Foxfield Race officials made several changes to race policies this year to reduce instances of public drunkenness and underage drinking, Director of Racing Patrick Butterfield said.
Perhaps the most readily noticeable policy change for the April 25 race is that students older than 21 this year will no longer receive armbands identifying themselves as such, because it was too easy for underage attendees to find wristbands, Butterfield said. Instead, local police and ABC officers will check the ID of any attendee drinking a beverage.
“I completely understand why the police are doing that because anyone can get hold of a fake ID, but it sucks for students,” second-year Engineering student Andrew Cassidy said.
Foxfield has a total capacity of 23,500 people, of which one-third to one-half typically are students, Butterfield estimated. He also said many recent graduates from different parts of the state attend.
Albemarle County Police Lieut. Todd Hopwood said police and ABC officers made “a number of arrests” last year for underage drinking, public drunkenness and driving under the influence. He added that 2007’s event was even worse.
Hopwood said although the plan for dealing with Foxfield this year has not been finalized, it will involve Foxfield’s own security, county and state police, ABC officers and possibly University police.
“The police are trying hard to cut down on the underage drinking, which is pretty severe, and they’re doing it the right way,” third-year Engineering student Chris Gezon said.
Foxfield will also limit how much alcohol each patron can bring to what can fit in a cooler 14 inches long on each side, Butterfield added.
Other changes in Foxfield this year include stubbing tickets to reduce counterfeiting and a “go green” plan, Butterfield said. As part of this initiative, patrons are discouraged from bringing any easily broken glass, and trash this year will be recycled whenever possible.
Additionally, public transport from Foxfield to the University will be more expensive. Butterfield said the $10 transportation fee, which previously took students to and from the University, now only covers a one-way trip. Students will need another $10 to get home.
If students are severely intoxicated or are seen drinking underage, however, they will not go home right away.
“If you’re going out there because it’s a drinking event, and you plan to drink to excess, plan to be arrested,” Hopwood said. “If you’re underage or intoxicated, you can expect to be arrested or even put in jail until you sober up.”
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