Pictures Piggy March “pooping her panties“ at “proper five, like six, star” XC at Maryland

[TGM]

I have to be honest, I’m so behind the times that I didn’t realise until very recently that a seventh 5* horse trials had been added to the global eventing calendar - Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill in the States debuted in 2020 apparently!

Was on FB and saw that Practical Horseman Magazine have quoted Piggy as saying “We’ve got a proper five, like six, star, so I’m absolutely pooping my panties.” She is currently in the lead after the first day of dressage, on Brookfield Cavalier Cruise.

Ian Stark is the course designer and allegedly for the last two years, riders have said they thought the time allowed was too generous and too many horses went within the time allowed. Ian has now warned “This year, my attitude is ‘Be careful what you wish for," so sounds like it is not going to be a dressage competition.

Here are some of the course photos, the first one is the Foxcatcher Ditch which I think makes Burghley’s Cottesmore Leap look like something out of a BE100!

 

[cobgoblin]

What the heck is that first jump!

 

[Northern Hare]

I watched the CCI5* dressage on H&C+ streaming last night, and it's on again tonight for the second half of the competitors. I think there are about 30 competitors for the 5* and 50 for the 3*. It looks like such a beautiful place, the views across the course are stunning and the facilities sighs like they're first rate. I'm looking forward to watching the XC tomorrow!

 

[Northern Hare]

Quick update to say that WFP has just gone into 2nd place in the 5* dressage riding the lovely mare Grafennacht.

 

[Rowreach]

Just how far are they going to go with this "sport"?

 

[teapot]

Maryland was very much not a 5* course the first year it ran - those pics appear to show it has upped the game slightly, both fences and time wise.

 

[Peregrine Falcon]

Ian Stark was a pleasure to watch ride-totally fearless. Although watching Murphy Himself launching himself at the jumps was somewhat frightening at times.

 

[TGM]

Oli T has just beaten Piggy to go into the lead.

 

[Honey08]

I actually don’t think that that hedge is anything like as bad as the Cottesmore leap. It’s a rider frightener, an accuracy fence. If the horse gets it wrong or they miss they can just land on grass at the side. Nothing to crash into.

Not that I’d have a go though!

 

[meesha]

Such a shame they feel the need to ...test the horse and rider .. in this way when the consequences of one mistake are fatal...

Why push to the extremes .. so sad

 

[Maddie Moo]

That’s the front view from the fence, hopefully the horses will read the question right It’s interesting they’ve put it on an uphill landing as well, I wonder if they might get some unseats from horses pecking on landing?

Photo from the event’s Facebook page.

 

[Gloi]

Doesn't look QUITE as bad from that angle

 

[Nicnac]

GBR Top 3 with Oli, Piggy and William. Some lovely tests and top commentary. The riders said that Maryland wasn't tough enough and the time was too easy. Never challenge the Starkmeister! I bet they're regretting opening their mouths now.

I can't imagine Piggy saying 'pooping my panties' - it that an example of her words being Americanised? Maryland is beautiful - I went to uni there and this time of the year iis stunning. Another 5* to add to bucket list.

 

[Cinnamontoast]

I have to be honest, I’m so behind the times that I didn’t realise until very recently that a seventh 5* horse trials had been added to the global eventing calendar - Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill in the States debuted in 2020 apparently!

Was on FB and saw that Practical Horseman Magazine have quoted Piggy as saying “We’ve got a proper five, like six, star, so I’m absolutely pooping my panties.” She is currently in the lead after the first day of dressage, on Brookfield Cavalier Cruise.

Ian Stark is the course designer and allegedly for the last two years, riders have said they thought the time allowed was too generous and too many horses went within the time allowed. Ian has now warned “This year, my attitude is ‘Be careful what you wish for," so sounds like it is not going to be a dressage competition.

Here are some of the course photos, the first one is the Foxcatcher Ditch which I think makes Burghley’s Cottesmore Leap look like something out of a BE100!

View attachment 125546


View attachment 125541
View attachment 125543

Is that last one where the horses have to do a quick spin on the giant hamster wheel?!

 

[claracanter]

Piggy also said it was a great first 5* course for her horse who hasn’t done that level before so that rather contradicts her 6* comment!
If you have the cross country app all the fences are on their plus Ian stark explaining how some of the fences should be jumped

 

[LEC]

Such a shame they feel the need to ...test the horse and rider .. in this way when the consequences of one mistake are fatal...

