by Nancy Jaffer | Mar 19, 2026
After five years of losing to Germany at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival, the USA claimed a very narrow victory over the Europeans in the Modon FEI Dressage Nations Cup on Thursday.
Led by Christine Traurig, the Dutta Corp. U.S. dressage team of Ashley Holzer on Hawtins San Floriana, Jordan LaPlaca (Gold Play), Meagan Davis (Toronto Lightfoot) and Anna Marek (Fayvel) earned 205.631 percent, just nipping its rivals, who scored 205.043. Canada was third on 204.196.
The winning U.S. team: Anna Marek, Meagan Davis, Jordan LaPlaca, Ashley Holzer, Christine Traurig (U.S. Equestrian Photo)
No one in the class broke 70 percent. The highest score belonged to Germany’s Frederic Wandres, who earned 69.913 percent on Verrenberg. Canadian Brittany Fraser-Beaulieu was second on Jaccardo with 69.826 percent. The top American, Anna, was third with 69.435 percent on Fayvel. She was a replacement for a rider who had dropped out.
“Christine chose me to go last, which is always a big honor,” said Anna. “
“In a team competition, there’s even more added pressure because I want to have a good ride for my team. I didn’t know what score I needed for gold and, honestly, it wouldn’t have really mattered. I just went in there wanting to ride the best test I could.
“This gold medal is huge, though, because it was important to Cynthia (Davila, Fayvel’s owner) for Fayvel to be on a team, so it’s special to share this with her. He’s a very special horse. He was hers to ride, and then I started riding him, and (my coach) Anne Gribbons always loved him, so Cynthia let me carry on, and we’ve been enjoying every second of it.”
The victory in the 3-star earned the U.S. 10 points to take the early lead as the series got under way, two points ahead of Germany and three ahead of Canada.
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by Nancy Jaffer | Mar 11, 2026
The fate of the Maryland 5-Star event really wasn’t in doubt since word surfaced late last year that financial issues were affecting the Sport & Entertainment Corporation of Maryland, which presented it.
But on Tuesday, the U.S. Equestrian Federation made it official, announcing that the facility at Fair Hill would not stage either the October 5-Star or the 3-Star that was also a part of its program for the last five years.
USEF “has been in regular communication with the Maryland Stadium Authority to support their ongoing discussions surrounding the future viability of the Maryland 5-Star. The current licensee, the Sport & Entertainment Corporation of Maryland, due to apparent financial concerns, will not host the CCI3*-L or CCI5*-L in 2026.”
USEF’s statement said it “is working with a new potential licensee for the CCI3*-L for 2026 and will share updates about the future possibilities for the CCI5*-L as soon as possible. The timeline and FEI requirements to host an event of this stature are published to support any efforts to pursue an application in the future.”
Yet on Wednesday, the Fair Hill Foundation called the decision not to hold the 5-Star this year a pause that “reflects confidence — not uncertainty. It is a proactive step grounded in responsible stewardship and a shared belief that the Maryland 5-Star deserves the time, leadership, and operational depth required to thrive for decades to come. The Foundation is confident in this direction and will continue to provide support through various means to ensure a strong return in 2027.”
Having the event skip a year and come back in 2027 could be a difficult strategy, since momentum would be lost and competitors likely would wonder about the viability of the 5-Star when they plan their schedules.
The foundation, however, states that the 2026 3-Star “will take place as planned, supported by members of a well‑resourced organizing group, including the very experienced Fair Hill International team, many (of whom) will be engaged in the next chapter of the Maryland 5-Star. This team ensures continuity for athletes, owners, and fans, while allowing thoughtful preparation for the 5-Star’s return. In coming days, there will be updates related to the CCI3-L plans for 2026.”
Entries for the 5-star have been relatively light for the last few years after a strong debut for the event. By the time autumn rolls around each year, some top event horses have wrapped up their season, whether because they have done enough for the year or are recovering from physical setbacks.
The calendar also hasn’t been the event’s friend, with France’s Pau 5-star scheduled for the week after Maryland, an easier trip for Europeans than crossing the Atlantic. Maryland also conflicts with another French fixture, Le Lion de Angiers, the Young Horse eventing world championships. And some have cited the debut of the U.S. Open of eventing, a lucrative 4-Star the week before Maryland, as another issue in the viability of the 5-Star on a crowded roster of dates.
Looking ahead to 2027, the Fair Hill Foundation said a leadership and organizational structure is “being assembled to guide the Maryland 5-Star forward. A highly capable, cross‑disciplinary team has been identified, and work is underway to finalize the framework that will support the event’s long‑term success. This approach allows future partners and sponsors to engage with clarity and confidence, understanding both the vision and the commitment behind the investment.”
