• Thursday, Oct. 17, 10:00AM – 3:15PM 4-Year-Old Young Event Horse Jumping and Awards
  • Please Note: The earliest vehicles may arrive to park and set up is ONE HOUR prior to the start of the jumping phase. Tailgate vehicles are permitted to arrive after the competition has begun, and may leave prior to the end of competition as needed.

• Friday, Oct. 18, 8:30AM – 3:00PM 5-Year-Old Young Event Horse Jumping and Awards
  • Please Note: The earliest vehicles may arrive to park and set up is ONE HOUR prior to the start of the jumping phase. Tailgate vehicles are permitted to arrive after the competition has begun, and may leave prior to the end of competition as needed.

*Directions and entry/exit information will be provided at a later date after purchase of Tailgate Spot(s).

• Morning Move-In: 7:00AM – 8:15AM
  • Please Note: All vehicles must be parked in their spots and set-up by no later than 8:30AM, no exceptions

• CCI3*-L Cross Country 9:00AM – 12:00PM
• Mid-Day Move-In/Out: 12:15PM – 1:00PM
  • Please Note: All vehicles must be parked in their spots and set-up by no later than 1:00PM, no exceptions

• CCI5*-L Cross Country 1:30PM – 5:00PM
  • Afternoon Move-Out: Tailgating vehicles may exit their space 30 minutes after the last competitor of the day has finished

Directions and entry/exit information will be provided at a later date after purchase of Tailgate Spot.

• Only ONE (1) Tailgating Parking Pass in the form of a Hang Tag will be issued per Tailgating Spot – the one (1) vehicle displaying the Tailgating Parking Hang Tag will be the ONLY vehicle permitted to enter the Tailgating field(s) and park in the designated Tailgating Spot/Area. This year, physical hang tags will be mailed pre-event — the hang tag must be displayed for admittance.
  • Passenger vehicles ONLY – no RV’s, buses or large vans
  • All individuals in designated Tailgating vehicles (over 10 years of age) must have a Saturday General Admission ticket to be scanned at the entrance to the Tailgating field(s)
  • No other vehicles will be permitted to drive into the Tailgating fields to drop-off people, equipment, etc.
• Ten (10) Saturday General Admission tickets are included with the purchase of a Saturday Tailgating Pass
  • Additional Saturday General Admission tickets, beyond those included with a Tailgate Pass may be purchased in advance online or at the Ticket Box Office during the event.
• Six (6) Thursday or Friday General Admission are included with the purchase of a Thursday or Friday Young Event Horse Tailgating Pass.
  • Additional Thursday and/or Friday General Admission tickets, beyond those included with a Tailgate Pass may be purchased in advance online or at the Ticket Box Office during the event.
• There is no limit to the number of guests that can circulate through your tailgate throughout the day. However, the limit to number of guests per Tailgating Spot at any given time will be left to the discretion of the Tailgating Host(s) (as well as any Event Officials) depending upon whether or not a tailgate becomes too large, loud, unsafe and/or impedes upon the designated spaces of neighboring tailgaters.

Move-In: Tailgating vehicles will be permitted to move in Saturday morning prior to the start of the cross-country competition from 7:00AM – 8:15AM. All tailgating vehicles must be parked and settled in their allotted space(s)/area by 8:30AM, no exceptions.

Mid-Day: A BRIEF mid-day move-in/move-out window will be offered from 12:15PM – 1:00PM while the competition transitions from the 3 Star course to the 5 Star course. All tailgating vehicles must be parked and settled in designated spot(s) by 1:00 PM, absolutely no exceptions. This Move-In/Move-Out window will be STRICTLY enforced due to its short natured based on the CCI5* competition’s hard start time of 1:30 PM

Move-Out: No tailgating vehicle(s) will be permitted to do any major break-down of their Tailgate set-up until competition has concluded. For the safety of spectators on-foot, Tailgaters are asked to wait an additional 30 minutes following the end of competition before exiting the Tailgating field in their vehicle.

All vehicles must remain parked for the duration of competition between all Move-In/Move-Out windows, with no exceptions unless for medical reasons as determined and at the discretion of Event Organizers and Health & Safety Officials

Tailgating guests and their Tailgate set-up/décor may not, under any circumstances impede upon the official cross-country course roping, galloping lanes, view of cross-country Fence Judges, Stewards, Officials etc. and must abide by any requests made by said individuals, a Tailgate Host, Event Staff, and/or an Event Official for the sake of safety and/or the integrity of the competition.

