Hanging up the competitive saddle: Remarkable horse to retire at The Event at Rebecca Farm

When Tamie Smith hopped onto the back of horse Mai Baum for the first time, it was a perfect moment.  

“I could just say wow,” Smith said. “What a horse. He’s incredible. He’s even more incredible than I expected.” 

Described as extravagant, beautiful and quirky, yet athletic, Mai Baum has captivated many in the horse eventing world. Smith was aware of the gelding before his owner, Alex Ahearn, brought him to Smith’s barn in 2014.   

Over a decade later, the Smith and Mai Baum partnership has been at the top of the competitive equestrian world. Now 19 years old, Mai Baum — the highest-rated five-star U.S. horse of the past 15 years — is retiring at The Event at Rebecca Farm. 

Now in its 24th year, The Event is a world-class equestrian event held July 16-20 at Rebecca Farm outside Kalispell. A retirement ceremony for Mai Baum is set for the final day.

Also known by his barn name Lexus, Mai Baum came from Munich, Germany, to Seattle, at 4 years old. As Ahearn grew more invested and competitive in riding, her parents and coach Michele Pestl decided to go to auction to get a horse of their own.  

“We just were looking for what would be the best fit for what was at that time a 15-year-old girl who was competing in eventing,” Ahearn’s mother, Ellen Ahearn, said. “I don’t think anyone ever thought that he would be a five-star horse.” 

Eventing is an equestrian sport that combines the three disciplines of dressage, cross country and show jumping, all completed by the same horse and rider. Described as an equestrian triathlon, eventing tests horse and rider pairs more than any other discipline.  

While the Ahearns knew Mai Baum was beautiful, they had yet to know his talent.  

“I’ve had him for most of his life,” Alex Ahearn reflected. “Knowing him as a baby and seeing him now, he’s a family member.” 

Ahearn rode Mai Baum competitively, and by the time she got to the preliminary intermediate level, she had a feeling the German sport horse had a lot of talent. After high school and before going to college, Ahearn moved to Temecula, California, to work at Smith’s barn, Next Level Eventing.  

When Ahearn headed to college, she entrusted Smith with Mai Baum, knowing there was potential for the pair to make history. It was a moment Smith will never forget.  

“It was really such a surreal moment because I said to her, I can remember it so clearly and vividly, that I didn't think she knew what she was saying to me then, because I knew how special that horse was,” Smith said. 

In their first year together, Smith and Mai Baum tallied five international wins. They have competed across the world, racking up 33 international starts with 20 podiums and 13 wins.    

“I didn’t know he was going to be a five-star horse,” Ahearn said. “But I guess it was always a dream. Smith was the one to make it happen; I just felt kind of a gut feeling. The stars kind of just aligned.”   

Equestrians use an Elo rating to measure a horse’s competitiveness across events; points are earned or lost based on performance in competitions. Mai Baum’s peak Elo is 833, making him the highest rated American horse of the past 15 years and among the top 15 worldwide over the same time period.  

In 2023, the duo became the first American pair to win the Land Rover Kentucky Three Day Event in 15 years. 

“He’s just exceeded all expectations that we were hoping for,” Smith said.  

Sarah Broussard, organizer for The Event at Rebecca Farm, knew of Smith before Mai Baum, remembering the young rider with bling on her helmet before “bling was everywhere.” 

The Broussard family has left its mark on the Flathead Valley, from donating to Flathead Valley Community College to launching the Halt Cancer at X foundation to creating a world-class equestrian event. The family also provides grants each year to up-and-coming equestrian riders across the world.  

Smith was the 2011 national grant recipient as well as the 2015 international grant recipient. The grants, Smith reflected, were monumental in her success.  

Broussard remembers first seeing Mai Baum around 10 years ago at Rebecca Farm. Affectionately called “The Black Stallion,” he has always had a stunning presence and a glistening black coat.  

“He’s a true triathlete,” she said. “It’s a special situation. There are riders that come down the pike that are amazing riders, and there are horses that come down the pike that are amazing horses. Sometimes the two of them get together.” 

Holding the retirement event at Rebecca Farm was a no-brainer, Smith said. It is a place close to Mai Baum’s home in Washington, in a way that returns him to his roots. The Event is something Baum has participated in and won multiple times. 

“We’re quite honored to be asked because we definitely are not the largest, most popular event in the United States with the largest spectator base, but we are the largest on this side of that big river that divides this country in half,” Broussard said. “We are excited.” 

While retiring from three-day eventing, Mai Baum may still compete on a smaller scale. It’s something Smith and the Ahearns say he loves. Whenever Smith packs a trailer to go to a competition without him, Mai Baum throws a fit by banging on his stall door. 

"We’ll continue to do little things until he tells us he can't or doesn't care about it anymore,” Smith said. 

Retirement is for his benefit in the long run, as most eventing horses don’t compete well into their 19th year, Smith said. The consensus is for him to be happy and healthy.  

“Mai Baum looked like he could’ve been the best of the best, but he didn’t always act like he could have been,” Smith said of his quirkiness.  

Mai Baum has a lot of personality, those around him say, and does things on his own timeline. But year after year, as he allowed, he unlocked more ability and drive, leading the pair to some of the biggest equestrian stages across the world. 

“I think with the patience of his owners and myself and our team, we really stuck to intuition and listened to him,” Smith said. “It took us longer to get to the very top of the sport than maybe it would take most horses, but because we did that, he became almost the greatest of all time.”   

The retirement ceremony will be held after the awards ceremony following show jumping on Sunday, July 20. It will include an opportunity for fans to share a moment with the horse. 

For more information on The Event at Rebecca Farm, visit rebeccafarm.org. 

Reporter Kate Heston may be reached at 758-4459 or kheston@dailyinterlake.com.