Britain’s Alex Bragg had a tough journey within the Mars Maryland 5 Star dressage as we speak (Thursday, 16 October), scoring 39.2 with The Roe Household’s Quindiva to lie seventh of the 11 starters to this point.
“It’s very windy right here, however she appeared fairly settled exterior,” Alex advised H&H. “However when she got here as much as the principle enviornment with the flags she bought very lit up and tense after which she turns into fairly delicate. I assumed hopefully she’ll get across the boards and loosen up, however then she was spooking on the digicam and judges’ containers, so I didn’t fairly have the journey I needed, however we bought by check and in these conditions that’s all you are able to do.”
Quindiva actually appeared vivid in her Maryland 5 Star dressage check, as Alex Bragg mentioned, and swung her quarters out to the left in her first halt and put her head up. She was additionally reluctant to settle within the mid-test halt, repeated the quarter swing in her last halt and struck off on the mistaken lead within the transition to canter. She did pull off some clear flying modifications and gained her finest marks, 7.5s, from Robert Stevenson at B, for her medium trot and canter.
Quindiva was third at Badminton Horse Trials and eighth at Burghley Horse Trials in 2024, however picked up a minor harm on her first run of the 12 months this season.
“Relatively than soldier by it, we needed to ensure she was okay, so we didn’t goal her at Badminton,” mentioned Alex. “We took the time to take some embryos from her, so they’re now in surrogate moms – so we made use of that point within the first half of the season and she or he’s now absolutely recovered right here for an autumn marketing campaign. We couldn’t fairly get her again in time for Burghley, which then opened up the choice of coming to Maryland, which is why we’re right here.
“It perhaps makes it a contact tougher that she’s had restricted competitors runs this 12 months, particularly at such large venues – maybe that’s why she was extra delicate as we speak, however that’s horses and also you’ve bought to get them match for these occasions and take care of what comes. Not less than we posted a rating on the board and it’s positively not going to be a dressage competitors.”
Quindiva’s two forthcoming embryo switch progeny are by Leprince Des Bois, the previous five-star horse ridden by Germany’s Kai Rüder.
Boyd Martin holds prime spot after as we speak’s dressage on Luke 140, with Caroline Pamukcu second on She’s The One.
Alex Bragg’s ideas on the course
That is the primary 12 months the cross-country at Maryland has been designed by Pierre Le Goupil.
“The cross-country course is nearly like being at residence with large parkland – it’s an actual galloping monitor,” mentioned Alex. “There are some very technical strains and the way they marry as much as the undulations of Maryland we’ll discover out on Saturday.”
Alex described Pierre’s Puzzle and the French Horn (fences 16abc and 17) – a rail to ditch to hanging brush shoulder as “the hardest five-star query I’ve seen all 12 months”.
“It is going to be attention-grabbing to see how and whether or not folks sort out that – there may be an alternate,” he mentioned.
The opposite fence Alex picked out as more likely to be influential was Maryland’s iconic “Crab water” – the Mars Sustainability Bay (fence 23abcd) and Mars Blue Crab (fence 24) – which options an angled brush shoulder into the water with a niche in entrance of it, an angled brush within the water and a step as much as a thin last aspect.
“It’s an incredible mixture, difficult all the talents wanted for cross-country, and it’s eight and a half minutes into the course, so that you’ll be on a horse who’s feeling slightly extra drained, so I believe that may take a number of using,” mentioned Alex.
The British rider mentioned the occasion basically is “wonderful”.
“We’ve had an exceptional welcome from everybody right here – they actually do make you’re feeling at residence and in case you want something they may bend over backwards for you,” he mentioned.
You might also be taken with:
Boyd Martin and Luke 140 at Maryland 5 Star 2025.
Credit score: Amy Dragoo
Alex Bragg and Quindiva on the Maryland 5 Star first trot-up for the 2025 competitors.
Credit score: Amy Dragoo
Alex Bragg and Quindiva at Badminton 2024.
Credit score: Peter Nixon
Seeking to put her fall on the Europeans behind her, Bubby Upton heads to Pau with five-star debutant Its Cooley Time.
Credit score: Peter Nixon
Credit score: Future
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H&H journal editor and eventing editor
Pippa is a real eventing geek and has been H&H’s eventing editor since 2005. She has first-hand expertise of competing as much as British Eventing intermediate and worldwide CCI2*-L degree, and has labored within the business on a prime occasion yard. Pippa enjoys nothing greater than immersing herself within the sport on the highest degree, reporting from the five-stars and worldwide championships, together with the Olympics.
