The 127th Warrenton Horse Show in Virginia will feature the inaugural $7,500 William E. “Bill” Graves Memorial Thoroughbred Hunter Derby on Thursday, September 3, 2026. Sponsored by Gainesway Sales Company, this two-round hunter derby at a three-foot height is open to any Thoroughbred horse. The event honors Bill Graves, a respected Virginia horseman and longtime Fasig-Tipton executive who was known for retraining Thoroughbreds off the track into show horses. Graves passed away in 2018, and his son Brian Graves is now the general manager at Gainesway.

In addition to the Graves Memorial Hunter Derby, the Warrenton Horse Show will continue to host several other Thoroughbred-focused classes, including the Back From the Track hack, the Too Slow to Go hack, the Thoroughbred Hunter Division at 2’6″ or 2’9″, and the $2,500 Take2 Thoroughbred Division at 3′, sponsored by the VanMeter Family. The celebration begins on Wednesday, September 2, with the Virginia Thoroughbred Yearling Futurity, highlighting the show’s ongoing commitment to showcasing off-track Thoroughbreds and their versatility in the hunter ring.