Printed using recycled fiber Deep Winter Roots & Spring Awakenings Page 28 Middleburg’s Only Locally Owned and Operated Newspaper Volume 10 Issue 12 www.mbecc.com Mar 27, 2014 ~ Apr 24, 2014 Great Meadow to Host Prep Event Piedmont Fox Hounds for World Equestrian Games Point to Point Page 20 Fulfilling One of Nick Arundel’s Dreams Lauren R. Giannini and its environs, within easy driving Piedmont Fox Hounds Point to Point Races proximity to thriving local towns. Well- Winner of the Rokeby Challenge Bowl his summer, Great established as a spectator-destination, for the 2nd consecutive year Meadow will re- Great Meadow entertains more than introduce eventing 200,000 visitors annually at its various Magelen O. Bryant’s Dakota Slew to their calendar of equestrian and outdoor events, such as ridden by Robbie Walsh events and it’s guaranteed to two annual Gold Cup races, polo, show beT world class. On July 26-27 jumping, wine festivals, and their pop- the country’s best event riders ular July 4th celebration. and horses will compete in this “For about six years Robbie Ban- special “equestrian triathlon” of ner and I have been working off the dressage, cross-country and show vision that Nick Arundel had to make jumping to get ready for the 2014 Great Meadow the Mecca for horse Alltech FEI World Equestrian sport, equestrian and community activ- Games in Normandy, France, ities,” said Major General (ret) Henry August 24 to September 7. “Buzz” Kievanaar, Chairman of the Although the WEG-prep Board of Trustees for Great Meadow event will take place on the Foundation. “We tried three day event- Gold Cup course and in the ex- ing before but had to run it on the race- isting arena surrounded by the course – we didn’t have enough land. berm, exciting and ambitious Robbie talked to me and we knew plans are in the works to turn we really had to do this, find a way to the adjacent 147 acres of Flem- buy Fleming Farm to make this happen. ing Farm, acquired recently by We were excluding a whole segment of Great Meadow Foundation, into a horse activity and this is an area where world class eventing facility with spec- you see major international three-day tator-friendly arena and cross-country eventers training and living. It has been course. Involved in this project are a labor of love.” two key people in international Gen. Kievanaar also pointed out eventing: David O’Connor, US that the heart of the Piedmont has put eventing chef d’equipe and more three-day riders in the Olympics Olympic gold medalist, and than anywhere else and yet this eques- Michael Etherington-Smith, trian-rich enclave wasn’t represented chief executive of British by an international competition or Eventing and cross-country training facility. course designer for two Olym- ““We are talking about future pics, 2010 WEG, and many plans which are going to be great for years of the Rolex four-star in eventing,” said David. “Over the years Kentucky. Nick Arundel talked to me often about “Arthur (Nick) Arundel, bringing eventing to Great Meadow. the founder of Great Meadow, We’re all excited about it and I think always said that Great Meadow it will be a big boon to the sport be- and Fleming Farm belonged cause Middleburg and this whole area together, but he passed away in of Northern Virginia needed a true des- 2011 and recently his heirs decided tination event and I think that Great to sell,” said Robert Banner, President Meadow is the place to have it. Host- of Great Meadow Foundation. ing top-level international competitions “It was scary to think that the here will benefit Great Meadow Foun- land could be sold and houses would dation as a whole and our sport. It’s go- get built. If we let that happen, we ing to be really good.” wouldn’t be doing our job. Our mission After Banner approached here at Great Meadow is to preserve O’Connor, the chef d’equipe called open space for equestrian and commu- in a course designer of world renown. nity service. By buying Fleming Farm “Great Meadow is the most fantastic we could preserve more open space, venue – this is the first time I’ve been but at the time Great Meadow didn’t here and there’s a real feeling of qual- have the money for the purchase. Then ity,” said Etherington-Smith. “All of it we started thinking about three-day has been done really well and to high eventing, that we could host interna- standard. When David first got hold of tional level competition. That’s when I me, he said there’s a project here we’d contacted David. I didn’t know it at the really like you to get involved in. He time, but he had been looking for a site gave a bit of explanation and back- to host