Christopher Allen
Nicolas J. Hartung, Farrier/Huntsman
Nicolas Hartung and wife Ann with two of their lurchersNick Hartung, former huntsman and farrier, passed away on May 17, 2012 at his home near Staunton, Virginia. Nick suffered respiratory disease commonly referred to as “Farmers Lung” in his native England. Nick was a farrier of great repute, commuting to Maryland for most of his business around the Pimlico Racetrack. Previously he had been professional huntsman for the Goshen Hounds (MD) for eleven seasons. Nick started his hunting career with the New Forest Buckhounds in England. An opportunity developed in The States with of an offer of employment from Clayton Emig Doing, MFH of the Antietam Hounds in the panhandle of Virginia, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Maryland. The hunt’s name was taken from that defining epic battle during the American Civil War. Nick came to Antietam as kennel huntsman and first whipper-in. After a season there, Nick moved on to be kennel-huntsman for Richard Moran, MFH at the Middletown Valley Hounds in Maryland, where he stayed for six seasons, before taking up the horn at Goshen. He will be greatly missed by his many friends, and especially at the helm of the twice yearly lure coursing events held at his home at Five Thorns. Posted May 21, 2012 Janet Hitchen photo
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Huntsman Stan Luckhurst
Stan Luckhurst, huntsman for the West Kent Foxhounds from 1967 to 1999, departed this world on April 26, just a few days before his seventy-seventh birthday. Stan served in the British Army as a mounted Lead Gunner with the King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery at St Johns Wood in London, where he performed in all Ceremonial Duties of State, including the world famous Musical Ride. Stan entered hunt service with the Ashford Valley Hunt in Kent, where his family lived. In 1957 he was put on as second whipper-in to the Master, Col. A.S. Gaselee, at the West Kent Hunt, under kennel huntsman Harry Lenthall. When Harry moved to the Axe Vale Harriers in 1962, Stan was promoted to first whipper-in/kennel huntsman in his place. When Richard Thorpe took the Mastership in 1967, Stan was made huntsman, a position he kept until his retirement in 1999, when the West Kent amalgamated with the Old Surrey & Burstow Hunt. The West Kent achieved the greatest accolade in 1973 when they took the Peterborough Royal Foxhound Show Bitch Championship with their Payment. Stan gained many friends in Canada and the USA, when his son Paul hunted the Hamilton Hounds in Ontario. Posted May 23, 2011
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