Washington
Sudden death of Washington VC – Harnesslink
Southland based harness racing stallion Washington VC died on Friday morning at Bryleigh Stud near Edendale, his home for twenty four years.
“He was neighing. Something wasn’t quite right. I led him out to his paddock, he lay down and never got up. It was almost certainly a heart attack. It was my dream way for him to die because you don’t want to see them cast or with a broken leg,” said his owner Keith Norman.
The Presidential Ball stallion was 28 and remarkably his progeny won 28 Group One races.
“That’s unbelievable for a stallion based in Southland. Twenty four years he’s been here so he’s part of the family. He could have been sold to Australia many times over, but we always said he looked after us so we’ll look after him”.
His last service was January 15th 2020 so his last foals are now three year olds.
Washington VC was brought to New Zealand by Keith and Tracey Norman.
“I had The Gladiator, and we were battling with him. Old age had caught up with Son Of Afella so we were on the lookout. We had plenty of offers from America. I got put onto Washington VC who had just won the Adios but had pulled up lame afterwards. He was out spelling and we put an offer in for him. There was competition from other studs, but we got him.”
He was bought outright by the Normans but soon syndicated.
“On the trip over he was syndicated to a group of Southlanders like Peter McKnight, Mark O’Connor, Syd Brown and Alex Milne. Brian West from Christchurch also had a share. Washington had thirty six shares and I owned eighteen of them.”
Not only did he leave top end pacers such as I’m Themightyquinn and I’m Victorious, he also left a lot of good bread and butter horses that were very saleable to Australia.
“He’s been unbelievable like that. My brother (Brian) relied on selling them. I’ve sold them forever and I can’t complain about the money I’ve made from them (laughter). Any Washington that had been to the trials and shown any promise the Aussies would be on the phone straight away. In New Zealand the Washingtons have won about 10 million whereas in Aussie they’ve won about 20 million. Mind you that’s because they bought the best ones.”
Undoubtedly I’m Themightyquinn was his standout.
He won fifty eight of his one hundred and eleven starts earning $4,567,456. His wins include three WA Pacing Cups, two Interdominion Grand Finals, two Fremantle Cups, A Blacks A Fake and a Cranbourne Cup, all Group One races.
“He’s the greatest stake earner ever by a New Zealand stallion.”
I’m Victorious bred by the Normans was another flagship horse by Washington VC.
The gelding qualified for Norman in May 2011 and was sold to Tim Butt. He went on to win three Group One races; The WA Derby, the Fremantle Cup and the Four Year Old Nugget. He won twenty two of his thirty four starts and banked $876,137.
“He could have been anything, but he cut his leg in the Interdominion Final. It was his tendon and he never raced again.”
Other good winners for the stallion were Georgetown who recorded twenty two wins including the G1 Eurodrive Winter Cup and earnings of $673,283, Report For Duty, forty seven wins and $1,038,537, Dasher VC who had twenty one wins including the G1 Golden Nugget and the G1 Fremantle Cup, and earned $639,752. Hokonui Ben achieved twenty five wins including the G1 WA Pacing Cup and earned $685, 377.
Foreal and It’s Ella were his best two fillies. Foreal won eighteen races including three Group Ones – The Northern Oaks, the NSW Oaks and the Ladyship Mile while It’s Ella won eighteen and $291,639. Her wins included the G2 Premier Mares Championship twice, and the G1 New Zealand Breeders Stakes.
At stud Washington VC attracted a wide range of mares by a variety of stallions.
“He crosses brilliantly with Soky’s Atom mares but in saying that, of his 450 winners, 119 were from different stallions which was incredible because you wouldn’t think there would be that many stallions around.”
I’m Themightyquinn, I’m Victorious, Smarter VC and Report For Duty were all out of Soky’s Atom mares.
As a broodmare sire Washington VC left Field Marshal and Locharburn.
Field Marshal who was out of Foreal won three Group One races in New Zealand – The Taylor Mile, New Zealand Messenger and Four Year Old Emerald whilst in Australia he won the Group One Freemantle Pacing Cup and the Group One Miracle Mile in 1-46.9.
“He’s still the fastest horse in Australasia.”
Locharburn won fourteen races which included the Group One New Zealand Derby and the Group One Easter Cup.
“I’m just weaning a foal by him now (Loch Nessy). The only reason I went to him is because Locharburn is out of a Washington mare. That’s my last little bit of loyalty.”
With Washington VC’s successes and with his stock winning all over Australasia, he provided the Normans with many thrills and memories over many years.
