Grand Champion Foxhound Orange County Kermit 2015 poses with the Midland Foxhounds Trophy at the conclusion of the Bryn Mawr Hound Show. Huntsman Reg Spreadborough is the handler. Standing are (l-r) Show Chairman Lance Taylor, Radnor Hunt; Catherine “Bundles” Murdock, Hon. Sec., Orange County Hounds; and Judge C. Martin Wood III, MFH, Live Oak Hounds. / Liz Callar photo
Orange County Kermit 2015, after three consecutive appearances in the Grand Championship Class at the Bryn Mawr Hound Show over the last three years, proved that persistence pays off. The show was held Saturday, June 2, 2018 on the spacious grounds of the Radnor Hunt in Malvern, Pennsylvania, and Judge C. Martin Wood declared Kermit to be the “best example of an American Foxhound that he had ever seen.” And Mr. Wood has seen a few.
Last year, Kermit was beaten in the Grand Championship Class by Midland Striker, after winning the Grand Championship at Virginia just the week before. One year earlier, 2016, Striker had the same experience; he was passed over at Bryn Mawr after winning the Grand Championship at Virginia as well.
Kermit is a worthy Grand Champion. He has been winning breed championships in the American ring at major hound shows since his unentered year, the spring of 2015. Just last year at Bryn Mawr, Kermit was judged Champion American Dog Hound and his sire, Potomac Kadillac was Reserve to him.
Kermit is all Orange County bloodlines on the dam’s side, but Potomac bloodlines on his sire’s side. Kermit is by Potomac Kadillac 2012, whose grand-sire is Potomac Jefferson 2005, the MFHA Centennial Grand Champion Foxhound of North America in 2007. Jefferson was knockout handsome and unbeatable. He was prepotent as well, appearing in the pedigrees of numerous Grand Champions of recent years. Just this year, Jefferson is found in the pedigrees of three 2018 Grand Champions of Show—Central States, New England, and Southwest—all different hounds. Kermit goes back tail male to Jefferson.
Chasing the biscuit. / Liz Callar photo
It’s pretty hard to be a super star in a hard-hunting pack like Orange County. Kermit is regarded as a solid member of the pack by huntsman Reg Spreadborough. “He’s in the middle of the pack. He does his job.” All the same he must look good doing it. He is an uncommonly big and extravagant mover when chasing the biscuit at the shows.
Judges at Bryn Mawr were Terry Paine, MFH, Santa Fe West Hills Hunt (CA) in the English ring; Marion Thorne, MFH, Genesee Valley Hunt (NY) in the American ring; Tony Leahy, MFH, Fox River Valley Hunt (IL) in the Penn-Marydel ring; Skip Crawford, MFH, Potomac Hunt (MD) in the Crossbred ring; Daphne Wood, MFH, Live Oak Hounds (FL) in the Beagle ring; George and Jeanie Thomas, ex-MFHs, Why Worry Hounds (SC) in the Bassets ring, C. Martin Wood III, MFH, Live Oak Hounds in the Grand Championship and Best in Show classes; and Sheila Jackson Brown, MFH, Green Spring Valley Hounds (MD) and James Maza, MFH, Huntingdon Valley Hunt (PA), judging the Junior Handler Classes.
The Bryn Mawr Hound Show is the oldest continuing outdoor hound show in the country, having started in 1914 on the grounds of the Bryn Mawr Polo Club in Maryland. The show has been hosted by the Radnor Hunt in Malvern, Pennsylvania since 1956.
Click for complete results of all classes.
Posted June 29, 2018