The countdown is on for eventing’s newest CCI5* event: the Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill, one of only two CCI5*-L events in the United States and only the seventh worldwide. The event’s prestigious CCI5* designation is the pinnacle of the Olympic sport of eventing.

The weekend also features a CCI3*-L competition that will crown the USEF CCI3*-L Eventing National Champion, as well as The Dutta Corp. United States Eventing Association Young Event Horse East Coast Championships presented by Dubarry of Ireland. USEF Network live coverage will begin with the horse inspection on Wednesday, Oct. 13, and will continue with all four days of eventing competition Oct. 14-17, with dressage on Thursday and Friday, cross-country on Saturday, and stadium jumping on Sunday.

Planning to attend in person? Visit maryland5star.us/tickets/. Tickets include entry to all competitions and the many family-friendly activities held simultaneously throughout the event.

This special weekend of world-class eventing will take place at the newly constructed Fair Hill Special Event Zone in Elkton, Md. “I was absolutely blown away by the new facility. It is an incredible venue,” said three-time U.S. Olympic veteran and two-time Land Rover/USEF CCI5*-L Eventing National Champion Boyd Martin, who recently competed on the U.S. Eventing Team at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. “The cross-country and the dressage and jumping rings are some of the best I’ve ever seen anywhere in the world. It’s very exciting to think what this place is going to contribute to horse sports in America for years to come.”

Martin and his fellow 2020 Tokyo teammates Phillip Dutton and Doug Payne are among the current Maryland 5 Star entries, as is Will Coleman, who recently became the first U.S. eventing athlete to score an individual win in the CCIO4*-S at CHIO Aachen and led the Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team to an overall second-place finish there. 

Other top athletes now entered in the Maryland 5 Star include veterans of previous Olympic Games and stars from the United States, Canada, Australia, Great Britain, and New Zealand, including the United States’ Lauren Nicholson; Britain’s Oliver Townend, Leslie Law, Zara Tindall, and Harry Meade; New Zealand’s Tim and Jonelle Price and Joe Meyer; France's Astier Nicolas and Maxime Livio; and Canada’s Clayton Fredericks, Hawley Bennett-Awad, and Jessica Phoenix. 

The full list of Maryland 5 Star entries to-date is available at https://maryland5star.us/entries/.

“We are so excited that our long-awaited debut is finally here,” said Jeff Newman, President and CEO of The Fair Hill Organizing Committee. “From the initial bid to get the 5 Star, to the incredible support from the state, Cecil County, the horse industry and private donors, to building the new Fair Hill Special Event Zone, to last year’s COVID-caused cancellation, to the present moment with great sponsor support and an all-star line-up of riders, it’s been an unbelievable journey. All that said, I have no doubt our inaugural event will be worth the wait and provide an unforgettable experience for all.”

To learn more about the Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill, including competition details and on-site activities for the family, visit maryland5star.us.  

Event organizers continue to monitor health and safety protocols. Updates and policies as deemed necessary will be available through the event website.