After kicking off their CCI5* 2025 MARS Maryland 5 Star run yesterday with a personal-best dressage score of 23.7, Monica Spencer (NZL) and 14-year-old Thoroughbred Artist sailed through French course designer Pierre Le Goupil’s 30-fence cross-country track to secure the overnight lead going into show jumping tomorrow, putting in one of just four clear rounds.
“Max was amazing. The last time I was here, the track caught me out with how long the end took. So I made sure I stayed up with my minutes,” Spencer said. “But he was ready to run today, and I certainly let him do that on those lovely gallop strips. The ground was perfect and he was just a a machine.”
The pair had a swift, confident round and took all the direct routes, but Spencer also made sure to take her time at Pierre’s Puzzle and the French Horn (fences 16ABC and 17) to finish 24 seconds inside the optimum time.
Le Goupil’s first five-star course included nine combinations and 46 jumping efforts—many of which even seasoned five-star riders weren’t accustomed to—over an 11-minute, 6,270-meter (almost 4-mile) track with plenty of hilly terrain adding to its difficulty.
“It was really tough out there, and you really had to fight for it the whole way and be ready to act on your feet and have a brave and generous horse. There were lot of committed distances but also some needing ride-ability too, so just having a polite boy like Max really paid off out there,” Spencer noted. “It was hard, as we thought it would be. But we did it, so we’re very happy.”
Vogg and Cartania Move Into Overnight Second
Felix Vogg (SUI), the first Swiss rider ever to compete at Fair Hill, and 14-year-old Holsteiner mare Cartania continued their strong performance from yesterday’s dressage competition on today’s cross-country track. Despite the mare twisting in the air over the Cascade Canoe out of the water at fence 13AB, the pair had a solid round finishing eight seconds within the time, which pushed them into second place after landing in third following dressage.
“I know she’s capable of doing it. Cross country is her best phase. There’s nothing too big for her. It’s only about me getting her to the perfect spot to jump the fence,” Vogg said. “But what makes me even more proud of her is that unlike the other two horses in the top three here, she’s not a Thoroughbred and still got the time.”
Vogg agreed that Le Goupil’s five-star track was no trot in the park. “Maybe it’s just Pierre. He’s really into the details and in the end, it often rides better than you expect,” he noted. “All the physical stuff like going up to the crab water wasn’t so easy. You have to be quite good at the time.”
Farley and Phelps Sail Into Third; Two TBs Make Top 3
Today’s cross-country competition saw two Thoroughbred powerhouses land in the top three. Mia Farley (USA) piloted 12-year-old Thoroughbred Phelps over a clear round inside the time—despite taking two long routes—to surge into third place from ninth following dressage.
“How can we not love Thoroughbreds on a five star? They just keep answering,” Farley, who has ridden Phelps since he was purchased by David O’Connor for $1, said. “In recent times, it seems like there’s always at least one Thoroughbred who’s getting everything done. They’re gritty and so fun to watch.”
The 25-year-old says she feels lucky to have a horse she can trust as much as Phelps. “I’m always amazed by him. He just keeps answering the questions and loves it out there,” Farley said. “I try to come back to Maryland every year. The quality of the courses really helps you learn about yourself and your horse.”
In support of their superstar eventing Thoroughbreds, Spencer and Farley share the sentiment that Max and Phelps are out there doing it for all the average brown OTTBs. “It’s great to see that these Thoroughbreds can find second careers in eventing. I love that I can let them go on in the straights and then I still have so much time to set up for the jumps. I don’t feel rushed because I know I can make up the time after the jumps. So, it allows me to be more accurate,” Spencer said. “And I just have so much love and respect for Max.”
Additional Results
Jennie Brannigan (USA) and FE Lifestyle sit in fourth with a clear round nine seconds over the time. Time penalties on today’s cross-country competition pushed other top dressage finishers down the leaderboard.
Eight time penalties left Boyd Martin (USA) and Commando 3 in fifth place, and Caroline Pamukcu (USA) and HSH Blake slipped from second to sixth with 11.2 time penalties. After delivering the fourth clear round with the time today, Sophia Hill (AUS) and Humble Glory came back from their 20th-place finish in dressage, to take seventh.
It wasn’t smooth sailing for all the CCI5* competitors today. The top seven combinations were the only ones to record jumping clears over Le Goupil’s track. The CCI5* 2025 Maryland 5 Star concludes tomorrow with show jumping set to start at 2 p.m. (EST). Stay tuned for our final coverage of this year’s action. This is, after all, eventing. You never know what might happen!
Read more about our coverage from the 2025 MARS Maryland 5 Star CCI5* here.
