April 2023

M E D I C I N E R E G E N E R A T I V E

Joints such as the elbows, knees, and shoulders respond best to regenerative treatments

S p o r t s i n j u r y D e g e n e r a t i v e C o n d i t i o n s

Cartilage, tendon, ligament, meniscal and skeletal muscle injuries

Osteoarthritis, chronic tendonitis, degenerative disc disease, and more 540-905-7370

10 BD | 9/3 BA | 11,230 SQFT | 153 AC | Littleton Farm, an equine and entertainer’s paradise in Upperville’s Hunt Country is part of the historical Piedmont hunt.

Peter Pejacsevich, Principal Broker + Managing Partner | 540.270.3835

Scott Buzzelli, Associate Broker + Partner | 540.454.1399

| 3,769 SQFT | 51.54 AC | Good Home Farm includes a gorgeous custom home, a 4-stall elite equestrian facility, a 70x170 indoor riding arena, and all the accompaniments you would expect. Piedmont Hunt territory with excellent ride out!

Kristin Dillon-Johnson, REALTOR® | 703.673.6920

5656 AND 5658 BEVERLEYS MILL RD | BROAD RUN, VA

4 BD | 4/1 BA | 7,652 SQFT | 98 AC | Own your own resort property with two full size houses, pond, views, and potential for walking trails. The homes are surrounded by mature trees and conveniently located near shopping, dining and entertainment.

Anne Michael Greene, Associate Broker | 540.364.9500

$1,750,000

128 ACRES KIRTLEY TRAIL | CULPEPER, VA

LAND | 128.02 AC | A rare opportunity to purchase 128 acres just south of Culpeper. This land is graced with creeks, open pastures, mountain views and privacy. Access to the property is through two separate 50 feet right of ways on Kirtley Trail and Red Leaf.

Anne Michael Greene, Associate Broker | 540.364.9500

SOLD

3616 MILLWOOD ROAD BOYCE, VA

$2,200,000

4 BD | 3/1 BA | 7,000 SQFT | 53.23 AC

Anne McIntosh, REALTOR® | 703.509.4499

Maria Eldredge, REALTOR® | 540.454.3829

9160 JOHN MOSBY HIGHWAY UPPERVILLE, VA

$799,000

1 BD | 1/1 BA | 2,152 SQFT | .84 AC

35470 SASSAFRAS DR ROUND HILL, VA

$640,000

4 BD | 3/1 BA | 3,378 SQFT | .46 AC

Rocky Westfall, REALTOR® | 540.219.2633

$925,000

5 BUILDING LOTS ST. LOUIS RD MIDDLEBURG, VA

$875,000

APR. 2023

middleburglife.com

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ON THE COVER

This month we celebrate the 40th anniversary of Middleburg Life with some of our favorite covers over the years. These images, dating back to the 1980s, highlight the talent and hard work that have made the magazine what it is today. As we set our sights on the next 40 years, we hope you’ll enjoy a look back.

ON THIS PAGE

A scene from the 2021 Virginia Gold Cup at Great Meadow, captured by Tony Gibson. For more of Gibson’s photography, turn to page six. Photo by Tony Gibson, 22Gates.com.

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P.O. Box 328 | Middleburg, VA 20118-0328 540.687.5950 | info@middleburglife.com

All editorial matter is fully protected and may not be reproduced in any manner without the written permission of the publisher. All unsolicited manuscripts and photos must be accompanied by return postage; the publisher assumes no responsibility. Middleburg Life reserves the right to reject any advertising. Distributed in Aldie, Alexandria, Ashburn, Boyce, Delaplane, Dulles, Front Royal, Gainesville, Haymarket, Leesburg, Manassas, Marshall, Middleburg, Millwood, Paris, Purcellville, The Plains, Rectortown, Reston, Tysons, Upperville, Warrenton, Washington, D.C., and Winchester.

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CONTRIBUTORS

Heidi Baumstark has been writing for several lifestyle magazines and newspaper publications since 2005, specializing in history-related articles highlighting Virginia’s Piedmont. She has been with Middleburg Life since 2014. Over the years, she has featured hundreds of businesses, leaders, residents, historical sights, lectures, heritage programs, and museums in her work. Heidi hopes to inspire readers to pause and consider the people, places, and events that have shaped the story of our local history.

Michael Butcher is the owner of Butcher Photography. Originally from Christchurch, New Zealand, he resides in Springfield, Virginia, with his family. For the past 15 years, Michael has specialized in portraiture, event, and editorial photography. When not behind the lens, he enjoys gardening and swimming.

Diane Helentjaris chose Loudoun as her “forever home” in 1990 after experiencing Ohio, Michigan, Montreal, San Francisco, and New Jersey. Following years as a clinical physician and public health administrator, she returned to her humanities roots. A finalist in the 2020 Icelandic Writers Retreat, her book “The Indenture of Ivy O’Neill” was published in June 2022. Diane also writes a monthly newsletter, The Silk Mill, which is dedicated to those in love with fabric in all its glory.

Lia Hobel is a freelance journalist, known in town for her blog, Uplift Loudoun, which she launched during the start of the pandemic to share uplifting stories. In addition to her work for Middleburg Life, Lia writes periodically for online platforms with articles appearing on GOBankingRates, Forbes, Huffington Post, and Yahoo! Lia began her career as a broadcast journalist, but left TV news when she moved to Leesburg with her family. She is a Loudoun 40 Under 40 honoree and a Certified Tourism Ambassador for the county.

Dulcy Hooper and her husband Richard moved to the country from Washington, D.C. nearly ten years ago. Shortly thereafter, both began writing occasional articles for Middleburg Life. Dogs are a big part of the Hoopers’ lives and several of Dulcy’s earlier articles focused on the couple’s Chinese crested powderpuffs!

Victoria Peace is a recent graduate of Georgetown University and holds a degree in French and Art History. On the weekends, she frequently visits her family in The Plains. In her free time, she enjoys playing polo with Twilight Polo Club, riding with the Georgetown Equestrian Team, gardening, walking her family's dogs at Sky Meadows State Park, and visiting her retired horse, Taco. Her perfect “Hunt Country” day would include a stop at the local farmers market in The Plains, a trip to her favorite Middleburg antique stores, and a sunset trail ride in the Virginia countryside.

Also in this issue: Richard D. Hooper.

Callie Broaddus is a Warrenton native and graduate of the University of Virginia with a degree in Architecture. After seven years as a book designer at National Geographic Kids, Callie founded the nonprofit, Reserva: The Youth Land Trust, in 2019. Callie’s land preservation projects and focus on youth empowerment are aided by her talent for storytelling through her camera lens as a professional photographer. In her spare time, Callie enjoys Earl Grey tea, Harry Potter trivia, and dreaming of getting back into the jumper ring.

Lindsay Collins is a writer, editor, and photographer based in Warrenton. Her interests include conservation, recreation, public art, and human interest stories. Prior to moving to Virginia, Lindsay attended the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where she received a bachelor's degree in legal studies and political science. When she isn't writing or behind the camera, Lindsay enjoys exploring the outdoors with her dog Romeo, gardening, crafting, and spending time with family and friends.

Laticia Headings is grateful to call Middleburg home. In 2013, she discovered the area when attending the first annual Middleburg Film Festival, and has come back every year since as a volunteer, attendee, and for the past several years, a writer for Middleburg Life. Laticia is the founder of Latitude Media and has 23 years of experience as a producer, writer, and camerawoman for television (Discovery, National Geographic), documentary film, and multi-platform media. Now, a full-time realtor with McEnearney Associates, she is thrilled to be helping clients in Hunt Country and beyond.

Bill Kent’s journalism has appeared in more than 40 national and regional publications including the Washington Post, Art & Antiques, Philadelphia Magazine, Baltimore Magazine, New Jersey Monthly, and The Hunt. A former correspondent for the New York Times, he taught writing and journalism at the University of Pennsylvania, Rutgers, and Temple universities, and is the author of seven novels, a Fodor’s Guide, and a history of Atlantic City. After graduating from Oberlin College with majors in English and Religion, he published his first piece in The Georgetowner. When not writing, he enjoys walking his westies on Washington Street.

Will Thompson is a writer and photographer interested in all things related to nature, conservation, and outdoor recreation. He has worked in communications and project management roles in renewable energy, international development, and mission-driven journalism. Will graduated from the College of Charleston in 2010 with a B.A. in Communications.

Gracie Withers is a local photographer who grew up in the village of Aldie and has been photographing local weddings, portraits, and events since 2016. She was a contributing photographer at Georgetown University for over three years and also has a wide variety of experience in sports photography. Her passion began when she received her first camera in middle school and she continued to study the craft in high school and in college. She joined Middleburg Life as a contributor in the spring of 2022.

Irreversible is not a word you want to hear from your Doctor but it’s a common one if you’ve been diagnosed with ChemotherapyInduced Peripheral Neuropathy or CIPN.

John T. of Leesburg survived testicular cancer only to be living life in constant pain. He felt as though he were walking on pins and needles, becoming weaker and weaker every day “I was beginning to be worried that one day I would be wheelchairbound.”

Nearly half of the patients who undergo chemotherapy will develop Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy or CIPN. Chemotherapy meds travel throughout the body and attack cancer cells; sadly they can also cause severe damage to healthy nerves. CIPN can begin within weeks of starting treatment and can worsen as treatment continues. A high number of really unfortunate people will be forced to endure the symptoms associated with CIPN for months, or even years after they’ve completed chemo.

When asked how CIPN was affecting his quality of life, he responded, “It was difficult to even walk up and down stairs and do other things we usually take for granted ”

IT'S LIFE CHANGING

Finally! A local Doctor is helping cancer survivors live lives free from the constant pain and suffering associated with Peripheral Neuropathy!

The most common symptoms include:

pain, tingling, burning, weakness, or numbness in arms, hands, legs or feet sudden, sharp, stabbing or shocking pain sensations loss of touch sensation clumsiness and trouble using hands to pick up objects or fasten clothing loss of balance and falling

For some, their nerves will recover over time. For most, the nerve damage is ‘irreversible.’ John had been told just that by a series of Doctors and specialists Essentially they could cure his cancer but couldn’t fix the damage done by the drugs used to cure his cancer.

Then John made a call to Rachal Lohr of FIREFLY|Acupuncture & Wellness right here in Ashburn. Rachal and her team are using the time tested science of Acupuncture and a technology originally developed by NASA that assists in increasing blood flow and expediting recovery and healing to treat this debilitating disease.

After a series of treatments John was taking stairs with stride!

“We have a beach house and it’s up stairs. This morning I walked right down the stairs and got in the car,” John shared

“I remember thinking ‘that’s become mighty easy for me’, I didn’t have to hold on to the hand rail or anything! It’s life changing to have this mobility back!”

