Stacy Howe provides bagpipe music during Wentworth Hunt’s Opening Meet ceremonies. / James Mertz, Suddenly Still Photography
The Wentworth Hunt opened its formal foxhunting season on Saturday, September 30, 2017 at Yorkfield Farm in Kensington, New Hampshire. The Blessing of the Hounds was led by Wentworth Hunt member and Pastor David Maguire. Bagpipe music was provided by Stacy Howe. The light drizzle and forty-seven degree temperatures deterred neither the twenty-six riders, horses, hounds, spectators, and supporters nor our “fox,” Michelle Myrdek, who laid the drag.
Huntsman Rachel Duffy hacked down and across the road and sent hounds into a fully mature cornfield, while the field skirted northeast around the perimeter. Our strike hound, De La Brooke Vernon ’13, found early then lost. Hounds worked quickly through the tall, wet corn, and we soon heard Vernon open again, honored by Moore County Zombie ’13 and soon others. Hounds burst out of the corn, hunted through a thin covert, and into a large hayfield where the field was treated to a spectacular view of the pack working in the tall grass. The hounds soon accounted for their “fox” near an old cemetery and were praised.
Whipper-in Daun DeFrance, MFH, with hounds / James Mertz, Suddenly Still Photography
During the hack to the next covert, the field took an opportunity to lark through some open paddocks, over coops, and the much talked about Harlow’s Hedge. Huntsman Duffy sent hounds into the brush where our “fox” had laid the line deep off the trail. Hounds worked hard to find, and it took the full pack of seven-and-a-half couple to tease it out from the wet leaves. Finally, they burst out in full cry, and the field was off, chasing through more paddocks and up a large field. Hounds ran tightly as a pack until they accounted for their “fox” in an old stone wall.
From there, a long hack to a Tonry Christmas tree farm, where hounds settled to work amongst the rows of trees. Whippers-in Daun DeFrance, Joint-MFH, Diane Kane, and Lucy Hunt stayed on the perimeter of the farm to keep hounds within the bounds of our territory. Hounds found, lost, and recast themselves. The whippers-in know the plan of the drag line, but the huntsman typically follows the hounds and hunts them with no foreknowledge of where the scent should be.
Huntsman Rachel Duffy hunts hounds without foreknowledge of just where the drag line is laid. / James Mertz, Suddenly Still Photography
After a long stirrup cup to refresh the field and rest the horses, staff and hounds hacked back through the Christmas tree farm. Once again, hounds were sent into covert where they teased out a new line. Breaking free of the covert into a hay field the line became hot, and the hounds streaked at a full speed in full cry down the hill. The field followed at a gallop, over coops and walls. The last gallop was long, and horses and riders were exhausted by the time hounds accounted for their “fox” in an unmown field. Huntsman Duffy dismounted and blew “Gone to Ground” to end a fine day.
(L-R) Emily Crowell, Sonja Pomerleau, Ann Wicander, Sue Levy, MFH, author Marilyn Mariano, MFH / James Mertz, Suddenly Still Photography
The First Field was led by Ann Wicander, ex-MFH, followed closely by Joint-Masters Sue Levy and Marilyn Mariano. Second Field was led by Kerry Rodgers, with a Hilltop Field, led by Jean Jeffords. Brenda Feeley, Field Secretary, helped to check people in, manned the road crossings, and provided delicious homemade cookies and refreshments at the Stirrup Cup.
Opening Day ended with a hunt breakfast where friends shared the day’s adventures. Many thanks to Barbara Carpenter for her hospitality in allowing the Wentworth Hunt to enjoy her beautiful property, and to the other landowners who permit the hunt to pass through their properties. The Wentworth foxhounds hunt a dozen fixtures in New Hampshire and southern Maine over a mix of woods and open fields. Click for more information about the hunt.
Posted October 18, 2017
James Mertz, Suddenly Still Photography