Montpelier annual event returns Saturday, Nov. 7

The 75th Running of the Montpelier Hunt Races will take place on the grounds of James and Dolley Madison's beloved home in Orange County on Saturday, Nov. 7. This year's race day will feature favorite traditions, such as the Jack Russell Terrier races, children's stick horse races, and the Dolley Madison Tailgate Competition. New this year will be a special opening ceremony to mark the diamond jubilee of the running of the Montpelier Hunt Races. Gates at Montpelier will open at 9 a.m.
At 10 a.m., the races will feature an antique car show, race merchandise in the Montpelier Tent, and Vendors Row with a variety of gifts, handcrafts, and gourmet items. The Montpelier Tent will also feature a raffle for a Rolex watch from Fink's Jewelers, and a silent auction for the 2009 Thomas J. Coon commemorative poster painting of Marion duPont Scott and her famous horse Battleship.
At 10:30 a.m., The Dolley Madison Tailgate Competition will begin. Acclaimed Chef Patrick O'Connell from the Inn at Little Washington will serve as this year's celebrity judge.
Seven races are scheduled for this year: one dirt flat track race, one turf training flat race, and five steeplechase races. The first race will run at 12:30 p.m.
"We are pleased to honor the legacy of Marion duPont Scott through the 75th running of the Montpelier Hunt Races," said Martha Strawther, executive director of the Montpelier Steeplechase and Equestrian Foundation. "Mrs. Scott was a renowned member of the equine industry, as well as a beloved member of her community in Orange. We are proud to continue this fine Virginia tradition."
Marion duPont Scott and her brother William duPont Jr. founded the hunt races on their Montpelier front lawn in 1934. The annual event quickly became a beloved tradition in Orange County. The Montpelier Hunt Races is the only such race held at a presidential home site.
Mrs. Scott is often called "America's First Lady of Racing" for her many contributions to the equine industry. She and her brother created many of the nation's best-known steeplechase and flat track racing venues, including: Delaware Park; the Fair Hill Natural Resources Area; and Camden Race Course. She also bred and owned several champions, including: Trouble Maker, the 1932 Maryland Hunt Cup winner; and Battleship, the first American-bred horse to win the British Grand National Steeplechase. Mrs. Scott also provided the funds to build the Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center, located in Leesburg.
Race tickets must be purchased in advance. Please visit www.montpelierraces.org or call 672.0014 for more information.
About the Montpelier Hunt Races
Montpelier has a rich horse history. A great horse lover himself, James Madison bred and raised horses at Montpelier, and even co-owned a racehorse. The tradition continued years later under the stewardship of Marion duPont Scott who, in 1929, built a steeplechase course and a flat track at Montpelier, and initiated the Montpelier Hunt Races soon thereafter. Scott's legacy continues today with the running of the Montpelier Hunt Races, a premier event on the National Steeplechase Association's circuit. The race is always held on the first Saturday in November.
James Madison's Montpelier
Montpelier is the lifelong home of James Madison, Father of the Constitution, architect of the Bill of Rights, and president of the United States. Now that the home's recent $25 million architectural restoration is complete, visitors can see the progress of "A Presidential Detective Story: Rediscovering the Furnishings and Décor of James and Dolley Madison" through daily guided tours. They can also participate in hands-on crafts, cooking, and archaeology; leisurely stroll the garden and forests; take in the galleries and many other attractions on the estate's 2,650 acres. Nestled in the rolling foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Montpelier is located in the heart of Virginia's wine country on Route 20, four miles south of Orange. Montpelier is a National Trust Historic Site. To learn more, visit www.montpelier.org