Fauquier County Horse Farms

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For those who’d rather be in the saddle than anywhere else, Fauquier County, with its wealth of Fauquier County horse farms, is a paradise on earth. Virginia, generally speaking, is horse country, and Fauquier is in the heart of it all. The state is home to the fifth largest horse population in the nation and Fauquier is second only to neighboring Loudoun County when it comes to number of head.

Fauquier has a rich equestrian tradition that harks back to Colonial times when it was still part of the vast lands of Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron, who hosted the first organized foxhunt in the country in 1747. Today, Fauquier County horse farms are some of the most coveted pieces of real estate in Virginia’s Hunt Country.

Foxhunting, steeplechase racing, three-day eventing and horse shows are some of the most popular equestrian-oriented activities in Fauquier and its surrounding areas. The most prominent equestrian events held in Fauquier County are the Virginia Gold Cup and International Gold Cup steeplechase races, both held at Great Meadow in The Plains. The Virginia Gold Cup, which has been held in Fauquier since 1922, is held on the first Saturday of May and is one of the premier outdoor events in Virginia and the Washington metro area. The International Gold Cup race, first held in Tennessee and now held at Great Meadow since 1983, runs in the Fall.

Twilight Polo is also held at Great Meadow on Saturday evenings from June through September and foxhunting and point-to-point races are held throughout the county. The Upperville Colt and Horse Show, the country’s oldest, is another prestigious Fauquier County Real Estate event.

For more information on Fauquier County horse farms and all things equestrian, contact Jay Miller of Piedmont Sotheby’s International Realty at 540 675 1675.