Robin and Wilson Groves have competed together at every Fair Hill International CDE since 1986. This year, Oct. 19-22 in Fair Hill, Md., Robin earned her second consecutive victory in the advanced single horse division driving Lana Wright’s 11-year-old Connemara-Thoroughbred, Thor’s Toy Truck.

And not to be left out, Wilson finished third in the same division driving his own UVM Worthy. “I wouldn’t be able to do it without him because he’s my backup crew at home and does more work than I could do,” said Robin of her husband.

Now, after Toy Truck’s second full year of advanced competition and Fair Hill victory, “He’s exceeded my expectations,” Robin said proudly.

She’s competed the 15-hand gelding for nearly three years, and after some focused training, Toy Truck’s consistency has developed. “His dressage used to be inconsistent, and his cones were dreadful. He’s been really good at marathon for quite a long time. But he was good at all three this weekend,” said Robin.

Even scoured by Friday’s rain and tent-whisking wind, the duo’s dressage test secured second place with 47.67 penalties.

“I was surprised! With the noise, I thought he’d be like trying to drive a grasshopper,” Robin said laughing. “But he was fine. When we hacked over for dressage, there were actually branches coming down out of the trees when we were going through the woods.”

Canadian Kirsten Brunner and Beaverwoods Astillby led after dressage but broke an axle in the early going on section E of their marathon trip.

Robin and Toy Truck took over top position after bringing their confidence and experience to Saturday’s marathon course and scoring best in the division with 81.82.

This year’s course featured some new hazards, including obstacle 7. Known as The Dansko Village Forest, it presented a series of hay bales and trees winding through the William duPont Jr. arena. Robin and Toy Truck coolly took the new questions in stride. “I loved it! The more challenges the better. It was a fun gallop,” she said. “A new hazard is always nice to see, and it was nice to have a flat place since there are a lot of ups and downs out here.”

Robin and Toy Truck found a few hitches on their cones course, however, but after posting a three-day total of 140.99, they comfortably maintained their lead and claimed victory in the five-entry class.

Still, whether five entries or 505, Robin has her focus. “I drive the same because I have goals that I want to achieve each time. It’s really about yourself, the event and your horse,” she said.

World Pony Driving Cham-pion Suzy Stafford saw a familiar and cherished equine face in the advanced single pony division at Fair Hill, but this time she wasn’t holding his reins. Stafford’s only rival in the division turned out to be Sybil Humphreys and Cefnoakpark Bouncer, the pony Stafford had driven to individual gold at the 2005 FEI World Combined Pony Driving Cham-pionships (England).

This time, Stafford drove a new pony, and with the 10-year-old, Morgan gelding, Believe It Or Not, Stafford earned her second consecutive Fair Hill advanced victory in the pony’s first advanced competition. (Last year she drove Cefnoakpark Bouncer to the division win).

Needless to say, Stafford knew her competition well this year. “It was nice to see Sybil driving her own pony here. She’s a fabulous driver, and I was happy I had somebody here with me,” said Stafford.

She added of the two-entry division, “Anyone who competes is going to be competitive and will always want to compete against someone. But you’re also competing against yourself. Today I had a green pony, and he didn’t care if he competed against someone else. He just wanted to do his best,” she said.

Stafford and “Ripley” finished their dressage test with 51.0 penalties to take the early lead. But before the test, she was somewhat unsure how Ripley would cope with the wind and rain as she’d only had two months experience with him.

“He was a little nervous to be at such a big show,” said Stafford. “But he’s becoming very predictable and has always been good-hearted. He didn’t blink at anything I asked him to do. We just took it slow in the hazards on Saturday, and he was really good.”

Stafford and Ripley managed to widen their lead over Humphreys and Bouncer after the marathon with an 88.3-penalty finish. Like Robin Groves, Stafford also made short work of the new Dansko Village Forest hazard. “I thought it was great. And it was also good to have it where it can bring some spectators in,” she said.

Holding a six-point lead, Stafford lost a few faults to the clock on the cones course but topped Humphreys nonetheless. She finished with 150.25 penalties.

After Ripley’s first advanced CDE, Stafford has big plans for the pony as one of a pair. “We’ve been looking for a pony to match Katie [Courage To Lead] to do pairs,” said Stafford.

“Lisa Singer went out [to Nebraska] to do a clinic and saw him and said I should go out and see him too,” said Stafford, who began working with Singer in 2000. When she saw Ripley, she couldn’t resist the 14.1-hand bay’s movement.

“I’m still not sure what his strong phase is going to be, but I do know he was really great in all three this weekend,” said Stafford with a smile.

Joshua A. Walker