Keith say a major one was Field Marshal winning the G2 Superstars Championship at Addington with Locharburn running second.
During the thirty plus years Keith and Tracey have operated Bryleigh Stud, they’ve seen major changes in the sport in the south.
“When I started the stud in 1989 we were one of twelve studs in Southland. Now there is only one left.”
The passing of Washington VC will leave a huge gap in Keith and Tracey Norman’s life because for twenty four years he was in the same paddock, next to the house.
“Even when he retired I didn’t want him to get hurt. We had a routine of carrots every day and his yard cleaned out. One funny thing about him was that he’d only eat lucerne, which is expensive. He wouldn’t touch meadow hay so I’ve been getting lucerne hay from Central Otago forever.”
Rest in peace Washington VC, you did well.
And as a fitting tribute to his great Southland sire and a salute to Keith and Tracey, Superfast a son of Washington VC bred and owned by them, won the last race at Ascot Park today.
by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink
After DSA candidates roiled traditional Democrats with wins in New York City last week, Tuesday’s primary in a Denver-centered district tested whether the left wing’s appeal could prevail elsewhere.
It turns out the democratic socialists’ reach extends well beyond New York — and it may well grow before the year is out.
Melat Kiros, backed by the national Democratic Socialists of America and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, upset Rep. Diana DeGette, who has held her reliably blue seat for almost 30 years.
“What we’re seeing right now is the response to voters feeling like the party has not actually been fighting for working people,” Kiros told MS NOW last week.
The result is that Kiros, a critic of the Israeli government and high-ranking Democratic leaders, will likely be a member of Congress come next year. That happened even as DeGette cast the race as a warning, with President Donald Trump’s second term continuing to upend governance from the nation’s capital.
“Now is not the time to gamble and send somebody with no experience to Washington,” DeGette said during a recent candidate forum. “We need a strong, bold, hardened leader who will hold Trump accountable.”
The result was one of several Colorado results Tuesday to test incumbents or prominent statewide officials navigating a turbulent moment in Democratic politics — one in which voters have shown an appetite for untested fighters over familiar faces who’ve served in Washington’s halls of power.
The night’s theme wasn’t clear-cut; the three marquee races diverged on everything from ideology to questions of approach and clout. But each pitted an incumbent whose Congressional ties became fodder for a challenger.
In 2020, Democrats’ ability to woo former Gov. John Hickenlooper into the Senate race was seen as a boon for a party trying to unseat incumbent GOP Sen. Cory Gardner, one of the last Republicans left representing a blue state in the Senate. That move came after Hickenlooper’s 2020 presidential primary campaign fizzled. Even so, he faced a somewhat-competitive primary that year, taking 58.7% to his challenger’s 41.3%. Hickenlooper went on to win the seat that November by a little over nine points.
Photo by Elman Studio.
June 30, 2026 (Washington, D.C.) – The Washington Chorus (TWC), DC’s most dynamic choral ensemble, celebrates its 65th anniversary during the 2026-2027 season. Through thought-provoking pairings of classic major choral works, artistic collaborations, and groundbreaking premieres, TWC celebrates its history of providing an inclusive community where choral music connects, reflects, and inspires everyone while continuing its mission of creating transformative musical experiences that bring people together through the joy of choral music.
“Our 65th season showcases TWC’s commitment to honoring choral tradition while embracing the living voices shaping American music today,” said TWC Artistic Director Eugene Rogers. “We look forward to serving the entire D.C. community, bringing new audiences into our special anniversary celebration through this repertoire and outstanding guest artists.”
The season begins with TWC’s guest appearance with the National Symphony Orchestra for Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, conducted by Gianandrea Noseda at Wolf Trap’s Filene Center on Friday, August 14, 2026 at 8:00 p.m. On Thursday, October 15, 2026 at 7:30 p.m. at Joseph Myerhoff Symphony Hall; Saturday, October 17, 2026 at 8:00 p.m. at Music Center at Strathmore; and Sunday, October 18, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. at Meyerhoff TWC joins Marin Alsop and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra for John Adam’s On the Transmigration of Souls as part of the BSO’s Alsop Conducts Tchaikovsky’s Pathétique concert.
