The U.S. Army wants to purchase the 150-acre Middleburg Training Center where some of Virginia’s top racehorses are trained on its nearly one-mile racetrack, something the region’s horsemen say will “cripple” the sport in the area.
The Army hopes to base its famous Caisson Detachment – the team of horses and military riders that provide funeral honors for fallen service members and high-ranking dignitaries. The detachment is now located at the 40-acre NOVA Equestrian Center, or NEC, in Aldie.
Losing the Middleburg Training Center – at 35355 Training Center Lane in western Loudoun County – would have far-reaching consequences for Virginia’s Thoroughbred breeding and racing industry, area horsemen say. The training center provides the biggest hub for Virginia-based Thoroughbreds, which generated $86.2 million in economic impact and supported 825 full-time jobs in the state from 2017-2023, according to the Virginia Equine Alliance…