ride for her..
Isabelle and Olivia both train with Olivia’s father, Olympic multi-medalist Phillip Dutton.
Isabelle is a local resident from Monkton, Md., and she had a big fan club cheering her on.
Three-Star stars Alyssa Phillips, Isabelle Bosley and Olivia Dutton.
“It means so much to have my family and friends here supporting me this weekend. Conner was incredible, he’s such a good boy, and he’s definitely not for sale,” she said, noting, “I’ve been asked a couple of times.”
Click here for 3-Star results
by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 18, 2025
During both dressage days at the MARS Maryland 5-star event, the riders seemed more apprehensive than usual about Saturday’s cross-country test, walking the course over and over, describing it as challenging, massive and technical.
Not only was it the first time Pierre Le Goupil had designed a 5-star, it also was his inaugural effort at Fair Hill, known for its hilly terrain (hence the name) that requires a very fit horse to handle the task.
Monica Spencer and Artist at the giant crab, holding the right on red flag in his claw.
Putting that all together added up to multiple cases of nerves, and in some cases, full-scale apprehension.
But as is often the case, the anticipation was much worse than the outcome for the majority in the starting field of 22, which had 13 competitors who made it through the finish line.
Seven had no jumping faults, and the top three all finished within the 11-minute optimum time, as New Zealand’s Monica Spencer held her lead from dressage on 23.7 penalties with the 14-year-old thoroughbred, Artist.
The leader after dressage, Monica Spencer with Artist.
“He definitely was ready to run,” said Monica, who finished with 24 seconds to spare.
While the route dotted with obstacles bearing intimidating names such as Pierre’s Puzzle and the Chesapeake Beasts was as difficult as some had feared, it definitely wasn’t easy.
“I think it was tough out there. You really had to fight for it the whole way, be ready to act on your feet and have a brave and generous horse,” Monica said.
“It was as hard as we thought it would be, but we did it, so we’re very happy.” She noted that the ground, irrigated by a storm last Monday, was perfect and that her horse “was a machine” on that surface.
Felix Vogg of Switzerland, second with Cartania on 28.3 penalties, said because the design was by Pierre, who is “really into details… it mostly rides better than you expect.” Even so, he noted, echoing Monica, “it was tough.”
Felix Vogg and Cartania.
Mia Farley, third on another thoroughbred, Phelps, was just one second under the optimum time, moving up from ninth after dressage with 32.2 penalties.
“I think it walked kind of how it rode,” said the only U.S. representative in the top three.
“He made it feel easy,” she added, noting she felt bad about her caution in taking two long routes. But even so, she came closest to the optimum time with the son of the noted stallion Tiznow. Phelps’ original name was Tiz Special, and that certainly sums up his character.
Mia Farley and Phelps gallop away from the giant crab at MARS Sustainability Bay.
Sophia Hill’s thoroughbred, Humble Glory by Bernardini (another renowned stallion), was the only other horse to finish under the optimum time. In fact, Hughey, as he is known, was four seconds quicker than Artist. He moved up from twentieth after a disastrous dressage test to seventh place on 46.2 penalties. He only came from Australia a week before Fair Hill, and his rider noted he really hadn’t had time to settle in. He’s going to remain in the U.S. with Monica, and Sophia will travel back and forth from Down Under to compete him.
Chessie, the sea monster who lives in Chesapeake Bay, tried to swallow Sophia Hill, but her horse, Humble Glory, was too fast for him.
Thoroughbreds used to dominate eventing in the days of the long format that included steeplechase and roads and tracks. Elimination of those segments opened the door to warmbloods, whose way of moving generally earns better marks in dressage. But the performances of Artist (known as Max) and Phelps show the value of thoroughbreds in the sport when speed and endurance are a factor. And it should be mentioned that although Cartania is a Holsteiner, she is 45 percent thoroughbred.
So I asked Monica and Mia what they think their thoroughbreds’ performances at the 5-star have done for the reputation of the breed in eventing.
“They keep answering. Every 5 star, there’s at least one I feel like that just goes for it and gets everything done,” said Mia.
