Middleburg Training Center Sale to VEA Stalls

Equine industry leaders raise concerns over potential loss of facility to U.S. Army

Apr. 13, 2026 at 7:20pm

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A minimalist studio still life featuring a collection of sleek, geometric objects arranged on a plain white background, symbolizing the complex business negotiations surrounding the Middleburg Training Center.The future of a vital equestrian training facility hangs in the balance as negotiations stall and competing interests vie for its ownership.Middleburg Today

Negotiations between the owners of the Middleburg Training Center and the Virginia Equine Alliance (VEA) to sell the 149-acre property have hit a roadblock, leaving the future of the facility uncertain. The VEA had been in talks to acquire the training center, but the deal was not approved by the VEA board last week. The owners, the Kuhn family, say they are now ready to move forward with selling the property to the U.S. Department of Defense, which is considering it as a new home for the Army's Caisson Detachment.

Why it matters

The Middleburg Training Center is a crucial asset for the region's equestrian community, and its potential loss has raised concerns about the impact on the local horse breeding and racing industries. Leaders in the equine industry are hoping to find a way to preserve the facility's operations, even if it is sold to the Army.

The details

The Kuhn family, who own the Middleburg Training Center, say they have been working with the VEA and other equine associations for months to give them an opportunity to purchase the property before potentially selling it to the Department of Defense. The VEA, a nonprofit established to promote and expand the horse breeding and racing industries in Virginia, had been in negotiations to acquire the training center, but the VEA board did not approve the transaction last week. VEA Executive Director Jeb Hannum said they had asked for 30 more days to raise money and conduct additional due diligence on the condition of the facilities, but were told there was not enough time to wait.

  • The Middleburg Training Center is a 149-acre property near the village of St. Louis, Virginia.
  • The Kuhn family, who own the training center, have been in talks with the VEA and other equine associations for months.
  • Last week, the VEA board did not approve the transaction to acquire the training center.
  • The Kuhn family says they are now ready to move forward with selling the property to the U.S. Department of Defense.

The players

Middleburg Training Center

A 149-acre equestrian training facility located near the village of St. Louis, Virginia, that is currently owned by the Kuhn family.

Virginia Equine Alliance (VEA)

A nonprofit organization established to promote and expand the horse breeding and horse racing industries in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Jeb Hannum

The Executive Director of the Virginia Equine Alliance.

Chuck Kuhn

The owner of the Middleburg Training Center, who has been in negotiations with the VEA and other equine associations.

U.S. Department of Defense

The federal agency that is considering the Middleburg Training Center as a potential new home for the Army's Caisson Detachment.

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What they’re saying

“We have not signed a contract with any purchaser to date. We have been working with the VEA and other equine associations and the local equine community for months to give them an opportunity to purchase the training center prior to going to contract with the DoD.”

— Chuck Kuhn, Owner, Middleburg Training Center

“We had asked him if we could have 30 more days to raise money and to do some additional due diligence. Particularly, we wanted to just get a sense of how much work the track was going to need to bring it up to sort of our standards.”

— Jeb Hannum, Executive Director, Virginia Equine Alliance

“That's frustrating. It's certainly a setback for the industry, but if the Army does purchase it, we're hoping that we can have a scenario where we could share the facility, where we could have maybe a few barns continue to be rented by trainers, and the track would still be open to the racing community.”

— Jeb Hannum, Executive Director, Virginia Equine Alliance

What’s next

The Kuhn family says they have not closed the door on transferring the Middleburg Training Center to others in the horse racing industry, but they are ready to move forward with selling the property to the Department of Defense if the equine community does not act quickly.

The takeaway

The potential loss of the Middleburg Training Center is a significant concern for the local equestrian community, which is hoping to find a way to preserve the facility's operations, even if it is sold to the Army. The failure of the VEA's negotiations to acquire the property is a setback, but industry leaders are still exploring options to keep the training center in use for the region's horse breeding and racing industries.