NEWS &VIEWS You Can Use Maryland’s Quest for Coveted Four-Star


T is month, July, the Board of Directors for the United States Equestrian Federation is ex- pected to announce its much-anticipated rec- ommendation for the next FEI CCI Four-Star Event in the U.S. Will it be Maryland’s Fair Hill? Or Virginia’s Great Meadow? Inquiring minds are dying to know! However, while it may seem like we are in


breathless, suspended animation, a lot has been happening that will improve a variety of facili- ties at Fair Hill, regardless of whether or not we receive the coveted Four-Star. FHI currently hosts a T ree-Star and Two-Star event in Oc- tober each year. T e only Four-Star currently in the U.S. is T e Rolex Kentucky T ree-Day Event held each April. If Fair Hill were to be- come a Four-Star event, Maryland and Ken- tucky would be on par with each other, each with a Triple Crown race and a Four-Star event. T e quest began well over a year ago, when the board of directors of Fair Hill Interna- tional were invited to submit a bid. Trish Gil- bert (FHI chairman) and Carla Geiersbach (FHI executive director) worked closely with the Maryland Department of Natural Re- sources, the Maryland Horse Industry Board


Getting social with The Equiery!


Facebook (www.Facebook.com/T eEquiery) Maybe you know or maybe you don’t, that the vast majority of the


photos printed in our print issue, and on our Facebook page, are sent to us by you, our readers. We couldn’t survive without you! So it is extra exciting when these photos make it to the Top Ten list on our monthly Facebook stats!


#1 was an exception, however...Associate Editor Katherine Rizzo took this image of recently retired jump jockey, Jody Petty, at the Maryland Hunt Cup, the year he won with Guts and Garters, which was used for our June cover. Our announcement on 5/31 that our June issue was in stores was so well-received by our readers and no doubt, Jody’s fans, that it easily topped the list with 3,900 followers. In a tie for 2nd


one taken by Katherine Rizzo, of Marysa Kirk at the Maryland Region Show Jump Rally (6/19), and the other sent to us by reader, Diane Zrim- sek, of her horse Lincoln and the Gaches family, having some leadline fun together in Southern Maryland (6/13). In 4th


place was a photo sent to us by reader, Jamie Ewing (Hager-


stown) of Marcie McCleary and her homebred mare Buelah, under the oaks at the Upperville Colt and Horse Show, where she placed second in an In-Hand of Cleveland Bay Sporthorses. T is post on 6/9 was fol- lowed by 3,500 Equiery Facebook readers. In 5th


place was one of our Equiery Product Marketing eBlasts, sent on behalf of real estate client, Tracy Diamond, on 6/15. T e value-added


push of these customer-generated eBlasts to our very popular Facebook page makes them a great addition to your advertising mix! Call us today to inquire about them! 800-244-9580. A very popular GoFundMe for well-loved steeplechase jockey Paddy


Young, who was injured at the Radnor Hunt Races in May, took our 6th


place position with a following of 2,500 people. What began as a


$20,000 campaign was met in less than a day, and has climbed to nearly $137,000 in the weeks since Paddy’s injury, including donations from millionaire owners to grooms to Boy Scout troops. Amazing. In a two-way tie for 7th


place were two consecutive Photo of the Week posts, are the following: another Photo of the Week,


this one from the week of 5/31, sent to us by Juli Phillips of Dr. Debbie Kelly and Defi nitely, showing over fences at the McDonogh Summer Classic, and a link to a Dressage News article about the fi nalized chang- es in Olympic equestrian sports. Both were followed by 2,300 Equiery Facebook readers. In 9th


place was a stunning Shannon Brinkman photo from the USEA


press release about Marilyn Little and RF Scandalous’ initial lead after dressage at the Luhumuhlen CCI4*, posted on 6/15 and followed by 2,000. And wrapping things up in a tie for 10th


position were posts about the


announcement of the 2017 WIHS Youth Ambassadors on 6/15, and an- other Equiery Product Marketing eBlast, this one on behalf of customer Equine Equipment (5/23), both with a following of 1,800. We fi nished the month of June with 7,435 faithful followers, and are confi dent that next month, we will be celebrating a milestone of 8,000.


IF YOU HAVE NEWS, VIEWS OR UPDATES TO CONTRIBUTE, PLEASE SEND THEM TO Editor at The Equiery, P.O. Box 610, Lisbon, MD 21765 • FAX: 410-489-7828 • email editor@equiery.com.


Be sure to include your full name, phone number and address. All submissions become the property of The Equiery. 8 | THE EQUIERY | JULY 2017 800-244-9580 | www.equiery.com


the Maryland Stadium Administration and the newly established Fair Hill Foundation to de- velop the bid. Meanwhile, while the proposal was being


built, a simultaneous public education eff ort and “listening tour” was launched, in an eff ort to avoid the debacle of the last decade, in which


From left: Nina Gregory (FHF), Kelli Gerding (MD Sports Commission), Ashley Harper Cot- trell (MD Sports Commission), Carla Geiersbach (FHI) and Sandy Turner (Cecil County Tourism) on the cross-country course at the Rolex Ken- tucky Three-Day Event


misinformation led to a public backlash against the concept of designating Fair Hill as Mary- land’s premiere “Horse Park,” due to rumors and speculation that other users would be shut out of the DNR Natural Resource Management Area. Maryland Horse Industry Board’s Ross Peddi- cord spearheaded these “town hall” style sessions around the state to help inform and educate, but to also listen and respond. Visits included the Maryland Horse Council’s January meet- ing and an April visit to the Waredaca Brew- ing Company in Montgomery County with another set of industry leaders from the Capi- tal Beltway and surrounding areas. And open house was also held at Fair Hill in late winter for the local community. Fair Hill International is supported in its quest for the Four-Star event by the Fair Hill Foundation, Maryland Horse Industry Board, Maryland Sports Commission and Cecil County Government. Other supporters include Fair Hill Training Center, Maryland Department of Agriculture, Maryland De- partment of Commerce, Maryland Depart- ment of Natural Resources, Cecil County continued...


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