Fair Hill, Maryland—October 15, 2005— Nathalie Bouckaert Pollard of Chatsworth, GA rode West Farthing to one of only nine fault-free rides over the cross country course to move into the lead in the eventing CCI*** at the 17th annual Fair Hill International Festival in the Country.

Bouckaert Pollard, who has a two-phase score of 40.4 penalties on her 12-year-old, English Thoroughbred, leads Will Faudree of Southern Pines, NC by less than one rail entering Sunday’s concluding show jumping phase. Faudree has a score of 43.90 penalties after also riding a clean cross country ride on his 16-year-old, Australian Thoroughbred, Antigua.

Also within one rail in the battle for the USET Foundation Challenge Trophy, awarded to the highest-placed American in the USEF Three-Star Championship, is Robyn Fisher of West Hills, CA, the leader after the opening dressage phase. Fisher had no jumping but 4.40 time penalties on Le Samurai, a 10-year-old Holsteiner, to fall to third place with a score of 44.00. Defending champion Phillip Dutton, the two-time Olympic team Gold Medalist from Australia, is fourth with 49.60 penalties on Hannigan.

“My horse was really right on today,” said Bouckaert Pollard. “He had an awful lot of gas in his tank. He just goes and goes and never gives up.”

In driving, World Champion Suzy Stafford of Bear, DE, scored 82.99 penalties in the marathon to lead the Advanced Single Pony division with a two-phase score of 122.59. The individual Gold Medalist from the 2005 World Championships is driving her World Championship pony, Cefnoak Park Bouncer, a nine-year-old Welsh Cob.

Other driving leaders entering Sunday’s concluding cones phase are Robin Groves of Brownsville, VT and seven-time U.S. Equestrian Federation (USEF) National Pairs Driving Champion Lisa Singer of Chadds Ford, PA in the Advanced Single Horse and Advanced Pair Horse divisions, respectively; Bonita Ash of Avondale, PA and Jamie O’Rourke of Unionville, PA in the Intermediate Single and Pair Horse divisions, respectively; and Bob Fetters and Tracey Morgan in the Intermediate Single and Pair Pony divisions respectively.

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 featured are the Country Shops boasting a wide variety of shopping and dining, with vendors of tack, jewelry, artwork, pet needs, exceptional apparel and fine gifts for the approaching holiday season. The Fair Hill Club offers fine dining, while visitors seeking a more casual snack or meal 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.