What’s wrong with this picture? asks Mary Pierson at the Children’s Hunt to test the youngsters’ knowledge of proper hunting attire. Master Jane Winegardner (scarlet coat) observes with amusement. / Sive Doyle photoTake a look around your hunt field. If your youngest members are the cute couple in their thirties, foxhunting is in trouble. Unless we share our passion with youngsters, foxhunting will die out when we do.
It doesn’t take a lot of effort to set the stage for a Children’s Hunt, and you’ll be well-rewarded when you see all the smiles at the end of the day. Michelle Primm was the force behind Woodford’s Children’s Hunt on March 23, 2013. She held well-attended foxhunting camps the past two summers to introduce children to the basics of foxhunting, and a trailer-load of suitable ponies arrived at several meets during the season to take her students out for a day of sport. Wanting to get more kids together at the same time, “Aunt Primm” approached Woodford Masters Robbie Lyons, Jane Winegardner, and Jim FitzGerald with plans for the Children’s Hunt. Woodford Huntsman Glen Westmoreland was all in favor with just one caveat: no lectures!
Twenty-six miles of stone walls! / Sive Doyle photoMake it Fun
The meet was held on the historic Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill: three thousand acres of fields, streams, and woods with twenty-six miles of stone walls and a good population of coyotes. On the north side of this fixture in Harrodsburg, Kentucky are the Woodford Hounds kennels. Master Jane Winegardner welcomed riders the morning of the hunt and gave a very brief explanation of her job and the importance of our landowners. Rather than present the typical lecture of hunt attire—black versus navy, three buttons or four—Nancy Nightmare (aka Fieldmaster Mary Pierson) challenged the kids to find ten things wrong with her ‘formal’ attire. The benefits of Aunt Primm’s foxhunting camps and lessons learned in Pony Club were obvious, as the young riders were quick to catch Nancy’s mistakes. Other than a few safety reminders and the introduction of the other Masters and Field Masters, lecturing was kept to a minimum, and the kids were soon following Glen and the hounds to the first draw.
Grazing Reins and Furry Ponies
A wide assortment of kids and ponies turned out—tiny kids on big Quarter Horses, furry ponies yet to shed the coats that kept them warm during this nasty Kentucky winter, sleeker mounts ready to start a season of shows and rallies, and old retired hunt horses on lead reins towed along by parents and grandparents. We offered a first field with Master Lyons at the helm who promised his riders a chance to jump some stone walls; a second field led by Diana Swain, our resident ‘kid expert’ as she often brings a grandchild along on trail rides; and a third field ably led by Louise Kelly who has the uncanny ability to gauge the skill and comfort zone of her riders and will structure the ride accordingly. We even had one member lead her four-year-old son on foot so he could participate.
Woodford Hounds huntsman Glen Westmoreland / Sive Doyle photo
Glen brought out six couple of (in his words) “the oldest, slowest, fattest hounds” that were happy to kick back and rest several times so he could talk to the riders, tell them a bit more about hunting, and even let them try to blow his hunting horn. He and his whipper-in (wife Sharon Holmes) moved along at a brisk trot, taking the occasional ditch or wall and crossing several streams with the first field close behind.
Master Lyons challenged the first field to jump an extra wall or two and even the second and third field riders popped over a log for the thrill. Toward the end of the hunt, Glen separated the kids in the first field from their adult supervision and took them all on a good gallop. Lots of big smiles were seen as the riders came back to the trailers.
Time to Play
Cathy Murphy, Marian Wahlgren, and Cheri Pulliam treated everyone to a lovely hunt breakfast after ponies and horses were cared for and put away. This gave the kids a chance just to play.
In all, nineteen young riders turned out for the Children’s Hunt and we are hopeful that next season they will join us often. Woodford Hounds invites all youth under eighteen to hunt cap free.
For more information about the Woodford Hounds Children’s Hunt, email Master Jane Winegardner.
Posted April 2, 2013
Sive Doyle photo