On behalf of members of the Loudoun and Fauquier County equestrian community, I respectfully submit the following concerns regarding the potential relocation of the U.S. Army Caisson horses to the Middleburg Training Center (MTC) in Middleburg, Virginia. While the community holds the highest respect for the United States Army and the historic role the Caisson horses play in honoring our nation’s fallen service members, the Middleburg Training Center is not an appropriate venue for this mission due to its current configuration, historic context, and its essential role in sustaining Virginia’s Thoroughbred racing and breeding industry.
The Middleburg Training Center is a purpose-built Thoroughbred training facility established in 1956 by philanthropist and horseman Paul Mellon. The 149-acre property contains a 7/8-mile training track, 11 barns, approximately 220 stalls, and more than 40 paddocks designed specifically for the daily conditioning of racehorses and the operational needs of professional trainers. The infrastructure, circulation patterns, and operational design of the facility are optimized for the high-frequency training schedules required in a racing environment. Repurposing the facility for the unique operational needs of the Caisson program would require significant modifications and operational changes that would undermine both the Army’s mission requirements and the established training use of the property.
The Middleburg Training Center also sits adjacent to the historic village of St. Louis, an area deeply connected to Virginia’s equestrian heritage. For generations, this region has been a center of Thoroughbred breeding, foxhunting, and point-to-point racing. The training center represents a living continuation of that tradition and serves as one of the few remaining dedicated racehorse training venues in the Commonwealth. Preserving the integrity of this historic equestrian landscape is a priority for the local community and for the broader horse industry that has shaped Loudoun and Fauquier counties for more than a century…