As Monica noted, “We love our thoroughbreds. Max and Phelps are doing it for those average brown thoroughbreds out there. It’s nice that they can find a second career. I love that I can let him go on the straights…I don’t have to feel rushed, I can make up time after the jumps, so it allows me to be more accurate.”
Boyd Martin, the highest-ranked rider internationally at the event who stands fifth in the world, ran into trouble at Pierre’s Puzzle, falling at the third element after a refusal from Luke 140. He came back later in the day to ride Commando 3, but was understandably cautious with him, taking long routes at the Chesapeake Beasts, fanciful monsters made from evergreens, and at the MARS Sustainability Bay. He is fifth on 38.3 penalties. Jennie Brannigan, still recovering from an injury suffered in a fall at Morven Park last weekend, is fourth on FE Lifestyle (36.4).
Boyd Martin on Commando 3 over the Bay Bridge, one of the Maryland-themed fences in the 5-star.
In addition to Boyd on Luke, Will Faudree on Mama’s Magic Way was eliminated for a fall, while Caroline Pamukcu’s mount, She’s the One, fell at the Fox Catcher Flyer.
Going into Sunday’s show jumping at the event presented by Brown Advisory, things are still close, though Monica has a rail in hand over Felix, whose mare was bred for jumping. He pointed out “she can jump high,” as illustrated by her cross-country performance.
Felix Vogg, Monica Spencer and Mia Farley
Monica is glad to have that rail in hand, and would have liked two.
“I came to this event hoping to get on the podium after swinging and missing for many top 10s,” she noted.
Mia concedes “show jumping is not our strong suit, we have Phelps for cross-country and he gives me a great experience on Saturdays” but added, “I will do my best on Sunday for him and he will do his best for me.”
click here for the 5-star results. Click this link for 3-star results.
by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 17, 2025
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.
Click here for 5-star results. Click this link for 3-star results.
by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 16, 2025
The first half of dressage competition was featured Thursday at the Mars Maryland 5-star Three-Day Event, as the USA’s Boyd Martin topped the scoreboard with Luke 140, but much more than the placings were on everybody’s mind.
Boyd Martin and Luke 140.
Topic A was the cross-country course, a medley of question marks, with Pierre Le Goupil taking over from Ian Stark as the designer in the fifth year of the event, presented by Brown Advisory.
It’s the only 5-star layout ever produced by Pierre, though he is vastly experienced, having done the Paris Olympics in 2024 (the Olympics is at 4-star-plus level, as the designer explains) in addition to producing routes at scores of other events around the world.
Pierre Le Goupil.
The up-and-down Fair Hill terrain is daunting even without the fences; with them, it’s a real test of fitness. Last year, only eight horses of the 21 that started on cross-country came back to show jump on the final day.
This year, the middle phase of the event will be different, but it won’t be any easier.
“This course is pretty challenging, so we’ve got our work cut out for us on Saturday,” said Boyd, scored at 31 penalties with a horse who was on his toes. Boyd did a good job to stay on when the Holsteiner spooked in a big way as he left the arena.
On the much discussed topic of cross-country, “The jumping efforts are massive,” observed Canada’s Jessica Phoenix, who retired on course last year with Wabbit, but is back to try again.
“The technical questions are some of the most technical questions I’ve ever seen. All of it, start to finish, you have to be really on your game and those horses have to know really where they’re going and be willing to fight for it.”
She added, “On the plus side, the way they’ve done the roping this year and changed a little bit of the flow of the course will help the horses settle in their rhythm earlier,
What’s in her favor is that Wabbit is a thoroughbred, a rare breed in eventing these days, but when it comes to fitness and endurance, they excel. Wabbit has some ground to make up, standing eighth on 40.2 penalties with 11 more horses to compete in dressage on Friday.
Will Faudree, an American who is ninth on Mama’s Magic Way (43.5 penalties), has entered 24 or 25 5-stars in his career, so he’s seen legions of their cross-country courses. Of this one, he assessed, “It’s a plenty big enough track. It’s going to be a big job to do on Saturday.”
