MPT serving as broadcaster of MARS Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill

Maryland Public Television (MPT) is serving, for the third year, as the official regional broadcast and livestream provider of the 2023 MARS Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill presented by Brown Advisory, one of only two equestrian events of its kind in the United States and among seven worldwide.

The statewide public TV network, in partnership with The Fair Hill Organizing Committee, is offering viewers up to nine hours of live event coverage on MPT-HD, the MPT live stream, and the PBS App.

This year’s competition is taking place through Sunday, October 22, at the Fair Hill Special Event Zone in Cecil County. The facility features world-class equestrian arenas, a turf track, and cross-country courses. Among the participants in this year’s MARS Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill are top horses and riders from the United States and countries around the world. A preview of the event is available on MPT’s YouTube channel.

The prestigious 5 Star (CCI5*-L) designation is the pinnacle of the Olympic sport of Eventing, often described as an equestrian triathlon. Eventing combines the skills of a single horse and rider in competition against other horses and riders across the three disciplines of dressage, cross-country, and show jumping.

MPT’s schedule of live coverage for the balance of the competition is as follows:

○ Friday, Oct. 20: Live coverage of dressage from 2 p.m. to 4:05 p.m.

○ Saturday, Oct. 21: Live coverage of cross-country from 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. and an encore broadcast from 8 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.

○ Sunday, Oct. 22: Live coverage of show jumping and awards ceremony from 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. and an encore broadcast from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

On Sunday, MPT will begin its Maryland 5 Star coverage with a half-hour pre-competition show featuring sports broadcaster Jim Hunter anchoring the MPT Sports Desk live from Fair Hill. Hunter will be joined by Alice Plunkett, former eventer, National Hunt jockey, and one of the United Kingdom’s leading horseracing presenters. The pair will also provide live commentary during the awards ceremony later that afternoon.

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore has proclaimed October as Maryland Horse Month, recognizing the historic, recreational, and economic contributions of the state’s horse industry. He noted, "With an annual economic input of 2.1 billion dollars and boasting more horses per square mile than any other U.S. state, it's evident that Maryland has an enduring passion for horses."

General admission and reserved seating tickets to one or more competition days can still be purchased at Maryland5Star.us/tickets.