Monica Spencer and Artist placed second at the 2025 Maryland 5 Star in the US. Photo: Shannon Brinkman Photography.
Kiwi combination Monica Spencer and Artist placed second in equestrian's prestigious Maryland 5 Star event in the United States this morning, notching their best-ever 5* result.
They were particularly impressive through the dressage and cross country tests.
Spencer led through the dressage, posting a personal best of 23.7 penalty points and added nothing in the cross country. But rails at fences six and eight on a technical showjumping course saw her add eight faults for a final tally of 31.7.
It still produced their best-ever score and placing at 5* level. Maryland is one of just seven 5* competitions around the world.
"I am just rapt," Spencer said. "To be second at a 5* is the stuff dreams are made of. Max (Artist) was a superstar all week. I am keeping it real - I am grateful to have had the lead I had and still be in the position I am."
Spencer has had the thoroughbred since he was four - "...I do believe there is a 5* win in there, it is just a matter of when. We will keep showing up."
Her focus now is firmly on the 2026 World Championships at Aachen.
Fellow New Zealanders Tayla Mason and Jonelle Price also placed in the top nine.
Mason and her homebred Centennial produced the round of their lives to go clear in the showjumping, adding 1.2 time penalties to finish on 51.8 for eighth.
Mason, who crowd funded to make the trip from her UK base, said she was overwhelmed. "It took a village to get us here and I owe it to them. I hope we made them all proud today," Mason said.
Jonelle Price and her 5* debutant Chilli's Midnight Star jumped a stunning clear in the showjumping - one of just four to come home clean and inside time - for a final score of 79.3 in ninth.
The combination were in fourth after the dressage on 30.3, added jump and time in the cross country, but finished on a high, going clear showjumping.
The class was won by Felix Vogg of Switzerland aboard Cartania who finished on 28.7 penalty points.
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