The Washington Chorus’s own season kicks off with two weekends of A Candlelight Christmas concerts in December, continuing its beloved holiday tradition now reimagined in new venues across the city. This cherished program brings together The Washington Chorus with the National Capital Brass and Percussion Ensemble, alongside award-winning music director, organist, and conductor Paul Byssainthe Jr., soprano Colleen Daly, and jazz-mezzo Christie Dashiell. The program will also feature the premiere of a new work by Evelyn Simpson-Curenton. Blending timeless carols with vibrant new voices, A Candlelight Christmas offers a warm and luminous celebration of the season – honoring tradition while embracing the rich musical spirit of our community. Venue and performance info are listed below.
In the new year, The Washington Chorus presents A Song Flung Up to Heaven: Honoring 65 Years of TWC on Sunday, February 28, 2027 at 3:00 p.m. at DAR Constitution Hall. The program juxtaposes two major works from contrasting origins – Nkeiru Okoye’s When the Caged Bird Sings and Poulenc’s Gloria – that treat sacred themes with a striking blend of reverence and theatricality. Together, these two major works meld European and American musical traditions into a powerful, life-affirming concert experience with a deep connection to spiritual rituals, while each composer’s innovation imbues them with new discoveries and uncovers mysteries of the human condition.
The centerpiece of this performance is the East Coast premiere of Dr. Nkeiru Okoye’s dramatic work When the Caged Bird Sings – a “musical ceremony” fusing many genres, including opera, musical theater, spoken word, and choral singing, and American musical styles including gospel, spirituals, traditional anthems, and jazz. Okoye’s evocative new piece celebrates the spirit of rising above expectations and transforming adversity into triumph through the milestones in the life of one Black woman. Partly in tribute to the activist and poet laureate Maya Angelou, the work celebrates and explores the transformative ability of the human spirit, commemorating those who have paved a path for future generations. The concert opens with a cornerstone of 20th-century sacred music, Francis Poulenc’s Gloria, which first premiered in 1961, the same year as TWC’s founding.
In May, TWC partners with the National Philharmonic to present Requiem and Renewal featuring Mozart’s monumental Requiem. This will be preceded by Jocelyn Hagen’s large-scale symphonic work, What the Soul Already Knows, on Saturday, May 8, 2027 at 7:30 p.m. at Music Center at Strathmore. Jointly commissioned by Pacific Chorale under the direction of Robert Istad and The Washington Chorus, the work will have its East Coast premiere as part of TWC’s 65th Anniversary Season.
Rooted in an exploration of the sacred – in both the physical world and the unseen – the work invites listeners to reflect on the deep interconnectedness of all life. At its core, What the Soul Already Knows is a meditation on our shared humanity and the potential for beauty that arises when we live in alignment with gratitude, unity, and service. The title received inspiration from the book Sacred Earth, Sacred Soul by Celtic spiritual teacher John Philip Newell, whose writings illuminate the sacred as present not only in heaven, but within the earth and all living beings. Both Hagen’s and Mozart’s works are meditations on the soul in a program that asks: What is the soul, what is sacred, and how should we live – before and beyond death?
Closing the season is a theatrical version of Giuseppe Verdi’s Requiem with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and conducted by its Artistic Director Jonathon Heyward on Friday, June 11, 2027 at 8:00 p.m. at Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall; Saturday, June 12, 2027 at 6:00 p.m. at Music Center at Strathmore; and Sunday, June 13, 2027 at 3:00 p.m. at Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall. This staged performance of Verdi’s masterpiece is our third collaboration with Heyward and the BSO’s multi-year Verdi Opera Initiative.
Performance Information
Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony
Friday, August 14, 2026 at 8:00 p.m.
Filene Center, Wolf Trap | 1551 Trap Road | Vienna, VA 22182
Tickets: $57 – $132
Link: wolftrap.org/show/26filene/081426/
Program:
Beethoven – The Consecration of the House – Overture
Beethoven – Elegiac Song, Op. 118
Beethoven – Symphony No. 9
Artists:
National Symphony Orchestra
Gianandrea Noseda, conductor
Tessa McQueen, soprano
Cecelia McKinley, alto
Demetrious Sampson, tenor
Jonathan Patton, baritone
The Washington Chorus
Eugene Rogers, artistic director
_______________________________
Alsop Conducts Tchaikovsky’s Pathétique
Thursday, October 15, 2026 at 7:30 p.m.
Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall | 1212 Cathedral Street | Baltimore, MD 21201
Saturday, October 17, 2026 at 8:00 p.m.
Music Center at Strathmore | 5301 Tuckerman Lane | North Bethesda, MD 20852
Sunday, October 18, 2026 at 3:00 p.m.
Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall | 1212 Cathedral Street | Baltimore, MD 21201
Tickets: Subscriptions are on sale now, with single tickets on sale August 2026
Link: my.bsomusic.org/20342/20381
Program:
Barber – Adagio for Strings
John Adams – On the Transmigration of Souls
Tchaikovsky – Symphony No. 6, “Pathétique”
Artists:
Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
Marin Alsop, conductor
The Washington Chorus
Eugene Rogers, artistic director
_______________________________
A Candlelight Christmas
Saturday, December 11, 2026 at 3:00 p.m.
Sunday, December 12, 2026 at 3:00 p.m.
Cramton Auditorium, Howard University | 2455 6th St NW | Washington, DC 20059
w/Howard University Chorale
Friday, December 18, 2026 at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, December 19, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. & 3:00 p.m.
Lisner Auditorium, George Washington University | 730 21st St NW | Washington, DC 20052
Monday, December 21, & Tuesday, December 22, 2026 at 7:30 p.m.
Music Center at Strathmore | 5301 Tuckerman Lane | North Bethesda, MD 20852
Link: thewashingtonchorus.org/2026-27-season
Program:
Evelyn Simpson-Curenton – NEW WORK (World Premiere)
Artists:
Eugene Rogers, conductor
Christie Dashiell, soloist (Dec. 11, 12, 21 & 22)
Howard University Concert Choir (Dec. 11 & 12)
Eric Poole, conductor
National Capital Brass and Percussion Ensemble
Paul Byssainthe Jr., organ & piano (Dec. 18 -22)
Reservoir High School (Dec. 18 & 19)
Gregory Knauf, conductor
South Loudon Youth Chorale (Dec. 21 & 22)
Laura Lazarevich, conductor
_______________________________
A Song Flung Up to Heaven: Honoring 65 Years of TWC
Sunday, February 28, 2027 at 3:00 p.m.
DAR Constitution Hall | 1776 D Street NW | Washington, D.C. 20006
Link: thewashingtonchorus.org/2026-27-season
Program:
Poulenc – Gloria
Nkeiru Okoye – When the Caged Bird Sings
Artists:
Eugene Rogers, conductor
Denyce Graves, narrator
Cyrus Chestnut, piano
Angela Brown, soprano
Christie Dashiell, jazz mezzo
Issachah Savage, tenor
Michael Preacely, baritone
The Washington Chorus
Howard University Chorale
Dr. Eric Poole, director
_______________________________
Requiem and Renewal
Saturday, May 8, 2027 at 7:30 p.m.
Music Center at Strathmore | 5301 Tuckerman Lane | North Bethesda, MD 20852
Tickets: Single tickets are on sale beginning Thursday, July 23, 2026
Link: nationalphilharmonic.org/event/what-the-soul-already-knows-requiem-renewal/
Program:
Jocelyn Hagen – What the Soul Already Knows
Mozart – Requiem in D Minor
Artists:
National Philharmonic
The Washington Chorus
Eugene Rogers, conductor
Rabihah Dunn, soprano
Ashley Dixon, mezzo-soprano
Brian Giebler, tenor
Alan Williams, baritone
_______________________________
Heyward Conducts Verdi’s Requiem
Friday, June 11, 2027 at 8:00 p.m.
Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall | 1212 Cathedral Street | Baltimore, MD 21201
Saturday, June 12, 2027 at 6:00 p.m.
Music Center at Strathmore | 5301 Tuckerman Lane | North Bethesda, MD 20852
Sunday, June 13, 2027 at 3:00 p.m.
Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall | 1212 Cathedral Street | Baltimore, MD 21201
Tickets: Subscriptions are on sale now, with single tickets on sale August 2026
Link: my.bsomusic.org/overview/20358
Program:
Giuseppe Verdi – Requiem
Artists:
Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
Jonathon Heyward, conductor
The Washington Chorus
Eugene Rogers, artistic director
___________________________
About The Washington Chorus
The Washington Chorus (TWC) is one of the foremost symphonic choruses in the nation and a cultural leader in our nation’s capital—creating joyous and transformative choral music since 1961. TWC is noted for the superb artistry of its performances and recordings of the entire range of the choral repertoire. A three-time nominated and two-time Grammy Award-winner, the 220-voice Chorus presents performances annually across the DMV region. TWC is also a longtime artistic partner and collaborator with many of the nation’s leading organizations and artists, including the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO), National Philharmonic (NatPhil), Washington Performing Arts (WPA), and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO). TheWashingtonChorus.org
About Eugene Rogers
Lauded for leading performances of “pure magic” (Washington Post), conductor Eugene Rogers is at the vanguard of American musicians, recognized for his musical and educational leadership around the world. Rogers is a committed conductor, teacher, arranger, and industry thought leader, championing timely new works, bringing historically overlooked music to life, and supporting next-generation talents.
