Strong contingent of Brits and former winners feature on Maryland 5 Star entries
Three Brits, an Irish cross-country hero and former winners feature on the Mars Maryland 5 Star entries for the 2023 US event (19 to 22 October).
Oliver Townend is named on the Maryland 5 Star entries with his Blenheim CCI4*-S young horse championship winning-ride Cooley Rosalent, owned by Paul Ridgeon. This will be the second five-star start for the nine-year-old mare, who made her top-level debut at Luhmüheln.
William Fox-Pitt features with Amanda Gould’s 11-year-old mare Grafennacht (pictured, top), with whom he jumped clear across country to finish 14th at Badminton this spring.
Piggy March and Brookfield Cavalier Cruise complete the British trio on the 2023 Maryland 5 Star entries at this stage. The pair won a CCI4*-S section at Thoresby in March, before going on to take the runner-up spot at Bramham CCI4*-L in June.
The great Irish cross-country partnership of Austin O’Connor and Colorado Blue, third at Badminton 2023, are also on the list.
Defending champion Tim Price, who won the 2022 five-star with Coup De Coeur Dudevin, looks set to cross the pond with his Pau 2021 CCI5* winner Falco, who he owns with Sue Benson. They are joined by the fellow British-based New Zealand combination of Caroline Powell and the promising 10-year-old mare Greenacres Special Cavalier, owned by Chris Mann.
Monica Spencer is the third Kiwi rider on this year’s entry list. Monica has recently relocated from New Zealand to the US in preparation for the CCI5* and Paris 2024. She is entered with her world team bronze medal-winning ride Artist.
There are currently 28 combinations listed on the Maryland 5 Star entries, with the closing date for definite entries listed in the FEI schedule as 12 October.
Former winner Boyd Martin heads the home-side contingent. Boyd, who won the inaugural Maryland 5 Star in 2021 with On Cue, is listed with Luke 140 and Contessa.
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