Again and again, we meet with patients who were once diagnosed as "untreatable” or “incurable” but after receiving Rachal Lohr’s treatments are now living lives free from pain and suffering. For almost 16 years she has been reversing the effects of CIPN and other varieties of Peripheral Neuropathy, including that caused by diabetes without invasive surgeries and medications that come with uncomfortable side effects.

If you’ve recently beat cancer only to find that you’re living a life in constant pain and discomfort or you’re struggling with the same symptoms as a result of either Idiopathic Neuropathy or Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy, Rachal and the incredible team at FIREFLY can help!

Rachal Lohr is now accepting new patients but only for a limited time In an effort to protect her patients, both current and future, she has made the difficult decision to limit the number of patients seen in her clinic

Only 10 new neuropathy patients will be accepted monthly so call (703)263-2142 now to schedule a consultation.

Meet Your Neighbor: Tony Gibson Captures the Action

Written by Lindsay Collins

“I’ve always had a passion and a love for photography, but it was at the advent of the digital conversion that I really jumped into the deep end of photography,” says Tony Gibson. “I’ve always had an interest, but not a whole lot of patience for film — having to send it off or develop your own. My wife, for a Christmas present, bought me a [digital camera] back in 2002 and it’s been digital photography ever since.”

Throughout the past two decades, Gibson has honed his photography skills, finding his niche in the high-speed arena of Twilight Polo and alongside thundering hooves at Great Meadow in The Plains, where horses and their riders race along a multi-mile course, soaring over fences and hedges in pursuit of the Virginia Gold Cup trophy.

After serving his country in the United States Army, in 2002 Gibson moved from his duty station in Colorado to Warrenton, Virginia, where he began working as a defense contractor. “My company hosted an event — they rented an area out in Great Meadow during the Gold Cup, and I was in awe,” he says. “I was in awe from the environment, the horse racing, and the fact that there were photographers out there with these green vests on out in the Great Meadow field, capturing all these cool equine-related sports shots. I was sold from then on.”

Tony Gibson. Photo by Michael Butcher.

Neighbor | Page 7

Neighbor | From page 6

Gibson soon found himself donning the green vest, capturing images of horses and riders in action that would be featured in numerous local publications. To date, one of his favorite photo projects has been eventing, a competition in which riders and their horses compete in cross-country riding, show jumping, and dressage. “It’s a three-day event, which gives you a lot of opportunity to get great photography,” says Gibson. However, Twilight Polo tournaments are where Gibson is perhaps best known by the community to be seen with his camera in hand.

“Polo comes in two different flavors — grass polo and inside of the arena. The arena is kind of the equivalent to that fast-paced hockey environment where there’s a lot of action in front of you,” Gibson explains. “A lot of photographers don’t enjoy nighttime sporting events in less-than-optimal lighting, and I think I’ve gotten pretty good over time at shooting action in the dark. It’s something I really enjoy doing.”

To capture a clear photo in low light is difficult, and to capture a sharp image of a moving object even more so. Together, these create a challenge that Gibson set out to master. “It’s very rewarding when you get an interesting action-packed shot of fast-moving action, like the [polo] mallet swinging and hitting the ball, and nail it all sharply,” he says. “Sometimes I consider it like being out on a boat fishing. You throw your hook in the water and maybe you get something and maybe you don’t get something, but it’s always rewarding when you catch that big fish. You’re out there waiting for the great capture, and that’s what

drives me on most of these sports action photoshoots.”

More recently, Gibson has taken the low-light, high-speed challenge to new heights by photographing the Rolex 24, a 24-hour car racing event in Daytona, Florida, that features a variety of car classes. “During a 24-hour race you can go and rest and come back at midnight while these cars are zooming around the track. Supporting the Rolex 24 is something I greatly enjoy,” says Gibson.

In addition to photographing equestrian sports and race cars, Gibson enjoys capturing people in his photojournalistic style at weddings and other events. “There’s an elevated level of stress associated with weddings because there are no redos, but I enjoy being surrounded by that joyous event of two people coming together,” he says. “I’ve also had the pleasure of working with Salamander [Resort & Spa] on their Middleburg Film Festival event. It’s always neat to have behind-the-scenes action.”

Gibson says he enjoys practicing photography in Middleburg because of its classic Virginia town charm. He says, “I love that old town look, especially coming from New York City,” where he grew up. “It’s that small town feel.”

When he isn’t behind the camera, Gibson stays busy with his work in the defense contracting business and supporting his wife in her dog training pursuits. “We rescue pit bulls, a misunderstood breed of dogs,” he explains. “It’s unfortunate the bad rep that they have, because they truly are extremely loving, passionate dogs, especially toward their owners. All they want to do is please you and get a whole lot of kisses and rubs.”

Neighbor | Page 8

Top: 2019 Virginia Gold Cup at Great Meadow. Middle: Fourth of July Fireworks at Great Meadow. Bottom: Scenes from the 2018 Middleburg Film Festival. Photos by Tony Gibson, 22gates.com.

Neighbor | From page 7

Of Gibson’s many talents, perhaps his most admirable quality is that he does it all with a contagious smile. Whether in the field clicking away

as horses zoom by, or capturing a couple’s first dance, Gibson's obvious delight in every minute of it takes his photos to the next level and brings joy to all who cross his path.

To see Gibson’s photos, visit 22gates.com.

Our Conservation Commitment

Goodstone Inn & Restaurant is committed to preserving not only our 264-acre estate but all of our surroundings' natural beauty and resources for future generations. We strive to minimize our environmental impact through sustainable practices, including responsible waste management, energy conservation, and our fully operational farm & vegetable garden on the property.

Preserving our natural resources can create a more peaceful and sustainable world for all to relax and savor. See our property and how we focus on sustainable luxury in Loudon County.

Learn More About Our Conservation Efforts

Left: VA United Polo, Beverly vs Point-to-Point. Photo by Tony Gibson, 22gates.com. Right: Gibson sorts through prints of his photos. Photo by Michael Butcher.

Box 1380 | Middleburg, VA 20118 |

Washington St. | P.O. Box 1380 | Middleburg, VA 20118 | 540.687.5588 | sheridanmacmahon.com

from throughout | | 6 kitchen | cottage lighted stream, acres

HICKORY TREE FARM

SPRING GLADE

THE PLAINS, VIRGINIA

Beautifully renovated home on 340 acres| Main house, stunning guest house w/ garage, 2 tenant houses, manager’s house, apartment complex, pool, 5 barns totaling approximately 60 stalls, 3/4 mile all weather sand track, pond & extensive paddocks, fencing & sheds | Property is served by four separate gated entrances with access from Burrland Lane & Zulla Road | Panoramic views of Bull Run Mountains & the Blue Ridge Mountains offering an extraordinary building site if desired| Original home site still surrounded by towering trees, garden & stone walls

MIddLEBuRG, VIRGINIA

OUT WEST

WARRENTON, VIRGINIA

SALEM HILL

ATOKA STORE

MARSHALL, VIRGINIA

MARSHALL, VIRGINIA

Gracious home with impressive renovated kitchen. Hardwood floors, substantial millwork and fine finishes and 4 fireplaces Perfectly sited to enjoy the views of surrounding farmland | 5 bedrooms, home office, large family room, newly resurfaced tennis court, wonderful pool with cabana and 4 bedroom guest house with workshop/3 stall stable | Large field for turn out, 1 paddock and lovely hay field 32 acres in 2 recorded parcels

French Country home, with renovations in 1999 & 2017 | 4 BR, 5 full & 2 half BA, 5 FP, hardwood floors, flagstone terrace | Beautiful drive to hilltop stetting overlooking pond, lake & mountains | Improvements include pool, 2-car garage, 2 BR guest house & apartment | Lovely boxwood gardens | Kitchen allowance to be provided | 79.89 acres

$8,750,000

Helen MacMahon 540.454.1930

$3,900,000

Paul MacMahon 703.609.1905

h M M 540.454.1930

$3,000,000

Property has been a landmark for community for decades | Major frontage on Route 50 & Atoka Rd | Commercial kitchen, beer cooler, grocery items, pizza oven, in store seating | Potential to be very lucrative | Property also improved by older home, old gas station has been renovated for potential office space or storage & stone spring house | 2 lots with commercial village zoning

HUGHESVILLE ROAD

LEESBURG, VIRGINIA

99.33 acres in prime Loudoun Hunt country location, easy access to Leesburg, Purcellville & Lincoln | Property is in conservation easement Mountain and valley views | Rolling acreage | Approximately 65 acres of pasture, 35 acres of woods, major creek frontage | Property has road frontage on Hughesville Road and Holmes Mill Road | Very protected location.

GAME CREEK

MIddLEBuRG, VIRGINIA

$1,995,000

Paul MacMahon 703.609.1905

Brian MacMahon 703.609.1868

$2,650,000

Well protected Fauquier location | 6 bedrooms | 4 full and 2 half baths | 3 fireplaces | Great views | Pool with large flagstone terrace | Large county kitchen | 4-car detached garage with apartment/ office | 9-stall barn | Covered arena | Outdoor ring | 4 stall shed row barn | 51 fenced acres

Helen MacMahon 540.454.1930

$2,700,000

Paul MacMahon 703.609.1905

$3,690,000

Brian MacMahon 703.609.1868

Paul MacMahon 703.609.1905

203 acres in River frontage 4 full & 3 1/2 Gunnite pool and private | 5 stall Jim paddocks, pasture | Old d

CATESBY VINEYARD

UPPERVILLE, VIRGINIA

44.55 acres of which 15 acres are producing grapes | 8.5 acres of Chambourcin, Traminette on 4.3 acres and Vidal Blanc on 2.1 acres | Vineyard infrastructure includes fencing, irrigation system and computerized well Perc site for 4 bedroom home | Property is in conservation easement Property can be converted to Residential use

A remarkable property located within a private enclave just minutes from town | Stone and stucco manor house with main level master suite | 7 additional BR | 5 stone FP | Beautiful gardens, terraces, salt water pool, cabana, carriage house & stable with 2 paddocks | Lovely finishes throughout & sweeping lawn to private trails to Goose Creek | 31 acres | Private, elegant & convenient

RECTORTOWN ROAD

MARSHALL, VIRGINIA

HALCYON HILL

RECTORTOWN, VIRGINIA

Lovely country home on private lot in the village of Rectortown | FIBER INTERNET | Open floor plan with main level suite and home office | Upper level overlooks large family room with two story vaulted ceiling and stone fireplace and two large bedrooms and second family room | Multiple porches and decks with extensive plantings - easy maintenance.