Why push to the extremes .. so sad

Nothing extreme about it, it has no width apart from the ditch, is easy for horses to read and just needs them to be committed. If they are not, the ditch isn’t deep and is open so just jump down the side and it’s brush profile. It’s a good old rider frightener which at this level I think will jump well.

 

[TGM]

It's a British 123 after dressage:

1 Oliver Townend, Cooley Rosalent 23.1
2 Piggy March, Brookfield Cavalier Cruise 24.2
3 William Fox-Pitt, Grafennacht 26.1

Video of Oli's test:

https://fb.watch/nP9OGPqVzh/

Video of Piggy's test:

https://fb.watch/nP9S_zTGMC/

 

[Chiffy]

I thoroughly enjoyed Maryland last year, it was a joy to watch. It caused just the right amount of trouble, it was just the time that was too lenient with 14 inside the time. I hope it hasn’t gone to the other extreme this year.
Watched all the dressage and the general standard was low compared to what we are used to seeing in this country now. No wonder the Brits fill the first three places.
Looking forward to the xc tonight, hope it rides well.

 

[Arzada]

That’s the front view from the fence, hopefully the horses will read the question right It’s interesting they’ve put it on an uphill landing as well, I wonder if they might get some unseats from horses pecking on landing?

Photo from the event’s Facebook page.
View attachment 125560

I'd find it hard not to have that non aligned grass on my mind

 

[scats]

I think I’m going mad OP, were those people in that first picture when you first posted it?
I remember looking at it last night and couldn’t quite work out the scale and 100% didn’t see people in the picture, but this morning there are people in it, so I can quite easily see the size of the ditch.
Am I going mad?? Did I not see those people first time?

 

[TGM]

I think I’m going mad OP, were those people in that first picture when you first posted it?
I remember looking at it last night and couldn’t quite work out the scale and 100% didn’t see people in the picture, but this morning there are people in it, so I can quite easily see the size of the ditch.
Am I going mad?? Did I not see those people first time?

No you are not going mad, I posted the wrong photo to start with, so edited it to replace with the one with the people in, because as you say it does show the scale better. Sorry to confuse you!

 

[humblepie]

I’ve seen a picture of one fence with a huge dinosaur figure near it. I know horses at this level focus on the fence but it does seem a bit random.

 

[littleshetland]

Such a shame they feel the need to ...test the horse and rider .. in this way when the consequences of one mistake are fatal...

Why push to the extremes .. so sad

Humans , especially competitive ones, are always hell bent on pushing themselves to the absolute limit - that fine, but I just wish they'd stop inflicting their philosophy on animals.

 

[scats]

No you are not going mad, I posted the wrong photo to start with, so edited it to replace with the one with the people in, because as you say it does show the scale better. Sorry to confuse you!

I was thinking to myself ‘how did you not see those 2 people!’
Relieved to find I’m not going crazy!

 

[ponynutz]

It's a British 123 after dressage:

1 Oliver Townend, Cooley Rosalent 23.1
2 Piggy March, Brookfield Cavalier Cruise 24.2
3 William Fox-Pitt, Grafennacht 26.1

Video of Oli's test:

https://fb.watch/nP9OGPqVzh/

Video of Piggy's test:

https://fb.watch/nP9S_zTGMC/

Cooley is just a stunning horse isn't he - beautiful head carriage.

 

[Quigleyandme]

I would rather see honest rider frighteners than ultra skinnies at tricky angles and distances.

 

[Juniper Jack]

What the heck is that first jump!

A "container ship," I think.

 

[ycbm]

What the heck is that first jump!

If you take a line from the top of the bank straight out to the fence, it's actually a fairly small skinny with a set back take off point. If there was no ditch, just a pole or small log on the ground and the fence was straight and wide, it would present no problems. The ditch is a rider frightener, to the horse it should make no difference. The narrow take off and narrow jumping point are a technical issue, but is it my eyesight or are the two out of alignment in post 11?
.

 

[Cragrat]

If you take a line from the top of the bank straight out to the fence, it's actually a fairly small skinny with a set back take off point. If there was no ditch, just a pole or small log on the ground and the fence was straight and wide, it would present no problems. The ditch is a rider frightener, to the horse it should make no difference. The narrow take off and narrow jumping point are a technical issue, but is it my eyesight or are the two out of alignment in post 11?
.

definitely out of alignment - do you approach from the side to line them up, or ignore the ditch groundline?

 

[clinkerbuilt]

has anyone managed to get the live feed to load on Horse & Country?