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McLain Ward on High Star Hero placed third in the Winning Round in Aachen (2)

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July 5, 2025

By Staff Writers

AACHEN,Germany--McLain Ward on High Star Hero placed third behind Nina Mallevaey and Shane Sweetnam in the Winning Round on Saturday, July 5 at Aache.

McLain Ward on High Star Hero (Photo by Jenny Abrahamsson)As last to go in a winning round of 10, France’s Nina Mallevaey on My Clementine who won the CSIO5* 1.55m Allianz-Prize.

With the exact number of 10 clears over Frank Rothenberger’s first round-track of 13 fences and 16 efforts, it got just right for the winning round.

As second to go against the clock, it was McLain Ward who set the time to beat with a clear round in 53.02 seconds.

But two riders later Sweetnam of Ireland blazed around the track on Coriaan van Klapscheut Z to go clean in 51.25 seconds.

IT WAS NOT until the very last in the ring that Sweetnam’s time would get challenged by the world’s leading U25 rider who has been on fire over the last three months to rocket up the rankings.

Lightning-fast over the shortened track with her agile and speedy chestnut mare, Mallevaey was cheered and whistled on by the crowds down the last line, and flying over the final oxer she crossed the timers in 50.59 seconds to snatch the win from Sweetnam.

Ward had to settle for third, while Rene Dittmer of Germany was fourth, followed by Georgia Tame of Great Britain. fifth on Be Golden.

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“I am more than happy, just to be here in Aachen is already a dream, and to win is even more special,” Nina Mallevaey said. “I have a very good horse in My Clementine, and I am so grateful to have the ride on her. It was a very good position to go last, I could see the other rounds. I know Clementine is really fast, so I tried to go as fast as I could, and she was just perfect. I think I was not so fast in the beginning, and then I thought I need to go faster. My Clementine is so careful and so smart, she did everything right. I am really happy.”

“Just the show here in Aachen is amazing, with the arena and the best riders,” she said. “I have been dreaming of this. I have been watching this show for years, and to be part of this now is a dream come true. I really like the atmosphere; I like it when you can feel a bit of pressure, it makes me want to be even better – here, it is amazing.”

“I knew with Nina coming, that she has a very fast horse that has won a lot of classes, and it’s an Irish horse as well, so that makes it a little bit easier to take,” tsaid Sweetnam. “But I am really happy with my horse, he is still a bit green at this level, and this week he has learned so much. This is the pinnacle of the sport, for him to go and perform like that today makes me feel confident about his future. For his experience level, I probably did the right thing at the right time; I think his day will come.”

“I am very proud of my horses this week, everyone has been jumping phenomenal,” said Ward. “I added a stride to the green double, and I didn’t get great to the third fence, which cost me time. But, I think to catch Nina today even if I did everything right would have been difficult, so hats off to her.”

Lillie Keenan on Chagrin d'Amour won the Youngster Cup Final and was Best Young Horse overall (2)

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July 5, 2025

By Staff Writers

AACHEN, Germany--Lillie Keenan on the 8-year-old Chagrin d’Amour won the Sparkassen Youngster Cup Final.

Lillie Keenan on Chagrin dAmour (Photo by Jenny Abrahamsson for Worldof Showjumping))Chagrin d'Amour was also the best horse overall after three days of competition in the youngster tour, and as per tradition in Aachen he won Keenan a foal.

Over two competitions in Aachen, the 30 best 7- and 8-year-old horses had qualified for Saturday’s final , with 13 going clean to go on to the jump-off.

As the second to last to go, Keenan was out to beat the leading time of 36.83 seconds posted by Ben Maher of Great Britain on the 8-year-old Maddox VH Haringvliet Z.

Jumping the penultimate vertical on an angle, Keenan did a rollback to the final fence, Chagrin d’Amour cleared it and crossed the finish line in 36.61 seconds.

When the last to go, Olivier Perreau of France on the 8-year-old Leopard Des Joanis Z finished in 38.23 to place fifth – the victory belonged to Keenan.

