On
Saturday, October 6, ten lovely farms in Lexington, Middlebrook, and Staunton
will open their gates to the public. Members
of the community interested in exploring historic and innovative properties can
enjoy this benefit event knowing that it supports the Virginia Horse Center
Foundation. This self-guided tour will grant access to
Grey Gables Farm, Bill Heizer Stables, Blue Willow Farm, Airy Mount Stables,
Harmony Farm, Boxwood Hill, Greenwood Farm, Winbrooke Farm, Goose Creek Highlands,
and Honeysuckle Farm. The tour route meanders along the
Middlebrook/Brownsburg Corridor (Rt. 252), cited as one of the most scenic
routes in Virginia.
In the
style of a Garden Club tour, participants are encouraged to buy their tickets
early and spend the entire day in the area.
Local businesses including the Middlebrook General Store, Rockbridge
Vineyard, and Orchardside Yarn Shop are located along the tour route. The Middlebrook General Store will be the
headquarters for the event; offering ticket sales the day-of the tour for
latecomers, boxed lunches, and local wine and goods for sale. Set against the changing leaves and the
valley’s incomparable vistas, these farms are sure to delight visitors by showcasing
each of their equine or agricultural facilities as well as the farms’
homesteads. Ticket holders may visit
the farms in any order.
This
event is the brainchild of a new volunteer group, the VHCF Equestriennes, comprised of local women who use and enjoy the
Virginia Horse Center. Their mission is to support
the Virginia Horse Center’s equine events and facilities through programs
designed to increase attendance and visibility. All of the proceeds from the Barn Tour will
benefit the “Turn Up the Lights!” campaign to replace the lighting system in
the Anderson Coliseum for better safety and energy efficiency. The Virginia Horse Center Foundation is a
501c3 nonprofit which owns and operates 600 acres of equine competition
facilities, hosting more than 130 events and welcoming nearly 500,000 people
annually. The Foundation does not
receive state support and relies on equine events, community use, philanthropic
and corporate donations, and special fundraisers like the Barn Tour to maintain
and improve the Virginia Horse Center.
Three
members of the group, Marynell Eyles of Greenwood Farm, Brooks Cushman of
Winbrooke Farm, and Ella Eavers of Blue Willow Farm, are opening their farms
for the tour. Marynell Eyles shared
that, “The idea that by simply welcoming people up our driveway, we could help
improve the Virginia Horse Center was very appealing to us. We take our
Connemaras to many competitive events at the Horse Center, from the United
States Pony Club Championships this year, to shows, and combined training
events, and the indoor lighting has been too dim for a long time! We hope the
revenue from the Stable and Barn Tour can reach the goal for the new lighting
system.” Brooks Cushman’s farm has grown up with the Virginia Horse
Center. “When I moved here, my barn was
an old, abandoned cow barn in need of love and repair, and the Virginia Horse
Center had just opened with only two outdoor arenas. Now my barn is a full-fledged stable, the
pastures have white board fences instead of barbed wire, and the Virginia Horse
Center has evolved into an incredible and well-respected equine facility.”
Each ticket comes with a map that features the tour route and farm descriptions and a lanyard ticket that visitors must wear to gain entry to the farms. People who purchase tickets online must pick up maps and lanyards at the Virginia Horse Center. Tickets will be available the day of the tour at the Middlebrook General Store. Tickets cannot be purchased at the farms so visitors should plan accordingly. Please call 540-464-2968 with questions or email acjones@horsecenter.org.
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