Maryland 5 Star

The Maryland 5 Star ran for the first time from 14-17 October 2021, joining the exclusive family of five-star horse trials around the world.

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.

Maryland is the world’s seventh five-star and the second in the US, joining Kentucky Three-Day Event in the spring.

The cross-country course at Maryland 5 Star is designed by British multi-medalled former event rider Ian Stark, who made his five-star course-design debut here at the inaugural event in 2021. The terrain on the track was a big talking point, as was Ian’s imaginative, brave design. The fence into water which was carved to look like a crab was much discussed, but in the end rode very well.

The inaugural 2021 event was won by the home side’s Boyd Martin, riding the British-bred mare On Cue. This was the first US five-star win 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.

Harry Meade also made the trip from Britain, landing seventh place on Superstition, as did Zara Tindall, who completed the event on Class Affair but lost out on a placing due to 20 jumping penalties across country.

British-based US rider Leslie Law finished just outside the top 20 on Voltaire De Tre’ after being penalised for breaking a frangible device on the cross-country.