The following was written by Leland Schwartz and appeared in FauquierNow January 22, 2025
The 100th running of the Virginia Gold Cup races will be held at Great Meadow, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. The boards of Great Meadow Foundation and the Virginia Gold Cup Association have agreed on how best to keep the racecourse properly maintained, they announced Wednesday.
Race day is May 3, a Saturday.
The two groups said the agreement “follows a year of significant investments and enhancements to the Great Meadow racecourse, ensuring its readiness to host this prestigious event. These improvements include the installation of two new wells to secure a reliable water supply for the venue’s retention ponds, addressing the challenges posed by the 2024 drought, and a comprehensive maintenance plan restoring the racecourse to world-class condition.”
“Our commitment to preserving and enhancing the racecourse at Great Meadow has been unwavering,” said Karen Crane, chair of the Great Meadow Foundation. “We are proud to welcome the Virginia Gold Cup back to the place it was always meant to call home, as we honor a century of equestrian excellence in the heart of Fauquier County.”
The fall races were moved to Middleburg when race officials decided the Great Meadow course was not safe to run on. Great Meadow leadership said they felt conditions would have been ready by the time the races were held at the end of October.
The Gold Cup races at Great Meadow are widely viewed as one of the iconic events that help define Fauquier and Virginia Horse and Wine Country. They generate hundreds of thousands of dollars in local economic activity.
Dr. William Allison, chair of the Virginia Gold Cup Association, stressed the importance of the partnership saying, “The Virginia Gold Cup and Great Meadow share a deep-rooted history. This venue was established as a permanent home for our cherished event, and the collaboration between our organizations ensures we can continue to celebrate the traditions, camaraderie, and world-class competition that define the Gold Cup. We look forward to an unforgettable 100th running in May 2025.”
The Great Meadow Foundation and the Virginia Gold Cup Association expressed gratitude to the Virginia Equine Alliance as well as the many supporters, sponsors and partners “who have made these advancements possible. Together, these collaborative efforts ensure that Great Meadow continues to be a cornerstone of the equestrian community and a destination for excellence in steeplechase racing,” they said.
The agreement was expected given the comments of newly elected Foundation chair Karen Crane a few weeks ago when she said, “I can’t imagine not being able to work this out. We need each other.”
“I don’t see any reason why we can’t get things back to safety for the horse and the rider. That’s always our paramount concern.” What’s more, Crane said, “The original goal when Nick Arundel bought this property was to have a permanent home for the Virginia Gold Cup and the International Gold Cup.”
“We all want the same thing. Great racing in Virginia,” she said.