“HE LANDED from the red and thought we were done, and he did his little buck and play, and saw the gate – but he is the kind of horse that if you tell him to go and jump, he will go, and he was right there with me, I never questioned him,” Keenan said.

Lillie Keenan with the foal she won (Photo by Jenny Abrahamsson for Worldofshowjumoing)”To be honest, I knew I had a chance of winning this class with this horse," she said. "In his own head he is already a 12-year-old. He is incredibly smart. I honestly have the feeling I could ride him in the Rolex Grand Prix tomorrow.”

“I haven’t often ridden him fast," she said. "But I thought today is the day to try it out. His breeder, André Nepper, came to watch him. Which is great. We have owned him jointly for quite a while already and we are like a family. We have always believed in him. He is simply really something special!”

Ben Maher placed second and Cian O’Connor of Ireland on the 7-year-old Pegasus was third, followed by Denis Lynch of Ireland on Shogun STS fourth and Perreau fifth.

“Virginie Casterman, who works for McLain Ward, found him for me,” Keenan said. “She watched him as a 6-year-old and kept telling me I should try him. I tried him as a 7-year-old with Francois Mathy, and I bought him right away, but left him in Europe. I left him here because I felt like since he was a stallion, I would have missed some time in the 7-year-old year if I brought him to America,. Therefore, Francois’ rider Joao showed him a bit in the youngster classes. Then, I brought him to America and started showing him in Wellington, so I haven’t had an abundance of time with him.”

“Mentally, he is like a seasoned horse; he just so quickly figured out what the job is,” Keenan said. “I have not gone quick that many times with him, so that was definitely a step forward today. He is just a genius – I don’t think I have ever ridden a horse that is so easy going. It is like he knows what I will ask him before I even ask a question. He is playful, but when you give him a challenge, he rises to the occasion.”

Lillie Keenan also won a special prize for her victory: A colt by Chaloubino PS OLD x Balou du Rouet called Chalou Touch HC.

The “HC” stands for the breeders, Heike and Carmen Zimmermann from Nettetal.

Keenan’s plans for her four-legged newcomer? “Quite honestly – I don’t know yet. We’ll have to see.”

Perhaps he will follow in Chagrin d’Amour’s footsteps.

U.S. placed a good second in the UBS-Cup 4* Eventing at Aachen (2)

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July 6, 2025

By Staff Writers

AACHEN, Germany--The U.S. Eventing team of Caroline Pamukcu on HSH Blake, Phillip Dutton on Possante, Will Coleman on Off The Record and Boyd Martin on Commando 3 moved up two places after cross country to finish second overall to New Zealand in the UBS-Cup CCIO4-S* on Saturday, July 5 in Aachen.

Will Coleman on Off The RecordThe U.S. was the only team to have all four of its members finish with no jumping faults over the cross country course designed by Giuseppe Della Chiesa of Italy, who will also design the course for next year's Eventing World Championships.

The U.S. actually had all of its riders finish the cross country course without any jumping faults, as Dutton on Denim, riding as an individual, also was clean.

No one made the optimum time of 6:30, although Monica Spencer of New Zealand on Artist came closest, finishing in 6:36 for only .4 time faults, while Coleman was second fastest in 6:37 with .8 time faults, and Martin was fourth fastest in 6:43 for 3.2 time faults.

Martin lost his stirrup before the water, and that easily could have cost him the seven seconds.

“It wasn’t my best round, to be honest," said Martin to Eventing Nation. "He was very brave and bold, and he was taking on the jumps a little bit too much, and I lost my stirrup for about three jumps. I couldn’t find it, and I had to jump the jump in the water without a stirrup, and the double hedges. Luckily, I got it back, but it cost me time and energy. But he’s such a good horse. He’s very brave and honest, and it was good experience for him.”

Led by Chef d’Equipe Leslie Law, the team's final score was 117.2 to place second.

New Zealand finished first on 108.5, and Great Britain was third on 134.1.

THE U.S. had started the competition in fourth after dressage and stayed fourth after show jumping, making the big move with its exemplary cross country rounds.

Boyd Martin on Commando 3But it was a big lift for the team after all of its riders finished a bit down in dressage.

