National Sporting Library & Museum FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: 01/29/2026 Contact Julie Banner Phone 540-687-6542 ext. 25 Email JBanner@NationalSporting.org Web NationalSporting.org Mail P.O. Box 1335 Middleburg, VA 20118
The National Sporting Library & Museum Presents an Evening with Author Eliza McGraw Exploring Astride: Horses, Women, and a Partnership That Shaped America Middleburg, VA — The National Sporting Library & Museum (NSLM) invites the public to an engaging evening reception, author discussion, and book signing with Eliza McGraw, former NSLM John H. Daniels Fellow and author of Astride: Horses, Women, and a Partnership That Shaped America, on Thursday, March 5, 2026. The evening will begin with a reception from 5 to 5:45 pm, followed by a discussion and Q&A from 5:45 to 7 pm. A book signing will conclude the event, and copies of Astride will be available for purchase on-site. In Astride, McGraw illuminates a transformative moment in American history when the bond between women and horses redefined cultural expectations of gender, athleticism, and independence. Opening with the iconic image of suffragist Inez Milholland leading the 1913 Women’s March on Washington on horseback, Astride explores how women across diverse backgrounds—socialites, trainers, breeders, and performers—reshaped the public perception of women’s capabilities through their equestrian pursuits. Through archival images, vivid storytelling, and fresh historical insight, McGraw reveals how riding astride became both a literal and symbolic act of empowerment. As Laurie Prinz, content director at Equine Network, notes, “Eliza McGraw explores a little-known chapter of American history that has great resonance today… This book is a must-read for anyone interested in history, horses, and American heroes.” Date: Thursday, March 5, 2026 Time: 5–7 pm (Reception 5–5:45 pm; Program and Q&A 5:45–7 pm) Location: National Sporting Library & Museum, 102 The Plains Road, Middleburg, VA Admission: $20 for NSLM Members, $30 Non-Members Registration: https://www.nationalsporting.org/index.php/nslm/event_details/1554/
- more -