Originally scheduled for this October, the inaugural Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill will now be moved to October 14 to 17 in 2021.

It means that Pau in France, still scheduled to go ahead from October 21 to 25, is the only CCI five-star competition that can take place this year.

Five-star events at Badminton and Burghley in England, Luhmühlen in Germany, Lexington in the United States and Adelaide in Australia have already been cancelled.

According to Horse and Hound, organisers of the Pau event have said the team will "spare no effort and do everything possible" to ensure it goes ahead, assuming Government restrictions allow.

The COVID-19 death rate has plateaued in France and the country and recorded daily totals of 31 deaths on May 31 and June 1, the lowest since March 17, as restrictions ease.

A statement from the organisers of the Maryland 5 Star event said that "not being able to guarantee the health and safety of everyone and producing the event in a limited capacity was not favourable for the Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill's inaugural year".

Fair Hill Organising Committee President Jeff Newman added: "The Fair Hill Organising Committee was created and tasked to plan and produce the inaugural Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill as a world-class, international sporting event that includes an abundance of fans offerings drawing spectators from around the world to Cecil County and the surrounding region.

"Ultimately, we felt that the uncertainties and risks that will remain throughout the year are too great to overcome.

"As a result, with the support of our sponsors and key constituents, postponing the inaugural event to 2021 best enables us to achieve our original goals and set the foundation for a tradition that will continue for many years."

It was set to be the seventh of eight five-star events in 2020 - one of which would have been Olympic Games in Tokyo - and the second in the US.