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2022 Maryland 5* at Fair Hill

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Small field

https://md5star.horseeventorganizer.com/EntryList?Show=md5s000172479

Accepting late entries through 9/22

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Hopefully some late entries start rolling in!

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I bought my tickets the day before they went live :star_struck: they had a pre sale for people who went last year which was nice. Getting excited!

Some notable absences… is there a reason or just a lot of bad luck going around?

I’ll be there XC day. For real this time; last year we were moving into our new farm that weekend and I had to give up my tickets.

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Missing it this year, but I hope to read that things are a little more organized/well planned from the spectator perspective. I have another activity now that will probably always be the same weekend, so I guess I’ll alternate years.

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I looked this morning and it is still only 26 entries and only a couple of true international competitors (I don’t count North American based entries as international).

Travel: the World Championship was last weekend, Burghley the week before and for UK based riders Blenheim last weekend. Harry Meade and Ollie Townsend often say how much they enjoy attending American events.

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There were 46 entries last year in the 5*, with 33 finishing. They paid prize money last year up to 20th getting $2,000. I’m volunteering for the YEH on Thursday, but wanted to watch the 3 day this year. Hoping some more entries roll in!

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And there’s Pau coming up, which is easier and cheaper for those on the other side of the ocean to get to than Maryland.

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I’m really curious to see how this run this year! I know my friends and I all filled out the survey that went around afterward - maybe too thoroughly as several of us run large events for work, lol. Last year was so much fun but there was LOTS of room for improvement and I hope they took feedback into account! I felt bad for the volunteers, they had no idea what was going on and were surely getting an earful from people.

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Is there a minimum number of entries for a 5* to keep whatever certifications it needs to be a legitimately recognized event? I am not sure what would be more embarrasing - running a 5* with 25 entries or canceling it because there were only 25 entries.

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How many entries do you think Adelaide generally gets? How many do you think Luhmuhlen got this year?

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Luhmuhlen had 25 starters in 2021 (actually, 24 as one was eliminated at the first HI). That’s the lowest non-Adelaide number I can think of in recent memory. I do believe part of the proposed FEI guidelines the last time around included a minimum, but I don’t remember what it was.

While I agree that if this event were to consistently attract such low numbers of entries that would be a problem, in a year with a September championship I am inclined to wait for more data.

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Kentucky only had 45 starters this year of which 5 were true internationals (as in shipped in from abroad). It seems the US pool of 5* horses and riders is really not that deep at the moment.

Interesting that Boyd doesn’t seem to have a horse ready to go for Maryland - especially being defending champion.

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What has happened to on cue?

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I was wondering the same. She scratched from Kentucky because she was “a little sore” and needed some time off. But I don’t think she’s been competing since.

And a lot of those ~40 USA-based regulars at the advanced level are notably missing from the entries. Obviously the ones who were at Pratoni are missing, but also several others who ran Maryland last year and ran Kentucky this year. I am curious what’s up with that. Is it a lot of bad luck and those +-15 horses are all injured or not at their peak? Is it finances? Did they have a bad experience last year and decided to forego it this year?

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Can you elaborate about why the volunteers were confused?

My experience was as a shuttle driver during the 3* on xc day. When I signed up the job description was for owner/rider/groom shuttles. Shuttles (golf carts) left from the stables and took people primarily to the startbox and to the 3* finish, and in some cases from the 3* start to the 3* finish. We were also told that when we had space we should pick up spectators. There was a lot of confusion over who got priority, whether to wait for people, etc. For example, many of the 3* grooms wanted to be taken to the warmup/ start (often with supplies/buckets), see their horse go out on course, then be taken up to the finish-- driving from start to finish took roughly the same amount of time as driving the course. So this meant there was a lot of rushing around in different directions, being yelled at for not waiting, being yelled at for waiting, being yelled at for stopping, being yelled at for not stopping, etc. Plus we weren’t given maps or really any real instructions and asking questions meant trying to get through on the radio while there were many other conversations. Most people were actually really nice, but it was exhausting and crazy.

I’m volunteering on a dressage day this year and doing arena management. Hopefully it’s just shutting gates and picking up poop!

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I think the fitness required for last year’s event caught quite a few people out.

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Trying to get a shuttle to/from the YEH last year was tough for sure! Almost as if a lot of volunteers didn’t even know it was running. It sounds like they’ve taken a lot of feedback into consideration…more shuttles, more food options, etc. Small 5* but great numbers for YEH and 3*. Hopefully it’s just an off year. I’ve bought my tickets for all 4 days and will enjoy it whether there’s 25 in the field or 65. Always a wonderful time being off work and at Fair Hill :slight_smile:

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