The world’s newest 5-star three-day event may not have drawn a huge field of entries, but there are some very impressive names among the 23 horses going for a piece of the $325,000 purse this weekend.
Although the MARS Maryland 5-star is only in its fourth year, it has become a go-to for top British riders as well as American stars. The 2024 edition, which got under way Thursday at Fair Hill, will mark the final appearance at this level of Mai Baum, who in 2023 wowed his fans with the first U.S. victory in the Defender Kentucky 5-star since 2008. He missed the Olympics due to injury, but could start his campaign for another 5-star title Friday afternoon with Tamie Smith.
And then there’s Ballaghmor Class, a warrior who has won the Defender Kentucky and Burghley (twice!) 5-stars under the guidance of Britain’s Oliver Townend, the man who came close at Maryland three times, only to miss the top spot. But we won’t see him until Friday either.
Boyd Martin, the USA’s busiest rider, has two entries. He would have had three, but he decided that On Cue, who won the first Maryland 5-star, “was starting to struggle in her final gallops and jump schools.” As he pointed out, “It would not do her justice if I tried to take advantage of her good nature by asking her to do something I was not sure her body was capable of.”
So there are big names aplenty, which is why it was interesting that Cosby Green, 23, had the best score as the first half of the field competed, with Highly Suspicious, a not-so-easy horse doing his first 5-star.
The top three on day one at the MARS Maryland 5-star, presented by Brown Advisory: Boyd Martin (second), Cosby Green (first) and Lindsay Traisnel (third). (Photo © 2024 by Lawrence J. Nagy)
Her score was 28 penalties, the equivalent of 72.04 percent in regular dressage, and just 0.5 penalties ahead of Boyd and Commando 3.
Cosby Green and Highly Suspicious. (Photo © 2024 by Nancy Jaffer)
Cosby, an American based in England with New Zealanders Jonelle and Tim Price, revealed that it has been a difficult road with Highly Suspicious, the horse she has owned for seven years and affectionately calls Puff.
“I totally had no business buying him when I did at 16. I couldn’t ride one side of him, I scored consistently in the 40s and had lots of 20s (refusals),” she explained.
Cosby tried selling the appealing gray, or even giving him away, but “everyone kept telling me to stick with it.” And it turned out they were correct.
But it has been a long journey to success.
“My horse…lacks confidence and is quite anxious as well.”
That often reflected her feelings.
“We’re quite similar people, really,” she smiled.
Cosby Green and Highly Suspicious. (Photo © 2024 by Lawrence J. Nagy)
The key was “Just having Jonelle believe in me and changing the program, we just flourished because of it, if I had to pinpoint it to something,” said Cosby.
“It’s just been a matter of getting his body right and his mind right,” she said of Puff.
Discussing his test in the wide-open arena at Fair Hill, “overall, I thought it was some of his best work in the ring so far,” she observed.
Although the walk continues to be Puff’s weakness (he got marks of 4, 3 and 2 for the medium walk when he didn’t settle), “I thought he did a great demonstration of all the work we’ve been putting in, and that doesn’t always happen in such a big atmosphere, so I really am thrilled with him,” she said.
“It’s not been a smooth road, but a day like today makes it worth it.”
Boyd credited his wife, Silva, for helping make Connor, as his “high-energy horse” is known, deal with the stress of competition She rode him at Fourth Level at Dressage at Devon last month, which gave the Holsteiner some mileage to ease the sharpness he has exhibited when there is lots of atmosphere.
Boyd Martin executes a smooth flying change. (Photo © 2024 by Lawrence J. Nagy)
“It was very beneficial I just felt he was more rideable in the ring than usual, so thank Silva,” said Boyd, noting Connor felt like he was “on the job”.
Silva Martin competing Commado 3 at Dressage at Devon. (Photo © 2024 by Nancy Jaffer)
Silva produced the test ride for the 5-star with another of Boyd’s horses, Luke 140, enabling the judges to compare notes and get on the same page before the competition began.
The judges confer after Silva’s test ride. (Photo © 2024 by Nancy Jaffer)
Third-place Canadian Lindsay Traisnel and her Bacyrouge have been partners for nine years. That relationship “reinforces what I can do and trust him and he always does his best to perform well,” she said. Their score was a respectable 30.7 penalties.
Lindsay Traisnel and Bacyrouge. (Photo © 2024 by Lawrence J. Nagy)
The Selle Francais was bought as a four-year-old prospect, but Lindsay and her husband, Xavier, found they didn’t want to sell him. It was a good decision. Last year, she rode him on the Canadian eventing gold medal team at the Pan American Games, where she won the individual bronze.
Click here for the first half of the 5-star results