The team's highest finisher, Coleman in fourth, had a 35.6 in dressage, leaving him  24th at the start of the competition.

All of the U.S.riders had dressage scores in the mid 30s, with Martin 15th on 33.8, Dutton 16th on 34.2 and Pamukcu 11th on 32.6

"I think it's everything we could have hoped for," said Law. "We had team training camp before we came here, at Boyd Martin's farm, and then in Belgium when we arrived. There has been a great atmosphere and it has been an absolute pleasure to work with these athletes and their horses. Every aspect of their professionalism is 100% and we couldn't ask for a better team to look after all of the horses this week with the grooms in the stables and the team staff here. We're very happy with the result and know there's more potential as we work towards next year's championships here."

First on the course and first for the U.S. was Caroline Pamukcu of Springtown, Pa., on HSH Blake, who finished with 18 time penalties to finish 27th on a final score of 58.6.

Dutton of West Grove,Pa., on Possante had 5.6 in time penalties to finish 11th overall on a final score three-phase score of 43.8.

Previous UBS-Cup CCIO4*-S winner, Coleman of Ocala, Fla.,  with just 0.8 in time penalties was the highest placed U.S. rider individually, placing fourth overall on a final score of 36.4.

“He was Timmy!” said Coleman to Eventing Nation after cross country. “He was his usual self — enthusiastic — but he’s just a machine, and he loved it, and we loved it, and we just felt like we were having fun out there.”

U.S.Eventing team “I was pretty pleased. I gave him a few strides after the coffin to kind of get a little bit of a breath, so I probably had a second there, and then at the second last water [14], he sort of went a little bit of wooden on me, turning in there, so I probably got an extra stride there than I wanted. So that’s two seconds. You have to be pretty perfect to get the time, or be on an extraordinarily fast horse, and we were close, so I’m pleased. He gave me everything he had, and I can’t be disappointed in two seconds.”

Martin of Cochranville, Pa., finish in 6:43, adding just 3.2 in time to his dressage score, to place fifth individually.

“It sort of just confirmed my belief,” said Martin to Eventing Nation.. “He’s a brave, gutsy horse, and these sort of twisty turny tracks are a little harder for him than the five-stars. I find it a bit easier at the five-stars, where you can get him to settle down a bit. But it was a good experience, and I think we finished in a respectable place, and so we’re heading back to America, still with a bit of work to do.”

Competing individually, Dutton on Denim finished in 6:57, adding 8.8 in time to his dressage score of 35.9 to finish14th on a final score of 44.8.

 Law told Eventing Nation that he hoped that the riders aiming for World Championships will earn their qualifications by the end of the this year, making the task of culling down and selection that much better next year.

“I think it allows us to then make individual plans for horses and riders and hopefully not trying to get having to get qualified next year with those individuals,” he said. “There will be some exceptions to that, obviously, but I think that going forward for the rest of the year, that will be a priority.”

Phillip McGuane won the Grand Prix at Lake Placid, while Sam Walker and JJ Torano also won (2)

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July 6, 2025

By Staff Writers

LAKE PLACID, N.Y.--Philip McGuane of Ireland on Orphea HQ won the $100,000 FEI 3* Grand Prix over a field of 34 on Saturday, July 5 at the I Love New York Horse Show, 

Phillip McGuane on Orphea HQ (Photo by KindMedia)On Sunday, Sam Walker of Canada won the $25,000 1.45m Jumper Classic and JJ Torano placed first, second and third in the JuniorAmateur Classic and was champion and reserve.

In the Grand Prix, 14 were clean to go on to the jump-off over a course designed by Alan Wade of Ireland.

Fourth to go in the jump-off, 18-year-old Campbell Brown was the first clean on Colina Z, finishing in 41.91 seconds to eventually place fourth.

Four rides later, Katie Dinan went into the lead, clean in 39.65 seconds on Out Of The Blue SCF, then McGuane took over the lead with a clean round in 38.98 seconds for the win.

Beat Mandli od Switzerland on Coachella, clean in 39.41 seconds, placed second, with Dinan third and Brown fourth. 