Although British riders have been a fixture at the event since its inception, with last year’s winner, Oliver Townend, and Harry Meade having been among the regulars from abroad, there’s only one Brit on the roster this time.
That’s Alexander Bragg, third at Badminton last year with Quindiva, the world’s highest-rated eventing mare and a stunning creature, who is coming back after having two embryo transplants.
Alexander Bragg and Quindiva.
Quindiva was standing seventh with 39.2 penalties, after getting “quite lit-up going down the chute,” her rider said, citing “extra atmosphere and the wind” making everything “very, very scary. Today, she didn’t let me get the best out of her.”
But he’s looking forward to cross-country, because “Maryland is renowned for that sort of gallopy cross-country feel, and that’s what the mare is good at.”
He’s hoping to jump up the leaderboard with his Oldenburg beauty after cross-country.
“The harder the course is and the higher they build the show jumping, the better for me. So this is why we’re at Maryland,” explained Alexander, who is making his competitive debut in the U.S. this weekend.
But I wondered, why aren’t there other Brits at Maryland? In the spring, Harry and Tom McEwen were at Kentucky, which drew 33 starters on cross-country. Bigger numbers of entries at Maryland are harder to get.
Alexander explained, “Financially, it’s a tough draw to come here. It costs a lot of money to fly and there isn’t really funding for that in the U.K. to bring horses across the water.
“I think that’s probably one of the big deciding factor. Obviously, a lot of horses get taken out in the championships and at Burghley horse trials, and Maryland is after that. The cost makes that a big decision to come.”
Boyd’s 2024 Paris Olympics teammate, Caroline Pamukcu, is poised in second place on She’s the One.
The calendar was particularly crowded this summer and fall, with the European championships, the new US Open of eventing last week and the Pau 5-star in France next week.
Click here for 5-star results. Click this link for 3-star results
by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 15, 2025
U.S.-based Irish Olympic show jumper Darragh Kenny is provisionally suspended in an anti-doping case relating to his prescribed treatment for a medical condition. The suspension is related to testing at last summer’s European Show Jumping Championships.
The FEI has indicated the substance involved is classified under class S6, which are stimulants, on the World Anti-Doping Agency prohibited list, according to a statement issued by Horse Sport Ireland.
“Substances in this category may be found in certain prescribed medications used in the treatment of medical conditions, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder [ADHD], anaphylaxis and cold and flu symptoms.”
Darragh rode Eddy Blue on the Irish team that finished fourth at the Europeans, where the rider was seventh individually.
In a statement offered through Horse Sport Ireland, Darragh said, “After the European Championships earlier this year, I was notified by the FEI of a positive result for a medication prohibited under anti-doping regulations,
“The medication in question is part of a prescribed treatment I have been taking under medical supervision for ADHD. As a result, the FEI has imposed a provisional suspension while the matter is being reviewed. I am cooperating fully with the FEI and the International Testing Agency (ITA) to clarify the circumstances surrounding this case.”
Darragh added he “never intended to gain any competitive advantage. My sole aim was to responsibly address a medical condition under professional guidance.
“I am deeply grateful to my national federation, my sponsors, owners, clients and the broader equestrian community for their support throughout this process.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 9, 2025
What do you think about giving horses “agency,” or choice and control in their lives?
Growing interest in the topic has prompted Cornell University’s Equine Seminar Series to present “Equine Welfare and Agency: Why Choice Matters” from 6-7 p.m. Oct.. 21 on Zoom. There is no charge for the seminar, which is open to the public.
The discussion will involve common challenges, as well as opportunities, to increase agency for horses through management, training, and everyday interactions.
Speaking will be Dr. Lindsay Goodale is a senior lecturer in the Department of Animal Science at Cornell’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. She teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in equine biology and management, domestic mammalian behavior and animal welfare. Lindsay also serves as the equine extension specialist for New York State and has developed a Horse Farm Improvement Program for equine operations.
She attended veterinary school at Cornell and graduated in 2012, returning to work at Cornell in her current role in 2017. She is pursuing board certification through the American College of Animal Welfare.
