Mai Baum has been a force to be reckoned with in the eventing world during his powerhouse partnership with Tamie Smith of Murrieta, Calif. The 19-year-old German Sport Horse paired with Smith for the last time July 16-20 at The Event at Rebecca Farm in Kalispell, Mont., where fans gave the gelding a send-off fit for a king!
Nicknamed “the black stallion” due to his glistening jet-black coat — despite being a gelding — Mai Baum enjoyed a farewell party following his final upper-level competition at the Rebecca Farm CCI4*-S, which he won 10 years ago.
Mai Baum’s swan song at Rebecca Farm epitomized his impressive career with a fitting win in the CCI4*-S. Smith and Mai Baum entered the cross-country phrase with the top dressage score of 22 (which broke The Event’s record, per EquiRatings data going back to 2008), then cemented their lead by completing the course 12 seconds under the 10:58 optimum time. Mai Baum and Smith officially went out on a high note with a double clear round in the show jumping phase on Sunday.
Following his victory lap, Mai Baum had a wreath draped over his neck in celebration. While his humans celebrated his career and bid farewell to a legend, the gelding posed for photos with fans before taking a relaxed walk in the grass with his groom, Alyssa Dobrotin, to ease into retirement.
“My reality this week has been realizing that there will likely never be another Mai Baum,” said Smith, following the culmination of her last competition with her longtime partner.
A Lasting Legacy
Mai Baum (aka. “Lexus”), who is by Loredano 2 and out of Ramira, started his eventing career with owner Alex Ahearn, who was a student of Smith’s. Ahearn handed the reins to Smith in 2015 when she went to college, and the duo proceeded to tally five international wins in their first year together, highlighted by The Dutta Corp./USEF CCI4*-L Eventing National Championship title at The Dutta Corp. Fair Hill International.
Other notable achievements include wins at the Galway Downs Spring International CCI3*-S and the Twin Rivers Spring International CCI3*-L in 2019; being named to the U.S. Eventing Team for the Pan American Games in Lima, Peru, and taking home the team gold medal; selected as traveling alternates for the Tokyo Olympics in 2021; winning team silver at the World Equestrian Games in 2022, which qualified Team USA for the 2024 Olympics; top ten finishes at Aachen CCIO4*-S and Badminton CCI5*-L, and silver medal team finishes at CHIO Aachen and Boekelo CCIO4*-L. Mai Baum competed in a total of five 5* events throughout his career and finished in the top 10 four times.
However, the highlight of Mai Baum's career undoubtedly came in 2023 with a win at the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event, which broke a 15-year absence of Americans from the top of the prestigious podium. In addition to the overall title, the duo won the Land Rover/USEF CCI5*-L Eventing National Championship presented by MARS Equestrian™ and the Roger Haller Trophy as the top U.S. combination. “I’m pretty numb. It is almost like an out of body experience,” Smith said after the historic victory. “I’m just so happy for him [Mai Baum] because I think he is unbelievable.”
A huge part of Mai Baum’s success was his mastery in the dressage arena. He competed in 29 international competitions with Smith, and they never once scored in the 30s, with their best score of 20.4 recorded at Tryon in the CCI4*-S in 2021.
Once he has returned to his home in California, Mai Baum will no longer compete but will stay in gentle work doing what he loves most. “He has nothing to prove and deserves to retire as healthy as he is,” Smith said.
“We never expected him to be a world champion,” owner Alex Ahearn’s mother, Ellen, said on the US Equestrian Open Podcast. “We go to the barn, and he is just our horse who we love unconditionally.”
“I feel like it’s the perfect event to end his career,” Alex said. “That’s where he started, that's where we had great competitions together, and I think that’s just how the chapter ends for him.”
To listen to the full podcast honoring Mai Baum, please visit usequestrianopen.org/stories/mai-baum-returns-to-rebecca-farm-for-his-farewell.