Welcome home Big Red! Secretariat Turns for Home,
will arrive in Middleburg, Virginia on August 8 as he
wraps up a 50th anniversary tour of his 1973 Triple Crown journey
For immediate release: July 7, 2023
Contact: Laura Smith
571-331-7709, lsmith@ltrf.org
For immediate release:
(Middleburg, VA) Secretariat in the form of 3,500-pound bronze monument called Secretariat Racing Into History will be returning to his home state of Virginia on August 8th . This homecoming will conclude a 50th anniversary tour that began in April and included stops on Secretariat’s historic Triple Crown trail. His astonishing track records in the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont remain unbroken to this day.
Originating near Secretariat’s birthplace in Ashland, VA, the sculpture, its creator Jocelyn Russell, along with her husband have traveled to Churchill Downs in Louisville, KY, Pimlico Racecourse in Baltimore, MD and Belmont Park in Elmont, NY and to Saratoga Racecourse, National Museum of Racing in Saratoga Springs, NY. The sculpture is 21 feet long and 11.5 feet tall. It is the largest monument of Secretariat in existence, dramatically illustrating the Virginia-born champion’s larger-than-life presence as an equine athlete and American icon. Secretariat is the crowning achievement of Virginia agriculture and thoroughbred breeding. Secretariat is a hero, an icon that raised the bar of horse racing to a level it has not been able to achieve since. To see his victory in the Belmont Stakes by an astounding 31-lenths made the impossible seem possible.
To celebrate Secretariat’s homecoming to Virginia, there are several events planned.
A welcome reception will be held at Middleburg Community Center on August 8th from 5:00 –7:00 pm. This event will be hosted by Loudoun Therapeutic Riding and Greenhill Winery. Artist Jocelyn Russell and Kate Tweedy (daughter of Secretariat’s owner Penny Tweedy) will be on hand for a “Toast to the G.O.A.T.” Tickets and sponsorship information available at https://secretariat_welcome_reception.eventbrite.com
In addition, the Middleburg Community Center along with Loudoun Therapeutic Riding ltrf.org will host a free showing of the Disney film “Secretariat” on August 8th at 7:00 pm, https://secretariat8923.eventbrite.com/. Kate Tweedy, who was in the film with her mother, will share her behind-the-scenes experience on the movie set. Copies of Secretariat’s Meadow, written by Kate Tweedy and Leeanne Ladin will be available for purchase to benefit Loudoun Therapeutic Riding. Contributions toward the building and installation of the Secretariat sculpture can be made at www.SecretariatForVirginia.com.
The sculpture will be parked in front of the National Sporting Library and Museum (NSLM). The NSLM will be hosting lectures presented by the sculptor Jocelyn Russell and Kate Tweedy on August 9 from 5-8 pm. Please visit their website for additional information. Nationalsporting.org
Signature Events
Annual Meeting & Community Leadership Awards
The Loudoun Chamber will celebrate its 57th Annual Meeting & Community Leadership Awards on January 24, 2025. We will honor top community leaders as well as celebrate the success of the 2024 Board of Directors Chair, Angela Mitchell, owner of ARM Consulting LLC. We will also welcome our 2025 Board and the new Chair Scott Loftis, of Atlantic Union Bank. Event Page Here
Annual DEIA Summit
The Loudoun Chamber will host its 3rd Annual DEIA Summit on October 17, 2024. Keynote speakers and workshops will focus on helping your business or nonprofit gain competitive advantages by leveraging diversity and accessibility tools. Event Page Here
Chamber Classic
In the Summer of 2025, the Annual Chamber Classic will be held at The Club at Creighton Farms. This event has been Loudoun County’s premier business golf tournament for over four decades. The Chamber Classic offers our sponsors tremendous marketing exposure and an incomparable day of golf on this Jack Nicklaus-designed course. View the Event Page
Small Business Awards
For 30 years, the Loudoun Small Business Awards have been the most prestigious honors celebrating our Loudoun community’s best small businesses, entrepreneurs, and nonprofit organizations.
Guests joined us on November 8th to congratulate finalists and winners in 10 categories, including the top prize, the 2024 Loudoun Small Business of the Year. Winners were announced in front of a live audience of Loudoun’s top business and community leaders.
Valor Awards
In the Spring of 2025, the Loudoun Chamber will celebrate 40 years of honoring our community’s real-life heroes, including several truly heroic citizens, for their courageous and often lifesaving actions. Join us at the 40th Annual Loudoun County Valor Awards. Event Page Here
State of the Loudoun Market
The Loudoun real estate market has rarely experienced the number of challenges and opportunities it does today. It is difficult to make sense of these current market conditions and their impact on economic conditions. In 2025, the Loudoun Chamber will bring together the region’s top economic and real estate experts to examine how the economic and cultural forces influencing this market will impact your business. Stay tuned for more information.