Great Britain’s Oliver Townend brought his long-time equine partner Ballaghmor Class to the USA last week in a quest to capture his first win at the 2024 MARS Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill presented by The Brown Advisory, a prize that had eluded him in three earlier attempts. He took home $100,000 for the win (out of the $325,000 total purse).
He came to Maryland this year sitting on eight previous CCI5*-L wins (four times at Kentucky, three times at Burghley and once at Badminton), three of them with Ballaghmor Class. When all the rails stayed up for them in the show jumping arena on Sunday, Townend and “Thomas” finally clenched Townend’s first win in Maryland on 31.3. Their win in Maryland gives Townend an impressive nine total 5* wins to date, tying eventing greats Lucinda Green and Andrew Nicholson.
Ballaghmor Class is a 17-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding by Courage II owned by Karyn Shuter, Angela Hislop and Val Ryan. Townend spoke highly of the gelding following their victory, “I fully expected that Tim [Price] would go clean and keep the pressure on me. Fortunately, I am lucky to ride one of the sport’s great horses and he delivered big time. I wish he could carry on for another 10 years so we could retire together. He’s just phenomenal and it’s my job to show the world how good he is. Luckily, I didn’t mess this one up.”
The top three spots in the 2024 MARS Maryland 5 Star all went to riders with ties to the British Isles. Tim Price (from New Zealand, but based with his wife and fellow eventer Jonelle in the United Kingdom for many years) and Falco finished second by show jumping clear as well, only 3.3 points (less than one rail) behind Townend, with a score of 34.6. Price has also competed two other times at the Maryland 5 Star thus far, finishing third in 2021 on Xavier Faer and winning in 2022 with Coup de Coeur Dudevin.
Price also praised his mount Falco who had only competed in one other 5* before taking second in Maryland. “The way that he gets in the air is a lot of fun. He gives you the most confidence that you could imagine. You just squeeze him up with your leg [and he jumps well] and today was no different. Thankfully, he had a great day yesterday [on cross-country]; he pulled up very well. He is something else. He makes the job very easy for me.”
Price also made an unprompted, heartfelt statement at the end of the final press conference, offering his support for the Maryland 5 Star to continue, “We love coming over here and we’ll do what we can to encourage more people to come here, because it’s a fantastic event. Definitely one of the best.”
British rider David Doel and Galileo Nieuwmoed took third prize in the 2024 Maryland Five Star. The horse and rider duo had put in a blazing round on cross-country and were the only competitors to finish clear and within the time allowed to sit in second at the end of phase two. On the final day they had an unfortunate rail in show jumping which moved them down to third to finish on 38.5.
Doel was appreciative of and apologetic to his horse about the rails they had in show jumping, especially after his horse’s super cross-country run the day before. “I’ve got a phenomenal horse there. I just felt that actually, I let him down today; didn’t quite do him the justice. The distance going down to the treble was a little bit quiet, and [I] just made him work a little bit too hard … He wouldn’t be an out and out Falco, a double-clear machine, but he is normally a very, very good jumping horse. So yeah, there was definitely sort of my mistake today and kicking myself a bit. I always like to put a little bit more pressure on Oliver.”
U.S. rider Buck Davidson, who grew up not far from Fair Hill but is now based in Florida, and his 13-year-old Thoroughbred gelding Sorocaima finished fourth (47.6). They also took home the Mid-Atlantic Horse Rescue Trophy awarded to the highest placed American Thoroughbred. Davidson said that Sorocaima raced not that long ago, starting in 60 races, and a friend had talked him into purchasing the gelding as an event prospect.
He spoke about riding a Thoroughbred and how the Maryland course played to Sorocaima’s strengths. They moved up the order from 13th after dressage to fourth at the end of cross-country and held that place in show jumping even after dropping two rails and incurring 0.4 faults in the stadium. “It’s nice to be sat on the Thoroughbred and it’s nice to have an event where the cross-country really matters. I feel like I now have a good cross-country horse and hopefully he’ll come out a bigger, stronger and better horse next year. It’s rewarding to move up in the cross-country.”
Of the 23 starters in the CCI5*-L, only eight returned to show jump on the final day, three from Great Britain (Townend, Doel and Bubby Upton on Cola), one from New Zealand (Price) and four from the USA (Davidson, Jennie Brannigan on Twilightslastgleam, Emily Hamel on Corvett, Lillian Heard Wood on LCC Barnaby). The small starting field made the 34.78 percent completion rate on cross-country even more impactful.