“I took a little bit of a risk at the beginning so I could have enough time to jump the last double, which caused some issues for some of the riders,” McGuane said. “My mare is an unbelievable jumper, super fast across the ground, so unless I make a mistake she doesn’t want to have a jump down. So I just tried to stay cool, and today it worked out."

“McGUANE'S victory, coupled with his sixth-place finish in last week’s $100,000 Grand Prix of Lake Placid, won him the Richard and Diana Feldman Perpetual Trophy for Excellence and $2,000 as the rider winning the most prize money in Lake Placid’s two Grand Prix events.

Sam Walker on Funny Star Semilly (Photo by KindMedia)Walker on Funny Star Semilly won the Jumper Classic Sunday over a 20-horse field.

Five were clean in the  first round, and Walker was the only one to go clean again, finishing in 37.486 seconds.  

Matthias Hollberg on Hachi placed second with the fastest four fault round of 36.980 seconds, and Christian Coyle on Ma Pomme De Tamerville was third with four faults in 37.745 seconds.

“This is a new partnership for me,” Walker said. “I’m real excited to have spent the last two weeks here in Lake Placid, not only to get to know him but also to win some prize money with him.”

In the $15,000 1.45m SJHOF Junior/Amateur Jumper Classic, JJ Torano swept the top three places.

He had two clean rounds on each of the three horses, and his jump-off time of 38.385 seconds on Good Mood Semilly proved the fastest, which gave him the win and the division Championship.

He placed second on Vitus K to get the Reserve Championship, and third on Oopsala.

Laura Kraut on Baloutinue placed second in Aachen Grand Prix (2)

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July 7, 2025

By Staff Writers

AACHEN, Germany--Laura Kraut on Baloutinue delivered another top performance, finishing second with three clean rounds in the 1.5 million Euros Rolex Grand Prix of Aachen CSIO5* on the final day of elite international competition in Aachen.

Laura Kraut on BaloutinueMartin Fuchs of Switzerland on Leonie Jei won, with Steve Guerdat of Switzerland on Dynamix de Belheme finishing third.

The Grand Prix was a two round class, with the top 18 qualifying for round two and then all those clean in both rounds qualifying for the jump-off.

Mclain Ward, who had said winning the Aachen Grand Prix for the first time was his goal, had a fence down in the first round on Imperial HBF, while Kent  Farrington on Greya, Lillie Keenan on Fasther and Kraut all qualified for round two.

Farrington had a rail down in round two,leaving Keenan and Kraut as two of the 11 to qualify for the  jump-off.

Keenan went fairly early in the jump-ff and had a rail down to finish sixth in 51.44.

That was Keenan's third top 10 finish of the week, along with having one of only five double clears in the Nations Cup.

She also was awarded with the Aachen Style Award, presented to the week's most stylish jumping rider.

"I told her she should certainly have won the stylish award since she won the Maclay with me judging," said chef d'equipe Robert Ridland. 

THERE WERE eight fences in the jump-off, but the penultimate obstacle, a double combination, proved to be the trickiest question of the course.

That was where the riders had the most faults, including Olympic gold medalist, Christian Kukuk on Checker and Richie Vogel, who had both fences down on United Touch S.

Fuchs had already gone when Kraut, who was last to go, went, and he had taken the chance of running to that double.

That chance worked out and he finished clean in 50.29.

Kraut said she had already decided not to run at the double before she went.

"I am very pleased with second place. For me, when there were 11 of the fastest riders in the world in the world, I thought this might not go well. As the last rider to go, I knew the golden double before the last was the jump to clear quickly," said Kraut. "It was very difficult, and most people were quick until they got there. Instead of taking the risk, I stuck to my original plan, and I am pleased with Baloutinue, and where we finished today. It's been a great week for the United States, and feel like we're ending the week on a high note."

Fuchs won on 50.29, with Kraut second in 52.41 and Guerdat third in 52.59.

