Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-09-08

Fair Hill Keeps
Jumpers Going
Bv MORRIS SIEGEE

FAIR HILL, Md, Sept AT o'clock this morning
the Cecil County Breeders Fair presented the annual cattle
show the grounds of William dupont, ir's Fair Hill
estate.
1t was a wagering event
Later in the afternoon after the contented and
calves had been judged, the shifted to the
track Betting not only possible it encouraged
The principal for the two-day meeting is to
raise funds for the Union Hospital at Ekon Nd There
other but CurbStone horse player would
be hard put to find one
The real for the bob-taied meeting, which will
be concluded with another sxrace program next satur
day. is Mr.. dupont. He likes anything connected with
horses, especially racing.
Mr. dupont probably is the only race track owner in
the world with bench strength. He also another
plant built for the improvement of the breed It's up the
road piece at Stanton, Del It's called Delaware Park
home of the richest in the world for ies and
THE FAIR HILL COURSE when it is all used covers
more than five miles in of Maryland'S luSheSt
farmlands.
There's private cozy little airstrip adjacent to the
track where Mr. duPontS affluent friends park their
planes when they make the annual trek to enjoy the
sport of kings Mostsof the arborne passengers arrive
after the cattle judging.
longtime settlers including Mr. duPonts closest
associates not exactly certain how much Fair
Hill embraces conservative guess around 10000 acres
easily enough to accommodate four five ra
tracks plus twice many housing projects if Mr. duPonS
inclination in that direction. 81 don't think he
ever been over all the property" volunteer guide
remarked.
Even the hounds used in fox hunts have plush at
Fair Hill
They have what amounts to a wal-to-wal course
to pursue the foxes who contained in rnged
by a cyclone fence mounted 40-inch-high cement
block THE foxes can't get out and when the hound gets
scent in that he be it's fox" Bryan
Field observed.
I'm that way the hunter is reasonably sure Of getting
fox" Field added Mr.. dupont does his best to make
his guests comfortable"
FAIR HILL WAS SETTLED originally by old Henry
dupont grandfather of the present 67year-od squire
He acquired about 100 years ago when the duPonts
favore pasme to buy up everything between Pha-
delphia and Baltimore just in case it might become
valuable
The present overSeer became interested when he
the prospects of converting of the acreage into ideal
grounds for fox hunting which he exceed in during his
Virginia youth.
Fox hunting led to steeplechase racing which has
been the big bit here since 1885, In the early days Of
racing members of the horsey set not only brought their
own horses but also their own bookmakerS.
The illegal handbooks operated until 1851 when Mr..
dupont decided change the formal He thought it would
be nice contribute from his meeting toward
the hospital in nearby Ekton but this would not be pos
Sibe with the bookmakers who under an od-aSh-
toned notion that charity should begin at home.
So Mr.. dupont with influential friends in the Mary
land Legislature, encouraged special racing BILL 1t
granted Fair Hill permission to conduct parmuue races
twice year, ION the first Saturday after Labor Day and
the following Saturday also"
THE ANNUAL FAIR HILL races are not only boon TO
the Ekton Hospital but to the declining sport of seepe-
chase racing we'll Very few race tracks program
jumpers today altrusc grounds, for they are not
received enthusiastically by bettors.
Mr. dupont cites another reason for the decline OF
the jumpers.
THE Governments tax laws" he says. "A jumper
doesn't become good until he's six seven years DID,
Meanwhile he has to be kept and Schooled at con-
siderable expense They don't let write that OIL now
as easily as they used to do people turning to flat
racers"
Anyone expecting to find austere, chairman-of
the-board type in william dupont, jr, would be awfuly
disappointed. He tools around Fair Hill in old Chew
roet which he drives himself Today he was dressed in
foppy hat and crinkled suit He also an old pair
Of army shoes
He could easily be mistaken for of the local gentry
He an inveterate do-t-yourSefer, despite his vast
wealth. Several years ago when flood waters hit Delaware
Park Mr. dupont chairman of the tracks building COM
mittee as we'll Of the plant was the first on
the scene. BY hand he trying to divert drainpipe
to steer water away from the building.
About 10 years ago there a gathering Of the
dupont clan Fair Hill The convocation called at
the behest of the late Pierre dupont brother of William
More than 700 duPons attended the dinner They were
not given separate checks.