Douglas Lees photoFoxhunting lost one of its most notable Masters of Foxhounds with the passing of James L. Young, age seventy, on Friday evening, May 25, 2012.
Urbane, articulate, literate, trim and handsome both on and off the horse, Jimmy Young did everything with a flair, whether leading his field, presiding over the Virginia Foxhound Club Show, writing or speaking on his favorite topic—foxhunting as a noble art form.
His passing was publicly announced on Saturday evening at the Virginia Foxhound Club’s annual dinner under the tent at Morven Park, held the evening before the Virginia Foxhound Show. A moment of silence was observed, after which former Orange County huntsman Adrian Smith blew “Going Home” in the Master’s memory.
The Orange County Hunt (now the Orange County Hounds) was in Jimmy’s DNA. His father was MFH during the late 1940s and early 1950s. His mother had served as Field Master during World War II. He grew up hunting with that storied pack, across the picture-book hunting country of The Plains, behind Masters and huntsmen whose names read like a Who’s Who of foxhunting legend. He was teaching English at a private school when he accepted the Mastership in 1982. He held the post for twenty-five years, serving as Field Master through much of that period.
Jimmy and Sally (2007) / Douglas Lees photoHe was one of the most influential Masters of our age. He was president of the Masters of Foxhounds Association (MFHA) from 1993 to 1996, and his term was one of transition and implementation of new initiatives.
Starting in 1987, while still a Director of the Association, he led the effort to relocate the office of the MFHA from Boston, where it was originally established in 1907, to Morven Park. Despite the initial resistance of some of the MFHA officers, he persevered, and in so doing he cemented the center of gravity of North American foxhunting firmly in Virginia, where he believed it should be. The move took place in the summer of 1991.
Jimmy was a committed conservationist. During his term as MFHA president, he was the prime mover in establishing the Hunting Habitat Conservation Award—an initiative that annually rewards in a conspicuous way those hunts and organizations that make meaningful contributions to the preservation of open space and natural habitat so that others may learn and act.
It was during his term as MFHA president that I first approached him with my idea for a foxhunting publication—a voice for the MFHA—through which the Association could inform and educate all foxhunters across North America, not just Masters. He was enthusiastic from the start and invited me to make a proposal to the MFHA board at their next meeting. At that meeting, with Jimmy’s support and that of Marty Wood, Chairman of the MFHA Educational Foundation,Covertside was whelped.
Jimmy was a longtime president of the Virginia Foxhound Club, the organization that runs the annual Virginia Foxhound Show. He was a traditionalist, but imbued with democratic principles. If his notions of fairness sometimes ran afoul of the opinions of others, he was man enough to stick to his convictions and accept the consequences.
He also served on the Advisory Board of the Museum of Hounds and Hunting for many years. Both he and Sally threw their support and energies behind the establishment of that organization from its earliest days.
He was a stylish writer and contributed a longstanding column to the local newspaper under the pen name Thady Sponge, written in the manner of Surtees, in which he used the medium of humor to educate and entertain foxhunters.
As a former English teacher, Jimmy always seemed to get a kick out of the fact that I, as a former electronics engineer, could write readable copy! He was a constant friend, encouraging my every venture, and always willing to help.
Sally would say, “Come out and play with us!” Those days in the Orange County field with Jimmy and Sally remain among the highlights of my foxhunting experiences. Goodbye, my friend, and thank you.
Memorial contributions in Jimmy’s memory may be made to the Hunt Staff Benefit Foundation, PO Box 363, Millwood, VA 22646.
Click to see a slide show of Douglas Lees photos titled James L. Young, MFH and Friends in our Photo Gallery.
Posted May 29, 2012
At the Piedmont Point-to-Point Pairs Race (1981) with Mrs. Onassis / Douglas Lees photo