Stephen de Freitas Barcha of Brazil on Chevaux Primavera Imperio Egipcio was the only other to finish clean in the jump-off and was fourth in 54.33, 

Nina Mallevaey on Dynastie de Beaufour was fourth with four faults in 50.02, and Keenan was sixth with four faults in 51.44m while Farrington finished 15th place overall.

U.S. results at Aachen, a mini World Championship, varied from great to poor (2)

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July 9, 2025

By SARA CAVANAGH

AACHEN, Germany--Aachen is an annual mini-world championship, with competition in five disciplines, jumping, eventing, dressage, driving and vaulting.

U.S. winning Nations Cup teamThe U.S. had teams competing in jumping, eventing and dressage and individuals in driving and vaulting with varied results, ranging from the best of the best to very close to the worst.

This year might have been a preview of what's to come, as the World Championships next year will be held in Aachen.

For the U.S., Jumping was the best of the best, winning five classes, including the Nations Cup, and finishing second and sixth in the Grand Prix.

The team of Kent Farrington, Lillie Keenan, Laura Kraut and McLain Ward won the Nations Cup over eight top teams, Fsrrington won a jump-off class, Kraut won a speed class in pouring rain and was second in the Grand Prix, Ward won a speed class and Keenan won the Youngster Cup and Best Young Horse well as being one of only five to be double clean in the Nations Cup.

"No one can remember any country ever winning five major classes including the Nations Cup at Aachen," said chef d'equipe Robert Ridland.

"This was a positive week looking forward to next year," said Ridland. " It's a good preview for the World Championships." 

THE EVENTING team of Will Coleman, Phillip Dutton, Boyd Martin and Caroline Pamukcu finished second to New Zealand in the UBS-Cup CCIO4-S*.

U.S.Eventing team is second in AachenThe high point was the U.S. being the only country to have all four of its team members finish the cross country course with no jumping faults.

The only U.S. individual rider, Dutton on his second horse, was also clean in cross county jumping. 

The U.S. had mixed results in show jumping, with three clean rounds, but Pamukcu had eight faults and Dutton on his team horse had four faults.

But the dressage results weren't as positive, with the team finishing fourth behind Great Britain, New Zealand and Germany.

We're very happy with the result and know there's more potential as we work towards next year's championships here," said chef d'equuipe Leslie Law.

The dressage team was close to the worst, finishing second to last as the eighth of nine teams in the Grand Prix Nations Cup.

Germany was easily first, finishing on 232.065, with Belgium second on 219.804 and Sweden third on 216.935.

Great Britain was fourth on 215.892, followed by Denmark, 215.631, Netherlands, 212.826, Portugal, 212.478, U.S., 206,436, and Spain, 204.521.

Kasey Perry-Glass on Heartbeat WP finished 16th, Benjamin Ebeling on Bellena was 18th, Jennifer Williams on Joppe K was last of the 34 in the Grand Prix, and Kevin Hohmann on Dunensee was eliminated. 

In the Grand Prix Freestyle, Perry-Glass was 14th, and she was 13th in the Grand Prix Special, while Eberling was 16th in the Freestyle and 18th in the Special.

Those close to the team say that the riders are more interested in beating each other than working towards winning individually.

U.S.riders can't even win on home soil, having been consistently beaten in Wellington, Fla., last winter.

Although the U.S. has never won a gold medal in Olympics or World Championships, its teams were consistently silver or bronze medalists for many years, but recently things have been poor.

Christine Traurig finally took over as chef d'equipe, and recently USEF announced that Olivia LaGoy Wentz and Guenter Seidel have joined the dressage program as Dressage Assistant Pathway Coaches.

But there's little hope they can change things in a year.

Only individuals competed in Driving and Vaulting.

In Driving, Chester Weber was the only U.S. representative, and he finished an uncharacteristic eighth after apparently having trouble in the final obstacle on the Marathon.

Weber was second to eventual overall winner Boyd Exell of Australia in dressage, but was 20th in the Marathon, a phase in which he is usually among the top group, and then finished seventh in cones.

The U.S.has never excelled in Vaulting, which is a discipline apparently only competed in in California in this country.