This seminar is part of the Cornell Equine Seminar Series. Please register in advance at this link
by Nancy Jaffer | Oct 12, 2025
Riders with a Florida connection dominated the Dover Saddlery/USEF Hunter Seat Medal Finals at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show Sunday, with the top three from a field of 157 linked to the Sunshine State.
Olivia Sweetnam, the Wellington, Fla.-based daughter of Irish team stalwart Shane Sweetnam and his wife, trainer Ali Sweetnam, took the title. She is coached by Ken and Emily Smith of Ashland Farm in Wellington. They also trained runner-up Parker Peacock, who was on Montverdi. Third-place Lily Epstein of Coral Gables, Fla., is coached by Ken and Emily as well, and Ali Sweetnam. She rode Charlie Brown, the best horse a week ago at the Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals East.
It took more than 10 hours to sort out the placings. A group of 25 riders, who included Olivia’s brother, Collin, were tested over a new course after the original group had finished performing in front of judges Ralph Caristo and Michael Tokaruk at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg.
The top four also included Emi Richard, who rides with New York trainer Andre Dignelli. The finalists were asked to handle yet another test, involving two counter-canters, a trot fence and a hand gallop.
Olivia was aboard Efendi, the horse Brian Moggre rode to the Medal win in 2018.
“For the first round, I just wanted a smooth, consistent round. I didn’t want many changes in pace,” said Olivia, who was quick to credit her horse.
“All three rounds actually were very suited to my horse, so I’m very thankful for that. Efendi is the best, and I knew that he was beyond capable of this. He’s done it before with different riders, so he’s really the talent in the pair.”
Of the 17-year-old Holsteiner gelding, owned by Ashland Farms, Sweetnam continued, “I’ve been riding Efendi for I’d say almost two years…This is my second finals season on him, my second year at Medal Finals. He means so much to me. I’m so thankful to be able to ride him.
“This is my fourth time doing Medal Finals, I believe, and I’ve been lucky enough to have a really good go all three times,” continued Olivia, who finished fourth in 2023 and fifth in 2024.
“This is my third year in a row testing, and I’ve tragically messed up the test both other times. So I’m really happy to be able to pull it off today. I’ve been wanting to win this final for a really long time.”
Olivia’s family wrote on their Sweet Oak facebook page what the victory meant to them:
“There are not enough words to describe how special today has been for the Sweetnam Family. Years of dedication, the highs and lows, the endless hours of training—all for a dream. A dream of one day seeing your name alongside so many who have gone on to become the world’s best.
“You dream, you hope, you work relentlessly. You make mistakes, but you learn from every one. You cry, you doubt, and you wonder if you can keep going. And then one day, the dream becomes reality. The doubts fade, and every ounce of effort feels worthwhile.
“Today was that day for Olivia. We are beyond proud of you, Liv. May this be just the beginning of many more dreams fulfilled. Our heartfelt thanks to everyone at Ashland Farm and Sweet Oak Farm for being there every step of the way and for helping make this moment truly unforgettable.”
Medal winner Olivia Sweetnam. (Pennsylvania National Horse Show Photo)
In other action at the show, Clara Propp won the Turnham Green/USEF Junior Jumper National Championship on Mistral van de Vogelzang Saturday night. Second went to Avery Griffin and Oh My Star Van Strytem. JJ Torano and Lyon 50 took home the bronze.
“My horse is absolutely incredible,” Clara said about her 13-year-old Belgian warmblood gelding, owned by Aquitaine Equine.
“I’m really happy that it all came together tonight. I feel like I’ve been working on my partnership with him for almost a year now, and tonight really solidified that. Coming into tonight, I was going in fifth, so I knew I kind of didn’t really have anything to lose. I just wanted to put down a solid, clear round and hope for the best.”
JJ was presented with the William C. Steinkraus Style of Riding Award Perpetual Trophy, donated by Karen Healey. The award recognizes the junior jumper rider who is deemed by the judges to best exemplify the American style of equitation and the respectful, dignified, courteous and workmanlike manner of a true sportsman
