New owners of Va. State Fair beckon horse owners

The State Fair of Virginia, which went bankrupt, is reopening under new ownership. The Fair is reinstating equine events at its facility at Doswell, in Caroline County, according to Elaine Lidholm, Director of Communications for the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Virginia State Fair 2012 is set for Sept. 28 through Oct. 7.

Due to the bankruptcy of the former State Fair, many agricultural groups and livestock shows made other plans for their shows and exhibitions this year, Lidholm said. But the fair is now operating under the ownership of the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation and Universal Fairs LLC, and is ready to welcome horses and their owners to the track in Doswell, Lidholm said. Given the historic association between the park, formerly known as Meadow Farm, and Triple Crown winner Secretariat, a full slate of equine events is a priority at the new State Fair of Virginia.

Horse owners interested in competing in the fair or in holding events should contact .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). An online registration form is available at statefairva.org. Interested parties should contact the fair or fill out the online form by Aug. 9, 2012, to assist in creating a complete schedule of equine events, Lidholm said.