Deputies with the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office Motor Unit are back in the saddle, drilling for the 47th Annual Mid-Atlantic Police Motorcycle Rodeo, a four-day regional competition set to take over Dulles Town Center in Sterling from September 30 through October 3. The unit has been putting in practice hours ahead of the event, and organizers are hoping the public will pitch in too, by buying a raffle ticket for a shot at a brand-new Harley-Davidson.
According to the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office, the Motor Unit has been preparing as it gets ready to compete alongside law enforcement motor officers from across the region. The rodeo itself follows a now-familiar structure at Dulles Town Center: three practice days run from September 30 through October 2, with the main competition landing on Saturday, October 3, according to CycleFish. That final day features precision cone courses, speed runs, and team slow rides. The Chris Yung Challenge Ride is scheduled for October 2 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
A Memorial Woven Into the Competition
The Chris Yung Challenge Ride isn't just another obstacle course name. It honors Prince William County Police Motorcycle Officer Chris Yung, who was killed in the line of duty at age 35 during a motorcycle crash while responding to an emergency traffic call on December 31, 2012, per the same CycleFish event listing. Officer Yung was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and a seven-year police veteran assigned to Prince William County's traffic unit, according to the Officer Down Memorial Page.
Dulles Town Center has become the rodeo's steady home in recent years. The Loudoun County Sheriff's Office also hosted the 46th annual event there in October 2025, using the former Nordstrom parking lot as the competition grounds, per the sheriff's office's own Facebook posts. That continuity has turned the Sterling mall into a familiar low-speed proving ground for visiting motor officers who need space to work through complex obstacle setups.
Raffle Ticket Funds Fallen Officers' Families
This year's headline fundraiser is a raffle for a 2025 Harley-Davidson Road Glide, with tickets priced at $50 each and capped at 1,500 total, per the sheriff's office reel announcing the event. A previous year's rodeo also featured a motorcycle raffle: the committee previously raffled a 2024 Harley-Davidson Street Glide during the 46th annual competition, according to the same Facebook video. Tickets can be purchased through the event's official raffle page at www.mapmrc.com/onlineraffleticket.
The event raises funds for HEROES, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1964 that provides immediate and ongoing financial, legal, and educational assistance to families of Washington, D.C.-area law enforcement officers and firefighters killed in the line of duty, according to HEROES, Inc. The organization says it delivers support within 24 hours of an officer or firefighter's line-of-duty death across Northern Virginia and the broader D.C. region. The rodeo's fundraising track record backs up the scale of that mission: the MAPMRC donated $30,000 the previous year, and more than 100 officers participate, according to CycleFish.
Who's Behind the Rodeo
The event is staged by the Mid-Atlantic Police Motorcycle Riding Committee, Inc., an active 501(c)(3) nonprofit made up of regional motor officers who run annual training and skills showcases meant to promote police motorcycle safety while giving back to local charities, per CycleFish. The committee brings together motor officers to share tactical maneuverability techniques, and the group's official event hub can be found at mapmrc.com.
Local business support has also helped keep the event running. Regional automotive retailer Pohanka Lexus and the wider Pohanka Automotive Group are supporting this year's rodeo, according to a video posted to Pohanka Lexus's Facebook page. That support is part of the event's local business backing.
Training Goes Beyond the Rodeo
The skills on display in Sterling don't come together overnight. The Loudoun County Sheriff's Office Motor Unit operates specialized equipment and training programs supported in part by a dedicated county donation account that funds non-budgeted safety gear and tactical instruction, according to Loudoun County Government. Those donation accounts help supply advanced riding gear and training for deputies beyond what the county's traditional tax budget covers.
Beyond rodeo prep, LCSO Motor Unit members also train for the competition riding spectators will see at Dulles Town Center next month.
