‘It’s surreal’ – Dorset-based young star claims lead on first day of Maryland 5 Star

Rising star Cosby Green has claimed top spot after the first day of Maryland 5 Star dressage, scoring 28 with the grey Highly Suspicious.

US rider Cosby, 23, is based in Dorset with New Zealand’s premier eventing couple Jonelle and Tim Price. She makes her Maryland debut, having completed Pau Horse Trials, Badminton Horse Trials and Burghley Horse Trials over the past year with her five-star schoolmaster Copper Beach. She was 16th at Burghley last month.

Cosby Green and the elegant grey pulled in plenty of eights for their Maryland 5 Star dressage work. The only error in their test came when the horse jogged in the walk section, which resulted in them scoring a four, a three and a two for that movement.

“Overall I thought it was some of his best work in ring so far. It’s hard not to be frustrated with the walk and we know that’s his weakness, but he went in there and did a great demonstration of all the work we’ve been putting in and that doesn’t always happen, so I’m thrilled with him,” she said, adding “it’s surreal” when she held her lead until the end of the day.

Cosby added that it means a lot to her to return to home soil and compete here, saying: “I came to the first Maryland 5 Star, so I’ve always had my eyes on it and now I’ve been in a programme that’s meant it’s able to become a reality. I have the support of my family and it means the world for them to be here.”

The 14-year-old Highly Suspicious, owned by Cosby’s parents’ Edie and Clay’s Highly Suspicious, makes his five-star debut after two second places at four-star this year.

She explained: “I’ve had him for about seven years. I probably had no business buying him when I did at 16. I couldn’t ride one side of him, we scored consistently in 40s, had lots of 20s. In the past couple of years moving to England, we’ve found a system that works for him. He’s always had talent and ability. It’s been a matter of getting his body and mind right to put in his best performance and be consistent at it.

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

Cosby paid tribute to the role Jonelle Price has played in the pair’s development: “She has just changed my entire perspective on the sport, how to look at success and how to look at learning opportunities and to believe in myself, which is something I really struggle with. My horse is super sensitive to that and quite anxious as well, we’re quite similar people really. I think we’ve flourished from just having Jonelle believe in me and changing the programme.”

The rider also spoke about the role five-star schoolmaster Copper Beach has played in her career: “It’s such a privilege to be able to have done my first few five-stars on Copper Beach. He knows the job and has been such a life changing horse for me. He’s given me so much confidence, I’m able to come here and not be too overwhelmed. Having that experience behind me means so much. I hope I can carry that over to ‘Puff’ and give him a really good experience and pass along the knowledge.”

Another horse at his first five-star is snapping at Cosby’s heels, although under a more experienced rider, with Boyd Martin and Commando 3 scoring 28.5 to sit just 0.5 of a penalty in arrears.

The smart bay with three white socks, owned by Yankee Creek Ranch LLC, is a beautiful stamp and showed some super work today with marks up to 8.5. Had he not lost concentration for a few paces in the walk, he’d have taken the lead.

“I’m very pleased with him. He has amazing quality, but he’s such a big mover it’s hard to keep him balanced. But he went in there and did all the tricks really well and I think he’s going to get better and better,” said Boyd.

The rider described Commando 3 as one of the most talented horses he has sat on, but adds that he is high energy and can get “nervous and spooky in glitzy rings”. He has benefited from Boyd’s wife, grand prix dressage rider Silva, taking him with her to a big dressage show at Devon recently.

Boyd said: “For him to stay at Devon for three or four days, be around all the chaos there and go in the ring – he competed in tests with tempi changes and stuff like that, I struggle doing one change and Silva did seven in one test day after day – it’s a huge benefit to have a horse go through an experience like that day after day. I’m very lucky and grateful to marry a really good-looking girl and a good dressage rider so I’m very appreciative!”

Canada’s Lindsay Traisnel holds third on 30.7. She makes her five-star debut this week with Patricia Pearce’s Bacyrouge, who was an individual bronze and team gold medallist at last year’s Pan American Games.

“It was awesome. He just performs every time for me and is always the same, so I’m really happy with him, he’s such a good boy,” she said after her consistent test.

“We bought him as a four-year-old to sell and decided there was no way we could sell him. My husband rode him a bit when I was pregnant so it’s really been a family affair.”

This was one of Bacyrouge’s best tests, which Lindsay attributed to him becoming stronger in his body, paying tribute to her team at home, and more confident in his flying changes.

“He used to get a bit nervous about those and anything he ever does wrong is because he wants to do it too well. He’s a little bit exuberant so it’s just really putting it all together but I knew he had it in him,” she said.

Harry Meade put in the best of the two British tests today to hold fourth overnight on Away Cruising.

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