$1,300,000

Paul MacMahon 703.609.1905

Brian MacMahon 703.609.1868

17 acres of rolling pasture land in the village of Rectortown | Convenient to both Routes 50 & 66 | Newly renovated | Private setting with magnificent mountain views | 4 bedrooms, 4 full bath, 1 half bath, 2 fireplaces | Heated pool & spa | 2 bedroom guest house | Large shed & 2-car garage

$1,250,000

Helen MacMahon 540.454.1930

$2,475,000

Paul MacMahon 703.609.1905

h M M 540.454.1930

dELAPLANE, Circa 1850’s rebuilt at beams and Barn also 2 bedroom multiple building outside

The Land Trust of Virginia’s “Conservationist of the Year” award is presented to an individual who has strong commitment to land conservation and has made extraordinary contributions to the organization’s mission. This year’s recipient is Dr. Betsee Parker, a leader for local preservation projects with an impressive track record in the field. She’ll be recognized officially during an award ceremony on May 7. “I'm very honored and I feel very privileged to receive this award,” shares Dr. Parker.

According to the executive director of LTV, Ashton Cole, individuals are identified in the selection process who’ve made “significant impact in conservation and preservation of properties with particular historic, scenic, agricultural, or ecological significance to the commonwealth.”

The nonprofit recognizes Dr. Parker for her efforts to protect and steward various properties in the northern Piedmont.

Dr. Parker’s efforts include the restoration of the historic Huntland Estate, on Pot House Road,

DR. BETSEE PARKER: LaNd trust of VirgiNia’s CoNserVatioNist of the Year

Written by Lia Hobel

which encompasses the main house, gardens, stables, kennels, and original quarters of enslaved people. “When I found out about Huntland being up for sale, it was in very derelict condition and was not livable,” Dr. Parker recalls. “It took a few years before I could move in — in fact three and a half, because it was so derelict that there was a lot of foundational work which needed to be done. It wasn't just a matter of cosmetic work.”

The estate includes 150 acres. When land surrounding the Huntland Estate came on the market, Dr. Parker acted swiftly to purchase the acreage to block the possibility of any housing development plans. She also made the conservation purchase of the nearby Farmer’s Delight Estate. She said she feels honored to preserve as much open space as possible in the community and feels a civic responsibility to do so to protect species of animals who inhabit the area.

Farmer’s Delight, located on Mountville Road, is the older of the two houses, dating back to pre-Revolutionary America. The house itself

was built in the 1790s by Colonel Joseph Flavius Lane. Dr. Parker says her timing was right when the property went up for sale. She wanted to keep the home’s historical nature intact and “keep the properties in a state where they are very attractive to all the species of animals that need to take refuge on our lands.” She says, “It’s been a very expensive endeavor to do that, but I’ve been happy to hold the land for that reason.”

Dr. Parker was also largely instrumental in developing and funding the National Register of Historic Places nomination for the Upperville Colt & Horse Show Grounds, the donation of the old General Store to the Unison Preservation Society, as well as, the historic Allen House in Middleburg to the Middleburg Museum Foundation.

In part, her work is inspired by the United Nations and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals. She feels privileged to have worked with senior advisors and activists for the last 20 years in sus-

Dr. Betsee Parker. Photo by Joanne Maisano.

Conservationist | From page 10

tainable development and climate change and said she’s learned much about the international, national, state, and local issues and always at the forefront is conservation of land.

Dr. Parker says her appreciation for conservancy started at an early age. “I was around horses and ponies as a little girl, and we would ride out into these big, beautiful green spaces,” she remembers. “I've always loved the wide-open spaces and particularly those in Virginia with the rolling vistas down to the Blue Ridge Mountains. I always found it very romantic and nostalgic and full of the experience that I wanted to have in life of a very peaceful and meditative scene.”

The 2023 Annual Conservation Awards will also include “Land Owner of the Year” and “Steward of the Year.” All award recipients will be honored at the Garden Party on May 7 at the historic Kinross Farm, owned by Zohar and Lisa Ben-Dov.

More information regarding the Land Trust of Virginia (LTV)

Founded over a quarter century ago, the Land Trust of Virginia is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that relies upon the generous support of

the community and landowners to fulfill its mission. The LTV is a trusted conservation partner, recognized and accredited by the Land Trust Alliance as a land trust that meets “national standards for protecting natural places and working lands forever.”

ML

Huntland stables and kennels. Photo by Janet Hitchen.

uNpLug at purCeLLViLLe’s historiC spriNgdaLe ViLLage iNN

Written by Diane Helentjaris |

by Gracie Withers

Springdale Village Inn, two miles south of Purcellville, ticks all the boxes for a charming B&B sojourn. It is beautiful, historic, and convenient to both transportation hubs and tourist delights. Washington, D.C., is within 60 miles. Dulles Airport and the Udvar-Hazy Center of the National Air and Space Museum are less than 40 miles away. Equestrian events, wineries, historic

properties, antique shops, and an outlet mall are found even closer.

Silas Redd describes the inn as “a comfortable, upscale type of situation … with lots of antiques, but we don’t want it to be a museum. We want you to sit on our couch, look at our china and dishes.” Each of the five bathrooms at the inn has a clawfoot tub.

“This is somewhere close to all destinations [visitors] want to go to and at the end of the day, can come to and really unwind. [It’s] an unplugged destination.”

Redd is, as he puts it, the “face of Springdale,” taking care of day-to-day operations for owner

Historic | Page 13

Photos

Top: Springdale Village Inn in Purcellville. Top left: Vintage pieces add historic interest to the airy inn. Bottom: Charming works of art are found on almost every wall.

David Lohmann. Asked if he has a title, he confers in a whispered sidebar with Lohmann, and comes back: “Publicity Manager.” Redd also owns and operates the Purcellville vintage clothing store Nostalgia Boutique. He has a deep appreciation of things from bygone days, a passion that comes through in Springdale’s classic, traditional decor.

Enhancing its serenity are the gardens. “David has designed the garden. All season long as something is dying, something else is growing.” The garden is a mix of native Virginia plants interspersed with those typical of the 19th century. A small greenhouse on the property supports the inn’s needs. There is a florist on staff, who former-

ly worked at The White House.

Lohmann is no amateur gardener. He owns one of Loudoun’s most popular nurseries, Abernethy and Spencer, just a halfmile north of the inn. He studied ornamental horticulture at the Delaware College of Science and Agriculture in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. He then spent 15 years in upstate New York as a dairy farmer, milking one hundred cows and farming a thousand acres.

He now continues his dairy farming on a small scale at Springdale Valley Inn. Geese and ducks waddle about, chickens and guinea fowl peck their food. Peacocks show off. Lohmann keeps a half-dozen sweet-faced Jersey cows. He milks them at four every morning and again in the afternoon. The inn’s eggs star in its breakfasts. Excess eggs and shares in the raw milk are sold on-site by the honor system. Guests will also be greeted by a posse of English Labrador retrievers. The animals enhance the inn’s already bucolic aesthetic.

However, life at the inn was not always so tranquil. Built in 1832, Samuel M. Janney opened it as a girls’ boarding school in 1839, where he served as principal. He and his wife both taught classes while continuing to use it as their home. Classes included such topics as astronomy, chemistry, botany, and rhetoric. Springdale Boarding

School, considered by some to be the first girls’ boarding school on the East Coast and the first school in Loudoun County, had a secondary purpose. Janney, a Quaker, writer, and anti-slavery activist, believed education could be a tool to persuade students of the error of slaveholding. He advertised his school in both white and African American newspapers and welcomed girls of all religions. The girls’ school eventually closed and reopened as a coeducational school for Quaker boys and girls in 1855.

According to oral history, supported by the abundance of alcoves and hiding spots in the inn, Janney sheltered enslaved people in their flight to the North. Springdale was a final stop on the Underground Railroad, as the Potomac River and freedom lay 16 miles to the north.

Life as an abolitionist in the South carried risks. As a Pennsylvania Quaker Lydia Wierman noted after a visit to Loudoun in 1845, “We of the north know not what it is to live in the lion’s

Historic | Page 14

Top: A cozy kitchen table is perfect for a communal meal. Bottom: Details like fresh flowers and a smiling lamb make the inn even more inviting.

Historic | From page 12

mouth.” Janney did. In 1849, he ended up accused by a Loudoun County grand jury of writing essays calculated “to incite persons of colour to make insurrection or rebellion.” After much legal wrangling, the matter was dropped.

During the Civil War, Springdale served as a hospital for wounded and sick soldiers on both sides of the conflict.

Janney was plugged in politically. At one time he carried a permit signed by President Abraham Lincoln which allowed him to pass into Union lines at Point of Rocks or Berlin (now Brunswick), Maryland. After the war, President Ulysses S. Grant appointed him as a supervisor of Indian

affairs and, for two years, he and his wife lived in Nebraska fulfilling those duties.

In the 20th century, Springdale took on a more recreational role as a retreat. Sam Rayburn and Lyndon B. Johnson are said to have played poker in the parlor.

“Seventy-five to eighty percent of the visitors are coming for a family event,” Redd says. He explains that the inn has an associated property Ellmore Farm, a more casual venue which is popular with families.

Today, the white two-story home welcomes visitors from around the world. Redd says his favorite part of his work is “the number of people

who we come in contact with, from overseas, all over.… We know the history, but it’s always new for the guests. For them, it’s always exciting, and that is motivating for us.” ML

Both venues are available to visitors through Airbnb at airbnb.com.

Springdale Village Inn

18348 Lincoln Road Purcellville, VA 20132 540-751-8686

SpringdaleVA@gmail.com

For more information see springdalevillageinn. com.

Left: Exposed beam and a slanted ceiling add rustic charm to this bedroom. Middle: There are common rooms for guests to kick up their feet. Right: A little fox is the perfect nod to the inn’s Hunt Country location.

“ENDURANCE” ON DISPLAY AT NSLM: Secretariat’s Triple Crown at 50

Written by Dulcy B. Hooper

It has been 50 years since Virginia’s most famous racehorse, Secretariat, was propelled into the annals of history after winning the American Triple Crown of horse racing: the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness, and the Belmont Stakes in 1973 — setting a track record at the Preakness that has yet to be broken.

Dr. Yarger joined NSLM last July and immediately began to research and put together “En-

Endurance | Page 17

Curated by Colleen Yarger, Ph.D., George L. Ohrstrom, Jr. Curator of Library Collections at the National Sporting Library & Museum, the exhibition opened on January 26 and will run through May 14.

Top: “Secretariat,” 1973, Richard Stone Reeves (American, 1919–2005). Oil on canvas, 24 x 29 3⁄4 inches. Gift of Nina S. Reeves, 2021. Courtesy of NSLM. Bottom: “Going to the Post for the Running of the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico,” 1973, Marshall P. Hawkins (American, 1910–1988). Black and white photograph, Marshall Hawkins Photograph Collection. Courtesy of NSLM.

durance.” “It seemed such a natural topic to highlight,” she says, “and NSLM has such significant holdings around which to base this exhibition.”

Prior to joining NSLM, Yarger had served as Assistant Curator for European Art and the Mellon Collections at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.

Such was Secretariat’s success that those who understood the significance of his epic accomplishments set out to document in print, photography, and art what they had seen with their own eyes. “Endurance” offers a fine-tuned presentation of all the above.

