Category: Eventing

Earlier this week, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources announced that the Board of Public Works unanimously approved $1 million in funding for improvements at the Fair Hill Natural Resources Management Area in anticipation of the venue hosting a future 4* or 5* international three-day event. The venue is slated to become the second event at this level in the U.S. and only one of seven sites in the world. “The state is committed to bringing this world-renowned equestrian eventing competition to Cecil County and Fair Hill,” Maryland Natural Resources Secretary Mark Belton said. “Working together with our friends...

At the end of the 2017 season, several Maryland eventers found themselves on various U.S. Eventing Association national leaderboards at Beginner Novice through Advanced. Marilyn Little and Colleen Rutledge, both from Frederick, made it onto the country’s Overall Top 50 riders list once again this year. Little was tied for 26th while Rutledge was ranked 32nd. Little’s main equine partner for 2017 was RF Scandalous, the mare owned by Raylyn Farms Inc. She topped the Top 10 Mares list for the second year in a row and was ranked 10th on the Top 10 Horses overall list. Confidence Game,...

First published in the January 2018 Equiery In addition to its recognized horse trials and three-day events, the U.S. Eventing Association offers a series of tests for young horses. Most people have already heard of the Future Event Horse (yearlings through three-year-olds) and Young Event Horse (four and five-year-olds) programs, both of which have year-end championships with competitions held across the country. Not many people, however, have heard of the New Event Horse Tests, which are designed to be an introduction to the sport of Eventing for horses of any age. Similar to the YEH tests, the NEH tests...

The U.S. Equestrian Federation Eventing High Performance Committee approved 15 young riders to participate in its Emerging Athlete Eventing 18 Program for 2018 as well as an additional five young riders as auditors. Making the lists from Maryland are Joe Bowersox of North East and Ryan Keefe of Sandy Spring. Bowersox made the participation list while Keefe is on the auditing list. Bowersox has been riding Minotaure du Passoir at Training and Preliminary this year with wins at MCTA and Fair Hill in May. The pair finished 16th at the Plantation Field International CIC1* in September. Keefe has been...