VIRGINIA REAL ESTATE UPDATE
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From Dickenson County to Galax, rural areas that offer winding trails, bluegrass music and wine tastings have become some of the state's fastest-growing attractions, tourism officials said Monday. Visitors from afar are drawn by the image of Main Street America, the old-fashioned, wave-to-your-neighbor place that doesn't exist in many cities — but does in parts of Virginia, Alisa Bailey, president of the Virginia Tourism Corporation, said at the Governor's Conference on Tourism in Richmond. The rapid growth of these small attractions follows a national trend of city dwellers seeking relaxing, country getaways, she said. Many of these tourists prefer to blend their vacations with activities like wine tastings and spa treatments, and flock to rural Virginia real estate communites rich in culture, fine dining and recreation. Excerpt quoted from article by By Dionne Walker, Associated Press, April 25, 2005 |
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While the state lost telecom jobs in 2003, two sectors had increases... Virginia lost thousands of high-tech jobs from 2002 to 2003, but the loss slowed enough for the state to move up a notch in the national rankings, one study shows. Despite 4,200 job losses in technology, mostly in telecommunications, Virginia ranked fifth among the states in the total number of high-tech jobs in 2003. That was up from sixth place in 2002, according to a study to be released today by the AeA, formerly the American Electronics Association. Excerpt quoted from article By John Reid Blackwell, Richmond Times Dispatch, April 26, 2005 |
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Wintergreen Featured Listings |
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In Virginia, we take our horsing-around very seriously – especially now that the thoroughbred racing season is at hand. But horse-related events and activities occur year-round in virtually every region of the Commonwealth, ranging from the high-excitement action of rodeos, hunts and the world-famous Pony Penning to trail-riding on lush bridle paths. Discover or rediscover myriad other attractions along the way including historic Virginia homes and plantations, state parks and theme parks. Below are some of Virginia’s major equine events. -- A Run for Your Money The 2005 thoroughbred racing season runs from June 17th through August 9th at the Colonial Downs New Kent Track, between Williamsburg and Richmond. The biggest race day is Saturday, July 16 – the $750,000 Virginia Derby – as well as the $200,000 Virginia Oaks and the $200,000 Mehe Cahaba All Along Breeders' Cup. The facility also offers simulcast racing year-round in its five Off Track Betting Parlors in Richmond, Chesapeake, Hampton, Alberta and Vinton and during live racing at the New Kent Track. Racing fans can watch and wager on up to 23 tracks from around the country, featuring both thoroughbred and harness races each day. -- The Heart of Virginia Horse Country In the heart of horse country (Warrenton and the surrounding Fauquier County), the first steeplechase event of the year – the Casanova Hunt Point-to-Point, occurs in February, and steeplechase events continue through the first weekend in May. The famous Virginia Gold Cup event is held later in May at Great Meadow Field Events Center in The Plains. Memorial Day weekend brings the Hunt Country Stable Tour of privately and publicly owned stables, as well as the Middleburg Equine Center, where visitors can see horses that have been hurt swim in one of the country’s largest, therapeutic pools. The Middleburg Agricultural Research and Extension Center is part of the tour, too, where visitors might well be treated to the sight of a newborn foal “getting its legs.” June ushers in polo season, with the public sporting competitions held each Friday night at the Great Meadow Field Events Center through September. The Warrenton Horse Show just before Labor Day includes a special youth division and is entertaining as well as educational. Later in September, visit the Middleburg Classic Horse Show at the same Great Meadow facility. On the third Saturday in October, the International Gold Cup is held at the Great Meadow facility, drawing contestants and spectators from all over the world. -- Old-Fashioned ‘Horse Sense’ Loudoun County and Middleburg offer a few exceptional resources for those who want to learn about the riding and hunting life “straight from the horse’s mouth.” The National Sporting Library in Middleburg offers thousands of books on horseback riding and other outdoor field sports. The fox hunting museum on the 1,200- acre estate of Morven Park is the only one in the country. Visitors to Busch Gardens Williamsburg can pet and admire the world-famous Clydesdale horses, long the symbol and mascot for the Anheuser-Busch brewery. Additionally, living-history museums and farms throughout the state enable visitors to experience not only how their ancestors worked and lived but how dependent earlier generations were on the loyal beasts who served them, whether the sprightly stallion for quick transportation or the sturdy and dependable plow horse for farming. -- A Traditional View For the heritage of black equestrians, visit Portsmouth in mid-February for the Horseback Ride in Honor of Black History Month featuring all African-American riders. The parade weaves through Olde Towne, one square mile of living history including historically significant antebellum homes in the downtown section of the city along the Elizabeth River. The Blessing of the Hounds is a colorful ceremony each Thanksgiving Day morning at Grace Church in Cismont, outside Charlottesville, to kick off the hunt season. For bronco bustin’ action, and to learn about a very important chapter in American culture, Salem hosts a rodeo every January. The Salem Stampede is a full-scale championship rodeo, complete with calf-roping, steer-wrestling, trick-riding and other skills you thought had gone the way of The Pony Express. About 400-500 professional cowboys compete and star in the event that takes you back to the wild ways of the Old West. -- The Love of the Chase Novelist William Faulkner, First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy and Virginia Senator John Warner were all regulars “riding to the hounds” in Virginia’s hunt fields. Charlottesville hosts the Foxfield Races in spring and fall; mid-June ushers in the Virginia Celebrity Freestyle Competition at the Keswick Hunt Club show grounds; and author Rita Mae Brown, one of many