FAIR HILL, M.d — The Maryland Five Star at Fair Hill has returned.
Described as the pinnacle of eventing, the fourth annual competition is shaping up to be the best one yet.
There's only two in the world and it's described as the Super Bowl for equestrian events.
World class athletes from all over are preparing for the prestigious competition.
Athletes say the weekend is a triathlon for horses, including dressage, cross-country and show jumping.
"There's only a handful in the world. It's sort of the Wimbledon of our sport," says Boyd Martin, a Five Star participant.
Martin is an acclaimed rider whose competed in a few world championships and four Olympics, most recently in Paris.
"This course, it's probably gonna be a bit more challenging than the Olympics, but to represent your country was at a huge moment in your life.To come back to America here and then have a crack at the Maryland Five Star, it's been one of my big goals this year," says Martin.
This year, he's got two horses competing.
"It's only the best of the best of the best animals that make it to this level and i've got two," says Martin.
Others competing this weekend like Alex Conrad made the short drive from Pennsylvania.
"We've done a series of Three Star shorts and kind of it's been our fall goal. We've been working since kind of the spring time getting them really fit and strong ready to compete at this level," says Conrad.
This weekend will be tense, highly difficult, and hopefully rewarding. Conrad's plan is to ensure it gets him a step closer to his ultimate goal.
"My overall goal as a rider is to compete at the Five Star level and it's my dream to be here maybe next year in the Five Star, but it's something that has meant a lot to me and to have it so close and so accessible is pretty amazing," says Conrad.
This event runs through Sunday. You can watch online here
