Austin O’Connor claims first five-star win
By Equestrian Life
Ireland’s Austin O’Connor has claimed his first five-star win in taking out the Maryland CCI5*L at Fair Hill with Colorado Blue.
The pair were 12th after the dressage on a score of 33.7, before adding just 1.2 cross country time faults to their score to end up at the top of the leaderboard on 34.9 at the conclusion of the final day.
Austin and Colorado Blue, a 14-year-old gelding by Jaguar Mail out of Rock Me Baby (Rock Kind), were the only combination to go clear and under time in the show jumping, and were the second fastest on cross country day behind American Mia Farley riding Phelps – the only combination that were under time.
Second place went to Great Britain’s William Fox-Pitt and Grafennacht on 35.3, with fellow countryman Oliver Townend third riding Cooley Rosalent on 37.1. The latter led after the dressage, however six cross country time faults and two show jumping rails ultimately saw them slip to third on the podium.
Full results from MARS Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill can be found here.
