Fair Hill Racetrack & Special Event Zone

Service

Landscape Maintenance

Market

Parks & Public Places

Location

Elkton, Maryland

Overview

Built in 2019, the Fair Hill Racetrack and Special Event Area now serves as a world-class venue for the Maryland 5 Star equestrian competition. In addition, the turf track inside the Fair Hill Special Event Zone reopened to racing on Aug. 30, 2025 following the completion of an infrastructure modernization project, which included the construction of a sand-based turf course of Kentucky bluegrass and state-of-the-art irrigation system. This course is the first course of its kind in Maryland. The August “Races at Fair Hill” event, hosted by the Sport & Entertainment Corporation of Maryland and the Cecil County Breeders Fair, marks the return of live racing after a six-year hiatus following a pause in racing due to the COVID-19 pandemic and track reconstruction. The new course, designed for flat racing, steeplechase, and eventing, includes advanced drainage and rootzone systems for durability. These events demand optimal footing and aesthetics, which means the landscape must be maintained to the highest possible standards. Safety, surface consistency, and visual appeal are paramount to ensure an elite and memorable experience for competitors and spectators alike.

Scope

Ruppert Landscape maintains over 100 acres of turf at Fair Hill with precision irrigation across 122 zones, more than 18 annual fertility treatments, and regular aeration and topdressing. Daily moisture monitoring, compaction and firmness testing, and data-driven adjustments support the sand-based Kentucky bluegrass track, ensuring safe footing, resilient turf, and premier aesthetics for international equestrian events and flat racing.