The Scene: 2014 Virginia Gold Cup Steeplechase Horse Race

On Saturday, May 3, 2014 the 89^th Annual Virginia Gold Cup steeplechase race took place at the Great Meadow in The Plains, Virginia. The Virginia Gold Cup is a grand spring tradition as well as a fixture on the social calendar for many Washingtonians and Virginians. The race has been running in Fauquier County since 1922 and attended by over 50,000 spectators, this race is one of the largest and most popular sporting events in the greater Washington metropolitan area.

On race day, there are six hurdle and timber horses races, Jack Russell Terrier races, tent, tailgate and hat contests, and vendor booths for shopping.

The best way to attend the Gold Cup is with a group of friends/family, a social club or company. Although the race is the main focus, the Gold Cup is also a social scene for people to reconnect and make new friends. As you would guess, the scene is very preppy, as most equestrian sports are. This year, the Capital Club of Washington, DC hosted LuxuriousPROTOTYPE editors. The Capital Club, founded in 1980 as a social organization that has evolved into a nationally recognized organization over the past 30 years.

The men of Capital Club treated their guests with great southern hospitality. The morning of the race, guests arrived at a park on the corner of Whitehaven and 35th Parkway to load the bus for The Plains, VA. This is the time when most people connect before a long day of boozing and schmoozing.

After the bus ride to the grounds, all the guests unload at the tent, which had a fully stocked bar of champagne, Tito’s, beer, Maker’s Mark, Fireball and Chick-fil-a. Walking around Great Meadow, you get a sense of ease. All troubles are washed away for the moment you are at the Gold Cup. Phone reception is almost non-existence, which is great for disconnecting from the mobile world. No tweets, no Instagram and no Facebook! Just laughter, libations, horses and good food. The southern hospitality extends to other tents as well. There were several times when walking by a tent, we were greeted and welcomed to have a drink. With that being said, the mantra of the day, for pretty much everyone was “pace yourself”. No one wants to be or be around the sloppy drunk person.