The Meadow Event Park (also called "The Meadow") is an event center in

Doswell, Virginia Doswell is an unincorporated area, unincorporated community in Hanover County, Virginia, Hanover County in the Central Region of the Commonwealth (U.S. state), U.S. Commonwealth of Virginia. Originally called Hanover Junction, it was located on t ...

. It was first called the Meadow Stables. The park hosts the annual State Fair of Virginia. On March 14, 2013, the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation bought the State Fair of Virginia and The Meadow Event Park from Universal Fairs LLC of

Cordova, Tennessee Cordova is a community in Shelby County, Tennessee, United States. Cordova lies east of Memphis, north of Germantown, south of Bartlett, and northwest of Collierville at an elevation of 361 feet (110 meters). The majority of Cordova has been a ...

. The Meadow Event Park also hosts other events. The historic structures of the Thoroughbred farm remain on the site. The park was the birthplace of famous

Thoroughbred racing Thoroughbred racing is a sport and industry involving the racing of Thoroughbred horses. It is governed by different national bodies. There are two forms of the sport – flat racing and jump racing, the latter known as National Hunt racing i ...

horse

Secretariat Secretariat may refer to: * Secretariat (administrative office) * Secretariat (horse) Secretariat (March 30, 1970 – October 4, 1989), also known as Big Red, was a champion American thoroughbred racehorse who is the ninth winner of the Ame ...

, 1973

Triple Crown Triple Crown may refer to: Sports Horse racing * Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing * Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing (United States) ** Triple Crown Trophy ** Triple Crown Productions * Canadian Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing * Trip ...

champion. The original barns that housed Secretariat,

Riva Ridge Riva Ridge (April 13, 1969 – April 21, 1985) was a Thoroughbred racehorse, the winner of the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes in 1972. Often remembered simply as a stablemate of Secretariat, Riva Ridge was a successful racehorse in his own rig ...

, and earlier Meadow Stable champions have been preserved including the foaling shed where Secretariat was born on March 30, 1970. Meadow Hall showcases the Meadow Champions Galleries, the Triple Crown Room and the Museum of the Virginia Horse. Each spring, fans from all over the country flock to The Meadow for the annual Secretariat Birthday Celebration. In the fall, the State Fair features a Salute to Secretariat. The history of The Meadow dates back to 1805, when Dr. Charles D. Morris purchased of land which served as his family's home for the next 100 years. The farm was sold out of the family in the early 1900s until

Christopher Chenery Christopher Chenery (September 16, 1886 – January 3, 1973) was an American engineer, businessman, and the owner/breeder of record for Thoroughbred horse racing's U.S. Triple Crown champion Secretariat. Early life and career Christopher ...

, a Morris descendant, bought it back in 1936. His daughter,

Penny Chenery Helen Bates "Penny" Chenery (January 27, 1922 – September 16, 2017) (married names: Penny Tweedy until 1974 and later Penny Ringquist until 1980) was an American sportswoman who bred and owned Secretariat, the 1973 winner of the Triple Crown. T ...

, continued his work, achieving success with Riva Ridge and Secretariat. In 1972, Riva Ridge won the

Kentucky Derby The Kentucky Derby is a horse race held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States, almost always on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The competition is a Grade I stakes race for three-year ...

and the

Belmont Stakes The Belmont Stakes is an American Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbreds run at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It is run over 1.5 miles (2,400 m). Colts and geldings carry a weight of ; fillies carry . The race, nicknamed Th ...

and placed fourth in the

Preakness Preakness may refer to: * The Preakness or Preakness Stakes, an American flat thoroughbred horse race held in Baltimore, Maryland * Preakness (horse), an American thoroughbred racehorse from Preakness Stables * Preakness, New Jersey, a section of W ...

. In 1973, Secretariat became the first horse in twenty-five years to win the Triple Crown and the only champion to break all three track records, which still stand fifty years later. The Meadow was sold by the Chenery family in 1979, and most of the property was divided into smaller parcels. The rest of the farm changed owners several times. The venue has been owned by the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation since March 14, 2013. It was listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

as The Meadow Historic District in 2015. The Meadow's history includes the African American grooms that are mentioned in the National Park Service application. Meadow Farms and Secretariat are also recognized by an official roadside historic marker from the State of Virginia.

References

External links

The Meadow Event Park homepageState Fair of Virginia
{{Music venues of Virginia Music venues in Virginia Virginia municipal and county parks Parks in Hanover County, Virginia 2009 establishments in Virginia Protected areas established in 2009 Historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Virginia Parks on the National Register of Historic Places in Virginia National Register of Historic Places in Hanover County, Virginia Event venues on the National Register of Historic Places in Virginia Fairgrounds in the United States

See also

References

External links