"It just became too difficult to do what we wanted to do in Virginia," said Paul who relocated to Montana last December. "This is something we've thought about doing for a while and with the combination of a labor shortage and the urban sprawl in the area, we decided it would be in the best interest of everyone to keep the mares in Kentucky full time to take advantage of the Kentucky breeders program."Since 1994, Dinwiddie broodmares were sent to Kentucky for breeding and foaling and were returned to Virginia after the mare was bred back. The farm typically kept the fillies for breeding purposes and sold the colts. Dinwiddie bred grade II winners Santa Catarina and King Cugat, who stands at William S. Farish's Lane's End Farm near Versailles, Ky., and in partnership bred grade III winners Final Round and Profit Column.
The Virginia location of Dinwiddie Farm has closed its doors, but the operation will continue to breed and race Thoroughrbeds, said farm manager Bud Paul.The 11-member Dinwiddie broodmare band will now be boarded full time at the Hancock family's Claiborne Farm near Paris, Ky., and the operation will continue to have 10 horses in training divided between conditioners Bill Mott, Rusty Arnold, and James Murphy. Paul will continue to manage the breeding and racing operation for Dinwiddie owner Stewart Bainum from his new home near Whitefish, Mont. Bainum, who purchased the 614-acre farm in the Shenandoah Valley near Middleburg in 1985, still owns the farm. A portion of the land has been leased to a nearby cattle farm.