Atlantic Giant Pumpkins at SFVA, lotsa pies in future

Saturday at the State Fair of Virginia, pumpkins rule
Secretariat's descendants here too


Saturday was Atlantic Giant Pumpkin day at the Virginia State Fair and this years crop didn't disappoint.



It took the steady hands of a master forklift operator to maneuver the largest of these big boys onto the scale,

and you cut the tension with a knife as the overflow crowd of fairgoers looked on.

Dreams of Halloween filled the heads of younger fans,

while older fairgoers may have been thinking of the many pumpkin pies to come (Or not. Terri Morris tells me that when it comes to pie filing, she and Libby's are very good friends).

This beauty was the winner at the Atlantic Giant Pumpkin judging. Entered by Matthew Morris of Burkeville, this bruiser came in at 1057 pounds.

These Atlantic Giant Pumpkin competitions are intense, but not cut throat. The growers trade seeds and give them away for free, and they're always willing to lend a strong back to hoist their competitions pumpkins into position. Check out this video for some details (the record weights, by the way, refer to giant pumpkins grown in Virginia. I'm told they grow them a lot bigger up north).



You don't have to have the biggest pumpkin to be a winner either.


This young woman is a happy camper, with a blue ribbon for best lookin'.

You can find out more on this fruitful activity here. But there's a lot more than pumpkins at this fair.

While the Atlantic Giant Pumpkin judging was great fun, they weren't tasty pies just yet. But there was plenty of food elsewhere. This young lady did a brisk business with kettle corn samples

and the Virginia Tech Block and Bridle Club was doing good business selling barbecue and such.

in my opinion the best eatin' at the fair, bar none.

Everyone knows at this point that the 2009 edition of the State Fair of Virginia is being held at The Meadow, the birthplace of the great racehorse Secretariat.
It's especially fitting, since Disney is commencing production of a long overdue movie on the equine champion. Without equal, Secretariat (or Big Red, as he was known here)is considered to still be the greatest racehorse that ever lived.

The movie will focus on Secretariat and his owner Penny Chenery.
The Meadow in Caroline County Virignia was her father's stud farm. It was here he bred great champions like Riva Ridge and many others. He never lived to see the greatest.

When Mr. Chenery died the tax man came a knockin'. With few resources except her great horse Secretariat, Ms. Chenery was able to save the farm her father loved so much. A compelling drama.

It's disappointing that none of the filming will take place in Virginia. Apparently the Virginia General Assembly would not pony up the funds to sweeten the pot for the folks at Disney. But that's rant for another time.
(You can find a recent update on the movie here.)

Young fan and Covert Action

Rainaway and visitor

When at the fair, I always visit the Young McDonald's Farm tent to see how Rainaway and Covert Action, two former racehorses saved from abuse (and descendent's of Secretariat) are getting along. The pair is a very popular attraction at the Virgina State Fair, especially among the young. Links to their stories can be found elsewhere in this blog.

Sunday update, build it and they will come


Last nights rain in Central Virginia was a real frog chocker, leaving the ground a soggy sponge. But that didn't stop the crowds from coming to The Meadow Event Park and the 2009 edition of the State Fair of Virginia.

There was plenty of animal action, the goats a special draw.

and the participants in many competitions throughout the day.

as were cows and chickens, ducks and pigeons.



Farm animal life has always been a big attraction at past Virginia State Fairs and it seems like the move to new digs hasn't diminished the appeal of our four legged and feathered friends.



The State Fair of Virginia at The Meadow Event Park might very well be on the road to setting some records when the final attendance figures come in. This new location in Caroline County certainly has the potential to draw from a much wider area that the old stand at Henrico County.



The big factor is the weather. It's an article of faith in these parts that with the State Fair of Virginia comes the biggest rains of the year.
They dodged a bullet last night. We can only hope, the luck will hold.


TvNB

Old friends at the State Fair of Virignia, Secretariat's descendants

Rainaway and Covert Action, 2009

The Virginia State Fair has it first opening day on Thursday at the new location at what was once known as The Meadow in Caroline County Virginia. It's now called The Meadow Event Park.
This land is famed in equine circles as the birthplace of the greatest racehorse that ever lived, the great champion Secretariat. It's fitting that two of his descendants will be on hand for State Fair visitors to meet.





Covert Action is a grandson of Secretariat,


and Rainway his great grandson.

Both of these horses are "rescued" thoroughbreds, saved from a life of extreme abuse and neglect. They were brought back to health by the folks at Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation (Covert Action) in Virginia and Horse Haven of Tennessee (Rainaway).

You can find links to their stories here.

Not far from Rainaway and Covert Action, you'll find the Virginia Tech Block and Bridle Club. There's no better eating at the Virginia State fair.



Here we found Stuart Sanders and Blaine White and other Va Tech Hokies preparing for tomorrows opening of the Virginia State Fair.
Stuart is the one speaking, Blaine is in the truck. Check last years story to see what they're up to.

The Virginia Tech Block and Bridle Club is located a stones throw from Young McDonald's Farm, where you can see Rainaway and Covert Action, and not far away is a scene that most fair goers will never know is there, a small equine cemetery.



It's only four graves, but it's the final resting place of champions.


You have Hill Prince, Horse of the Year at three years old, and sire of 23 graded stakes race winners.


Sun Beau is here too. He was the U.S. Champion Older Male Horse three years in a row, and won more money than any other horse of his time according to Wikipedia

Both Hill Prince and Sun Beau are enshrined in the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame


It's also the final resting place of the broodmare Imperatrice. She gave us Somethingroyal, the dam of the great horse Secretariat, born on these very grounds 39 years ago.

And finally there is the grave of a horse named Blue. Perhaps a riding horse, he left no record beyond his tombstone, which simply says "Blue 36 years of love".

On a sad note, Rainaway's sire, Summer Squall was euthanized this week from "complications from the infirmities of old age" according to Bloodhorse.com .


TvNB

Another look. Secretariat's descendants, Covert Action and Rainaway, at Virginia State Fair

*** Rainaway's story is here

A 2009 State Fair of Virginia update here

Secretariat's descendants Rainaway and Covert Action September updates 2009 here



Today, while looking around the State Fair, James River News ran across Virginia trainer and Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation volunteer Mark Eagan and his son grooming Covert Action and Rainaway.

As documented in earlier posts in James River News, both are descendants of the great racehorse Secretariat, and both were rescued from environments of abuse and neglect.

Mark Eagan shared a couple thoughts with us while grooming the horses (Covert Action is the darker horse and is the grandson of Secretariat, Rainaway is the chestnut and is the great-grandson of the great champion).

Mr. Eagan was lucky enough to see Secretariat run while he was a teenager, and he told us that experience had a strong influence on the direction his life has taken in the equine world.



Rainaway will be living at the Meadow in Caroline County once the facilities are finished. The Meadow was the birthplace of Secretariat.


TvNB

Secretariat's Grandson, Covert Action

Also check here for more pictures and Rainaway, Secretariat's great grandson

This is video of Covert Action at the Meadow.