The 95th running of “Racing for Open Space” on May 16, 2026. Held on the 100-acre grounds of Radnor Hunt, the mid-May event features elaborate tailgate picnics, tented parties, a hat contest, and steeplechase racing. The event typically attracts 10,000 to 25,000, depending on the weather. (Photo courtesy of Brandywine Conservancy & Bob Plant Photography)
After Brandywine Conservancy announced it would step away from operating the Radnor Hunt Races after 46 years, more than a few fans feared last Saturday’s 95th running might also be the last.
Who would take on such a sprawling, complicated event? And could one of the Main Line’s most cherished spring traditions survive the handoff?
Some quietly wondered whether the Races might go the way of the Academy Ball or the Vassar Show House — once beloved institutions now faded into memory.
Well, fear not.
The search for a new steward turned out to be both quick and convenient.
Essentially, the Races are going in-house.
A newly formed Radnor Hunt Races Committee operating under the existing Radnor Hunt Foundation 501(c)(3) will take the reins beginning with the 96th running in 2027. And the bulk of proceeds from the event will benefit another trusted open-space organization practically in the Races’ own backyard: Willistown Conservation Trust (WCT).
It doesn’t get much more local than that.
Leading the new committee is lifelong equestrian enthusiast Janice Murdoch, who has held leadership roles with both Radnor Hunt and WCT.
Murdoch tells us Radnor Hunt leadership surveyed members about the future of the event — whether to continue the Races, pivot to something new, or quietly let the tradition go.
The response, she said, was overwhelmingly in favor of preserving the races, particularly among younger members eager to keep the tradition alive.
“We’re not reinventing the wheel here,” Murdoch said. “It will be the same wonderful steeplechase races we’ve all been coming to for decades.”
And importantly, several key pieces fell swiftly in place.
Veteran event planner Kathy Warden, who has executed myriad special events at Radnor Hunt, has joined the committee and already knows the Races’ vendors and logistics teams. A senior leader at the National Steeplechase Association has agreed to mentor the group through the transition. Brandywine Conservancy has pledged to share legacy attendee and boxholder lists to help ensure continuity. And Willistown Conservation Trust will lend fundraising expertise and support.
Competitors clear fences at last Saturday’s Radnor Hunt Races. (Photo courtesy Brandywine Conservancy and Bob Plant Photography).
Rather than scaling back, Murdoch hinted the event is looking to expand around the edges.
The new committee is already planning two new companion events to engage new audiences – a party with the Clydesdales at the storied Bryn Clovis horse farm and and a Radnor Races history talk at the clubhouse. There’s even been talk of reviving the Wildflower Ball, long held on the eve of race day.
“If anything, we hope to reinvigorate the Races,” Murdoch said.
A new website — radnorhuntraces.com — is already live and collecting names from supporters interested in updates about the 2027 races and beyond.
As the Radnor Hunt Races march toward their centennial, one thing seems clear: the horses, hats and tailgates aren’t headed to pasture anytime soon.
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