But in Aachen, the individuals did quite well, with two Americans, Kimberly Parker and Tessa Divita, finishing in the top 10, sixth and eighth respectively. 

Ara Schult was 118th, Emma Milito was 19th and Caroline Morse was inside the top 25.

In the male division, the only two Americans competing also finished in the top10, with Daniel Janes placing 6th and Jace Brooks ninth.

The 2026 FEI World Championships will be held in Aachen, Germany from Aug. 11-23, 2026, and feature the six international disciplines of Eventing, Show Jumping, Dressage, Driving, Vaulting, and Para Dressage .

The FEI World Championships are held every four years, and were formerly held with all eight international disciplines together in one location.

The other two disciplines are Reining and Endurance, and they will be held separately..

For the U.S,, in the Olympic discipline of Eventing, this championship will serve as one of two Olympic qualifying events ahead of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic & Paralympic Games.

Kent Farrington and McLain Ward lead the team for the Nations Cup in Falsterbo, Sweden (2)

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July 9, 2025

By Staff Writers

LEXINGTON, Ky.--US Equestrian announced the riders selected to represent the U.S. Jumping Team at the Nations Cup Falsterbo CSIO5* hosted in Falsterbo, Sweden, from July 10-13, 2025.

The team will be led by Chef d’Equipe Robert Ridland and Team Leader Lizzy Chesson.

The following riders have been named to the U.S. Jumping Team and are listed in alphabetical order:

Carly Anthony of Wellington, Fla.

Karl Cook of Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.

Kent Farrington of Wellington, Fla.

Spencer Smith of Wellington, Fla.

McLain Ward of Brewster, N.Y.

Competition Information:

Competition in Falsterbo begins on Thursday, July 10, and concludes on Sunday, July 13.

The Jumping Nations Cup Falsterbo CSIO5* will take place on Friday, July 11, at 2:00 p.m. , which is 8:00 a.m. EST, with the Rolex Grand Prix of Falsterbo CSIO5* set to take place on Sunday, July 13, at 2:00 p.m. , which is 8:00 a.m. EST.

The Jumping Nations Cup Falsterbo CSIO5* will be streamed live on EquiSport.TV.

Watch the Rolex Grand Prix of Falsterbo CSIO5* live on EquiSport.TV.

JJ Torano Wins June’s Show Jumping Hall of Fame Rider of the Month Award (2)

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July 10, 2025

By Staff Writers

LEXINGTON, Ky.--JJ Torano of Wellington, FL, has won the Show Jumping Hall of Fame Rider of the Month Award for June.

JJ Torano in a presentation (Photo by KindMedia)This is the third time he’s received the award in 2025, having previously earned it in February and March.

A talented junior rider, Torano competes in the Show Jumping Hall of Fame Jumper Classic Series’ East Conference.

After earning fourth with Vitus K and 12th with Lyon 50 in the Devon Horse Show & Country Fair’s $20,000 SJHOF 1.45m Junior Jumper Classic, Torano went on to a highly successful month in the jumper ring.

At the Upperville Colt & Horse Show, he piloted Lyon 50 to victory and Good Mood Semilly to third place in the $10,000 SJHOF 1.40m Junior/Amateur Jumper Classic; he also placed fourth in the $7,500 SJHOF/NAL 1.30m Junior/Amateur Jumper Classic with Coachella Z.

Then at the Lake Placid Horse Show,on Oopsala he won the $10,000 1.35m SJHOF Junior Jumper Classic, along with fifth place on Coachella Z.

He immediately followed that with another win aboard Lyon 50 in the $15,000 FarmVet 1.45m SJHOF Junior/Amateur Jumper Classic, as well as ninth place aboard Kerenia.

These multiple victories and top 10 finishes helped him earn the Hall of Fame’s Rider of the Month Award for June.

Racing at Fair Hill finally to resume Aug. 30 (2)

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July 10, 2025

By Staff Writers

FAIR HILL, Md.--Racing in finally going to be held again over the turf track at Fair Hill, with six flat races scheduled for Aug. 30.

Racing at Fair HillThe Maryland Department of Natural Resources made the announcement in a meeting at Fair Hill on July 10.

