Kiwi Eventers Chase 5* Glory in Maryland

Kiwi Eventers Chase 5* Glory in Maryland

 
Three New Zealand eventers are making the trek to Maryland for one of the world’s top 5* events.
It’s only a short trot down the road for US-based Monica Spencer and her 14-year-old thoroughbred Artist who in 2023 finished seventh in the relatively new event. Since then they’ve had a seventh (2024) and eighth (2025) in the Kentucky 5*, eleventh at Burghley (2024).
“Maryland 5* is where our USA adventure began and I am excited to head back there two years on with my mate Max,” says Monica. “We are based just 30 minutes from the venue so it is a local event for us.”
Crossing the Atlantic from British bases are Jonelle Price with Chilli’s Midnight Star and Tayla Mason with Centennial.
Tayla and her 14-year-old New Zealand warmblood were destined for Burghley in September but an unfortunate fall sidelined the rider and re-routed the combo to Maryland. “I think it is a little more suited to my horse,” says Tayla. “Maryland is characteristically a bigger cross country course and that is what I was looking for. Centennial has already done Pau twice so I wanted to go somewhere I could use his strengths . . . Maryland is the best option I think.”
Jonelle brings her 5* debutant Chilli’s Midnight Star, an 11-year-old British sport horse by the well performed Chilli Morning.
“He came to me as a nine-year-old and is a through and through 5* horse I believe,” says Jonelle, a two-time 5* winner. “He’s a proper Badminton/Burghley type horse. He has a lot of blood in his pedigree and is a proper scopey, bold jumper who will also do a lovely test.”
She felt possibly it was six months early in the scheme of him being established at this level but given he was a good jumper and galloper, Jonelle felt he should make the trip around Maryland well.
“As always, stepping up on a first timer there are a few unknowns. He is quite a strong horse physically for me but if I can keep him where I need to he has every chance of jumping a great round and should back it up in the showjumping on Sunday.”
Of course it is a star-stacked 5* field that includes five Olympians from the Paris Games – Boyd Martin (USA), Caroline Pamuchku USA), Jessica Phoenix (CAN), Felix Vogg (SUI) and our own Jonelle. World no.4 Boyd Martin was also the inaugural winner of the Maryland 5* in 2021. It is the first time Switzerland has been represented at the event. There are six countries represented this year, with the 25 riders hailing from the United States, Canada, Great Britain, Switzerland, Australia and New Zealand.
Tim Price and Coup de Coeur Dudevin won the event in 2022 and he was second last year with Falco.
The event starts with the first horse inspection on Wednesday (October 15), followed by two days of dressage, the Pierre Le Goupil-designed cross country on Saturday and the Michael Vaillancourt (CAN)-designed jumping on Sunday. There is a $US300,000 prize purse for the 5*, with the winner riding off with $100,000.
It is the first year Pierre (FRA) has designed at Maryland and he follows in the footsteps of Ian Stark who retired at the end of last year. Pierre, who is best known for his course at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, brings fresh energy and international experience to Fair Hill. His nearly four-mile track introduces a new look and flow to the natural beauty and challenging terrain that have become hallmarks of the course while honouring the groundwork Ian laid during the event’s first four years.
Kiwi Helen Christie is on the CCI3*-L ground jury. The Maryland 5* is one of just seven top level events in the world.
US-based Kiwi Hayley Frielick will start Dunedin LB Muze in the Young Horse Event for five-year-olds.
 
WHAT: Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill
WHEN: October 16-19, 2025
WHERE: Elkton, Maryland, United States
WEBSITE: https://www.maryland5star.us/
LIVESTREAM: ClipMyHorse
START LISTS AND RESULTS: https://www.rechenstelle.de/en/agenda/2025/elkton-md/
 
The horse details –
Centennial – Euro Sport Centavos x Made You Look (sire Moonwalker) – owned by Sonya Mason, Sue Rutter and Tayla and Kyle Mason
Artist – Guillotine x Maxamor (sire Volksraad) – owned by Spencer Eventing
Chilli’s Midnight Star – Chilli Morning x Midnight Wispa (sire Laban) – owned by Nikki Axon and Merrill Halstead
Dunedin LB Muze (owned by Hayley Frielick)