Yarger notes that “There are more people alive now who did not see these races than who did see them — and that includes me.” As to the exhibition, Yarger shares that she “loves a story, and for me, a story has to add up; it has to move from one piece to the next and then the next.”

“Endurance” includes books, photographs, and art. Among the focus areas is “Breeding for the Perfect Racehorse.” National Sporting Library founder Alexander Mackay-Smith (1903–1998) pinpointed Breeding Racehorses as the first text to publish a system of metrics to identify the most important pedigrees of dams within Thoroughbred breeding.

One of the books highlighted is “The X Factor:

What It Is & How to Find It: The Relationship Between Inherited Heart Size and Racing Performance”

by Marianna Haun, which explores the theory that Secretariat had been born with a genetic makeup that led to a larger-than-average-sized heart. Haun’s book details the theory that many successful racehorses have bigger hearts, tracing the linkage of this genetic quirk to the X chromosome. At the root of this quirk: a larger-than-average heart is only heritable from father to daughter or from mother to offspring.

“The description of Secretariat’s ‘tremendous heart’ was more than just metaphorical,” says Yarger. “While the average Thoroughbred’s heart weighs between eight and nine pounds, Secretariat’s heart was estimated to weigh 22 pounds.”

“Endurance” includes an understated but deep-

ly impactful visual of Secretariat’s stride — one worth returning to see again. Secretariat's length of stride was considered large, measuring 24 feet, 11 inches long, while training for the Preakness. Because he was so well-muscled and with such significant cardiac capacity, he could out-gallop competitors at nearly any point in a race.

Another book highlighted in the exhibit is “The Secretariat Factor: The Story of a Multimillion-Dollar Breeding Industry.” Written by Thomas Kiernan and released only two years after Secretariat’s first crop of foals had become eligible to race, “The Secretariat Factor” chronicles the intrigue surrounding that first crop by focusing on their successes and failures, providing a behind-the-scenes look at the various factors affecting the decisions of members of the Secretariat syndicate.

Among Yarger’s favorite aspects of the exhibit is “something I was not expecting but found and was affected by in NSLM’s Richard Stone Reeves Archive.” Reeves was one of the foremost equine portraitists in the second half of the 20th century. Included in his archive (donated to NSLM by his children, Nina and Tony Reeves) is a folder containing a series of black-and-white prints of Secretariat’s renowned groom, Eddie Sweat, holding a lead shank and moving Secretariat around. Along the edges of the photos are chestnut-col-

Endurance | From page 16

Top: Colleen Yarger. Photo by Richard D. Hooper. Bottom left: Sports Illustrated, June 11, 1973, Richard Stone Reeves Archive. Gift of Richard Stone “Tony” Reeves, Jr. and Nina S. Reeves. Courtesy of NSLM. Middle: TIME, June 11, 1973, Richard Stone Reeves Archive. Gift of Richard Stone “Tony” Reeves, Jr. and Nina S. Reeves. Courtesy of NSLM. Right: Newsweek, June 11, 1973. Courtesy of NSLM.

Endurance | Page 18

Endurance | From page 17

ored fingerprints, made as Reeves referenced them in painting Secretariat.

“Now, every time I find a chestnut-colored fingerprint in the Reeves archive, it brings a smile to my face,” Yarger says. “Seeing actual fingerprints on the photos makes it easy to imagine Reeves, in his studio, working on the painting and selecting a photo to reference. It’s a very human thing to do. I am so grateful that Reeves saved them.”

Shortly after Secretariat ran his last race as a 3-year-old on October 28, 1973, he was retired from racing and transported to Claiborne Farm, embarking on life as a sire. Members of the syndicate sent mares to breed, hoping to enhance their chances of producing a worthy contender. By

the time Secretariat died in 1989, he had sired 16 crops of foals, producing three stakes winners who would ultimately achieve over $20,000,000 in earnings.

“There is a method when telling a story,” Yarger explains. “You have to believe that one-third will know nothing; one-third will have a general idea of what it is about; and one-third will be supremely interested. I hope that this exhibit touches all of those individuals.” ML

“Endurance: Secretariat’s Triple Crown at 50” Forrest E. Mars, Sr. Exhibit Hall National Sporting Library & Museum 102 The Plains Road Middleburg, VA 20117 540-687-6542

Forrest E. Mars, Sr. Exhibit Hall installation. Courtesy of NSLM.

REMEMBERING JIM POSTON, MIDDLEBURG’S PHOTOGRAPHER

Written by Heidi Baumstark

They say a picture paints a thousand words. If so, then the late Middleburg photographer Jim Poston has uttered millions through the thousands of shots snapped over the course of his illustrious career behind the camera and in the community.

A Middleburg native, Poston was born September 5, 1944, and passed away at the age of 78 on February 24, 2023. One step inside his Middleburg home, and it is evident what drove him. The images covering his walls include Middleburg Life covers, photos of local theater and musical groups, camps for special needs children, car and motorcycle races, and, of course, equestrian affairs, including a few photos of Jackie Kennedy on her favorite horse.

For years, Poston was the official photographer for the Middleburg Christmas Parade. His iconic capture of the Middleburg Hunt trotting down a snowy Washington Street with riders in brilliant red hunting attire, surrounded by hounds can be spotted throughout the village,

forever immortalizing his talent.

Poston is survived by his wife Cathy Bernache, his son and daughter, four grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.

GROWING UP IN MIDDLEBURG

Poston grew up in a cottage on Foxcroft School property where his father worked as a chauffeur. As a schoolboy, he attended Middleburg Elementary School (currently Middleburg Community Charter School) on N. Madison Street. In 1956, he and his father, Herman Poston, moved to W. Marshall Street, the same house he would later share with his wife of almost 34 years, Cathy, and raise his two children Karen and Jamie. Herman operated the old Humble Esso gas station located on E. Washington Street, and young “Jimmy” worked there as a teen. “Jimmy’s dad and friends would gather in the evenings after closing time and jam at the gas station playing bluegrass and old-time country music with his dad on the fid-

Photographer | Page 21

Top: Double rainbow over Poston’s Middleburg house. Photo by Jim Poston. Left: Poston at Glenwood Spring Races. Photo by Liz Callar.

dle and friends on bass, banjo, and guitar,” Bernache says. “That was Middleburg back then. Jimmy had many musician friends — music was a big part of his life.”

His father also owned the building which housed the Hamburger Hut in town where he and Jimmy would have dinner every evening. “I remember it, too,” Bernache shares. “It was on the corner of Pendleton and Washington streets across from the Safeway.” The Middleburg Safeway was just one of the many Safeways where Poston worked, and he attended its grand opening in November 1966. Ten years later he and Bernache met. It was Valentine’s Day 1976. The couple married on New Year’s Eve in 1989.

PHOTOGRAPHY CALLS

Poston’s initial interest in photography can perhaps be credited to his grandmother, who gave him a Kodak camera when he was very young. That early introduction would pay off 40 years later. In 1998, Madelyn Marzani, then editor of Middleburg Life, walked into the

Safeway and asked a cashier if he knew a photographer. The cashier pointed at Poston. The rest is history.

Because of Marzani, his photography portfolio grew. His success allowed him to retire from Safeway in 2000 and start his own full-time business: Jim Poston Photography. His photographs have been published far and wide in publications including Middleburg Eccentric, Washington Life, Chase, Virginian Sportsman, and various motorcycle magazines. To keep current, he would read several photography magazines a month and was a frequent customer of McClanahan Camera’s in Warrenton.

Marzani was one of his early photography mentors, but perhaps his most influential one was the late Howard Allen, known in the 1960s as the “Kennedy photographer.” In Allen’s studio, adjacent to The Fun Shop, the two photographers frequently collaborated on projects. Poston also worked with the late Audrey Windsor Bergner, a local author who composed several hardcover picture books featuring Hunt Country estates. Many of those photos were taken by Poston.

Over his long career, his photo lens captured a variety of scenes: weddings, community events, real estate, Middleburg Spring Races, local hunts, polo matches, The Middleburg Players, Loudoun Ballet, performances by special needs children, and multiple events at Middleburg Community Center, The Hill School, Wakefield, Highland, Middleburg Montessori, and

Notre Dame (now called Middleburg Academy). He also worked with the late Eura Lewis to chronicle historical photos for the future Middleburg Museum. His work is one of the most comprehensive documentations of Middleburg, from past to present.

Beyond scenes of Middleburg, “Motorcycles and cars were really his thing,” Bernache shares. In the early days, Poston raced his bike with friends on the local dirt tracks outside of Winchester. Later, he photographed races — both cars and motorcycles — from Summit Point, West Virginia, to Daytona’s Speedway in Florida. He loved classic sports cars and had several Jaguar E-Types of his own.

COMMUNITY MEMORIES OF JIM

Middleburg’s Town Council member Cindy Pearson has known Poston since childhood. “I grew up in Middleburg and we went to school together. My brother and Jimmy used to pal around together. Jimmy taught me photography and took me along to events and asked me to cover for him; some of my photos were in Middleburg Life. I like to say that I went to the University of Jim Poston.”

The last time Pearson saw Poston was in October 2022 at the 1000 Miglia, an Italian car rally in town. “There he stood, grinning from ear-to-ear with camera in-hand.” Pearson adds, “He always had that little smile. I can just picture him now, smiling up a storm.”

Tom Sweitzer, co-founder of Middleburg’s A Place To Be — an award-winning therapeutic arts organization creating community through music therapy — has decades of memories of his friend of 30 years. In a touching tribute on Facebook, Sweitzer describes Poston, in his signature purple hat, as a “photographer that clicked every picture with his heart.” He adds that Poston was “in the shadows of every event, play, parade, and music event. He must have taken photos of 50 of my shows between 1995 to 2015. He was a kind and quiet soul. Some of his pictures won awards, but he did it to fulfill his mission in this world — to capture something beyond what an eye at the moment can grasp.”

Sweitzer noted that he saw Poston around Christmas with his purple hat on.

Photographer | Page 23

Poston and Bernache in the 80s on his Triumph. Photo by Karen Hoosier.

Photographer | From page 20

Row one (left to right): Jackie Kennedy at the OCH Hunter Trials. The Middleburg Hunt in snow in 2009. Row two (left to right): Fourth of July at the Community Center. The Children of SCORE. Sunset with a full moon. Cinderella performance with VSA Arts of Loudoun. Row three (left to right): Motorcycle crash at Summit Point. Poston’s children, Karen and Jamie, enjoying a sunset in the Middleburg backyard circa the 1970s. Row four (left to right): Tom Sweitzer with VSA Arts of Loudoun. Middleburg shut down in snow. Photos by Jim Poston.

“His sweet smile made me smile. I remember thinking to myself, I should really sit with him and catch up. Too late.”

Barbara Grove, former owner of the Harley-Davidson dealership in Winchester, remembers the many events Poston did with her and the special needs kids’ camp that she sponsored every summer. Bernache adds, “Jim would join Barbara at this big motorcycle rally out to Front Royal and welcome the kids. Anything with kids in need — that’s what gave him the greatest joy.”

