Monica Spencer (NZL) and Artist had a phenomenal day at the 2025 Maryland 5 Star with a personal-best dressage score to slot into the lead at the conclusion of the first phase of the competition. The pair had a lovely test that even earned them 9s for one of their flying changes and their harmony. Their score of 23.7 was enough to clinch the top spot on the leaderboard heading into Saturday’s cross-country phase.
“We really enjoyed ourselves out there today,” Spencer said. “He was offering me plenty of energy, but I was able to keep a lid on it. He showed himself off well, so I am really pleased.”
They have been longtime partners, dating back to when Spencer got “Max” off the track as a 4-year-old in New Zealand. Spencer had high praise for the 14-year-old Thoroughbred gelding owned by Spencer Eventing, and she became emotional when asked what Friday’s results meant to her.
“He has been such a great horse for me. He has taken me all over the world,” Spencer said. “We just come to these big events and I’m thankful to be here.”
The pair first traveled to the U.S. for the 2023 Maryland 5 Star, and they had their training base here ever since. Over the years, “Max” has gained several fans as a representative of the Thoroughbred breed at the highest level of the sport.
“He definitely knows he is flying the flag for all those bay Thoroughbreds out there,” Spencer said.
Pamukcu and HSH Blake Lie in Second
After sitting in second with She’s the One at the end of the first day of dressage on Thursday, Caroline Pamukcu (USA) found herself in a similar position with her Paris 2024 Olympic partner, HSH Blake. She and the 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding, who is owned by Mollie Hoff, Sherrie Martin, Caroline Pamukcu and Deniz Pamukcu, had a flowing test to earn a score of 28.2. Though “Blake” has quite a resume with individual gold and team silver medals at the 2023 Pan American Games and his appearance at the Paris Olympics, this weekend is a chance to add to his list of accomplishments.
“I’m so, so proud of him. Obviously, it is his first time at the five-star level, and I’m just over the moon with how he performed,” Pamukcu said. “When I came into the arena, he kicked into another gear and felt very happy, which made me happy.”
Pamukcu explained her winter season had a delayed start after she gave birth to her daughter in February. Rather than bringing Blake back into competition shape from January to March, they got back to business between February and April. Their adjusted season made it seem ideal to plan on having Blake’s first five-star appearance be at Maryland. Since this year’s cross-country course designer, Pierre Le Goupil, designed the courses at the Pan American Games and the Olympics, it made sense as the next step for Blake.
“[My team] thought it was a natural progression,” Pamukcu said. “Also, I’m a big, big, big believer in supporting our country. We are so lucky that they put on this big fiver star for us and we have to support it as Americans.”
Third for Vogg and Cartania
Felix Vogg (SUI) is off to a strong start on his overseas trip to Maryland with Cartania. He and the 14-year-old Holsteiner mare owned by Vogg and Phoenix Eventing S.à.r.l. had a smooth test to sit in a close third place on a score of 28.3. Vogg was pleased with his horse’s effort in a difficult test.
“It was really good. She has done a couple of five-stars now already, but that test is a bit hard for her,” Vogg said. “It requires quite a lot of strength. It is a bit of her weak point, but she still made it her personal best, so I am very happy with her.”
Vogg had to adjust his competition plans after getting injured in the late summer. Maryland seemed like best five-star competition for Cartania, so they traveled over from Europe for a chance at a top finish.
A Challenging Cross-Country Track Lies Ahead
Le Goupil has created a reimagined track at Maryland with a new flow and tough questions for the seasoned field of competitors. While the top three on the leaderboard were satisfied with their dressage results, they are now focused on the next phase of competition.
“I think dressage will be long forgotten tomorrow, and I think it will be interesting to see how the day unfolds,” Spencer said. “It is a serious track out there. I have walked it three times so far and it hasn’t gotten any smaller each time. I’m looking forward to getting out there and letting Max run.”
While Pamukcu wanted to have a good dressage test, she believes Saturday’s phase will be influential.
“I wasn’t too worried about dressage because it’s a cross-country competition,” Pamukcu said. “To me, a few points here or there if you didn’t have a perfect change or you jigged in the walk, it didn’t really matter because tomorrow it is a tough, tough, tough track out there.”
Vogg noted the course incorporates difficulty while requiring stamina and mental toughness, rivaling the world’s other five-star courses.
“I think it is a proper track,” Vogg said. “It’s right up there with all the other ones in England. I think there is plenty to do tomorrow.”
The CCI5* cross-country phase gets underway Saturday at 1:30 p.m. ET. The horse-and-rider combinations will aim to cleanly tackle the 46-jumping effort course within the optimum time of 11 minutes.
View the cross-country course map here.
For More:
View the results here.
Read more on our coverage from the 2025 Maryland 5 Star here.