Timber Field Tailgate Parking

Middle Hay Tailgate Parking

Sawmill Tailgate Parking

Sawmill Preferred Parking

General Parking

Saturday Only Shuttles

General Parking – Parking is free for additional tailgating guests in the General Parking area on Saturday

Upper Sawmill Parking – Paid parking is available in Upper Sawmill Field with the purchase of an Upper Sawmill Parking Pass. Click here for details. Please note, this parking option is most convenient for guests joining tailgates located in Sawmill E, F and G.

After parking in the General Parking lot, all spectators with a valid ticket may use Event shuttle services to get to the field where your tailgate spot is located. The Perimeter Shuttles consists of buses that will be periodically stopping at the Main Entrance / Box Office area, and then running around the perimeter of the venue, dropping-off and picking-up spectators at dedicated locations in each of the three Tailgating fields. There is also the Upper Sawmill Hay Wagon Shuttles, which run back and forth between the Main Entrance / Box Office area and Upper Sawmill Field. Please see the Shuttle Maps for all pick-up and drop-off locations.

Timber A &B – Depending on your guests preference, they may walk from the Main Entrance, through the infield, and out to Timber Field OR take the Perimeter Shuttle, which drops off near Timber F and G. Please be aware that taking the Perimeter Shuttle is a longer walk than the walk from the Main Entrance. 

**Please Note – there are no shuttles available on Thursday and Friday for the Young Event Horse Tailgating. Guests should plan on walking from the Main Entrance to the Young Event Horse Tailgating at Timber A and B.**

Timber C, D, E, F & G – Guests may still walk from the Main Entrance, through the infield, and out to Timber Field but please be aware that this is a longer walk than taking the Perimeter Shuttle, which drops off near Timber F and G.

Middle Hay Field – The most convenient, and suggested, option for all tailgating guests joining tailgates in Middle Hay Field is to take the Perimeter Shuttle, which drops off at the entrance of Middle Hay Field.

Sawmill A & B – Guests should plan to take the Perimeter Shuttle, which stops at the lower Sawmill Field Entrance.

Sawmill C & D – Guests could take the Upper Sawmill Hay Wagon Shuttle or the Perimeter Shuttle. The Perimeter Shuttle stops at the lower Sawmill Field Entrance. Sawmill C & D guests may also choose to purchase an Upper Sawmill Preferred Parking Pass and skip the shuttles, but please note that this will require a slightly longer walk than using the Perimeter shuttle option.

Sawmill E, F & G – Guests may take the Upper Sawmill Hay Wagon Shuttle, which runs from the Main Entrance / Box Office to the top of Upper Sawmill Field, dropping passengers near the Crab Water Complex before returning to the Main Entrance area. Alternatively, guests may choose to skip the shuttle and purchase an Upper Sawmill Preferred Parking Pass. The Upper Sawmill Preferred Parking lot is located closest to Sawmill E, F & G.

Sawmill H – Guests may take the Upper Sawmill Hay Wagon Shuttle, which runs from the Main Entrance / Box Office to the top of Upper Sawmill Field, dropping passengers near the Crab Water Complex before returning to the Main Entrance area. Alternatively, guests may choose to skip the shuttle and purchase an Upper Sawmill Preferred Parking Pass.

While not required, guests of tailgaters in Upper Sawmill Field may choose to skip the shuttle and purchase an Upper Sawmill Preferred Parking Pass. The Upper Sawmill Preferred Parking lot is located closest to Sawmill E, F & G.

Sawmill C & D guests may also choose to purchase an Upper Sawmill Preferred Parking Pass, but please note that this will require a slightly longer walk than using either shuttle option.

Upper Sawmill Preferred Parking Passes are only helpful for those looking to join tailgates located in Sawmill Field.

• Outside food and drink. There will also be a wide variety of food and beverage concessions available on-site.
  • All outside food and beverage MUST enter in the Tailgating vehicle displaying the Tailgating Parking Pass.
• Gas Grill with grill lid to limit smoke
• Games that can remain within the confines of your Tailgate space
• Small, quiet electric generators. The Event Organizers and Tailgate Hosts reserve the right to ask any Tailgating guest to turn off their generator at any point if it is found to be disruptive or unsafe to competition.

