Elkton, Md.—Oct. 17

Three years ago, Cosby Green was ready to give Highly Suspicious away. She’d purchased the gelding when she was 16 years old, and they were dealing with frustrating growing pains.

“I probably had no business buying him when I did at 16, couldn’t ride one side of him, scored consistently in the 40s and had lots of 20s [on cross-country],” she said. “He’s just really difficult.”

Today proved that sticking with the 14-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding by Russel was worth it, as they earned a personal best dressage score of 28.0 to take the first-day lead in the Mars Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill ahead of former winner Boyd Martin, who sits on a 28.5 with Commando 3.

“I finally, in the past couple years moving over to England, found a system that really works for him, and we’ve really just flourished together,” Green said. “He’s always had the talent and the ability, and it’s just been a matter of getting his body right and his mind right to really be able to put in our best performances and be consistent at it.

“There’s been so many times, probably three years ago, I was doing anything I could to give him to someone else or sell him,” she added, “and everyone just kept telling me to stick with it, because he is phenomenal. It’s not been a smooth road, but a day like today makes it worth it.”

See her test, courtesy of ClipMyHorse.TV

Green, 23, grew up in Lexington, Kentucky, and competed up to the four-star level before heading overseas to work with New Zealand Olympians Tim and Jonelle Price in 2023. Thanks to the Wilton Fair Grant and the Essex Horse Trial Grant from the U.S. Eventing Assocition Foundation, she was able to extend her stay this year, and it’s been a change that’s paid off, particularly when it comes to riding “Puff.”

“I would say [Jonelle] has just changed my entire perspective on the sport, how to look at success and how to look at learning opportunities, and really to believe in myself,” Green said. “That’s something I really struggle with, and my horse is super sensitive to that. He lacks confidence and is quite anxious as well. We’re quite similar people, really. I think just having Jonelle believe in me and changing the program, and we’ve just flourished because of it, if I had to pinpoint it to something.”

While this is Puff’s first five-star, Green has three prior finishes at the level aboard veteran Copper Beach, who did five-star with Buck Davidson before she bought him. She said having that experience gave her the confidence today.

“[Copper Beach] knows the job, and he’s been such a life-changing horse for me,” she said. “He’s just given me so much confidence, and I’m able to come here and not be too overwhelmed. Just having that experience behind me means so much, and I really just hope I can carry that over to Puff and give him a really good experience and pass along the knowledge.”

Puff scored well at his last outing at Lignières (France), where they were second, so Green was optimistic that she could put in a good score today.

“He was really good, really obedient, really with me,” she said. “You never know how they’re going to be in that really big atmosphere, but he was listening to me, and I think it brought him up just a little bit, just what we needed. And I was able to ride for every mark that I could.”

Martin is no stranger to the five-star level, but his Thursday ride Commando 3 is. The 11-year-old Holsteiner (Connor 48—R-Adelgunde, Amigo XX) is making his debut here at Maryland. The gelding has had a busy season of training as he was Martin’s direct reserve horse for the Paris Olympic Games, and while “Conner” didn’t get to compete, Martin said the experience left him stronger and fitter going into this fall.

“I was thrilled with my guy; he can get a little bit spooky and sharp in a big-atmosphere ring like this,” he said. “And I was very lucky that my wife actually took him to a number of dressage shows in the lead up, including Dressage at Devon. And I think going to dressage shows with a lot of atmosphere and electricity in the ring was very beneficial, because I just felt like he was more rideable in the ring than usual. So thanks, Silva.”

Slotting into third was Canadian rider Lindsay Traisnel, who is contesting her first five-star aboard Bacyrouge. They scored a 30.7, which is their best score since moving up to advanced.

“I think we’ve just gotten him feeling really well in his body,” she said. “My team at home has been doing a great job. I think he’s really, really strong in his body. He’s more confident in his changes. He used get a bit nervous about those, and anything that he ever does wrong is only because he wants to do it too well. He’s a little exuberant. So it’s just, you know, really just putting it all together that I knew he had it in him.”

Traisnel originally bought “Dreamy” as a 4-year-old to resell before deciding she needed to keep him for herself. She’s brought him up the levels with the help of her husband, Xavier Traisnel, who rode the 13-year-old Selle Francais gelding (Mylord Cathardo LN—Lelia Clyde De La Combe) while Lindsay was pregnant.

“He’s just awesome to ride,” she said. “Every day, he always wants to work. We decided he doesn’t really have any adjectives to describe him; he’s just dreamy. He’s just his own adjective. He’s part race horse, part Shetland; he’s just great every day.”

The pair represented Canada at the Pan American Games in Chile last fall and brought home a team gold and an individual bronze. While Dreamy has been qualified to do a five-star since last spring, she wanted everything to feel really solid before making the jump.

“I wanted to really make sure I was ready; I think he’s been ready for a while,” she said. “Just to make sure the four-stars started seeming easy for him, that even without a perfect ride all the time he felt really confident, and we’re here!”

Dressage resumes at 2:05 p.m. Eastern Time Friday with Great Britain’s Bubby Upton and Cola first of the remaining 12 riders. There will be several heavy-hitters to watch, including last year’s Land Rover Kentucky CCI5*-L winners Tamie Smith and Mai Baum. Following them into the ring will be the formidable combination of Great Britain’s Oliver Townend and Ballaghmor Class, who have won three five-stars together. New Zealand’s Tim Price will be in the second session of the afternoon with his five-star winner Falco.

Full results here.

The Chronicle is on-site at the Mars Maryland 5 Star, bringing you photos and stories from all phases of the event. You can find all of 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.