The Fair Hill International in Maryland, USA which took place from 7th – 9th August 2020, saw Phillip Dutton take home the win in the CCI3*-S riding the 11-year-old Fernhill Singapore. They moved up from second place after the dressage (22.5) behind another of Phillip’s horses, Fernhill Pick Pocket, adding just two cross-country time faults and finishing on a double-clear show jumping round
Ariel Grald riding Leamore Master Plan took second while Maya Black riding the eight-year-old Swedish Warmblood gelding Miks Master C took third place in the class which also doubled as the Test Event for the new Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill.
The venue has created a new Fair Hill Special Event Zone, specially designed with the Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill in mind, which includes three new arenas on the interior of the turf track and a new cross-country course designed by Ian Stark.
Before running the actual CCI5*-L, a Test Event is required to ensure that the facilities are appropriate for the new classification by the FEI and originally, the Test Event was scheduled to take place at the Fair Hill International Horse Trials in April, which was to offer CCI2*-S, CCI3*-S, and CCI4*-S divisions alongside national horse trial divisions for Advanced, Intermediate, Preliminary, and Training.
When COVID-19 forced the postponement of competition, the Test Event was put off and, although other national classes took place at Fair Hill last weekend, the CCI3*-S was the only class used to test the new facilities at the Fair Hill Special Event Zone.
Dressage for the CCI3*-S took place on the new arenas in the infield of the turf track and the cross country track caused few problems with only four combinations incurring jumping faults. Time, however, proved hard to make, with only three combinations coming in clear and inside the time.
