Fair Hill, MD—October 9, 2003—The Fair Hill International Festival in the Country, which returns to the Fair Hill Natural Resources Area in Fair Hill, MD, October 23-26, is proud to welcome its 2003 family of sponsors.

Event organizers wish to extend their sincerest thanks to all the companies and individuals whose ongoing support have helped the Fair Hill International continue to be one of the most prestigious equestrian events in the United States.

This year’s sponsors include American Home & Hardware; Bayer; Bit of Britain; Cosequin/Nutramax Labs; County Banking & Trust Co.; Crystal Trust; Dansko; Glenmede Trust Company; Goldman, Sachs & Co.; The Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation; Jeff D’Ambrosio Chevrolet; Lexus; Maryland Horse Industry Board; M. H. Eby, Inc.; Mid-Atlantic Farm Credit; NowPac, Inc.; Primedia Equine; Rice, Unruh & Reynolds; Sentman Distributors; Stancill’s; The Stewart Foundation; Summit Aviation; Thornhill Enterprises; Thoroughbred Charities of America, Ltd.; Wachovia; Walnut Green Bloodstock; and Wilmington Trust.

“We can’t thank our sponsors enough,” said Lou Morris, Fair Hill International Executive Director. “Without the generous support of these companies and individuals, the Fair Hill International couldn’t be the extraordinary event that it is today. We are so indebted to our gracious sponsors, and we offer them our heartfelt gratitude!”

The 2003 Fair Hill International will again host top-level equestrian competitions, highlighted by the 2003 Pan American Eventing Championships. With riders converging from Argentina, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada and Mexico, as well as the United States, the battle for the Pan American Championship promises to be a spectacular one.

In addition to the Pan American Championship, this year’s Fair Hill International will also feature the U.S. Equestrian Team (USET) National Pair Horse Driving Championship and the prestigious USET Fall Eventing Championship CCI***, which regularly draws Olympic and World Championship veterans.

The 2003 Fair Hill CCI*** will function as the final phase in a three-event competition for the nation’s top eventing horses and riders. Nunn Finer Products will award one of its new Wofford Cross-Country Classic saddles to the rider who completes the Morven Park CCI*, the Radnor Hunt CCI**, and the Fair Hill International CCI*** with the lowest cumulative score. John Nunn of Nunn Finer Products and legendary eventing rider and coach Jim Wofford, on whose custom eventing saddle the Wofford Classic was based, will present the saddle at the Fair Hill awards ceremony.

Olympic medal-winners Phillip Dutton of Australia, Karen O’Connor, Nina Fout, Linden Wiesman, and Bruce Davidson regularly compete at the Fair Hill International, as does defending Champion David O’Connor, the 2000 Sydney Olympic individual Gold Medalist and 2002 World Equestrian Games team Gold Medalist. At last year’s USET Fall Championship, David O’Connor topped the field during his last appearance with his long-time partner, Custom Made, owned by Xandarius LLC, who was retired following the competition.

The 2003 Fair Hill International hosts exciting equestrian competition for several ability levels from Pony Club to CCI***. In addition to world-class international competition, this year’s event will host the inaugural United States Pony Club (USPC) President’s Cup competition. The President’s Cup is an Invitational Games competition open to the top four Pony Club Senior Games teams from the 2003 USPC Eastern Championships, which took place in August. Members of the invited teams, comprising youngsters age 14-16, will serve as the honor guard for the Pan American Eventing Championship closing ceremonies.

In a prelude to the 15th annual Fair Hill International, Fair Hill will host its second 100-Mile Endurance ride, as well as a 50-Mile Endurance ride, on Saturday, October 18, 2003.

While world-class equestrian competition makes the Fair Hill International a rare treat for spectators, the amenities at Fair Hill round out the event to provide an ideal family outing. The Country Shops boast a wide variety of shopping and dining, featuring vendors of tack, jewelry, artwork, pet needs, exceptional apparel and fine gifts for the approaching holiday seasons. The Fair Hill Club offers fine dining, while visitors seeking a more casual snack or meal will find pubs around the Fair Hill grounds serving classic Maryland crab-cakes and other treats.

This year, dog agility trials return to Fair Hill with over 200 canine competitors. The Stuart Family Miniature Horses will perform driving, hunter/jumper and obstacle jumping demonstrations along with talks on the care of miniature horses. Friends from the Winterthur booth will offer quick crafts for children and a family sign-up opportunity, and spectators can learn more about the Chesapeake Bay and environmental concerns at the Chesapeake Foundation Booth.

The 2003 Fair Hill International Festival in the Country will benefit Christiana Care Health System, one of the Chesapeake region’s largest not-for-profit health care providers. Christiana Care, which began in 1888, serves the people of Delaware, as well as neighboring areas of Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. It maintains a teaching hospital which specializes in cardiology, cancer and women’s health services, and has trauma and neonatal intensive care units that offer an exceptional degree of care.

For further information on the 2003 Fair Hill International, please call (410) 398-2111 or visit www.fairhillinternational.com.

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