WASHINGTON — This is the first Saturday in May, and that means it is Virginia Gold Cup time.
This is the 90th anniversary for the races, and officials say about 50,000 spectators were expected to attend.
Amelia Holman from Herndon has been to the Virginia Gold Cup at Great Meadow before, but she had never hosted a tailgating party there. She was so excited that she arrived about 7 a.m., three hours early, to get things set up.
Her theme, she says, is “50 shades of pink. A lot of my guests are wearing pink.” Although she grew up riding horses, and enjoys that part of the Gold Cup, she also likes the fact that it’s a huge social event.
“I have a lot of friends who’ve never been (here) before,” said Holman. “So I think everything will just be exciting for them.”
When most people think of tailgating, they think football. But this is in a league all its own.
Julie Banner is the wife of the Rob Banner, the president of Great Meadow Foundation. The Virginia Gold Cup moved to Great Meadow, The Plains, Virginia in 1982. She describes the tailgating that goes on at the Gold Cup as “an amazing display of food.”
It’s upscale — forget the beer, there’s champagne flowing here. “Absolutely, it’s upscale. It’s a great time for people to get out and see friends, get dressed-up, wear their hat, wear their nice clothes,” Banner added.
Paul Fogg from Alexandria says the Gold Cup is a, “to see and be seen event.”
Katherine Bond comes twice a year from New York City to the Virginia Gold Cup and the International Gold Cup, which is held in the fall. She anticipates the Jack Russell Terrier races that are held at the Gold Cup. “We love seeing these little puppies run, it’s really cute.”
Mary Mushneo from Exton, Pennsylvania, knows a thing or two about the Jack Russell races, especially since her little Kegan took second place on Saturday at the Gold Cup.
“People love watching it,” she said. “It’s funny some of the dogs runs off into the crowd and say hello. And those are typically the ones that are more of the crowd favorite.”