Grove says, “Jim had a few loves in his life, and motorcycles were one of them. One day, Jim and I rode our motorcycles to Sky Meadows Park and he took a picture of me on my motorcycle that turned into a mural for the wall in my dealership. People have asked me where that photo was taken. That's what Jim's photography did — it made you look and admire.”

Middleburg native Howard Armfield is another close friend of Poston’s. “We met when we

were 12 or 13; Jim was a couple years older than me when he moved into town behind the Safeway. As teenage boys we were interested in cars and worked on them with other friends in town. He was widely known because of all the photography he did for so many organizations. And he took pictures of several of the historical houses in town.”

Patti Thomas, good friend and previous broker and owner of Thomas and Talbot, has known Poston since 1989. “My late husband, Phillip Thomas, and Jimmy were a fixture. My husband would say, ‘Quick, we’ve got a puffy cloud day; perfect for pictures.’ And they’d get in the car, Jimmy carrying all his camera gear, taking photos for our real estate brochures.”

Of his work for Middleburg Life, Thomas adds, “It was like a social diary where everyone could see what was going on. The charities, races — he’d be behind the jumps, a true gentleman paparazzi. He’d capture these sweet candid shots. And he loved his Jaguars and motorcycles.”

Martha Cotter, a resident of Middleburg, worked with American Children of SCORE, a local children’s music ensemble that performed for 15 years from 1992 to 2007 at Middleburg Community Center and other locations. “Jim was so supportive of children’s music. Going back from his dad playing fiddle at the Esso to these performances, he loved music and took such care to make sure he’d capture the children looking their best.” Cotter would go to his house and they would sit at his desk, going through all the photos. The photos would then get into Middleburg Life and he’d make the photos available to parents. As a result of this ensemble, a music school was later launched: The Community School of the Piedmont, where Cotter serves as executive director.

“Jim was so supportive of children’s groups and those with special needs,” Cotter recalls. “We thought the world of him.”

Top row (left to right): Poston at the M.A.R.E. Center just outside Middleburg. Photo by Patti Thomas. Poston with the hounds of the Middleburg Hunt in 2008. Photo by Faith Maddox. Bottom row (left to right): Poston and Howard Allen. Photo by Madelyn Marzani. Poston at the Middleburg Safeway with the night crew and his son, Jamie. Photo courtesy of Cathy Bernache. Poston at the Daytona Speedway. Photo courtesy of Cathy Bernache.

Photographer | From page 21

Photographer | Page 24

JIM’S LEGACY LIVES ON

He loved this town. He loved to sit outside with his beloved cats and reminisce with friends stopping by. No one was a stranger. His door was always open. He took time to watch each sunset and the various wildlife that visited his backyard. Things like that were important to him. Bernache adds, “Referring to his backyard, he’d say, ‘I’ve had 70 years of enjoyment of that view.’ His children grew up here and had the advantage of walking out that same door and seeing all this nature.”

His son, James “Jamie” Poston, carries on the tradition of working at the Middleburg Safeway. His daughter, Karen Hoosier, is a horsewoman dedicated to the rescue and rehab of horses in need. “He was so proud of his whole family,” Bernache shares, “and his granddaughter, Taylor Lester, who has become a talented professional

photographer in her own right.”

In his last years, his interests focused on working with kids, special Middleburg events, motorcycles, and cars. “He would drop anything to do work for the kids. Kids and motorcycles — that was his joy,” explains Bernache. “He was just really geniune. Really humble, and generous like his father before him.”

Poston captured the lives of so many, both through his lens, and with his wall-to-wall kindness and undeniable warmth. While he will certainly be sorely missed, he will always live on in the hearts of those who knew him and in the images he so brilliantly captured. ML

A Place To Be will honor Jim Poston and his photography work as part of their annual summer musical June 30 at 7 p.m., July 1 at 2 p.m., and July 2 at 2 p.m. at The Hill School in Middleburg. Visit aplacetobeva.org for more information.

Photographer | From page 23

Hale-Bopp comet over the Middleburg Elementary School. Photo by Jim Poston.

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PRESCRIBED BURNS: RESTORING THE WONDER OF NATIVE GRASSLANDS

Written by Will Thompson | Photos by Callie Broaddus

The flames crackled and glowed, burning slowly but intently through layers of dried yellowed grass and underbrush. Smoke billowed among the small crowd of onlookers appearing strangely alien — their faces obscured by fireproof suits and goggles — in the familiar landscape. The image was enough to conjure up feelings of panic: a bushfire crackling through a Hunt Country field. In reality, far from wreaking loss and devastation, this prescribed burn was started and maintained by the Warrenton environmental nonprofit The Clifton Institute as an essential step in caring for the health and vibrancy of a local native grassland.

Wild savannas and grasslands were abundant in the Piedmont of the eastern United States prior to widespread colonization and settlement. They were complex ecosystems that sustained bustling food webs of native grasses and flowers, insects and birds, and even grazing megafauna including bison. Today, the vast majority of these natural

habitats have all but vanished as urban development, invasion by non-native pasture grasses, and the extirpation of bison and other species winnowed away the strands of these food webs. In place of the Piedmont’s once abundant native grasslands, our non-wooded areas are now almost entirely private lawns, gardens, and pasturelands. The occasional fox or snake sighting notwithstanding, most private fields and pastures are primarily fescue or lawn grasses that exclude native grasses and make a poor habitat for biodiversity.

Another reason that these native grasslands have receded from expansive ecosystems to a loosely bound mosaic of grassy patches is our modern practice of fire suppression.

“Fire is how grasslands were maintained historically,” explains Dr. Bert Harris, executive director of The Clifton Institute. “Fires were started naturally by lightning strikes or set by Indigenous Americans to corral game during hunting or to

clear and manage land.”

Fast forward to today, and prescribed burns are being used as an effective tool in the efforts of landowners and conservation organizations to restore the Piedmont’s grasslands to their historical, and majestic, natural state.

“Native grasses have deep roots,” says Harris, explaining how native plants adapted to the natural fires that once routinely blazed through Piedmont savannas. “If you burn the native plants, it doesn’t hurt them. They’re playing the long game.” In contrast, most non-native and invasive grasses have more grass above ground, and shallower roots. As a prescribed burn rolls through a pasture of native and non-native grasses, it burns the invasive plants down to their shallow roots and clears aboveground fuel to give native grasses room to regenerate and spread.

As these native grasses begin to re-take root, the once degraded habitats spring back to life, in

turn allowing declining plants and animals to recover and thrive.

“We found that these native grasslands are the most diverse plant communities in the entire state of Virginia,” says Harris. “That was really

Restoring | Page 30

Left page: A scene from the prescribed burn on March 1 with the Clifton Institute. Above: A drone shot captures the prescribed burn at work. Bottom: A drip torch is vital equipment for the exercise.

“If you burn the native plants, it doesn’t hurt them. They’re playing the long game.” – Harris

surprising. No one had ever studied native grasslands in the northern and central Piedmont of Virginia. We found nearly 500 species of plants, including several rare or threatened species.” In fact, just one of The Clifton Institute’s 50-by-2meter grassland plots contained 93 species of plants, which made it the third most diverse vegetation plot in the state.

Plants are not the only species that benefits from restoring native grasslands. They are the foundation of healthy, biodiverse savanna ecosystems that are home to threatened species like the American kestrel, eastern meadowlarks, and bobolinks. Leaf-munching caterpillars and bugs, one of the cornerstones of a flourishing food web, haven’t adapted to the defensive chemicals in non-native plants, which also aren’t frequented by native pollinators. The result is non-native plants contributing to a comparably sterile landscape, devoid of the buzz and hum of insects and the songs of the birds who feed on them.

“The last remaining fragments of these native grasslands are slowly disappearing or are threatened by invasive plants or urban development,” says Harris. “More than 90% of Virginia’s grasslands are on private land, so there’s a big opportunity for landowners to play a key role in restoring these amazing ecosystems.”

The Clifton Institute is actively working with landowners to help them manage private lands in a way that benefits and restores natural ecosystems. Their programs include visiting properties, supplying seedling native plants, and hosting those interested on their 900-acre field station. “Even if you have a smaller property, there are huge benefits to biodiversity by having native

plants in your garden or you could have a small wildflower meadow,” says Harris.

The Clifton Institute also advises landowners on how to engage in prescribed burns, an effective first step in restoring a landscape suited for native plants and grasses, and welcomes volunteers during their burns.

“Most people who volunteer during a prescribed burn are surprised to be bored by it. We burn into the wind, very slowly,” says Harris. “Though, during our last burn, the flames did

get to be 30 feet tall,” he added. “There’s always a little bit of excitement. I don’t recommend that people just start by lighting a match.” Harris does recommend that property owners interested in restoring native ecosystems reach out to The Clifton Institute, and in specific regard to prescribed burns, also get in touch with the Virginia Department of Forestry.

“There are numerous ways to get involved and there’s a lot that individuals can do,” Harris emphasizes. “We run educational programs and hold events for the public on our field station, and we are always looking for volunteers. In the bigger picture, the natural habitats and biodiversity of Virginia rely on people managing their fields and gardens.”

The Clifton Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to inspire a deeper understanding and appreciation of nature, to study the ecology of the Piedmont region, to restore habitat, and to conserve native biodiversity. Readers can learn more about The Clifton Institute, the opportunities to visit their field station for citizen science, and their volunteer programs and special events at cliftoninstitute.org ML

Top: Bert Harris in his safety gear. Bottom: Another shot from above shows the prescribed burn in action.

“There’s always a little bit of excitement. I don’t recommend that people just start by lighting a match.”

– Harris

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THE DATA CENTER DEBATE UNFOLDS IN WARRENTON

Written by Bill Kent

When residents and community organizations began to oppose Amazon’s planned Warrenton data center at Blackwell Road two years ago, the Washington

park in Haymarket as one more example of the power of affluent Hunt Country residents.

However, the town’s final public meeting in February, where Warrenton’s revered conserva-

Kevin Ramundo, president of the nonprofit Concerned Citizens of Fauquier County, also attended that meeting and afterward challenged those who characterized his organization, which Hope Porter helped found, as a bulwark against progress.

“We are 100 percent for data centers if they’re in the right place,” Ramundo continued. “What we’re objecting to is the location, which sits at the gateway to Warrenton — the site is much too close to residences and businesses — and the lack of transparency about how it was brought into the community.”

He went on to mention a lack of public review when the plan for land in and around Warrenton, including the Blackwell Road parcel that Amazon had purchased, was changed to include data centers. That, and the abrupt resignation of Warrenton Town Manager Brandie Schaeffer to become an economic development principal at Amazon Web Services, prompted Ramundo to file a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit requesting emails between Schaeffer, Amazon Web Services, and other Warrenton officials. Though some parties of the suit offered to hand over a portion of their emails voluntarily, Ramundo says he still hasn’t seen them all.

