U.S. Olympic veterans Phillip Dutton, Boyd Martin, and Lauren Kieffer head the list of entries for the 2018 The Dutta Corp. Fair Hill International, October 18-21, at the Fair Hill Natural Resource Area in Elkton, Maryland. The Dutta Corp. Fair Hill International Three-Day Event celebrates its 30th anniversary this year and will host the U.S. Equestrian Federation (USEF) CCI3* and CCI2* Fall Eventing Championships as well as the U.S. Eventing Association (USEA) Young Event Horse East Coast Championships.
Considered one of the most prestigious international three-day events in the world, The Dutta Corp. Fair Hill International's CCI3* boasts a world-class field of 46 U.S. and international combinations.
Heading the list of entries in the CCI3* are U.S. Olympic veterans Boyd Martin and Lauren Kieffer, who were both part of the gold-medal winning U.S. Team at the 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto, Canada. Martin, a two-time Olympic veteran, will compete Long Island T and Ray Price in the CCI3* and On Cue in the CCI2*.
Kieffer has three mounts entered in the CCI3* including Vermiculus, Landmark's Monte Carlo, and Paramount Importance. She will also compete in the CCI2* with Landmark's Mochachino and USEA Young Event Horse East Coast Championship 5-Year-Old division with I'll Have Another. Mara DePuy, who represented the U.S. at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, finishing in sixth place in the individual competition, has entered Congo Brazzaville C.
Heading the entry list in the CCI2*, which features 68 horse-and-rider combinations, is Phillip Dutton, one of the most accomplished riders in eventing history. Dutton, entered on Sea of Clouds, has competed in six Olympic Games, winning two team Gold medals for his native Australia and the individual bronze medal for the U.S. at the 2016 Games in Rio. He has also ridden in seven FEI World Equestrian Games and two Pan American Games where he has won two team gold medals in addition to the individual silver in 2007.
Other top U.S. riders include Buck Davidson, who has represented the U.S. at two FEI World Equestrian Games and was part of the gold medal-winning U.S. Team at the 2011 Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico, where he also won an individual bronze medal. He has entered Archie Rocks and Erroll Gobey in the CCI3*. Will Faudree, who was part of the U.S.'s gold medal Pan Am team in 2003, is entered on Hans Dampf and Pfun.
"This event showcases the stars of our sport as well as the future of U.S. eventing for both riders and horses," said Trish Gilbert, President of Fair Hill International. "The CCI3* and CCI2* Fall Eventing Championships and the USEA Young Event Horse East Coast Championships create an exciting atmosphere for everyone and we look forward to another great year!"
Click here for the full list of entries.
This year also marks the 30th anniversary of The Dutta Corp., the event's title sponsor. The Dutta Corporation is an international and domestic horse shipping company founded by J. Tim Dutta. It has been expanding rapidly since its inception in 1988 and particularly so in the last twenty years. With state-of-the-art jet stalls and an expert team of grooms, The Dutta Corp. provides horse air transport solutions tailored to each individual horse.
The Dutta Corp. Fair Hill International has expanded its hospitality to provide an opportunity for all to indulge in their favorite foods, drinks, and shopping needs. Tailgating during Saturday's cross-country competition is again SOLD OUT! Get your spots early for next year, as it's a great way to enjoy the up-close thrill of watching world-class horses and riders gallop by as they contest the CCI3* and CCI2* courses set by 2020 Tokyo Olympic course designer Derek di Grazia.
The Dutta Corp. Fair Hill International Three-Day Event truly has something for everyone. Spectators can enjoy numerous demonstrations ranging from a Brendan Wise Horsemanship and pony drill teams, dog agility, face painting in the Kids' Corner, a cross-country course walk, fantastic food options, and shopping in numerous vendor shops.
Admission
General Admission does not include admission to Sponsor tent or pre-reserved tailgating spots.
All tickets and packages are sold at the gate. For additional information about hospitality packages please visit www.fairhillinternational.com/fh-tickets-tailgating/.
For further information on The Dutta Corp. Fair Hill International, please call (410) 398-2111 or visit www.fairhillinternational.com.
The United States Eventing Association, Inc. (USEA) is proud to announce the first class of USEA Young Event Horse (YEH) Judges have completed their certifications through the YEH New Judge Education Program, which was led by YEH faculty member, Marilyn Payne.
Nazila Hejazi and her 20-year-old Missouri Fox Trotter mare, Tessa, may have made for an unconventional pair at the USEA Area VI Championships, held in October at Galway Downs (Temecula, California) but they didn’t let that hold them back. It’s uncommon to see a horse in their twenties still competing in eventing, and even more rare for a gaited horse to compete in a jumping sport.
Today, we pause to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and reflect on the powerful moment in 1963 when he stood on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and shared his vision for a better future. Dr. King's "I Have a Dream" speech was more than just words; it was a call to action that transcended time, culture, and boundaries—a beacon of hope that continues to inspire.
We’ve all been there—on the horse who pokes his way around the warm-up ring, needs leg, leg, leg coming into the combination, or brings up the rear on every trail ride. None of us wants each and every ride to be a lower-body squeezefest, nor do we wish to do anything with our crop except maybe wave it at that annoying deerfly. In this excerpt from his book The Sport Horse Problem Solver, former international eventer Eric Smiley explains the essential quality of forwardness and how to prepare the horse to expect you to look for it in all that you do together.