In the view of the foundation, “The Maryland 5-Star was always intended to be more than a moment — it was meant to be a legacy. The Foundation views this period as an opportunity to honor what has been built while ensuring that the event becomes a world‑class 5-Star competition worthy of Fair Hill, Maryland, and the global sport of eventing.”
The spring Kentucky 5-star also has been running in one form or another since the late 1970s and is a solid fixture at the Kentucky Horse Park. But questions arose when a U.S. autumn 5-star was proposed, as to whether it could get sufficient support from competitors both in the U.S. and abroad so close to the end of a long season.
Also, since competitors can qualify for championships by their record in 4-star events, 5-stars may not feel as relevant as they once did. Not everyone is interested in taking on the sport’s ultimate challenge category. They are still a goal for some, however.
Caroline Pamukcu, who finished fourth in the 2025 Fair Hill 5-star with her 2024 Olympic horse, HSH Blake (and eleventh with HSH Tolan King), was a “huge fan”of the (Maryland) event.
“I think the 5-star is a really important part of our sport. Going 5-star really helps prep me and my horses for big championships,” she said.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Eventing Association has pledged support for the 5-Star and its future, stating it “has made the MARS Maryland 5- Star a focal point of our fall media coverage and has supported it both publicly and privately with the regulatory bodies of our sport, as well as with others in positions to positively influence the event’s long-term success.”
The USEA has further supported the Maryland 5-Star by allocating the USEA Young Event Horse East Coast Championships to the event while helping fund the development of the YEH cross-country course through various terrain builds. The organization confirmed the those East Coast Championships will continue in the fall this year.
“We are committed to running the YEH Championships at Fair Hill if the CCI3*-L takes place on that weekend, subject to the USEF’s negotiation with the new licensee, and approval of the USEA Board of Governors,” said USEA CEO Rob Burk.
“However, we know there are a couple of other venues who would be eager and willing to host the YEH Championships, and we would be willing to relocate. But for the time being, we are committed to holding it on the same dates at the same venue, if that is possible.
“This championship is a premier showcase for the nation’s top young horses and consistently draws more than 75 horses (along with wait-listed horses due to the limited number of competition spots), as well as their riders and owners each year, drawing additional international attention to the event and making it a significant and highly visible feature of the Maryland 5-Star,” the USEA statement continued.
The organization has been a sponsor of the Maryland 5-Star by securing and funding multi-million-dollar competition liability insurance. It also has worked to bring new sponsors and partners to the event.
“We know that the Maryland 5-Star also generates substantial economic impact for surrounding jurisdictions. The state of Maryland can be incredibly proud of this event, and the work that all those involved have put in to make this a globally recognized competition in the Olympic sport of eventing.”
Attendance last year was 32,000, an 11 percent increase over 2024.
The future of the Maryland 5-Star, which was looking dicey after all the principals of the Sport & Entertainment entity departed late last year, became even more of a question in February, after the Maryland Division of Legislative Services discussed 2027 budget proposals before the state Senate Budget and Taxation Committee.
To insure that “new grants are not crowded out by large ongoing grants,” the department recommended that grants for the 5-star should be deleted for the next fiscal year, beginning July 1.
In November, it was projected that the state could have nearly a $1.5 billion shortfall for fiscal 2027. Maryland’s numerous financial issues include work involved with Pimlico and Laurel racetracks. The lottery fund backing stadium authority bonds is approaching its debt limit, and there is concern that the rebuild of Pimlico, home of the Preakness Stakes, could push it over the line.
Maryland Sports Authority Chairman Craig Thompson had said this year that “the plan is to move forward in October” with the 5-star. But neither he nor MSA Executive Director Michael Frenz, who is retiring in April, responded to requests for interviews. There was no information about who could organize a 2026 5-Star, who would be on their team and where the money would come from to fund it.
The five-year-old Maryland 5-Star had received approximately $3 million annually from the state. This event also got money for capital improvements on the under-utilized state-owned Fair Hill property. A tax filing from 2023 shows the event reported $7.6 million in expenses and $1.4 million in sponsorship revenue.
by Nancy Jaffer | Mar 10, 2026
TSF Dalera BB delivered Olympic, World Equestrian Games and European Championships dressage gold medals, as well as two World Cup titles under the guidance of Germany’s Jessica von Bredow Werndl. Now she has delivered something else this week, a filly named Dolce Vita BB.
Jessica called the filly “this little magic creature.” The dark bay filly, marked with a star on her forehead that may well predict her role in the future, is by the stallion Vitalis.