That will be the first time racing will be held at Fair Hill in six years, since 2019.

Horses have been training over the turf course for a few weeks, and the turf ha received top marks from trainers. 

The steeplechase community was upset by the late notice of the meeting, which was only announced on Monday, July 8, two days before the meeting, and also upset about the date of the meeting.

Three steeplechase races were scheduled for July 10 at Colonial, and although they were cancelled as all races were taken off the turf, it was too late for most owners and trainers to get to Fair Hill.

Bill Gallo, Director of Racing for NSA, and Joe Clancy, editor of The Saratoga Special, were in Saratoga.

Charlie Fenwick, president of the Fair Hill Foundation, was on his way to Colonial Downs when he heard the jump races were cancelled, and he turned around and made it back to Fair Hill in time for the meeting, which he said was held in the stands with only about 50 people in attendance 

The Maryland DNR issued a press release about the meeting,

HORSE RACING will return this summer to the turf track at Fair Hill Natural Resources Management Area in Cecil County, providing new opportunities for economic development through outdoor recreation and equine events.

Maryland Department of Natural Resources Secretary Josh Kurtz announces the return of horse racing to Fair Hill Special Event Zone. (Photo by Maryland DNR)Maryland Department of Natural Resources Secretary Josh Kurtz announces the return of horse racing to Fair Hill Special Event Zone. Maryland DNR photo,The turf track inside the Fair Hill Special Event Zone is scheduled to reopen to racing on Aug. 30 following the completion of an infrastructure modernization project, which included the construction of a sand-based turf course of Kentucky bluegrass with a state-of-the-art irrigation system, the first course of its kind in Maryland. Fair Hill is an economic engine and cultural touchpoint for Cecil County and the broader mid-Atlantic region. Fair Hill helps Maryland maintain its status as an equestrian epicenter by hosting major horse shows and racing events as well as other recreational opportunities.

“The historic investments we’re making to ensure the future of horse racing in Maryland are also promoting work, wages, and wealth in communities across the state,” said Governor Wes Moore. “At Fair Hill, we’ve completed track and venue upgrades to usher in a new era of turf track horse racing in Cecil County. Our multifaceted approach will support Maryland’s tourism and agricultural economies, promoting prosperity for years to come.”

Each fall, the Maryland 5 Star takes place at Fair Hill, one of only two 5 Star events in the U.S. and one of seven worldwide. The prestigious 5 Star (CCI5*) designation is the pinnacle of the sport of eventing, comprising three phases of dressage, cross-country, and show jumping. The 2024 Maryland 5 Star generated more than $15 million in direct spending for the state economy, more than $530,000 in local tax receipts, and $23.5 million in total business sales in the state.

The horse industry is culturally and economically important in Maryland, supporting 22,000 direct jobs and driving $713 million in added value to the economy.

The “Races at Fair Hill” event on Aug. 30 will be hosted by the Sport & Entertainment Corporation of Maryland in partnership with the Cecil County Breeders Fair, sanctioned by the National Steeplechase Association and the Maryland Racing Commission.

“Horse racing is coming back to Fair Hill,” Maryland Department of Natural Resources Secretary Josh Kurtz said. “The reopening of the turf track is just one part of DNR’s goal to promote Maryland’s equine heritage and support rural economies. It will be great for the community and it will help bring more world-class events to Fair Hill.”

Racing at Fair Hill was last held in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic led to a pause for public events at the space, followed by construction and time to allow the new turf to mature.

The sand-based turf track is planted with Kentucky bluegrass, a dense grass with horizontal rhizomes that provides support for racing horses while also recovering quickly after track use. The track is engineered with modern drainage and rootzone systems to support consistency and durability during high-performance use.

Designed to enable a wide range of equine disciplines to train and compete at Fair Hill, the one-mile course will accommodate flat racing, steeplechase, and eventing.