Regarding this and other matters pertaining to the proposed data center, Amazon spokesman Duncan Neasham told the Washington Post that Amazon Web Services maintains a “robust code of business conduct and ethics” and “well-established business practices.”

Post and other mainstream media portrayed it as a “Nimby” (Not in My Back Yard) dispute between a trillion-dollar consumer services company (which just halted construction of its second headquarters in Arlington) that will bring jobs and tax revenue to Warrenton, and wealthy residents who want to keep Hunt Country in its agrarian, equestrian past. Many articles referenced the 1994 defeat of a proposed $750 million Walt Disney Company American history theme

tionist Hope Porter and Hunt Country celebrity, Academy Award-winning actor Robert Duvall joined hundreds of residents and business people, did not yield the same outcome.

Duvall called Warrenton “the last station stop on the way to heaven.” He begged Warrenton’s elected officials to stop Amazon’s data center because “it might open the doors to improperly located data centers and the energy supply infrastructure that is required to power them.”

He added that, “With the town of Warrenton, we openly engaged the community through meetings, public filings, and hearings in our aim to build a data center that will bring significant investment, highly-skilled jobs, and a boost to the local economy.”

Chris Miller, president of the nonprofit Piedmont Environmental Council, disagreed. “We haven’t seen any outreach. They’ve held public

Data | Page 35

The elevated Amazon data center at the eastern gateway to Warrenton. Photo by Hugh Kenny, Piedmont Environmental Council.

Data | From page 34

meetings but they clearly haven’t listened to anything anyone has said.”

Arlington Attorney John Foote, who represented Amazon at those meetings, declined to comment for this article, citing attorney-client privilege.

And no, Miller is not against data centers, but vows to continue his opposition to Amazon’s. “We know we need data centers and that they can bring revenue and jobs. But there’s no plan in place that can address the impact these things are going to have on all of our lives.”

He suggested the most significant impact may come from the electricity data centers require. “That single data center is going to use more power than every house and small business in Fauquier County, and Dominion doesn’t yet have the generating capacity to serve it, as well as who knows how many new ones that are coming online. Even if [the Department of Environmental Quality] lets the data centers run their diesel generators this summer to make up for Dominion’s shortfall — which will put some of the most toxic pollution into the air in places where it just shouldn’t be — there is no way that Dominion can come up with enough power to serve all the data centers without sticking the bill to normal ratepayers like you and me. Then there are too many questions that haven’t been answered, like, ‘Where are you going to get the power from?’ Even if you use net-zero emission generators like wind or solar, where are you going to put the windmills and solar panel arrays? How are you going to bring that power to the data centers? Do you want to look out your window and see more data centers, substations, and transmission towers carving up countryside?”

Julie Broaddus, owner of the Old Bust Head Brewery, doesn’t. Not long ago, Broaddus drove through Ashburn’s Data Center Alley — the single largest concentration of data centers in the commonwealth. She describes the experience as something out of Harry Potter. “You get a really strange feeling, like you are encircled by dementors,” i.e. creatures associated with sadness and fear.

“Every day hundreds, sometimes thousands of people come to Hunt Coun-

try because they want something that is unique to this place,” Broaddus said. “It’s a feeling of connection to nature, history, and a way of life that is honest, open, and welcoming, but increasingly difficult to maintain. As someone who once sat on the Fauquier County Architectural Board, I can tell you that this kind of life is very easily destroyed, one bad decision at a time.”

But good decisions can be made. “The data centers are coming. That’s a fact we’re all going to have to get used to. Why can’t they be like the one we have in Vint Hill? Before we got it, people came around and asked us for our input. We said we didn’t want it to distract or jar with what we already have. So they put the data center in an office building and it doesn’t overwhelm... Why can’t Amazon actually listen to people and make the kind of decisions where everyone benefits?”

Perhaps that’s why an as yet unnamed developer interested in putting at least two data centers in Hunt Country is holding private meetings with Kevin Ramundo and Dave Gibson.

Gibson is an environmental consultant who lives less than two miles from Amazon’s proposed Blackwell Road data center. “Long before data centers existed, there were farms. They grew soybeans and corn. Agriculture has always been important in Warrenton and Fauquier counties. It might still be the single most important thing in the commonwealth because you find it everywhere, in every county. Agriculture binds us together as much as it sustains us.”

Gibson happens to be something of a fan of data centers. “In Europe, Scandinavian countries, the heat the data centers generate is used to warm public buildings and homes. There’s talk in the Netherlands about vertical farms you could hang on the data center walls that would help insulate the interior, use storm runoff, and help feed people.”

Any hint of what this new data center developer wants?

“I haven’t seen their whole plan,” Gibson says, “but, in wanting to talk to us, they’re taking a step in the right direction.” ML

Data centers are astronomically huge versions of the memory chips on your phone, or the hard drive on your computer. They store and provide access to digitized pictures, sounds, videos, books, documents, as well as business and government records and traces of what you and everybody else does online, in a placeless universe called the Cloud. Because of its proximity to fiber optic cable networks, its history as an incubator for government contractors and digital service companies, and an overall openness to tech industries, Virginia now has 275 data centers, a third of them in “Data Center Alley” in eastern Loudoun. The commonwealth has the world’s largest concentration of these facilities, and is about to get more.

In January, Governor Glen Younkin announced that Amazon Web Services had committed to spending $35 billion to build and operate Virginia data centers through 2040.

Amazon’s Web Services division, along with Microsoft, Google, Meta, and a dozen other companies, is racing to meet what appears to be a limitless demand for Cloud storage, as more people use the internet in more and varied ways. The result is most often a building, or cluster of buildings, that are about twice the size of a Costco or Home Depot and two to three times as tall.

The Department of Environmental Quality wants to let as many as 100 data centers use their emergency diesel generators to make up for a power shortfall Dominion Energy has predicted for the months of May through June.

Michael Dowd, the director of DEQ’s Air and Renewable Energy Division, said in a recent email to the Prince William Times that “we believe the proposed variance would result in very little, if any, impact to air quality, including with respect to air toxics.”

Elena Schlossberg, whose Coalition to Protect Prince William County joined the Sierra Club, the National Park Conservation Association, and 39 other groups in protest, said it was “like rewarding a pyromaniac for putting out the fire that they started.”

In January, Fairfax County State Senator Chap Petersen and Prince William Delegate Danica Roem introduced legislation to limit data center development from encroaching on land near federal and state parks, historic sites, and battlefields.

“A lot of local governments in Northern Virginia, they look at data centers as local governments downstate look at casinos,” Petersen said. “They’re like, ‘Oh, it’s free money.’ It’s not free. You’re going to get paid a lot of revenue, millions of dollars, believe me, [but] there’s going to be an impact on your community.”

Ramundo speaking at the Town of Warrenton Planning Commission meeting in November. Photo courtesy of the Fauquier Times.

Edward Brian MacMahon, Jr.

30 July 1960 – 12 March 2023

Edward “Ed” Brian MacMahon Jr., a widely respected criminal defense attorney who represented a number of high-profile clients, including the man known as the 20th Hijacker in the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attacks, died surrounded by family members on March 12. He was 62.

Mr. MacMahon, who resided in The Plains, Virginia, was born on July 30th, inside of a taxi somewhere between Annandale, Virginia and Columbia Hospital for Women in Washington, DC. His birth in transit was a fitting start to an exceptionally active and engaging life; all who knew and love Ed recall that he could never sit idle for long.

Ed was the third of six children and a graduate of The Hill School in Middleburg, Virginia, Episcopal High School, the University of Virginia, and Tulane Law School. He was a true scholar and intellect who valued education highly; his mother, the late Ann MacMahon, relished sharing that he was a straight A student with the exception of Fs in “Conduct.” He infamously spent several hours – or overnight, depending on the day he told the story – in the Middleburg jail following his 8th grade graduation after being misidentified as a runaway from Georgia. An ardent UVA Wahoo, he was a proud brother of St. Elmo Hall and walk-on member of the lacrosse team. He loved returning to Charlottesville for games or simply to walk around Grounds with his lifelong friends, his children, and any young person in his orbit who expressed interest in attending his beloved University.

Many knew Ed as a brilliant criminal defense attorney, and indeed he was. He credited much of his success to his start as a Law Clerk for The Honorable Claude M. Hilton; besides being a mentor and teacher, Judge Hilton was a lifelong friend and father figure to Ed. In over 30 years as an attorney Ed represented a wide range of clients but was particularly accomplished in national security cases defending against espionage and terrorism charges. Some of his notable cases include United States v. Zacarias Moussaoui, United States v. Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, et. al., and United States v. Ali Al-Timimi.

He was a member of the state bar for Virginia and New York, was admitted to US District Courts for the District of Columbia, Virginia, and Maryland, the Defense Bar for Special Tribunal for Lebanon in The Hague, and the Bar of the International Criminal Court, and was a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers.

Ed embodied a work hard, play hard mentality. He loved lacrosse and as an adult played on teams including the Galloping Ghosts and the Geezers, and he felt great satisfaction nurturing a love of the game in kids as a youth coach and furthering the reach of the sport in the Mid-Atlantic. Following his retirement from lacrosse in his early 40s (too many hot pads required after game day, he said), he committed that same athletic energy to golf. He loved few things more than playing golf with friends or his son, and he was a scratch golfer and a member at several clubs. Robert Trent Jones Golf Club – where he served as President for six years – Old Memorial, and Ballybunion were dearest to his heart.

To the loving exasperation of his children, Ed was a man who knew a lot about a lot and didn’t hesitate to tell you all about it. He was a student of history, particularly the histories of the United States and Ireland. He was a lifelong student of the Constitution and the founding of this nation, and his deeply held values and principles inspired by the Founders were central to his practice of law and approach to the criminal justice system.

He cherished his Irish heritage, and his children and their friends grew accustomed to learning Gaelic alongside him in the car to and from school or practice. Ed was happiest exploring and golfing in County Kerry, which was very much a second home to him. Heaven help any tour guide in his vicinity, as he was particularly talented at hijacking the role and providing more depth and rich detail than any tourism professional.

He loved music – most especially the Grateful Dead and reggae – and spent many happy nights at his cabin in Virginia, playing guitar and singing with family and friends. He found delight in the outdoors and took great pride in the Purple Martins he successfully coaxed to roost in his yard, always marveling over these graceful birds and their remarkable migration between Brazil and his home on High Acre Mountain in Fauquier county.

