Fair Hill, Maryland—October 14, 2004—World Championship individual Gold Medalist Suzy Stafford of Bear, DE, leads the Advanced Single Pony division following the dressage phase of driving competition at the 17th annual Fair Hill Festival in the Country. This year’s Fair Hill International is being held at the Fair Hill Natural Resources Area in Fair Hill, MD, and runs through Sunday, October 16.

Advanced and Intermediate Level Combined Driving competition got underway on Friday with dressage, the first of driving’s three phases. Stafford took the early lead with a score of 39.6 in the Advanced Single Pony division driving her 2005 World Championship partner Cefnoak Park Bouncer. Bouncer, a nine-year-old Welsh Cob owned by Wayne and Cybil Humphreys, was Stafford’s partner when she made history last July, becoming the first American driver ever to win an individual Gold Medal at a Driving World Championship.

Leading the Advanced Single Horse and Advanced Pair Horse divisions, respectively, are Margy Cox of Morriston, FL, and seven-time U.S. Equestrian Federation (USEF) National Pairs Driving Champion Lisa Singer of Chadds Ford, PA. Taking the early lead in the Intermediate Single and Pair Horse divisions, respectively, are Carla Skinder and Peter Von Halem, and topping the dressage standings in the Intermediate Single and Pair Pony divisions are Bob Fetters and Tracey Morgan.

In addition to exciting driving action, Friday’s schedule at the Fair Hill International featured the completion of the dressage phase of the CCI*** Three-Day Event. Robin Fisher of West Hills, CA, who took the early lead on Thursday with a score of 39.6 aboard Le Samurai, maintained her lead over the field of 65 entries.

“I’m just delighted,” said Fisher. “I’m very happy with my test and I feel lucky to be in such company here at Fair Hill. Saturday’s cross-country course looks like it’ll be a lot of fun. I just need to go out and take one fence at a time.”

Following Fisher in second place going into Saturday’s breathtaking cross-country phase is Nathalie Bouckaert Pollard, who earned 40.4 penalties riding West Farthing. With a score of 42.2, Mara Dean and her mount Nicki Henley round out the top three.

This year’s Fair Hill International is also highlighted by the North American Endurance Championship, a 100-mile FEI (International Equestrian Federation) CEI**** Endurance Ride. The Championship will be held on Saturday, the same day as the eventing cross-country and driving marathon, providing everyone at Fair Hill that day with what is sure to be one of the most dynamic and exciting days on the year’s equestrian sports calendar.

Complementing the first-rate equestrian competition, Fair Hill’s increasingly popular Dog Agility Trials have returned with over 400 canine competitors, the largest number in its history. Plus, many additional exciting activities are on the schedule, including appearances by the Delmarva Miniature Horse Club, featuring driving and hunter/jumper demonstrations; canine Fly Ball competitions; U.S. Pony Club Games; sheep herding and Maryland State Police K-9 demonstrations; and the Kids’ Korner, offering activities for the younger set.

Also returning are the Country Shops boasting 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. In fact, the Maryland Department of Agriculture named the Fair Hill International as a “Maryland Top Event!”

The 2005 Fair Hill International Festival in the Country benefits 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.

This year’s sponsors include AERC International; Ag-Industrial; Atlantic Tractor; Aventine Wealth Management; Bit of Britain; John K. Burkley Company; Coventry Health Care; Cranberry Endurance Ride; Dansko; M.H. Eby Trailers; Equestrian Entertainment Partners; EquiPedic; First National Bank of North East; Freeform USA Saddles; Glenmede Trust Company; Goldman Sachs & Company; W.L. Gore & Associates; Gulf Coast 4-Star Trailers; Gunnip and Company; Herr Foods; Kanavy Saddles; Mercantile County Bank; Morgan Stanley; Northview Stallion Station; Nutramax Labs; Steve and Dinah Rojek; Southern States; Summit Aviation; Thoroughbred Charities of America, Ltd.; United States Equestrian Federation; and Wachovia Wealth Management.

For more information on the 2005 Fair Hill International, please call (410) 398-2111 or visit www.fairhillinternational.com.