• Personal tents
• Other motorized vehicles (golf carts, UTVs, scooters, segways, motorcycles, etc.)
• Glass containers
• Charcoal grills, open flames, or fires
• Flags or banners
• Fuel Powered Generators
• Drones
• Noise makers
• Loud music
• Games with throwable objects and/or balls that would require room outside of your reserved Tailgate Space where objects could accidentally end up on the galloping line
• Any other prohibited items outlined in FAQ’s & Policies Page of website and/or Ticket Policy Page

**Please contact the Ticket Office (contact information below) with any questions regarding items that may or may not be prohibited while Tailgating

Each Tailgating Area will be equipped with Tailgating Host(s) – customer service volunteer staff. They are there to check tickets, guide Tailgaters to their assigned spots, ensure compliance with Tailgating Policies and Guidelines, hand out trash/recycling bags, and will be equipped with fire extinguishers and radios to call in emergencies. Tailgating Host(s) will serve as Tailgaters main point of contact for any questions or concerns, and as a liaison to the Event Organizers during Saturday’s cross-country competition.

Event Parking and Safety staff will also be stationed throughout the cross-country course to support and assist Tailgating Host(s) as necessary.

Please always maintain alertness while navigating areas around the cross-country course.

Please do not cross the roping of the galloping lanes except at designated crossovers, supervised by official crossing stewards and depicted by directional signage. Always approach and proceed with caution when crossing the galloping lanes at designated crossing points. Make sure to ALWAYS look both ways and listen for the whistle alerting you that a horse is approaching.

You are allowed to walk the course as long as you stay outside the ropes. Only those with specific official designations are permitted to walk inside the ropes. Please remember that this is a competition at the highest professional level and nothing should interfere with the athletes as they maneuver a difficult course of jumps and obstacles. You could cause serious injury to yourself, a rider, or a horse.

When you hear a whistle it is the signal that a horse will momentarily be galloping full speed by you. Heads up! Horses could be passing by as often as every three or four minutes during competition hours (subject to change based on entries).

Occasionally a rider may fall and their horse could run away. Please take extreme caution if one of these horses comes towards you. There will be designated officials following, and trying to catch the horse.

There will be a select amount of courtesy buses and shuttles available around the exterior of the venue on Saturday. They can be used to shuttle additional Tailgating guests that arrive in a non-tailgating vehicle to the Tailgating fields or to allow for easy travel between Tailgating and the Infield throughout the day. The shuttle buses pick-up from the Main Entrance / Box Office area, and run around the perimeter of the venue, dropping off and picking-up spectators at dedicated locations in each of the three Tailgating fields. A map of the Perimeter Shuttle route will be available shortly! There is also the Upper Sawmill Shuttle, which runs from the Main Entrance / Box Office to the top of Upper Sawmill, dropping passengers near the Crab Water Complex before returning to the Main Entrance area.

**Please Note – there are no shuttles available on Thursday and Friday for the Young Event Horse Tailgating. Guests should plan on walking from the Main Entrance to the Young Event Horse Tailgating at Timber A and B.**

Children are welcome at Cross Country Tailgates. However, we do ask that particular caution, and supervision is used with children on course and within Tailgating Spots at all times during competition for their safety and the safety of those around them.

Well behaved dogs are welcome at the event venue but MUST be kept on a leash at all times. Retractable leashes are not permitted, and e-collars do not qualify as being ‘on-leash’.

Dogs are permitted in Tailgating Spots but are to be kept away from galloping lane ropes at all times.

When considering whether or not to bring your canine companion, please remember that an event/competition environment can be crowded, loud, and high stress, especially for our four-legged friends. If you’re at all concerned about how your dog will do in the presence of large crowds, children, other dogs, horses, loudspeaker systems, vehicles etc. then you should leave your dog at home.

You are responsible for picking up after your dogs and disposing of the waste properly. There will be absolutely no exceptions to the ‘leashed dogs’ rule put in place and enforced by the Fair Hill Department of Natural Resources (FHDNR). Owners of all dogs that are not properly leashed will be subject to removal and a $50 fine.

There will be no special parking concessions for vehicles containing dogs. Distressed dogs will be removed from vehicles, by whatever means necessary, by Animal Control, Event Management, and/or Event Officials as deemed necessary at their sole discretion.

There will be portable restrooms located in each field in proximity to the Tailgating areas.

Your Tailgating Host will provide you with trash and recycling bags and will call in for trash removal as needed. However, it is recommended that you also bring additional trash and recycling bags with you.

Tailgaters are asked to keep their designated areas clean at all times and tie up their trash bags when full to be ready for removal to prevent debris on course for the safety of horses and athletes.

No flash photography is permitted. Event Organizers maintain the right to use images and photographs taken by their contracted photographers, employees, and event attendees without informing or compensating event participants or visitors. These images can be used for promotional purposes as undertaken by the organizers and their partners, which will cover a range of possible uses including advertising press and media, printed information items, editorial coverage and any other promotion directly related to the event or its sponsors.