Open House at Middleburg Training Center on Sunday, May 19, revealed the historic facility's improvements: new Duralock race rail around the 7/8-mile track, sound fencing, lots of fresh paint, restored barns and paddocks. Bought in 2017 from the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation by Chuck Kuch of JK Moving Services Purcellville), who also purchased Ned Evans' Spring Hill Farm in Casanova, thereby saving it from developers, the 149-acre facility, re-branded Middleburg Equestrian Center, is managed by Chuck's son Steve Kuhn, who's much more into horses since he met Abby Hitt (pictured with Dandelion, her therapy mini horse at the open house), an equestrian and certified therapeutic riding instructor with Sotheby's. Her three horses became five and the rest, as they say, is history.

"We bought the training center mainly because my father originally wanted to preserve the land and put it into easement," recalled Steve. "But that changed when my father asked the trainers what they wanted and the community also said they really wanted to see it stay open."

The barns have a mix of established and young trainers; they already know just how great a place it is for riding and training horses.

For information: www.middleburgtrack.com