Mansion Tours

Enjoy a special opportunity to tour Meadow Hall during the 2018 State Fair of Virginia. The stately mansion sits atop the site of the ancestral homeplace of Christopher Chenery, who founded Meadow Stable in 1936.Step back in time to its glory days as your narrator walks you through the Meadow Champion Galleries and the Triple Crown Room. View the exclusive Chenery Collection of personal family items and memorabilia from the beloved “First Lady of Racing” herself, the late Penny Chenery. Learn how this fabled Virginia farm produced an American legend, Triple Crown champion Secretariat, and how his fiery bloodlines live on in Thoroughbred racing today.After your mansion tour, be sure to visit the Secretariat booth and the historic barns nearby.

Proceeds benefit The Historic Barn Renovation Fund to restore the barns which are now part of The Meadow Event Park's listing on the National Register of Historic Places and the Virginia Landmarks Register.

Penny Chenery, whose father Christopher T. Chenery founded the racing stable in 1936, recently sent several items to The Meadow from her family's personal collection. They are on loan specifically for the Secretariat tourism program. Revered as the “First Lady of Racing,” Ms. Chenery owned and raced Secretariat, whose track records in his historic 1973 Triple Crown have never been broken.

The Chenery Collection includes:

• The Black Riding Boots of Christopher T. Chenery – Known as a “bold rider who went bold places,” the visionary founder of Meadow Stable was a superb horseman. An accompanying photo in the exhibit shows him mounted on one of his favorite horses and wearing the boots.
• The complete foxhunting attire worn by Mr. Chenery when he rode to hounds with the Deep Run Hunt Club.
• The Starter's Bell from Meadow Training Center – The clang of this bell taught Secretariat, Riva Ridge and other Meadow Stable champions to leap from the starting gate at the farm's mile-long training track.
• Hill Prince Horse of the Year 1950 Plaque – Hill Prince was Meadow Stable's first big champion, winning the 1950 Preakness, Jockey Club Gold Cup and over $422,000 in his racing career.
• Christopher T. Chenery Breeder of the Year 1950 Plaque – presented by the New York Turf Writers' Association. This recognized Mr. Chenery for breeding Hill Prince, 1950 Horse of the Year.
• Riva Ridge Horseshoe 1972 Plaque – Riva Ridge was the first Meadow Stable horse to win the Kentucky Derby, a lifelong dream of Mr. Chenery. Riva also won the Belmont Stakes in 1972.
• Hildene Virginia Equine Hall of Fame 1992 Plaque – This was presented by the Virginia Thoroughbred Association in honor of Hildene, Mr. Chenery's first great broodmare.
• Saddle Blankets – These brightly striped woolen blankets belonged to Mr. Chenery, who used them with his personal riding horses.

The Secretariat tourism program at The Meadow has also acquired:

*State Fair of Virginia admission is required and must be purchased separately in order to take a tour. Visit www.statefairva.org for more info and to purchase Fair tickets. Tour times are non-transferable. No refunds. No rainchecks. Limited tour spaces available.

The State Fair ticket office may be reached at 804-994-2800 or at tickets@statefairva.org.