that level.” ground and I thought, Yeah – it sounds The project has received great like fun.” support from people connected with The mid-March planning ses- Great Meadow who contributed to the sions at Great Meadow brought to- purchase of Fleming Farm. The major gether Banner, Kievanaar, O’Connor, donors include: Magalen O. Bryant, Etherington-Smith, and Bobby Hilton, Jacqueline B. Mars, Bill Ballhaus and Great Meadow’s grounds manager for Darrin Mollett and their Beverly Eques- 30 years. Hilton prepares the facility trian Center, Mr. and Mrs. Naj Husain for every event and then toils to restore and their Morningside Training Center, the footing to tip-top shape, whatever Sheila Johnson and her Salamander Continued page 18 Resort, Mr. and Mrs. Irv Naylor, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Akre, Mrs. George L Bunny Mellon’sPage 4 Impeccable, Ohrstrom, Jr., Mr. and Mrs. Michael T. Hall, and Mr. & Mrs. Michael Crane. Great Meadow is ideally situated Generous, Private Life Page 3 with major highways connecting it to points west and east to Washington DC PERMIT NO 029 NO PERMIT BURKE, VA BURKE, POSTAL CUSTOMER POSTAL US POSTAGE PAID POSTAGE US ECRWSS Request in homes by Thursday 3/27/14 Thursday by homes in Request Business Directory: Page 38 • Friends for Life: Page 34 STD PRST Page 2 Middleburg Eccentric • Mar 27, 2014 ~ Apr 24, 2014 Middleburg Eccentric • Mar 27, 2014 ~ Apr 24, 2014 Page 3 News of Note P.O. Box 1768 www.johnabouttown.com Middleburg, VA 20118 540-687-3200 Bunny Mellon’s fax 866-705-7643 www.mbecc.com [email protected] Impeccable, Generous, WWW.MIDDLEBURGREALESTATE.COM WWW.ATOKAPROPERTIES.COM Cover Photo by Middleburg 540-687-6321 Serving our Clients Since 1939 Purcellville 540-338-7770 | Leesburg 703-777-1170 Liz Callar Private Life When she and I talked to one A graduate of Foxcroft another, I didn’t think about School in Middleburg, Virginia, Editor In Chief who she was…she was my Bunny Mellon was well known for Dee Dee Hubbard ~ [email protected] friend. We appreciated the her privacy, elegance and impec- same things…had similar thoughts, cable sense of style. Heir to the Lis- Design & Production Director “interests and a joy for all things terine, Warner Lambert and Gillette Jay Hubbard pretty. I loved my talks with her… fortunes, she was married in 1932 Publisher they will be with me always. She to Stacy Barcroft Lloyd and, after Dan Morrow gave me validation of my creativ- the couple divorced, to her former ity. I will miss she and Nancy driv- husband’s friend, Paul Mellon who Copyright © 2014 All rights reserved. No ing around together, and my chats was, at the time, the world’s richest part of Middleburg Eccentric may be repro- duced without written permission of the Ec- with them in the Volvo. What an man. FQ8204258 $7,950,000 LO7610514 $3,900,000 LO8269159 $3,400,000 centric LLC. Middleburg Eccentric is not amazing pair.” Manuel Simpson, Throughout the second half of responsible for unsolicited manuscripts or Middleburg the 20th century, she was widely re- Spring Farms in Upperville are and charities in her will. WEXFORD, MARSHALL, VA - TRULY 1 OF A KIND! The Kenne- DRESDEN FARM LANE, MIDDLEBURG, VA - Beautifully MILLVILLE RD, MIDDLEBURG, VA - 54 acres just minutes artwork. Middleburg Eccentric reserves the Although Rachel “Bunny” garded as the epitome of good taste. emblematic of the restful, immacu- dy Retreat- the house that Jackie built in 1963. Pond, pool, maintained 115 acre horse farm, 1785 5 bdrm main house, from the town of Middleburg. Goose Creek surrounds the right to accept or reject any and all copy. Her descendants, East Coast Middleburg Eccentric is published monthly Mellon was rarely quoted and sel- Wikipedia describes her as lately elegant and beautiful horti- charities including the Museum of tennis ct., mtn views, 166+ ac, 4 parcels, easement tax a 12 stall barn with 8 paddocks, heated waterers, generator property. Spacious light-filled dining room & living room on the 4th Thursday by Middleburg Eccen- dom seen at parties, she influenced “an American horticulturist, gar- cultural spaces she loved. Fine Arts in Boston, the Virginia credit potential. Privacy. 3 mi. from Middleburg, 30 mins to and separate tack room. There are 4 additional dwellings, w/ 4 bdrm, 5 bath. Separate 3 bdrm, 2 bath guesthouse. tric LLC. Circulation to Clarke, Fauquier, and was widely admired by leaders dener, philanthropist, fine arts col- Loudoun & Prince William Counties. Bunny Mellon is also largely Museum of Find Arts in Richmond Dulles, 60 mins to DC. Perfect opportunity for a conserva- greenhouses, gardens, a pool, and a 5 acre pond.