Tailgating Is a Delicious Tradition at Steeplechase Races Around the Brandywine Valley
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Photo by Jim Graham
Culinary delights, classic cocktails, vintage cars and more are all staple components of tailgating at steeplechase races.
As a girl, Melissa Holm had two obsessions: riding ponies and playing with Barbie dolls. “I grew up in a pony club and I loved it,” she recalls. “And I’m a Barbie girl from way back. I’ve always loved Barbie, her fashion sense, her beauty, her diversity.”
Spurred by girlhood memories and the release of the blockbuster Barbie movie, Holm, her husband, Zack, and their three adult children, Hunter, Devon and Frankie, took Barbie and her perennial boyfriend Ken to Willowdale, where their over-the-top interpretation won first place in the 2024 steeplechase tailgating contest. “Having Barbie at the races brings out her elegance—a classy look,” she says.
Tailgating is a time-honored tradition at Willowdale, Winterthur and Radnor Hunt. It’s an opportunity to polish the crystal and candelabras, set out the canapes and champagne, and admire gleaming vintage cars.
Holm had never competed in a tailgate contest before, but she’s a regular at steeplechase races and had gathered lots of tips over the years. Because competitors are expected to dress the part, she started shopping early, scoring such fashion finds as pink rhinestone loafers for her Ken-inspired son, Frankie (“perfect with his pink suit”). And for herself: a poofy skirt in a cheerful lemon print, complete with full petticoat. Holm’s daughter, Devon, was pretty in pink, accented with a wide-brimmed white hat and silver slippers embellished with bows.
Holm’s favorite purchase was a men’s straight tie, pink and embossed with blue racehorses. “Barbie and Ken are all about accessories,” she says.
To make the trek from their home in Coatesville, the family loaded up their Chevy Silverado truck—“ideal for tailgating”—with enough beverages and finger foods to accommodate the 50 guests visiting throughout the races. First into the cooler was pink champagne. Then came the chicken Marsala, individual beef Wellingtons, an assortment of traditional tea sandwiches and two tiers of strawberry, lemon, chocolate mini desserts. The table was dressed in three different Barbie-approved colors, from hot to baby pink. Serving pieces sparkled in silver and crystal.
Holm says her secret to success isn’t complicated. “Plan ahead, keep your menu simple, and make sure you have help. My husband and kids made everything possible,” she says.
Making the most of available trunk space at Winterthur Point-to-Point.
Westtown’s Mike Tillson has missed only one Radnor Hunt in 35 years. For him, the event is about pounding hoof beats and classic cars. “It’s horses and horsepower,” he says.
This year, he’ll drive a spectacular 1930 Packard 745 Convertible Coupe, one of only four produced with custom coachwork by the Derham Body Company of Rosemont, Pennsylvania. “It’s the perfect car for a tailgate,” he says.
As a young man, Tillson worked with his father restoring vintage cars and was smitten by the exquisite finishes and attention to detail. “Modern cars are designed by committees,” he says. “Classic cars are designed by individuals.”
Following his passion for speed and class, Tillson went to work for Ferrari, where he raced cars. “In 1961, the Ferrari was 300 horsepower. Now some are close to 1,000,” he says.
In keeping with that theme, Tillson sticks to a timeless menu: filet mignon with a selection of fine wines. “I hope the weather won’t be too cold, too hot and definitely not too wet,” he says.
Cocktail weenies and more at Radnor Hunt.
Keystone Rolls-Royce Owners Club’s Thom Weinhart from will be attending Winterthur for his 19th year. He remembers a casual beginning to what has become a popular feature of Point-to-Point races. “We got started when one of my car club members was a docent at Winterthur and thought this would be a great opportunity to have our cars on display,” he recalls. “It was a great day—and our members asked, ‘Can we do it again?’”
The cars—a glamorous mix of Bentleys and Rolls-Royces—parade through Winterthur’s celebrated gardens to a berm in front of horse-drawn carriages and drivers. “It’s simply wonderful,” Weinhart says.
He’ll be driving a 1997 Bentley Brooklands—“a beautiful car, with only 27,000 miles on it.” Over the years, he’s tailgated with six Rolls-Royces and three Bentleys. He owns no more than one car at a time to keep his wife happy.
Weinhart says tailgating is more about camaraderie than food, although the menus always seem to work out. He counts on his friend John Wick to stock his 1952 Bentley Mark VI with champagne. “Who brings lobster? Who brings wine? We always have cheeses from South Philly—to die for,” he says. “Even when it’s raining, it’s a magical experience.”
Devon Holm helped her mother, Melissa, win last year’s Willowdale Steeplechase tailgate competition with a Barbie theme.
For Richard Mollett, food and presentation matter. Owner of the fine dining restaurant Antrim 1844 in Maryland, he’s had his 1956 Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith Touring Limousine outfitted with mahogany built-ins for his Baltimore Rose sterling silver, an English tea service and a champagne bucket. A custom table slides out for dishes.
For Mollett, it’s the ultimate tailgating vehicle. ”They only made 19 of this body type,” he says. “It’s a piece of art.”
That said, there’s only one rule for tailgating at Winterthur. “We never start the day without champagne,” he says.
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