Mai Baum withdrawn from Kentucky Three-Day Occasion

Mai Baum has been withdrawn from this week’s Defender Kentucky Three-Day Occasion, having been the favorite to win the Cosequin Lexington CCI4*-S.

Tamie Smith and Mai Baum (identified at dwelling as Lexus) gained the five-star at Kentucky final yr and, like many US Olympic hopefuls, have been set to contest the CCI4*-S this time.

“Sadly, Mai Baum will likely be sitting out this Kentucky and resting up for an thrilling summer time,” stated Tamie, alluding to her hopes of taking the 18-year-old star to Paris 2024.

“They are saying timing is all the pieces and whereas I used to be away competing a few of my different horses final weekend, Lexus was a bit wild and feeling exuberant and pulled away from his handler and tweaked himself. He wasn’t a 100% in time to make the journey throughout the nation to Kentucky and we’ve elected to withdraw him.

“It may be tough to withdraw your horse from a key competitors, particularly main as much as this summer time, nevertheless, this resolution is in his long-term greatest curiosity and the one factor we’ve by no means wavered from is our dedication to not compromise the wellbeing of any horse.

“I stay up for seeing everybody within the Blue Grass state; and, though I do know Lexus will definitely miss seeing all of his followers, he has been given strict orders to behave himself till I return dwelling.”

World staff silver medallist Mai Baum belongs to his former rider Alexandra Ahearn, who was a working pupil with Tamie, and her mother and father Ellen Ahearn and Eric Markell. If he’s chosen for the US staff for the Olympics he’ll begin as one of many favourites there and is more likely to be up among the many leaders from the primary part as he’s significantly sturdy within the dressage.

Regardless of withdrawing Mai Baum from Kentucky Three-Day Occasion, Tamie is “excited for an incredible week forward with the younger weapons” – she nonetheless has Ruth Bley’s Maryland 5 Star 2022 runner-up Danito and the syndicate-owned Kynan within the CCI4*-S.

Tamie doesn’t have a journey within the CCI5*, during which the main Brits – Tom McEwen on JL Dublin, Yasmin Ingham and Banzai Du Loir and Oliver Townend with Cooley Rosalent – are thought-about the favourites.

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H&H journal editor and eventing editor

Pippa is a real eventing geek and has been H&H’s eventing editor since 2005. She has first-hand expertise of competing as much as British Eventing intermediate and worldwide CCI2*-L stage, and has labored within the business on a high occasion yard. Pippa enjoys nothing greater than immersing herself within the sport on the highest stage, reporting from the five-stars and worldwide championships, together with the Olympics.