Andy Bozdan is the new huntsman for the Tennessee Valley Hunt. Here he calls in the Barwon hounds after a sharp hunt in Victoria, southern Australia.A dear friend used to keep a reminder tacked to her refrigerator. It was all about attitude. The essence of it was that attitude is the most important aspect in life. And it’s really the only thing over which we have total control.
The Tennessee Valley Hunt just hired a new huntsman—Andy Bozdan—who will soon arrive in the States. Andy sent an email to his new hunt, introducing himself and explaining his perceptions of the job. It is so brimming with good attitude that, rather than extracting a few facts for a brief News bulletin, I thought you might enjoy reading Andy’s entire message. He wrote:
“I never had what you might call a traditional hunting upbringing! I was born on the Lambeth Walk in the heart of London and grew up a city kid with city values and city street smarts. But I have loved horses ever since my mum took me to Battersea Park, just along the Thames, for pony rides. I was also very fortunate that at my senior school one of the options for games and sports was horse riding! So, after three years of learning how to ride, and spending most of my summer holidays at the riding school, I left school and went straight into the same riding school to train as an Instructor. A year later I qualified as an A.I. and left to work for a chap called Michael Gilbey, who had show hunters and driving horses. I didn’t know it at the time but I was very fortunate to work for Michael because not only did he have top flight show hunters and driving horses but he also introduced me to foxhunting, and that is something for which I shall always be eternally grateful.
“My first day’s hunting was with the East Sussex & Romney Marsh Foxhounds in 1977. Ted Bartlett was huntsman, and he had a withered arm which was no good to him, so he wrapped both reins around the hand on his bad side and used his good hand to blow the horn or crack a whip! I spent many happy years with Michael and the ES&RM hunt, and during that time not only did we win all the top championship shows at the Horse of the Year Show and the Royal International but we also competed for Great Britain in 1981 in the World Carriage Driving trials held at Windsor Great Park. In spite of this success my main love from my first day until now has been and always will be ….Hunting! We hunted five days a week at cubbing time and three days a week after the Opening Meet. It was great!
“There is something quite incredible, exciting, exhilarating, and heart pumping about seeing a pack of hounds in full cry and knowing that today might just be one of those amazing days when everything goes well, your hounds hunt well, your horse gives you a hell of a ride, and you jump so many fences you forget how many! I have been very fortunate over the years to have had some great teachers. Ted Bartlett at the ES&RM and Gordon Laing, kennel huntsman at the Surrey & North Sussex Beagles—a man who had been in hunt service from a boy to the grave. Gordon taught me everything I know about kennel craft and how to hunt a pack of hounds. He and the Master/huntsman at the time, Rodney Cooper, were both incredibly helpful and encouraging when I first began to hunt the hounds. Rodney Ellis at the Tedworth in Wiltshire was a brilliant huntsman and again I learned so much from whipping-in to him.
“My own attitude towards the hunt and hunting is that you guys need to have a good day and go home smiling! I love my hounds and my hunting, but I’m not there just for me! It is wonderful when you are having a really good hunt to glance over your shoulder and see most of the field still with you! I am very excited about coming to America to hunt the Penn-Marydel hounds, and it is a dream I have had for some years now. My recent short visit confirmed for me what I had thought before, which is that hunting folk are the same the world round! You guys love your hounds and your hunting and want to make sure everyone has a good time, which is exactly what I intend to do this coming season. I would welcome anyone who wants to help out at kennels, even if its just to come and walk out hounds during the summer. Back home the hunt staff uses the summer months to clear trails and build new hunt fences, and I hope I will have a chance to do some of that later this year.
“The Tennessee Valley Hunt has a history they can be very proud of, and the hounds are descended from the great Doc Addis who is well known to us on this side of the pond. The Penn-Marydel’s hunting ability is second to none, and I can’t wait for our first early morning! I hope to get a chance to say hi to most of you during the summer, and, please, if you ever want to know anything from the calls on the hunting horn or just how to crack a whip properly, just ask! I know we are all going to have a great time, and I really can’t let this opportunity go by without thanking the Masters who have made my dreams come true. Thank you.”
Welcome to the States, Andy. And let us hear more from you. [Ed.]
Posted August 25, 2011