The air is crisp, and the trees are starting to change color, which means it’s time for the Mars Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill. So pull out your coziest sweater and head out to Elkton, Maryland, for the fourth running of the U.S. fall five-star. Even if you can’t make it in person, be sure to catch the livestream to follow all the action.

Though we’ll be without last year’s winner Austin O’Connor, the field of 24 pairs boasts two former winners. Boyd Martin is hoping to repeat the magic he made in 2021 and pull out another win with On Cue. While New Zealand’s Tim Price won’t be riding his former Maryland winner, Coup De Coeur Dudevin, he’s bringing a formidable challenger in Falco, who won Pau (France) in 2021, has a pair of world championship bronze medals, and most recently finished sixth at the Paris Olympic Games.

Though small, the field is full of quality competitors, and two other former five-star winning pairs will be challenging Martin and Price. Tamie Smith, who in 2023 was the first U.S. rider to win Land Rover Kentucky CCI5*-L since 2008, is hoping for a victorious swan song with 18-year-old Mai Baum, who has been waiting in the wings all season since an ill-timed injury took him out of contention for the Olympic team. Great Britain’s Oliver Townend, who also missed an Olympic berth with his three-time five-star winner Ballaghmor Class, is hoping he’ll stand atop the podium at Maryland for the first time after making the top three in each of his previous trips to Maryland.

Great Britain has four more pairs making the trip across the Atlantic. Harry Meade brings two horses: veteran Away Cruising and five-star rookie Et Hop Du Matz, while David Doel (Galileo Nieuwmoed) and Bubby Upton (Cola) will be coming to Maryland for the first time.

Three British-based U.S. riders have also put their horses on a plane. London Olympian Tiana Coudray is bringing her young talent Cancaras Girl, who she originally thought would be a junior or young rider mount, but the mare never sold and is now attending her third five-star. Cosby Green has been based with Price and his wife, Jonelle Price, for the past two years, and has done three five-stars with veteran Copper Beach. However, this week she’ll be piloting Highly Suspicious in the gelding’s first attempt at the level. Lastly there’s Grace Taylor, who grew up in England and will be riding Game Changer in the pair’s third five-star.

Joe Meyer, who is based in Ocala, Florida, will be the other New Zealand representative, riding Harbin in the horse’s second five-star. Maryland-based Ema Klugman, who just started a clerkship at the U.S Court of Federal Claims, is the sole Australian rider, with Bronte Beach, who is owned by 41 medical professionals.

There are also three Canadians in the field. Three-time Olympian Jessica Phoenix has two horses this year, Wabbit and Fluorescent Adolescent. Colleen Loach was a late addition to the roster and will be riding FE Golden Eye. The last Canadian rider is also the only rider making their five-star debut this week: Lindsay Traisnel will be riding her team gold and individual bronze-medal winning mount from last year’s Pan American Games (Chile), Bacyrogue.

In addition to the five-star action, Fair Hill will host the USEF CCI3*-L Eventing National Championship and the Dutta Corp. USEA Young Event Horse Championships—East for 4- and 5-year-olds.

Event Schedule

Start times are tentative until after the first horse inspection.

• Wednesday, Oct. 16: The horse inspection for the three-star division is at 1 p.m. with the five-star horse inspection at 2 p.m.

• Thursday, Oct. 17: Dressage for the three-star will begin at 9 a.m.; five-star dressage will start at 2 p.m. The 4-year-old YEH championships take place with dressage and conformation beginning at 8 a.m. Jumping and galloping starts 10 a.m. and awards at approximately 5 p.m. The 5-year-old dressage and conformation will start at 8 a.m.

• Friday, Oct. 18: Dressage continues, once again starting with the CCI3*-L at 9 a.m. before five-star competitors take over at 2 p.m. The 5-year-old YEH championship will conclude with jumping and galloping at 8 a.m.-5 p.m. and awards at approximately 5 p.m.

• Saturday, Oct. 19: Cross-country day starts at 9 a.m. with the three-star division. The five-star cross-country begins at 1:30 p.m.

• Sunday, Oct. 20:  The second horse inspection begins at 8 a.m. with the three-star jogging first, followed immediately by the five-star. Show jumping for the CCI3*-L will be at 10:30 a.m., with riders going in reverse order of placing, followed by an awards ceremony. The five-star is scheduled to jump at 2 p.m. followed by the awards ceremony.

The full schedule is available here.

Entries: See the draw order.

Where you can watch: You can watch the livestream on USEF Network via ClipMyHorse.TV. A USEF membership or ClipMyHorse subscription is required.

How to follow along: The Chronicle will be on-site to bring you everything you need to know at coth.com, so you don’t have to miss a minute of the action. You can find all our coverage of the event in one spot, and you also can follow us on Instagram and Facebook. You can read more in-depth coverage in the Nov. 18 issue of the Chronicle.

Want to get to know them better? Go behind the stall door with us to meet some of the horses entered

• Jennie Brannigan’s Twilightslastgleam

• Emily Hamel’s Corvett

•Boyd Martin’s On Cue

•Boyd Martin’s Tsetserleg TSF

• Tamie Smith’s Mai Baum