BY PORTSIA SMITH

The two new partners of the State Fair of Virginia will hold a news conference Thursday at the Meadow Event Park in Caroline County to talk about their plans together.

The Virginia Farm Bureau and Universal Fairs say they will share information about their new partnership's presentation of the state fair, which is scheduled to run Sept. 28 to Oct. 7.

Universal Fairs President Mark Lovell, Virginia Farm Bureau Federation President Wayne Pryor, Virginia Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Todd Haymore and Caroline Board of Supervisors Chairman Wayne Acors all plan to attend the presentation.

Retired racing thoroughbred Covert Action, whose Triple Crown-winning grandsire, Secretariat, was born at The Meadow, also will be on hand.

As part of its partnership with the fair and to honor the racing history of The Meadow, the Virginia Farm Bureau is considering adopting some of the horses now pastured at the James River Work Center by the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation, according to a news release.

Representatives of numerous organizations that previously have had a relationship with the fair have been invited to the 10 a.m. news conference, the release said.

Portsia Smith: 540/374-5419
Email: psmith@fredericksburg.com