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Morven Park cancels annual Steeplechase races | LoudounTimes.com

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Morven Park cancels annual Steeplechase races

Thursday, Dec. 29, 2011 by Laura Peters | 17 comments | Email this story

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Kevin Tobin, far right, aboard Memorial Maniac, leads the pack during a training flat race at Morven Park in Leesburg Oct. 8. Tobin finished second in the fourth race to Carl Rafter, atop Alfarabi. Times-Mirror File Photo/Rick Wasser

Morven Park is saying hello to the new year and goodbye to one of its oldest events. With the adoption of its new site plan, additions have been made to what the park will see in improvements, but one event, the popular Steeplechase races, has been cut from the list. Morven Parks Westmoreland Davis Memorial Foundations Board of Trustees and Executive Director Frank Milligan have adopted a new comprehensive, multi-year plan that will provide a vision of what the park could become, according to a release. The board decided, for financial reasons, to discontinue Morven Parks annual Steeplechase races in order to allocate its resources and fundraising efforts to improve the equestrian facilities and programs. The decision to continue the Steeplechase races was a financial decision by the board, Milligan said. The cut was based on the finances of the event, Milligan added. The Steeplechase races have been held for the last 32 years at Morven Park. Funds from last years races benefited the Loudoun Therapeutic Riding Foundation. Last year the Oct. 8 event raised $20,000 for the foundation. We were thrilled to be beneficiaries of the Steeplechase races. It was a great leg up to our funding for the year, Joanne Hart, executive director of the Loudoun Therapeutic Riding Foundation said. The funding will go toward program expenses, including horse care, Hart said. The event, in addition to the races, included pony rides, a petting zoo and a stick horse race for children and craft sales. Some of the races were as long as 3.25 miles with horses jumping over hedges and timber barriers. Part of the decision in our master plan is to expand equestrian services in a number of areas,
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Milligan said. To improve the facilities, to improve the outdoor arenas, to improve the stabling, improving access, improving customer service and thats a big part of the master plan. The new plan
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The foundation oversees the 1,200 acre property outside of Leesburg. A new plan was previously adopted by the foundation in 2010 that identified 28 strategies to achieve four goals, according to the release. Those goals would be to promote civic leadership, increase opportunities for the public to enjoy Morven Parks history and landscape, promote health and wellness and develop a financially sound organization.

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The trustees and staff of Morven Park spent the early part of 2011 meeting with area residents and organizations that were interested in what Morven Park has to offer. Conversations with these groups included an interest and expertise in political and agricultural history, equine sports, nature and the outdoors, and gardening and agriculture, the release said. The meetings are what helped guide Morven Park to meet the needs of the community. The implementation will be largely dependent on raising outside funding from individuals, corporations and foundations. The master plan includes: -separate trail systems for pedestrians, bicyclists and equestrians.

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-easier access to and through Morven Park that includes the addition of roads and trails that link the Davis Mansion grounds with the equestrian center and soon-to-be opened sports fields for soccer, lacrosse, field hockey and flag football. Other features within the plan include water features and a Governors Walk. The walk will guide visitors through the gardens and to the new visitors center, the mansion, a new Coach House Discovery Center, a revitalized Winmill Carriage Museum and the Turkey Hill educational farm. Milligan also said some new events include hunter and jumper shows, hunter pace events and cross country events. The plan also calls for enhancements to the equestrian center. The current facilities that house the equestrian center are considered by most users, according to the release, to be well past their primes and will be replaced with new barns along with new outdoor and indoor arenas. The Loudoun Therapeutic Riding program, located at Morven Park, will have a new indoor arena, stables and offices built. Some equestrian programs include dressage, trail riding, carriage driving, eventing, show jumping and therapeutic riding. Morven Park will continue to host the annual Memorial Day weekend Virginia Foxhound Club show, which is one of the largest hound shows in the world, the release said. About Morven Park Morven Park is a national registered historic property that was once the home of Gov. Westmoreland Davis of Virginia. It is now operated by the Westmoreland Davis Memorial Foundation. Morven Park is a nonprofit organization that relies on individual donations, memberships and event income to fund its public programs. It does not receive any operating funds from local, state or federal governments. For more information go to MorvenPark.org.
Huntmaster Martyn Blackmore demonstrates the fox hunt horn to visitors at Morven Park in Leesburg on Oct. 8. Times-Mirror File Photo/Rick Wasser

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