This was my first time attending the Virginia Gold Cup despite years of being invited to it. Unfortunately it rained all day; reportedly 2017 had the most dreadful weather for the event in recent years - usually it's sunny and comfortable. The rain and mud didn't change how anyone dressed though; everyone in attendance still dressed dapper as ever... we were all just covered in mud doing it. Women in their dresses and heels had mud splattered all the way up to their thighs. Men bore the same stains, but instead needed extra Shout to launder their trousers later. I'm pretty sure my brown shoes are ruined.
At the end of the event while walking to the car to leave, some guy came up and pushed me into a huge puddle of mud, and the splash of mud from my shoes splattered several of the girls he was with; the group then proceeded to curse and threaten me for it, despite the guy being the instigator. The Virginia Gold Cup was two months ago as of writing this, and there is still mud on my camera from this incident. That wasn't the only unsavory behavior spotted at the Gold Cup; immediately upon arriving, we witnessed two guys get in a fistfight and quickly get arrested.
Needless to say, I did not enjoy my first experience at the Virginia Gold Cup. It was pretty miserable; the only redeeming part was the pictures I got out of it, which I am presenting here in black and white because I think they are more powerful and accurately portray the conditions that way. Besides, I love black and white, but don't present most of my work in this format, so it's a nice departure.