Rogers is a two-time Michigan Emmy Award winner, a 2017 Sphinx Medal of Excellence recipient, and was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2015. Musical America magazine has named him one of the top music industry professionals, and his work has been profiled on CNN, PBS, and on radio stations and in print and online publications across the world.
Since 2020, Rogers has served as Artistic Director of The Washington Chorus. He is also the Founding Director for EXIGENCE, a professional vocal ensemble affiliated with the world-renowned Sphinx Organization, highlighting artistry within Black and Latinx communities. Alongside his own appearances as guest conductor for orchestra, chorus, and opera, he has also proudly acted as chorus master to leading conductors including Gianandrea Noseda, Marin Alsop, Jonathan Heyward, Joe Hisaishi, and James Conlon.
Rogers is a Professor of Music and the Director of University Choirs at the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre, and Dance. He is a former board member of Chorus America and is the former national chair of the Diversity Initiatives Committee for the American Choral Directors Association. Rogers is also active as an arranger, with publications including the Eugene Rogers Choral Series with ECS Publishing and the EXIGENCE Choral Series for Mark Foster Publishing.
WASHINGTON (7News) — D.C. is looking forward to an economic boost from added tourists this summer.
Tourism numbers for the America 250 celebration are looking positive. Hotel bookings are up, as D.C. prepares to celebrate America’s birthday.
The National Mall is ground zero for the 4th of July festivities, with the Folklife Festival, the 4th of July Parade, fireworks and free museums. Plus, this year, there is an extra emphasis on historic and cultural exhibits. 50 million visitors are estimated to inject millions into the local economy.
SEE ALSO | ‘Packed to the brim’: Trump says 45K guests attend Great American State Fair rally
“It’s very hard right now for us to tell you exactly what the economic impact is. overall, events like this, we typically don’t know the impact until after the event has taken place,” said Elliott Ferguson, Destination DC CEO.
According to Destination DC, 27.2 million people visited D.C. in 2025, up 20,000 visitors from the year before. They spent almost $12 billion, bringing in $2.5 billion in tax revenue and creating more than 114 thousand jobs.
SEE ALSO | World Cup delivers win for America’s economy, image
International visitation declined by 4%.
This summer of 2026, hotel bookings are up. More than two dozen hotels have DC250 packages, hoping to attract overnight guests. Luxury hotels are reporting record packages.
Visitors to the District pump billions directly into the local economy, accounting for over $11.4 billion in recent annual visitor spending and generating $2.3 billion in local tax revenue. And there’s a strong demand for the July 4 period.
D.C. has also secured 18 conventions for 2026, estimated to bring in $317(m) according to Exhibitor Online. This influx saves the average D.C. household more than $3,600 in taxes.
“As we look at the events with America’s 250 and the events that this Trump administration is bringing to the city, it has been positive for the industry,” Ferguson added.
Major openings are adding to the expected summer tourism boom, including the National Geographic Museum, renovations to the Air and Space Museum, and the new Lincoln Memorial Undercroft exhibit. The Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C., will take place Aug.22 to 23, 2026, marking the firstever IndyCar series race on the National Mall.
These tourism dollars are critical, saving the average D.C. household more than $3,600 in taxes, as D.C. is facing headwinds from reductions to the federal workforce and commercial real estate challenges.
-
Indianapolis, IN5 minutes agoEdwards Checks Out At Indianapolis – SPEED SPORT
-
Pittsburg, PA6 minutes agoAnalysis: Here’s why the Pittsburgh Symphony’s budget just jumped by $7 million to $42 million
-
Augusta, GA12 minutes agoAugusta’s role in the American Revolution: An underdog story 250 years in the making
-
Washington, D.C15 minutes agoLooking for indoor July 4 plans in DC? Try these America250 exhibits
-
Cleveland, OH20 minutes agoRangers capitalize on costly Guardians mistake, extend winning streak to six
-
Austin, TX27 minutes agoApptronik opens robot training hub in Austin, Texas and debuts Apollo 2
-
Alabama30 minutes agoAlabama grocery bills will change as tax returns July 1
-
Alaska35 minutes agoOPINION: Alaska’s LNG future requires creative thinking – Homer News
