Great tips - thank you!! I will definitely be found near to anywhere with mimosas :lol:
What is the consensus on best airport to fly into? I haven’t booked yet but was only looking at Philly.
Definitely Philly
ETA- I prefer the drive from Philly over BWI. I’ve never rented a car from either PHL or BWI though since I live here but assume both will be a breeze to access rentals.
DEFINITELY fly into Philly - If you fly into BWI, you’ll have to drive all the way around (or through) Baltimore, neither of which is a very good option.
Quick G-maps directions, with the bit about getting off at the Newark (DE) exit to avoid the toll: https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Philadelphia+International+Airport+(PHL),+Essington+Ave,+Philadelphia,+PA/Fair+Hill+International,+378+Fair+Hill+Dr,+Elkton,+MD+21921/@39.6685493,-75.776893,12.23z/data=!4m19!4m18!1m10!1m1!1s0x89c6c46660a9832f:0x3e2e15944637d3d8!2m2!1d-75.2424229!2d39.8743959!3m4!1m2!1d-75.7650414!2d39.6597941!3s0x89c7a976e5fe25f7:0xe0f2cf0f95e258d!1m5!1m1!1s0x89c7c3498bb6d917:0xd8026fa610f65f0f!2m2!1d-75.8667558!2d39.7021702!3e0
bdj that map is great. thanks
Actually, that map will take you through the toll and getting off at the Elkton exit. You’d want Exit 1B, before crossing into MD.
But the toll is $4 if you do end up going through it.
Aww, heck! I thought my modified route would stick. Jcraig10 has it right. Conveniently, the exits are marked “last exit before toll” iirc.
Good advice - can’t add much. There are several roads to take once you get off in Newark on 896 to get up to 273 and Fair Hill. Newark is the closest big town with lots of restaurants and hotels. Downtown is literally 15 min. from Fair Hill and has Panera, Starbucks, Deer Park bar, Buffalo wild wings, etc. many college town spots to eat and drink. The closest good hot food/cold food to go spot is Wawa on Fletchwood Rd. and Newark Rd. corner, also closest gas station, and you take Gallaher Rd. up to a few back roads to go thru Elk Mills and get on Fletchwood Rd. - 10 min. to wawa that way and avoid the backup on 273 for the bridge replacement. Not sure if you are a Wawa person or not but they have salads, macaroni and cheese, club sandwiches, hoagies, soup, coffee - all can be ordered and picked up or gotten to go and when you are working all day in the barn and only have a 30 min time frame to borrow a car and go get a hot meal its the go to place. There will be food tents at the trade fair but they tend to be open only from about 9 to 5. (Wawa is 24/7) The High Grade has nothing decent, don’t bother. Milburn Orchards on Appleton rd. has good produce if you need natural goodies.
You can’t really do four horses and get around without a bike - everything will be a long time consuming walk - it just saves you so much time to be able to wheel around - so suggest you rent one or borrow. The dressage and show jumping is thru a tunnel under the road up to the main arena. The stable area is on grass in a field across the street. Cross country takes place in a basic four leaf clover design, kind of around the entrance, thru some big fields that are hilly and rolling. The vetbox will be located way down near startbox, and that is a half mile from the stable area - plan your XC day carefully. There will be parking right next to it on top of the hill but the entrances are all tricky so know which driveway gets you to which place.
Backpack essential and do hydrate - you would be surprised how dry you get! Good walking shoes/boots.
Right now it’s hard and dry up there. Looks like long range says it might stay that way but you never know, its a volatile time of year.
Concur on crab bisque.
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It’s been mostly dry around here for a better part of a month. Tomorrow calls for rain so hopefully that’ll help the ground out a bit.
USEF Network is Live streaming the 4* all weekend. Last ride today is at 3:28pm.
Very windy here today.
I’m getting super hype, we’re heading down on Saturday and AccuWeather says it’s going to be beautiful out :winkgrin:
Just the 4* and not the 3* too? That would suck if so.
Agreed. Their website is only listing the 4*
I have course photos on Facebook. I also sent them to EN.
So, not wanting to stir the pot, but Fair Hill is a beautiful venue…but they DO NOT treat the grooms or the owners appropriately for the level and hype of the show. There is no support/food for the grooms except a very expensive mediocre food tent at the stables. Too far to go to the food court in a reasonable amount of time, especially if you have multiple horses and a demanding schedule. The owners get no recognition without spending more $$$ at the Main Tent. Having been a working owner at many venues at that level, including Land Rover, the Fair Hill experience has a long way to go to host a 5*, in my humble opinion.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not an organizer, so I must be cautious about my criticism. However I am a hardworking joe public who puts a lot of my yearly income into supporting several horses at this level, and I had to pay for a cup of tea on a freezing cold, pouring rain day several years ago at FH.
FYI, Plantation, Bromont, Carolina, Red Hills and now Essex know how to care for the backbone of the sport…the grooms…
To all those attending, enjoy! The XC is exciting and great to watch!
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I think your opinion is very important especially in this time in your sport. I encourage you to write the organizers and let them know.
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Agreed. Fill out an event evaluation (available on USEA) and mention these things. You don’t actually have to be a rider to fill out a form, anyone can. I’ve even filled them out for shows I didn’t go to due to their schedule, to let them know why I didn’t choose their event.
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If anyone is out spectating on cross country day and comes across two outriders on a gaited horses (one black, one chestnut) stop and say hi. This will mark 21 years of outriding for me for FHI 
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Trust me…most of us do. It seems to fall on deaf ears.
I’ve had similar experiences…including a recent one at Stableview. Rolex you have to BUY special tickets…yes, a bit of discount but still. When you are paying thousands in entries fees not to mention supporting these horses and get basically nada as an owner…its VERY frustrating…and NOT good for our riders either (as they want happy owners). I would go so far to say that the all the US based events need to learn a few things. When I’ve gone to England as an owner (and I also groomed for my horses)…we were treated much much better. Its bad for the sport too…the Sponsors WANT to meet the owners almost more than the riders…because lets face it…most of the owners are the ones who are more likely to support their products and honestly…have more influence OUTSIDE the horse world. ALL owners should be automatically treated as VIPs and that is almost never the case at the US events.
But that can be an entirely different thread…how they need to consider grooms and owners. At WEG we had a similar issue…and I was having to bring food to feed our groom as there was NO food remotely close (and limited golf carts)…as an owner, I want my groom well taken care of as much as my horse and rider…and it would be nice if we were too as owners.
I’m looking forward to FHI…tomorrow is supposed to be beautiful…and we will have a good tailgate going (other than when some of us will be in the vet box helping with the horses). FHI has some of the best volunteers…and accomplish a ton with really not enough people…so huge huge thank you to all of them. And hoping for a wonderful and safe day tomorrow for everyone!
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Is he American or British?
American
