FAIR HILL: More than a 5*
By Katherine O. Rizzo As the international eventing scene shifts to
Elkton and the inaugural Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill this month, eyes around the world will be on the competitors and those working hard behind the scenes to put on the newest five-star on the FEI eventing calendar. Whether you are watching the live-stream feed from the comfort of your couch or cheering in person from the competition grounds, one thing worth noticing is the property itself: the Fair Hill Natural Re- sources Management Area. Tis 5,656-acre park in Cecil County is much
more than an eventer’s playground. Managed by the Maryland Park Service of the Depart- ment of Natural Resources, Fair Hill is known for its open rolling hills, woodlands, and overall natural beauty. It is enjoyed by cyclists, hikers, and horseback riders year-round. Te facility is home to the Cecil County Fair, the Fair Hill Races, Elk Creek Combined Driving Event, Foxcatcher Endurance Ride, and of course… Fair Hill International’s multiple United States Eventing Association horse trials and starter trials. Starting this year, it is also home to the Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill. How did such an enormous park become the
Fair Hill that it is today? Read on for the story of one horseman and his quest to build a sanc- tuary for fox chasing.
A Man With a Vision Born in Surrey, England, in 1896 to Ameri-
cans Annie Zinn (née Rogers) and William du Pont Sr., William du Pont Jr. was by profession a banker and businessman; his love of horses, fox chasing, and Toroughbred racing, however, truly make up his legacy. Te du Pont family moved back to the U.S. in 1902 and took up residence at the family’s Virginia estate, Mont- pelier, once the home of the 4th U.S. President, James Madison. Tere, along with his sister Marion (who also became a Toroughbred breeder and for whom the Equine Medical Center in Leesburg, VA is named), du Pont rode horses and raised champion foxhounds. In 1919, du Pont married Jean Liseter Aus- tin and the couple moved to Newtown Square, PA. Tey established Liseter Hall Farm where they bred and trained Toroughbred racehorses under the name Springlawn Farm. Te farm boasted the first indoor galloping track in the U.S. as well as an indoor arena, half-mile train- ing track, breeding shed, hunter barn, show horse barn, and other outbuildings needed to run the large racing operation. Te du Ponts built a similar facility in Dela-
ware, at Bellevue Hall, which William had in- herited from his father. During this time, du Pont also began systematically purchasing land in Cecil County and around Liseter Hall in
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Pennsylvania. After du Pont and his first wife divorced in 1941, he moved to Bellevue Hall, which was close to his offices at the Delaware Trust Corporation. Du Pont never lost his love of horses and
hounds, and he began building a fox chaser’s paradise at Fair Hill, the Cecil County lands he had purchased during the 1920s and 1930s. On the racing side of his businesses, du Pont built 23 racetracks in the US, including what are now Delaware Park and the steeplechase course at Fair Hill.
Building Fair Hill Starting in the 1920s, du Pont purchased
nearly 8,000 acres along the Maryland-Penn- sylvania line. During the Great Depression, he increased his holdings by purchasing land from struggling local farmers and then offering them jobs and housing to allow them to continue to farm the lands. He also hired local residents to build fences, jumps, out buildings, and resi- dences within the property. Du Pont named the Maryland portion of his
property Foxcatcher Farm and built another Toroughbred racing stable there. One of the notable horses that came out of the Foxcatcher operation was 1938 Preakness Stakes winner Dauber. Located within this section of the property,
du Pont also built a turf course modeled after the renowned Aintree in England. He molded the land, planted and seeded it with high quality turf grass, and then let the turf develop for seven years before running horses over it. He even set aside around 400 acres of his Fair Hill property to grow sod grass to maintain the turf track. Te Foxcatcher National Cup debuted in 1934 and included 19 obstacles, the lowest of which was 4’8’’ and the highest of which was 6’4’’. Eventually, du Pont would hold two race meets each September. Now run as the Fair Hill Races each May, it is the only steeplechase meet in Maryland where parimutuel betting is offered. Du Pont’s famed course recently re- ceived a facelift as part of the renovations of the new Fair Hill Special Event Zone. Te race meet was suspended for 2020 and 2021 to let the new turf set properly. In addition to the racing stables and steeple-
chase course, du Pont built a kennel and accom- modations for his huntsman and staff so that he could move his pack of American Foxhounds up from Virginia to Fair Hill. Tis pack became the Foxcatcher Hounds. For most of the rest of his adult life, du Pont hunted three mornings a week from Fair Hill before heading to work at the bank. Te kennels and barns are currently used by Fair Hill Stables. To protect his hounds and territory, du Pont
fenced in the perimeter of the 8,000 acres with continued...
A lifesize portrait of William du Pont Jr. hangs at the National Steeplechase Associ- ation offices, which are located at Fair Hill.
It was du Pont who had the bridges and tunnels built at Fair Hill to allow for fox chasing to continue safely as the roadways expanded through the property.
Du Pont moved his hounds to Fair Hill from Virgina in the 1930s and chased foxes three-days a week until his death in 1965. When he could no longer ride, he followed along in a Jeep.
Special thanks to Louisa Emerick (Fair Hill historian), Sally Goswell (Fair Hill Training Center manager), Maryland DNR and the Fair Hill Foundation for contributions to this article.
THE EQUIERY YOUR MARYLAND HORSE COUNCIL PUBLICATION | OCTOBER 2021 | 31
provided by Louisa Emerick
Katherine O. Rizzo
Katherine O. Rizzo
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