Above all else, Ed cherished his large family and his many, many friends. He loved deeply and was deeply loved. He was preceded in death by his beloved parents, Dr. Edward Brian MacMahon and Ann Sheridan MacMahon, and his nephew Jamie MacMahon. He is survived by his children Adela Evans Griswold, Edward Brian MacMahon, III, and Alexandra Heurich MacMahon, his loving and devoted partner of many years Stephanie Salvatori, his siblings Paul (Marion), Margaret (Tommy Carroll), Steve (Tracie), John, and Helen (Mugs Mickum), and many nieces and nephews. He will be missed tremendously.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating blood in Ed’s memory. He was the grateful recipient of many blood and platelet transfusions in the last months of his life, and he never failed to express deep thanks for the individuals whose blood sustained him through his illness. Donations can be made through the Inova Blood Services (inovablood.org), the American Red Cross (redcrossblood.org), or your local blood bank.

iNside the Life of a LoCaL LegeNd: PENNY DENEGRE

Written by Laticia Headings

To many, Penny Denegre is considered a Renaissance woman in the equestrian community. She has worn many hats, and

Denegre and her achievements. “To be honest, I don’t see myself that way. I guess I’m a well-traveled and well-schooled amateur,” Denegre says. “I

no to the things I care about. I want to see them succeed because they are important and have value.”

For the past 30 years, the Middleburg Hunt has known her as their stalwart Joint-Master of Foxhounds (MFH). Her fellow equestrians know her as a 12-time National Ladies’ Sidesaddle Champion. The Devon Horse Show recently bestowed the title of “Devon Legend” on Denegre.

In January of 2024, Denegre will be inaugurated as president of the Master of Foxhounds Association of North America (MFHA), a position previously held by only two other women. Her early connection with horses began when her mother put her in a saddle at age 4. “The relationship is built in the barn in the special moments of caretaking and feeding. To recognize how the horse is feeling, you need that kind of time with them,” she says. “There’s a partnership, the learning and growing together. There’s nothing better.”

As a child, Denegre and her older sister, Hillary Rogers Brooks, took riding lessons from Jane Marshall Dillon, who operated a riding school in Vienna, Virginia. It was here that Denegre learned proper equitation and grooming techniques, plus Dillon’s philosophy of horse care. “She taught us how to treat animals with the respect they deserve,” says Denegre. “The horse and pony’s comfort always comes first, before your own.”

helmets, over the past four decades and proved herself an exceptional equestrian, leader, colleague, and friend.

Still, there is a prevailing humility about

think it’s that I’ve been involved in so many disciplines and being multifaceted isn’t as common anymore. People today are very specialized.” She continues, laughing, “Part of it is that I can’t say

When the family moved from Vienna to Middleburg, Denegre and her sister were regulars on the Middleburg horse show circuit. A nod to her future role, Denegre became a Junior Joint-MFH of the Fairfax Hunt at age 14.

Penny and John Denegre with Oaten and Oakley. Photo by Laticia Headings.

Legend | Page 39

In addition to her love of horses, music has been a steady passion in Denegre’s life. She started learning the piano at 7, took lessons throughout her teens, and sang in her high school and church choirs.

Denegre continued to explore her love of music at Duke University, where she majored in history and French. She joined the Duke Chapel Choir and found great inspiration. “We did the entire Messiah every year … and had some phenomenal voices,” she says. “I had never sung with a choir of that caliber before. I really enjoyed and loved being part of it.”

“When I got out of college, I took a job helping to organize a special political dinner in Washington and then, from there, I got a job at a political fundraising advertising company who, at the time, was on the forefront of direct mail and considered cutting edge,” says Denegre. She worked at the Springfield-based firm for nearly a decade, where she became a company vice president.

In 1981, the businesswoman married John Denegre. “He’s incredibly supportive of my pursuits. We share a love of so many things — horses, hounds, foxhunting, sailing, music, history, to name a few… But I don’t ride in his race car,” she laughs, pointing out her husband’s penchant for fast cars.

It was their shared love of horses that called them to the countryside. They moved to Middleburg in 1984, purchasing a farm just outside of town. Two years later, their daughter Alden was born.

Over several years, the Denegres built a house and barn on the property. “It took more than two years to put the cropland back into pasture, a long process to do correctly,” Denegre says. “As we worked the fields, we picked up tons of rocks and stones, and a resident fox showed up regularly to hunt mice, hence the name Foxstone Farm.”

Moving to Middleburg allowed Denegre more time to ride. She continued training sidesaddle, a sport she became fascinated with as a teenager because of its historical roots dating back to the 14th century. “It’s a touchstone to foxhunting. Sidesaddle was the only acceptable way for women to ride until the 1920s,” she says. “It can

be very dangerous. It’s hard to come out of the saddle, but if you do, it’s catastrophic.”

Denegre rode with the Middleburg Hunt for 12 years before she was elected Joint-MFH, joining Jeffrey Blue and Melissa Cantacuzene in 1994. “You’re basically the CEO of the organization overseeing personnel, managing landowner relations, which is huge, raising funds, and setting the tone for the organization,” Denegre explains.

Blue and Denegre have been Joint-MFH together for nearly three decades. She describes their successful partnership as one of mutual respect, brutal honesty, open dialogue, and a commitment to present a united front, even when they disagree. “I couldn’t have done this with just anybody; it’s a rare gift,” she says.

In 2017, Denegre had a serious accident in the hunting field which resulted in a broken pelvis, eight broken ribs, and a punctured lung, among other injuries. Her athleticism was a major factor in making a full recovery after many months. “I didn’t know whether I should get back on a horse or not, so I decided that I’d let my body tell me,” she says.

Her first time back in the saddle was on one of Blue’s older horses named Gentry. “I can remember the feeling of ‘I’m home’ and how great it felt,” she says, tearing up. “I told the horse, ‘If you get me back, you’ve got a home for life,’ and he did.” Now retired, Gentry lives at Foxstone along with the 11 other resident horses.

Despite the risks, Denegre remains committed to the Middleburg Hunt, and wants to preserve its storied history into the future.

“I’ve been doing this for a long time and work hard at it. I appreciate all the staff and subscribers in the hunt putting their hearts into it, from feeding all these hounds … to keeping the country open,” she says.

A community leader to her core, Denegre is a staunch advocate for land preservation. She is currently on the advisory board for the Land Trust of Virginia, a past board member for Goose Creek Association, and works closely with the Piedmont Environmental Council. “Foxhunters have done a lot to preserve the farmland in the country,” says Denegre.

Top: Denegre and Middleburg Hunt leaving Huntland. Photo by Joanne Maisano. Bottom: Denegre and Jeffery Blue.

Photo by Laticia Headings.

Legend | Page 40

Of her eight years on the Goose Creek Association board, she says, “It gave me an appreciation for the river itself and how important the water is to the wildlife.” She continues, “They’ve been able to improve the quality of the water so that for the first time there are actually eagles on Goose Creek.”

Denegre, whose own 100-acre farm is in conservation easement, says, “It’s important to everybody even if you don’t hunt. Many people out here have horses, and for that you need land. It’s also the sheer beauty of this area. To me, it would be a crime to see all of this gorgeous country covered in houses and development.”

Despite a busy schedule, Denegre still finds time to stay connected to the show ring. She is on the board of the Upperville Colt & Horse Show and is a regular at various shows from Virginia to Florida when time allows. She says, “I love the history. Showing is one touchstone to the hunting field. It initially gave peoplea something to do with their hunter [horses] in the summertime.”

Her horse, String of Pearls, was the 2022 Adult Amateur Hunter Champion at Upperville.

In 2019, Denegre and Pearl were among the top 30 horses to qualify for the Adult Amateur Hunter Championship at the Washington International Horse Show in Washington, D.C. “Pearl was a star. It’s a two-round competition and she

won the whole thing. I was over the moon!” exclaims Denegre.

A sidesaddle regular at the Devon Horse Show in Pennsylvania, her treasured horse True Blue was the Ladies’ Hunter Sidesaddle Champion for seven of the 10 years they showed. “The fact that he showed for 10 years is remarkable,” says Denegre.

Her horse, Garnet, was also Ladies’ Hunter Sidesaddle Champion for five years at Devon, making Denegre one of the most decorated sidesaddle riders in the country. “Devon has always had a special place in my heart, especially because both my horses did so well there. They just loved it, the whole atmosphere is electric,” she says.

Though racking up blue ribbons and trophies is familiar to Denegre, her Devon Legend award came as a surprise. Denegre laughs, “I was joking with a friend that I thought you had to be dead to be a legend!”

Denegre’s upcoming MFHA presidency will mark a nine-year commitment in total: three years each as second vice president, first vice president, and president. “I’m a little nervous but excited. When I originally talked it over with John, we both agreed that this was my chance to give back,” Denegre says. “The MFHA does important work, not only in preserving the sport and keeping the [hounds] studbook, but they also do great research on things like tick-borne diseases.”

For now, Denegre is focused on the Middleburg Hunt Point-to-Point races on April 30th. “It’s an exciting day. We get to run our point-topoint at one of the nicest steeplechase courses in the country. Glenwood is one of the only courses where the horses never go out of sight,” she says.

Though she has many titles, the ones she is most comfortable with are the ones closest to her heart. To her husband, she is a wife of over 40 years. She is a loving mother to her daughter, Alden, and son-in-law, Gavin. And to her four- and six-year-old granddaughters, she is affectionately known as “Penny.” “The thing I’m most proud of is my family,” she says. She is also grateful to the animals she’s dedicated her life to, saying, “I’ve been so lucky with the horses I’ve had who have taken me on this incredible journey.” ML

Legend | From page 39

Denegre helping the junior handlers at the MH puppy show. Photo by Joanne Maisano.

wildly market than best vendors Coast!

Northern Virginia’s wildly popular vintage market showcasing more than 200 of the best

Northern Virginia’s wildly popular vintage market showcasing more than 200 of the best

Northern Virginia’s wildly popular vintage market showcasing more than 200 of the best

“vintage hip” vendors on the East Coast!

“vintage hip” vendors on the East Coast!

“vintage hip” vendors on the East Coast!

RECAPPING WINTER IN WELLINGTON: PART II

Written by Victoria Peace

Over the past few months, Middleburg Life spoke with several riders about their time competing in Florida during the winter season. For this month’s issue, three more Hunt Country residents are adding their updates and insights from Wellington. Read on to hear about their experiences spending the winter in the sunshine state!

CONOR O’REGAN

Conor O’Regan has been showing at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington every year since 2008. O’Regan is the owner of CO’R Equestrian in Upperville and competes internationally in the jumper ring at the highest levels of the sport.

O’Regan grew up in Ireland and began riding around the age of 10. He started out at a local riding school and worked his way up through the pony divisions, eventually competing for Ireland internationally on ponies. He graduated to horses where he had even more success and rode at the European championships for juniors in Italy. From there, O’Regan advanced to the senior ranks of the sport all while studying at university.

After completing his degree, O’Regan had the opportunity to come to the United States. Originally, he planned to simply visit a friend in Wellington before returning to Ireland. However, that visit was in January 2008, and he has been here ever since.

In late 2008, O’Regan accepted a position working for the Firestone family and moved to Upperville. After over six years with the Firestones, he started CO’R Equestrian in 2015.