celebrities who reside in the area, is the Master of Foxhounds at the Fox Hunt Club at Oak Ridge (renovated in 2002, the Oak Ridge facility also offers harness racing). And the Bull Run Hunt in nearby Culpeper is held the first weekend in May. March marks the Warrenton Hunt, an event that has won the Southeastern Tourism Society’s award for a Top 20 East Coast event many times (a pony show is held at the same site in Warrenton at the end of June). -- Ticket to Ride Graves Mountain Lodge in Syria offers 50 miles of trails, ranging from open meadow to orchards to mountain trails. The Shenandoah Park National Horse Trail System can be directly accessed from the Graves Mountain trails. Similarly, The Homestead – one of Virginia's elegant four-season resorts – offers horseback riding on its scenic grounds. For the recreational equestrian, Fauquier County offers every kind of horseback riding – mountain rides, river rides, overnight rides and even stagecoach rides – at the Marriott Ranch. This cattle ranch estate, originally the home of the family that founded the hotel chain, also hosts a luxury B&B resort. Prince William County in Northern Virginia is home to the Baby Pet Parade at Old Mine Ranch where visitors can see this year’s baby ponies and enjoy pony rides. In the thick of horse country – Madison, Orange, Loudoun, Gordonsville and the surrounding areas – there are plenty of riding opportunities, either on your own steed exploring one of the many lovely farms or for supervised instruction and lessons. You need to bring your own horse to ride at the Funny Farm Inn, but Oakland Heights has horses available for riding, and Summerduck Farm offers a Horseman Camp and Clinic. -- Room and (Never!) Bored The 600-acre Virginia Horse Center in Lexington is a world-class equestrian facility. With breathtaking views and more than 600 acres of pristine grounds, its barns accommodate over 700 horses, and the picturesque arena can seat more than 4,000 spectators. A typical horse show here averaging 350-400 horses and approximately 4,000 exhibitors and spectators, offers a cross-country course and beautiful, wooded trails. Culpeper has a number of notable equestrian facilities and events, including the $100,000 Grand Prix held at the end of September in Commonwealth Park. A grand venue in the same area is the Inn at Kelly’s Ford which, in addition to being a luxury resort, boasts a full-scale, Class A Equine Center on its 500 acres along the Rappahannock River for competitions, boarding, training, lessons and other events. The western part of the state is home to the largest indoor horse show in the Commonwealth, the Roanoke Valley Horse Show, held June 20-25, 2005. One of the many competitions here is the $50,000 Grand Prix of Roanoke. -- Mount Up at Montpelier Montpelier was home to America’s first “power couple,” President James Madison and his lobbyist/ pollster and social-director wife, Dolley. This 2,700-acre estate calls starters to the post on the first Saturday of each November for the Montpelier Hunt Races. Billed as “an annual celebration of steeplechase racing and Southern hospitality,” these races deliver, with many family events, such as the immensely popular Jack Russell Terrier races and elegant tailgate luncheons. In the past few years, Montpelier has started a new tradition – the Cleveland Bay Horse Show and Sale held in early September. Developed in Britain and first imported into Virginia in the 1800s, these horses have an impressive resume: they pull the royal carriages for the Queen of England. Unfortunately, they are a “rare breed” in more ways than one, with fewer than 600 of these horses worldwide (and only 50 remaining in the United States and Canada), and they are on the Rare Breeds Survival Trust’s critical list. Consequently, Montpelier recently became home site for the American Breeding Center for the Cleveland Bay with the express purpose of keeping the species extant. Soon Montpelier will be home to another horse preservation center, the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation, which rescues thoroughbreds at the end of their racing careers, retraining them for second careers or simply allowing them to retire in peace on more than 200 acres of pastureland on the estate. The Montpelier facility will allow the horses to be offered to the public for adoption, and visitors to Montpelier can visit the horses at the center when they arrive. -- Sea Horses No article on Virginia’s equine culture would be complete without the salty side of the story -- Chincoteague’s famous annual pony swim, penning and auction that occurs July 27, 2005. One of the newest attractions celebrating these ponies is the Chincoteague Pony Center, where visitors can take a pony ride or lesson, quite possibly on one of Misty’s direct descendants. -- The Tale End Yes, Virginia loves its horses – and in testimony to that, even the dearly long-departed – such as General “Stonewall” Jackson’s horse Little Sorrell and General Robert E. Lee’s favorite horse, Traveller, are tourist attractions. Little Sorrell is mounted in the museum at the Virginia Military Institute, and Traveller’s grave lies near the office his master occupied as president of Washington and Lee University following the Civil War. Whether new-born colt or legendary historical figure, million-dollar racehorse or plodding but indispensable workhorse; race event, hunt, sanctuary or museum, it’s a good bet that Virginia will get your equine vacation or visit off and running like no place else. For vacation - planning assistance, go to www.Virginia.org, or phone toll-free 1-800-932-5827. Article provided by the Virginia Tourism Corporation via the Daily Progress |
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Ripening Industry |
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Grape production in Virginia is up as the state tries to help its wine industry expand... Many grape growers raised their wine glasses to a bittersweet toast as they cheered 2004 production. Yes, wine grape production was up, but not nearly what it was in 2002 and the year before that. From chardonnay to viognier, Virginia's 250 vineyards produced more than 3,700 tons of commercial grapes in 2004, up nearly 3 percent from the previous year. Of those, 543 tons were harvested in Southwest Virginia, up 52 percent from a year earlier. Weather permitting, 2005 is expected to yield even higher numbers because more vineyards are in operation. Excerpt quoted from an article By Lois Caliri, The Roanoke Times, May 6, 2005 |
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