Other stats from cross-country were as follows. There were three rider falls and one horse and rider fall on course, with all reported to be OK (Harry Meade from Et Hop du Matz, Grace Taylor from Game Changer, Ema Klugman from Bronte Beach, and Boyd Martin who fell alongside Commando 3 at Fence 3A after falling earlier in the 3* from Mo Chroi).
Two riders were eliminated due to refusals, Cosby Green, who was the day one dressage leader with Highly Suspicious, and Canada’s Colleen Loach on FE Golden Eye. Canada’s Jessica Phoenix withdrew her first horse, Fluorescent Adolescent, prior to the start of cross-country. Due to Martin’s earlier falls, he chose to withdraw Tsetserleg TSF who would have run the 5* course next to last in the order. Seven riders retired on course: Tamra Smith (Mai Baum); Harry Meade (Away Cruising); Lindsay Traisnel (Bacyrouge); Tiana Coudray (Cancaras Girl); Allie Knowles (Morswood); Phoenix (Wabbit), and Joe Meyer (Harbin).
White Wins Over Large 3* Field
Sharon White, a member of the U.S. silver-medal team from the 2023 Pan American Games, piloted her 8-year-old Westfalen mare Jaguars Duende to top honors in the CCI3*-L division over 53 other starters on an impressive score of 29.6, jumping clean and within the time on both cross-country and in the stadium. White owns the mare, who is by Jaguar Mail, with Sandy Niles, Anita Antenucci and Beth Lendrum. The pair had also won a CCI3-L* at Tryon earlier in the season. She won $7,500 for their efforts in Maryland.
White said that the Maryland event is a unique place, a good test of fitness and she thinks the cross-country is a very proper course. “The atmosphere is unreal and special in both the dressage and show jumping, so it’s such a good education for a horse. I want not to overwhelm them. If you really produce them confidently, sometimes you have to be a little patient and I don’t mind being patient. Now I look forward to what she does next year, but it’s not about next year either. Every moment is special with them. But if you really think big term, I think that’s how you produce horses for the highest level of sport.”
Sara Schulman and Cooley Chromatic held the second spot throughout the event, finishing on 30.6. Will Coleman and Fahrenheit Addict grabbed third in the 3* with 31.5. Winner of the Mid-Atlantic Horse Rescue Trophy for the highest placed American Thoroughbred horse in the CCI3*-L was Sarah Cousins with Wizard who finished in 17th place.
Swan Song for Course Designer Ian Stark
The cross-country course designer for all four years of the Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill has been Scotsman and Olympic medalist Ian Stark. Stark, who turned 70 in February 2024, officially announced his retirement from course designing making, the 2024 Maryland 5 Star his last course. It was bittersweet for him as well as the riders and his many fans around the world.
Stark said he feels that the course at Fair Hill is a true international test for bold and accurate riders and provides an opportunity for North American riders to gain valuable experience. “The Maryland 5 Star gives North American riders the opportunity to compete at the highest level without the need to travel to Europe, and brings horses and riders from all over the world.”
The 6,410-meter course featured 28 numbered obstacles with 45 jumping efforts. With a prescribed speed of 570 meters/minutes, the optimum time to complete was 11 minutes and 15 seconds. Tyson Rementer was the course builder. In a nod to Stark, the final jump on cross-country was decorated as a Scottie dog. To take a virtual course walk of Stark’s final track, check it out on the CrossCountry app.
Stark says he plans to spend more time with his grandchildren and to start a few young horses he has waiting for him back home. He commented on the results from his final course and shared thoughts on his decision, “It wasn’t quite the day I was hoping to retire on; had there been a dozen go around, I would have been much happier. There were some unfortunate silly hiccups, but the good thing was that trouble was everywhere; it wasn’t one fence and from a designing point of view that is positive. I have had a great time here in Maryland, and America as a whole. I have always said in [my] mind and in my heart that this is the right time to retire.”