One of O’Regan’s favorite parts of being in

Connor O’Regan on Mendini DR. Photo by Kaitlyn Karssen.

Wellington | Page 45

Wellington for the winter is that he doesn’t have to travel to multiple different show venues. During the rest of the year, he is often on the road for two weeks out of every month going to different shows on the A circuit. In Wellington, he enjoys having all of the activity, and all of his friends, gathered in one place.

This year, O’Regan enjoyed a successful season at WEF. He has competed in the Saturday night Grand Prix under the lights and won several major classes. O’Regan is also pleased that his horses have all been “growing, improving, and getting to a point where they are more competitive now than they were at this point last year.”

According to O’Regan, this is always the goal. “I’m ultimately trying to make them as good as they can be, and from that point of view, it’s been

going really well.” O’Regan is especially thankful for his owners, who make everything possible. “I couldn’t do what I do without those people behind me, supporting me, and believing in me,” he says. His top horse right now is Mendini DR, owned by Erin and Jimmy Walker. He is also currently showing two horses owned by Leslie Kopp.

O’Regan believes that WEF is really about testing yourself against the best people. “It’s one of the most competitive circuits in the world for the amount of time we’re here,” he says. “At the end of the day, it’s about getting horses that are good enough to compete at this level. You have to be on point here to go out and win and be competitive.”

LESLIE KOPP

Leslie Kopp spent the winter competing in the

adult amateur jumpers at the Winter Equestrian Festival. Kopp trains with Connor O’Regan at CO’R Equestrian and owns two of the horses that O’Regan shows.

After a roughly 30-year hiatus, Kopp started riding again in 2015. When she was a child, she did pony club and local shows in Northern Virginia. However, when her Bethany Beachbased real estate business took off, she didn’t have enough time to continue with the sport. But, she always knew that at some point she wanted to get back in the saddle. Now, Kopp says that she feels “very fortunate to be able to do this again.”

Kopp started coming down to Wellington in 2015, shortly after getting back into riding. She loves seeing the best people in the world come to compete and watching the high-level showjumping classes and polo matches.

Kopp purchased a new horse in October and is in the process of buying another. This winter, she enjoyed geting to know them both better. “Just trying to take it slowly with the new ones and move up is very important to me,” Kopp says. “I’ve learned that patience and taking your time is the only way to go.”

In addition to competing herself, Kopp also enjoys watching O’Regan show her horses. “I love watching how he progresses with them,” she emphasizes. She appreciates that he takes his time and really gets to know their individual personalities.

When not in Florida, Kopp splits her time between Bethany Beach and The Plains, and is grateful for the excellent teams supporting her both in business at Bethany Beach and ringside at WEF.

WIL BALLHAUS

Wil Ballhaus, a Wakefield School sophomore and up-and-coming polo player, has been spending the winter honing his skills in Wellington. Ballhaus rides for Beverly Equestrian, a premier equestrian center in The Plains co-owned by his parents. The Beverly Equestrian team is currently entered into three different leagues for the season: a 6-goal league at the International Polo School, a 12-goal league at Port Mayaca Polo Club, and a 16-goal league at the Wellington Polo Tour.

Ballhaus has been around horses his entire

Wellington | Page 46

Leslie Kopp. Photo courtesy of Leslie Kopp.

life, but it wasn’t until around the age of 9 that he decided to give polo a try.

This is Ballhaus’ third season in Wellington. “Wellington is a beautiful area,” Ballhaus says. “I love having the opportunity to come down here and continue playing this sport at a higher level.”

Ballhaus is grateful to the Wakefield School for allowing him to attend classes virtually while he is in Florida so he can train at the most competitive level possible over the winter.

Before coming to Wellington, Ballhaus wrote down his goals for the season, which included becoming a more solid rider and playing his new position better. He used to play one, an offensive position, but now plays four, a defensive position. This was a meaningful change for him because it

requires a completely different skill set. “It’s a very stressful position,” Ballhaus emphasizes. However, overall, he feels like he is making progress toward completing his goals.

Among his list of impressive accomplishments this winter, Ballhaus’ team won the International Polo School’s 6-goal tournament, also known as the Palm Beach Open, in January 2023. In the final match of the tournament, Ballhaus was named the MVP.

Ballhaus’ mentor is Tolito Ocampo. According to Ballhaus, Ocampo is the whole reason that he first became passionate about the sport. However, he is thankful for his whole team at Beverly Equestrian, who continue to motivate him to become the best player possible. “I am lucky to have a lot of people who help me and influence me every day,” Ballhaus says. ML

Wellington | From page 45

Wil Ballhaus playing polo. Photo by Alex Pacheco.

Our Favorite Local Gifts for Earth Day

Terrariums, handcrafted out of reclaimed glass from deconstructed homes in Detroit, $100 - $180, Available at Nature

Composed

Reusable

Produce Bags Multipack, $12.50, Available at The Fun Shop

Enamel Flare Pins, $4 each, Available at Studio Luxe

Stasher Snack and Sandwich Bags, $10 - $13, & Bee's Wrap, $10 - $25, Available at Lou Lou Boutique

GoodSam Chocolate, grown by 150 local families using regenerative agriculture in Colombia, $7.99 each, Available at Middleburg Gourmet

Ilse Jacobsen Flats, made with recycled material, $94, Available at Chloe's of Middleburg

Green Toys Recycling Truck, made from 100% recycled plastic, $32, Available at the PLAYroom

Recycled Glass Night Lights, $24 each, Available at Latitudes Fair Trade Store

Antoine-Louis Barye (French, 1796–1875) Horse Surprised by a Lion, ca. 1850, Bronze (atelier), 15 ⅜”H × 5⅛”W × 15¼”D, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond. Gift of Mrs. Nelson L. St. Clair, Jr., 2003.163.

Photo: David Stover © Virginia Museum of Fine Arts

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

PLANT PARTY AT CANA VINEYARDS

April 1 | 1 – 3 p.m. | canavineyards.com

Celebrate spring at Cana Vineyards and Winery by building a succulent terrarium in a wine bottle! This class is beginner friendly. Each participant will receive a vessel, two to three plants, soil, and assorted decorations to make the perfect terrarium. Tickets include all the supplies and one free wine flight or glass of wine to enjoy during the class. Tickets can be purchased on eventbrite.com and are $55 per person.

“FLORA!” AT THE BYRNE GALLERY

April 5 – 30 | 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. on select days | thebyrnegallery.com

The Byrne Gallery is proud to present “Flora!”, an exhibition for the springtime by five talented local artists. Flora has traditionally been a personification of spring, as artists captured the beauty of flowers and gardens to represent the new life that comes with the season. The exhibition will feature a range of artistic media, from watercolor to acrylics and oil, and will be on display April

5 to April 30. There will also be a reception for the artists on Saturday, April 15, from 4 to 7 p.m. The exhibition and reception are both open to the public and everyone is cordially invited to attend. Contact the Byrne Gallery for more information at (540) 687-6986 or byrnegallery@aol.com.

KIDS’ COOKING CLASS: EASTER CUPCAKES

April 7 | 1 – 3 p.m. | salamanderresort.com

Bring the kids to Salamander Resort & Spa for a special Easter cooking class. Salamander’s pastry team will guide participants through a hands-on decorating experience, creating a fun cupcake design to celebrate the Easter holiday. Tickets are $50 per person and reservations are required. For more information and to register, visit: salamanderresort.com/play/event-calendar

EASTER AT GOODSTONE INN

April 8 | 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. | goodstone.com

Celebrate the start of spring with a weekend of

activities at Goodstone Inn & Restaurant! Kick off Saturday with Goodstone’s first annual egg hunt at noon and egg dying stations open 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Live music will be playing from noon to 2 p.m. as well, and a bounce house and local snacks will be available all day. Enjoy an Easter brunch buffet and dinner (reservations required) with the latest spring ingredients in the conservatory.

HISTORIC GARDEN WALKING TOUR

April 20 | 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

The Virginia Hunt Country, nestled in the rolling hills of the Piedmont just west of historic Middleburg, is once again the location of this tour and features properties in Upperville and Rectortown. Part of the original Mellon Rokeby Farm and located next to the Oak Spring Garden Foundation is Oak Spring, formerly the “Brick House,” a private residence from the early Mellon era. Also showcased on the Middleburg tour are

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Gum Tree Farm, a working sheep farm, and the lovely gardens of nearby Claybrook. Visitors will be delighted by the variety of these grand estates and landscapes that celebrate the open spaces of this gorgeous part of Virginia. Tour proceeds from "America's Largest Open House" fund the restoration and preservation of Virginia's historic public gardens and a research fellowship program in landscape architecture. There are two sessions, 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and 1:30 to 5 p.m., and tickets are $55 per person. Tickets are available on eventbrite.com

FAUQUIER SULPHUR SPRINGS WALKING TOUR

April 23 | 2 – 4 p.m. | piedmontheritage.org

Join The Virginia Piedmont Heritage Area for a walking tour of one of the oldest and most celebrated mineral spring resorts in the United States

dating back to the 1700s. Learn about the many historic guests that stayed at the resort, including Chief Justice John Marshall and Presidents James Monroe, James Madison, and Martin Van Buren. A witness to history, the idyllic grounds of the Fauquier Sulphur Springs weathered the Civil War, The Great Depression, two World Wars, and was brought back to life countless times due to the fame of the water’s miraculous healing properties. Tickets are $55 per person for VPHA members and $65 for non-members. The program will be followed by a beer and wine reception. For more information and tickets visit: piedmontheritage.org/events.

TOWN CLEAN UP DAY

April 29 | 7:45 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Join the Middleburg Sustainability Committee for Town Clean Up Day. All ages are welcome! The group will gather at the Middleburg Community Center for breakfast courtesy of Salaman-

der Resort & Spa, followed by a short instructional briefing by the Middleburg Police Department and the Middleburg Sustainability Committee. The group will then set off to collect litter and spray organic weed killer where needed. For more information, email msc@middleburgva.gov.

GUEST SPEAKER SERIES AT MIDDLEBURG UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

April 30 | 11:30 a.m.

Traveling companion to Corrie ten Boom, Ellen Stamps will be speaking at Middleburg United Methodist Church on Sunday, April 30, at 11:30 a.m. Ten Boom was a survivor of two concentration camps, helping Jews escape Holland during World War II. Ellen Stamps traveled with ten Boom for 10 years as she evangelized throughout the world. There is no charge for this event. A luncheon will be served immediately after at the church.

Susan & Joe are your locals next door

For Susan and Joe, providing exceptional service for their clients starts by asking the right questions. They believe there’s never a template, and every client deserves a truly unique experience that drives real results but with authenticity and great humor. This takes a winning combination: a proven track record and years of experience—qualities Susan and Joe have shown beyond a doubt. At McEnearney, our associates are more than just agents; they are your trusted advisors and locals next door.

Susan Thomas & Joe O’Hara, McEnearney Associates

Susan Thomas & Joe O’Hara,