Lexington, Ky. – US Equestrian has announced the selected host venues for the 2020/2021 USEF CCI4*-L and CCI3*-L Eventing National Championships as the Ocala Jockey Club and Fair Hill, respectively. The Ocala Jockey Club will add the USEF CCI4*-L Eventing National Championship to their fall horse trials, hosted from November 11-15, 2020, while the USEF CCI3*-L Eventing National Championship will remain at Fair Hill and coincide the new Maryland CCI5*-L at Fair Hill located at the newly constructed Fair Hill Special Event Zone from October 14-18, 2020.

Fair Hill in Elkton, Md., hosted both the USEF CCI4*-L and CCI3*-L Eventing National Championships for 31 years. When the venue was awarded a new fall CCI5*-L for 2020 – which will become only the seventh CCI5*-L in the world – US Equestrian opened a two-year bidding process to seek hosts for the 2020/2021 USEF CCI4*-L and CCI3*-L Eventing National Championships. All U.S. venues that currently host a fall CCI3*-L and/or CCI4*-L were invited to submit bid applications to US Equestrian.

“It is a season of change for U.S. Eventing and that is certainly reflected in the selected venues for the 2020/2021 USEF CCI4*-L and CCI3*-L National Championships,” said Jenni Autry, USEF Managing Director of Eventing. “The Ocala Jockey Club has quickly become a staple venue on the U.S. eventing calendar, and we are confident their team will do a fantastic job in hosting the USEF CCI4*-L Eventing National Championship in November. Fair Hill has a rich history of hosting national championships, so it is fitting for the USEF CCI3*-L Eventing National Championship to remain at this iconic venue and run alongside the new CCI5*-L in October.”

The USEF CCI4*-L Eventing National Championship, which presents the division’s top placing combination with the Guy V. Henry Memorial Trophy, will run alongside the Ocala Jockey Club International Three-Day Event in Reddick, Fla. The Ocala Jockey Club’s inaugural horse trials ran in 2016 with a CCI4*-S, CCI3*-L and CCI2*-L, and the venue successfully added the CCI4*-L level in 2018; the venue is one of only five to run a CCI4*-L in the U.S.

“It is an honor for any facility and event to be awarded to run any national championships. For the Ocala Jockey Club to be chosen to do so is a testament to the special land that the farm stands on, the horse-loving Ocala community, and the number of people who have worked to make this event become the prestigious venture that would qualify to host the CCI4*-L National Championship,” said Pavla Nygaard, Owner and President of the Ocala Jockey Club. “We are excited for this year’s event to continue to build on the first four years of the competition. We are excited for the Ocala Jockey Club to be recognized by the USEF and to be chosen to host the 2020/2021 USEF CCI4*-L Eventing National Championships.”

The USEF CCI3*-L Eventing National Championships will remain at Fair Hill and run concurrently with the new Maryland CCI5*-L at Fair Hill. The USEF CCI3*-L Eventing National Championship will also include the USEF Young Riders National Championship for the John H. Fritz Trophy and the USEF Young Horse National Championship for the Jonathan R. Burton Trophy.

"On behalf of The Fair Hill Organizing Committee and our partner Fair Hill International, we are thrilled that the Maryland CCI5*-L at Fair Hill has been named by the USEF as the host event for the 2020/2021 USEF CCI3*-L Eventing National Championships,” said Jeff Newman, President and CEO of The Fair Hill Organizing Committee. “It's truly an honor to be selected amongst so many other deserving events. Continuing with this designation along with the elevation of our CCI4*-L competition to the prestigious CCI5*-L level in 2020 validates our efforts towards showcasing the very best in our sport at the event."

For more information on the USEF CCI4*-L Eventing National Championship at the Ocala Jockey Club or the USEF CCI3*-L Eventing National Championship hosted at Fair Hill, please contact Managing Director of Eventing Jenni Autry at [email protected].

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