Elkton, Maryland, December 21, 2017 - In July 2017, the U.S. Equestrian Federation (USEF) approved a recommendation to award an eventing CCI4* (4*) competition in 2019 to Fair Hill International (FHI.) FHI's bid for the prestigious 4* resulted from a multi-year, state-wide public and private sector collaboration.
The USEF's recommendation for Fair Hill International was expected to be considered for approval by Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) at its General Assembly meeting in November 2017.
However, in November, the FEI unveiled for ratification a completely redesigned classification system for international events that included a new CCI5* level. This new system was approved in concept, but the FEI is still working out the specific requirements for each level. As such, Fair Hill International and its 4* (now 5*) coalition partners have decided to wait to proceed until these specifics are released.
"We understand the FEI's decision to reorganize the star system and the requirements for each level. However, until we know these new requirements, it makes no sense to move forward blindly. We don't want to build a state-of-the-art facility to the wrong specifications. We are committed to presenting an event at the pinnacle of the sport and will march ahead as soon as the FEI releases its new parameters," said Carla Geiersbach, Fair Hill International's Executive Director.
Sam Slater, President of the Fair Hill Foundation, the coalition's fundraising partner said, "We remain committed to bringing world class equestrian sporting opportunities to this corner of Maryland. Fair Hill has so much to offer the community, and proposed upgrades will really enhance the facility. As always, thank you to all of our donors, partners, and friends for their committed support."
Maryland is a premier destination for equestrian events and equine activities. FHI's on-going year-round programs elevate Maryland's rich equestrian tradition and leverage its current industry strength.
Fair Hill International looks forward to celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2018. The CCI3* and CCI2* event will be run October 18-21, 2018.
Fair Hill International is a non-profit organization dedicated to equestrian education and managing equestrian events at the 5,656-acre Fair Hill Natural Resource Management Area in northeast Maryland. Currently, FHI runs seven recognized and unrecognized eventing competitions annually, from Introductory level to Olympic-qualifying CCI3* level.
Following the popularity of Rules Open Forum held virtually during the 2020 USEA Annual Meeting & Convention in December, the USEA Competitions, Calendar, and Rules Committee decided to host another Rules Webinar to share information about the extraordinary rule changes going into effect on April 1, 2021 and the rule change proposals being put forward to the USEF by March 1, 2021 for approval for the 2022 competition season.
Are you following along with the action from home this weekend? Or maybe you're competing at an event and need information fast. Either way, we’ve got you covered! Check out the USEA’s Weekend Quick Links for links to information including the prize list, ride times, live scores, and more for all the events running this weekend.
Chris Ryan’s initial assessment of this 3-year-old off-the-track Thoroughbred gelding is that he’s a “good quality sort. Brown is a great color – a strong color in ‘nature.’ One of the first questions I ask myself when evaluating a horse is if he has refinement. We know the breed type here is Thoroughbred but I still ask the question."
The USEA Event Companion App was launched in late 2016 for iOS and Android devices to provide USEA members with easy, at-your-fingertips access to the USEA calendar of events, dressage tests, rules, news, and more. The app, now in its fifth year, has rolled out a new feature for users - push notifications are here!