Virginia Steeplechasing Goes Global: Gold Cup Joins Championship Line-Up Fall opening meet Sept. 12 in Sperryville
Submitted by: Betsy Burke Parker
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Date Added: 9/9/2009
Virginia stands tall as steeplechase central, that much is certain. But 2009 underlines that fact: the Commonwealth leads the nation in days of racing this fall, with nine meets on the autumn calendar; Virginia racing makes up more than half the season's total on the National Steeplechase Association schedule.
The local circuit opens Sept. 12 with Thornton Hill Hounds Point-to-Point in Sperryville. Sept. 19 racing moves to Berryville for the Blue Ridge Hunt Point-to-Point Sept. 19 – both meets are run under sanction of the Virginia Steeplechase Association, with similar rules and regulations as NSA meets, but with very small prize money competition tends to be a little less stressful for early autumn preppers, young horses perhaps new to jump racing and novice riders.
The National Steeplechase Association calendar in Virginia kicks off Sept. 13 with jump racing at Colonial Downs in New Kent County, moving next for the Sept. 27 Foxfield Races in Charlottesville, the Oct. 3 and 4 Virginia Fall Races in Middleburg – the sport's only two-day race meet, the Oct. 10 Morven Park Races in Leesburg, the Oct. 17 International Gold Cup Races in The Plains – part of the fledgling U.S. Steeplechase Championship and the Nov. 7 Montpelier Races in Orange County.
Gone from the Virginia circuit this year is the October Oak Ridge Races south of Charlottesville; officials are uncertain if the meet will return for 2010.
New this year is a four-event series of fall hunter paces. Dates are: Sept. 27 Bull Run Hunt pace, Oct. 11 Rappahannock Hunt pace, Oct. 18 Casanova Hunt pace and Nov. 8 Farmington Hunt pace.
Complete race information – tickets, directions, special events – can be found on individual race Web sites which are listed on the calendar on Page 2. Log onto the VSA site at www.CentralEntryOffice.com, or the NSA site at www.NationalSteeplechase.com. Details on the hunter pace series are online at www.BullRunHunt.com.
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