By Erin McKenney, huntsman, and Marion de Vogel, videographer
A Marion de Vogel equestrian sport film. Click to play.
In this, the 114th year of the Millbrook Hunt (NY), a special project is underway. Marion de Vogel, who regularly rides in first flight, is filming a video featuring our hunt from the beginning of roading through the formal season. Last month, we shared a segment with Foxhunting Life readers that captured the first-of-the-season MFHA-sponsored foxhound performance trials. Now we present our Opening Meet, which took place on October 2, 2021.
As seen in the video, Opening Meet really starts the day before. Grooms groom. Braiders braid. Tack is cleaned. Boots are shined. The breakfast committee puts up a tent. Donald Philhower and I evaluate the hounds for soundness, and I put together my final list for the day. Parts of our country can be thick with bushy undergrowth, tight for hounds to push through, so it’s important to always be on the lookout for any minor cuts or injuries that require treatment and rest.
Capturing Moments by Carol Pedersen photo
This year we had the pleasure of meeting at The Homestedt, located in Pine Plains just north of Millbrook, New York. We have access to several large tracts of land adjacent to the property, making this one of our spectacular venues.
We could not have asked for a more beautiful day to match the scenery. I must say, however, at the outset, I felt the temperature rising and figured we had an early window of opportunity for good hunting before scenting diminished.
I took ten-and-a-half couple of hounds. We had a bit of a hack to the first draw. Up the hill we went. I drew a rather large cornfield from the east southward. It was blank. I picked up hounds and headed to the southernmost point to be sure I was hunting away from the road. I drew three more cornfields with no luck.
I head back to the west side of the first cornfield, and two hounds open. Hounds honor their cry, but it takes a few minutes. Meanwhile, Alex views a coyote out the west side and into the woods. Hounds head southwest at a quick pace into some thick covert. It’s hard-going, and it takes them a bit of time to come back out. But when they do, they are flying back to the original cornfield. They make a few loops in some more corn, and we wait for them to come out.
Instead, we view our pilot out of some thick cover. Hounds get strung out battling through it, and it takes a bit of work to get them back together. Another coyote steps in, and now we have a split for a few moments. Hounds get back together for the final go of the day. But with rising temperatures and diminishing scent, it’s time to call it a day. Hounds ran for an hour and a half.
A delicious hunt breakfast was waiting. Subscribers and guests gathered to celebrate the day.
Posted October 14, 2021
Capturing Moments by Carol Pedersen photo