Townend commented on the cross-country results in the press conference at the end of the day. He feels that Maryland is going to be in the same league as Badminton, Burghley and Kentucky. “Last year’s course was tough; this year’s was a step up. It’s Ian’s last year, and why shouldn’t he let his imagination go a little wild? He wanted to build a five-star, and that’s what he’s done. It’s a fair course. It’s just [that] we haven’t got 80 runners, so when 23 set off and only 10 or 12 come home, it doesn’t look great. But, that’s nothing to do with being an unfair track. It’s just the field and the way it’s panned [out].”
It was announced by the Organizing Committee that course designer for the 2024 Paris Olympics, Pierre Le Goupil, will succeed Stark as the new Maryland 5 Star cross-country designer through at least 2027.
Young Event Horse (YEH) East Coast Championships
Two age divisions of the Dutta Corp. United States Eventing Association YEH East Coast Championships, presented by Dubarry of Ireland, also competed at the 2024 Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill. There were classes for 4-year-olds (30 competitors) and 5-year-olds (39 entries). The youngsters were judged on conformation, then performed a dressage test and a jumping test appropriate for each age group.
Madison Temkin won the 4-Year-Old group with Prime Star (88.60) ahead of Chris Talley on HM Belterra (86.86). In the 5-Year-Old class, Emily Bradford guided Rose Traveler to the win (88.94) with Alyssa Phillips and Centerfold taking second (88.61). Caroline Pamukcu finished third in both age groups, with HSH Hercules in the 4-Year-Olds (84.42) and HSH Afterglow in the 5-Year-Olds (86.60).
For a complete set of orders of go and results go for the 2024 5* and 3* competition, as well as both divisions of the Young Event Horse, visit here.
On-demand replays of the Maryland 5 Star equestrian competition and the Maryland Corgi Cup are available by subscription on ClipMyHorse TV. For more information, click here.
Fun, Food & Entertainment
Beyond the exciting competition the, 2024 Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill offered so much for attendees to enjoy. A wide variety of shopping, dining and beverage choices, and hospitality club options were available. There was live musical entertainment each day, too. Children could enjoy the Maryland 5 Star Kids’ Corner where there were crafts, games and live animals to meet.
Saturday featured the Local Beer, Wine & Spirits Expo hosted by Elk River Brewing Company and Sunday there was a Fresh Food Fest presented by Cecil County Agriculture. For the first time, adult sports fans had the opportunity to engage in betting on the competition.
Event sponsor MARS brought their popular VIPet Experience chalet and there was a constant stream of dog owners with their happy canines streaming in and out the doors. Several animal rescue groups brought adoptable dogs and cats and a rescue dog parade was featured on Sunday.
The Andrews Bridge Foxhounds made an appearance, as did “The Fluffy Eventer,” a Gypsy Vanner gelding who sports a mustache and an outgoing personality. Several famous event horses, and other award-winning equines, were featured in the Hall of Champions. Eventer Elisa Wallace performed with her Mustangs in addition to competing in the 3*. A polo demonstration was also on the schedule.
Welsh Corgi dogs and Shetland Ponies competed on the Fair Hill grass race course, too. This year’s winner of the Maryland Corgi Cup was Elevation Zoe, who crossed the finish line first for the third year.
Future of the Maryland 5 Star
According to the Cecil County Whig, on October 17, 2024, the Cecil County Council voted 3-2 to approve a multi-million dollar agreement that will renew the Maryland 5 Star for the next five years, as well as bring back long-awaited Thoroughbred races to the Fair Hill facility. The agreement is between the County and the Sport & Entertainment Corporation of Maryland. The paper reported $450,000 will be directed towards continuing the 5 Star, an increase of $17,000 from the previous agreement of $433,000 and that the increase reflects the rise of expenses.
Jeff Newman, President and CEO of the Maryland 5 Star, said that the Organizing Committee is appreciative of the event’s sponsors for continuing to make the Maryland 5 Star possible. He specifically mentioned title sponsor MARS Equestrian™ and presenting sponsor Brown Advisory. “The weather was outstanding and the crowds throughout the weekend were incredible to see. Ian Stark’s final cross-country course was beautiful and challenged the sport’s most elite riders and their horses. Thank you to the FEI riders and officials for coming from around the world to help lay the groundwork for this event, to the staff and volunteers who worked tirelessly to get it off the ground, and our fans who continue to show us amazing support every year. We look forward to seeing everyone back out at Fair Hill and in Cecil County in 2025.”
For information on the 2025 Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill, visit here.