Jessica von Bredow Werndl with Dalera and filly. (Photo courtesy Jessica von Bredow Werndl.
It is interesting that Dalera carried her foal throughout the pregnancy and that no surrogate was involved, as is often the case with top-level mares. She will have a lot to teach her beautiful baby.
by Nancy Jaffer | Mar 7, 2026
Sandwiched between a pair of riders clocked in exactly the same jump-off time, and slotted in before last-to-go Ben Maher, Darragh Kenny had not an instant to spare as he pursued victory in the finale of the $500,000 Bainbridge Companies Grand Prix Saturday night.
The U.S.-based Irishman was able to finish the tiebreaker with Eddy Blue in 41.77 seconds, good enough to beat Australia’s Thaisa Irwin on Hialita B and the USA’s Marilyn Little on Contessa, who both were second in the 5-Star with a mark of 41.92.
Darragh Kenny and Eddy Blue. Photo ©Sportfot
But even after knowing he had edged them, in order to find out whether he’d won, Darragh had to wait for the last to go. That was world number three-ranked Ben on the reliable Dallas Vegas Batilly.
Then at the third fence, an oxer over a liverpool, Ben’s mare threw her head up and stopped, half-rearing and opening her mouth. The British rider kept calm, turned her around and cleared the obstacle, but the suspense was over.
Darragh took the top honors, and the two women tied for second, as Ben finished last in the nine-horse jump-off over the course laid out at the Winter Equestrian Festival by Ireland’s Alan Wade (the 2028 Olympic course designer).
Marilyn Little and Thaisa Erwin tied for second in the Bainbridge Companies Grand Prix, behind Darragh Kenny.
Explaining where he made up the necessary ground in the Wellington (Florida) International arena, Darragh said, “I was able to do seven (strides)” from the first jump to the second obstacle.
“He has a massive, massive stride…so I was able to do one less, one to two, and that’s pretty much what did it. He jumped great. He’s such an incredible horse all the time, he jumps clear, he tries his guts out. I’m just lucky to be able to ride him.”
Daragh added about his mount, “He feels in brilliant form, he’s fresh, he’s great.”
The field of 41 included U.S. stars Kent Farrington on Greya and McLain Ward with High Star Hero, but each had a single fence down and failed to make the tiebreaker. Kent dropped a pole at the fourth fence from the end, and McLain had the vertical that was the B element of the triple combination.
Marilyn was fourteenth to go in the initial round, and the first to be fault-free, putting her as the lead off rider in the tiebreaker.
“I would have loved to have not gone first,” Marilyn said, but noted that with a line-up as stellar as in the Bainbridge, “all you can do is the best you can do.”
She called her mare “smarter than any horse I know. She’s probably smarter than most people I know.”
Thaisa was the first Australian to be on a 5-star podium at WEF since 2010.
“She is a difficult horse to manage on the ground and to ride, and I’ve taken a lot of time,” she observed.
The mare, owned by Mike Smith — who also owns McLain’s High Star Hero — “has taught me a ton of patience,” said Thaisa.
“But she gives me her heart every time.”
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by Nancy Jaffer | Mar 8, 2026
Catherine Laudrup-Dufour and Isabell Werth were neck and neck in the 5-star Freestyle at the Herning, Denmark, show this weekend, in a battle of mares, with both scoring over 90 percent.
Cathrine had the edge on Mount St. John Freestyle, the 17-year old Fidermark daughter, earning an astronomical 90.465 percent, with marks of 10 across the board for music and interpretation of music — which included “My Heart Will Go on” from the movie “Titanic.” Three of the five judges gave the Dane and her Hanoverian 10s for degree of difficulty, with the dissenters offering a mere 9.9 and 9.8.
Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour and Mount St. John Freestyle.
Germany’s Isabell Werth was the only other competitor to break 90, earning 90.080 with Wendy de Fontaine, a Danish warmblood by Sezuan 2. Her across-the-board 10s came not only in the music category, but also for choreography. Her lowest marks were for collected walk, where she had two 6s and two 6.5s, in addition to a 7.
After the best Grand Prix of her life last week, Cathrine said that on Saturday, “I slowed down a bit…and it’s so rare to reach 90 percent. The win in itself means nothing, but to see such top-class sport in Denmark is absolutely fantastic.”
The third- and fourth-placed contenders scored above 80 percent, with Norway’s Isabelle Freese on Total Hope Old finishing on 81.885 and Daniel Bachmann Andersen of Denmark marked at 80.370 aboard Flash Gordon 37.
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