Leading turf specialists and contractors—Ruppert Landscaping, Hummer Turfgrass Systems, and Boekholder & Associates—have collaborated with DNR to ensure optimal track preparation through a customized maintenance program offering a consistent turf surface. Testing the track involved phased reintroduction of horses with strict evaluation periods for galloping, breezing, and eventual racing. Focused on quality and caution, this process was guided by turf response, weather conditions, and input from riders and trainers.

“The collaboration between all the significant stakeholders to bring racing back to Fair Hill is a defining moment of our intentions from the onset of pursuing a bid and helping to redefine and reimagine a track and infield for the future of equestrian event competitions,” stated Terry Hasseltine, President and Chairman of Sport and Entertainment Corporation of Maryland. “We are thrilled to be the operator of The Races at Fair Hill.”

“We’re excited to be part of bringing racing back to Cecil County,” said Jeff Newman, Senior Vice President of Events for the Sport and Entertainment Corporation of Maryland. “The event on Saturday, August 30 will be a free, family-friendly open house, and we encourage everyone to come out and celebrate the return of live racing to Fair Hill over Labor Day weekend. In addition to support of the key stakeholders including Cecil County Government and the State of Maryland, the enthusiasm from the business community has been outstanding with partners to date from Brown Advisory along with W.L. Gore, Cecil Bank, Ruppert Landscape, the Town of Elkton, Taylor Harris Insurance Services (Equine), MRA GTA, Bohemia Manor Farm, and Horizon Farm Credit.”

“Cecil County has a long and storied history with racing at Fair Hill, a longtime community event and cherished tradition that we have missed since the last race event in 2019,” County Executive Adam Streight said. “We are excited that our partnership with the Department of Natural Resources and the Maryland Sports Commission brings horse racing back home, where it belongs. This is a huge win for Cecil County!”

“Cecil County is deeply appreciative of Secretary Kurtz’s efforts to return racing to Fair Hill,” said Delegate Kevin Hornberger, representing District 35B in Cecil County.

“The Fair Hill Foundation enthusiastically supports the return of racing to this storied racecourse,” said Charles C. Fenwick Jr., President of the Fair Hill Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting equine activities at Fair Hill. “First and foremost, the Foundation wants to thank those who have given generously over the past six years. Their patience has been extraordinary and is very much appreciated. We also wish those involved as both participants and operators the very best.”

Once a Du Pont family estate, Fair Hill has a rich history in equine sports and is home to Cecil County Breeders, the National Steeplechase Association, and Fair Hill International, the nonprofit that helps to manage horse events at the site. The natural resource management area also holds a number of opportunities for youths and families, including the Cecil County Fair, 4-H programs, and Pony Club activities.

The Races at Fair Hill is produced by the Sport & Entertainment Corporation of Maryland, a 501c3 tax exempt and affiliated foundation of the Maryland Sports Commission and a division of the Maryland Stadium Authority.

Spencer Smith and Kent Farrington place second and third in Falsterbo's first Grand Prix qualifiier. (2)

Details

July 10, 2025

By Staff Writers

FALSTERBO, Sweden--Henrik von Eckermann of Sweden on Steely Dan won the first Rolex Grand Prix qualifier, a speed class, on Thursday, July 10 in Falsterbo.

Henrik von Eckermann celebrates Perfect conditions prevailed for the first qualifier for the Rolex Grand Prix at a competition that has attracted one of the strongest lineups in the series' history, with five of the world’s top 10 ranked riders competing.

Von Eckerman finished clean in 60.45,just .45 ahead of Spencer Smith on Hhs Seattle, who also was clean in 60.90, and Kent Farrington on Myla was third, clean in 61.37.

"Steely Dan is careful and with a heart of gold," said von Eckermann, currently ranked world number three. “The feeling is great, especially winning on home soil.”

The Rolex Grand Prix will be held on Sunday, July 13 at 8 a.m. Eastern.

Riders must qualify through two 1.50m speed classes – today’s qualifier and another on Saturday – with the top 50 earning a place in Sunday’s Rolex Grand Prix, a CSIO*, 1.60m competition.

Each qualifier carries a purse of €28,200 and is run as a single round speed competition with no jump-off.

The Nations Cup,with nine nations competing, is Friday morning at 8 a.m. Eastern.