The Party Whip: Where Politics Meets Foxhunting
We have all heard and read of the party whips—both Republicans and Democrats—who are primarily responsible for mobilizing votes on major issues along party lines. The party whip wields political power within a state or federal legislative body, and the post is aggressively sought after by ambitious politicians. The Charlotte Observer tells us that the […]
Foxhunting in Ocala, Florida
In September of 1896, Ocala, Florida wasn’t preparing for the influx of horse show enthusiasts from the north as it does now. At the time, however, a recent resident to the town was planning to establish a fox hunt there, according to columnist David Cook in Ocala.com. John Vogt told the Ocala Banner he was […]
The East Down Foxhounds: Wearing the Saint Patrick’s Blue
Huntsman Declan Feeney / Noel Mullins photoSaint Patrick arrived at Strangford Lough in 432 AD from Wales. He quickly converted the local chieftain Dichu, who gave him a barn in which to hold his services. On the site known as the cradle of Irish Christianity on the Hill of Saul (meaning Patrick’s Barn, or in Gaelic, Sabhall Phadraic), there remains today a church and round tower where services are still conducted each Sunday. Saint Patrick died on March 17 in 461 AD, and his remains are interred in nearby Downpatrick Cathedral.
The East Down kennels are in County Down, on the outskirts of the village of Seaforde, southeast of Belfast in Northern Ireland. Hounds were originally kennelled there by the Forde family from 1768 to 1837 and were known as Mr. Forde’s Hounds. They later became known as the Lecale Hounds, and subsequently the East Down Foxhounds. The hunt members wear the St. Patrick’s blue collar.
In Mr. Knox’s Country
Mrs. Knox -Illustration by E. Somerville“‘He’s sleeping at Tory Lodge,’ said Mrs. Knox. ‘He’s cubbing at Drumvoortneen, and he has to start early. He tried to torment me into allowing him to keep the hounds in the yard here this season, but I had the pleasure of telling him that old as I might be, I still retained possession of my hearing, my sense of smell, and, to a certain extent, of my wits.’
‘I should have thought,’ I said discreetly, ‘that Tory Lodge was more in the middle of his country.’
‘Undoubtedly,’ replied Flurry’s grandmother; ‘but it is not in the middle of my straw, my meal, my buttermilk, my firewood, and anything else of mine that can be pilfered for the uses of a kennel!’ She concluded with a chuckle that might have been uttered by a scald-crow.” -Excerpt from “The Finger of Mrs. Knox”
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Blue Ridge Hunt Point-to-Point Races
Kellie Witte piloted her Twin Kiss to a second victory in two starts this season in the Junior Field Masters Chase.The sixty-third running of the Blue Ridge Hunt Point-to-Point Races was held Saturday, March 10, 2012 under a brilliant blue sky and over good footing at the Woodley Farm racecourse.
Two horse-rider combinations repeated their winning ways of the previous week at Thornton Hill: Twin Kiss ridden by Kellie Witte in the Junior Field Masters Chase and Mischief with Annie Yeager aboard in the Amateur/Novice Rider Hurdle Race.
Trainer Jimmy Day posted a win and two second place finishes. Top jockey was Carl Rafter with two wins and a second. Rafter rode Day’s winner, Trappe d’Or owned by Bruce Smart in the Maiden Flat Race; Zoe Valvo’s Triton Light to the wire in the Open Hurdle Race; and posted a second on Red Ghost in the Novice Timber.
Jockey Jeff Murphy rode trainer Teddy Mulligan’s The Editor to a win in the Novice Timber Race and posted two second place finishes for the day as well.
Downing to Montreal: New Huntsman for the Oldest Hunt
Karen Myers photoDennis Downing will be the new huntsman for the Montreal Hunt (PQ) next season. Established in 1826, the Montreal Hunt is the oldest hunt in North America. Downing moves there after eleven seasons hunting hounds and showing fine sport at the Blue Ridge Hunt (VA). The British-born and -trained huntsman has been in […]
First Running of the Thornton HIll Fort Valley Hounds Point-to-Point Races
Brett Jackson, MFH leads the Junior Field Master’s Chase. Erin Swope keeps in touch.
The Thornton Hill Fort Valley Hounds (VA) is the result of a recent merger between the Thornton Hill Hounds (previously unregistered) and the Fort Valley Hunt (registered with the MFHA in 1992). The hunt’s point-to-point races were run for the first time on Saturday, March 3, 2012 at the beautiful Thornton Hill Racecourse near Sperryville, Virginia in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Masters are Jim Kincheloe, Brett Jackson, and the father and son team of Larry and Jeff Lehew.
At the end of the day, Jeff Murphy was top jockey, bringing home two winners—Orebanks in the Open Hurdle Race and Dealer Beware in the Novice Timber.
Peyton “Skip” Cochran, ex-MFH, Dead at Eighty-Five
Peyton Skipwith Cochran, Jr., ex-MFH of the Green Spring Valley Hunt (MD) died Thursday, March 1, 2012 of complications from Altzheimer’s and a stroke. He was eighty-five. Skip Cochran was active in foxhunting and steeplechasing. He was a director of the MFHA for the Maryland-Delaware District and a partner in Arcadia Stable, owner of the […]
Fox Hood Ornament Fetches $204,750
A glass fox radiator ornament thought to be a Lalique knockoff and included with four other decorative foxes in a single lot caught the eyes of sharp-eyed connoisseurs. Rather than fetching the estimated $100 to $150 for the lot, it brought home $204,750 for the Pennsylvania-based auction house of Wiederseim Associates. The discovery of this […]
Riding Clothes Make Fashion Statement in Paris
Exaggerated and sexually fetish-ized riding apparel designed by Givenchy designer Riccardo Tisci was featured in his fall-winter fashion show in Paris this season. Jodphurs, horse blinder shaped earrings, and tall riding boots were shown. See the Associated Press report for more details. It’s nice to know we’re fashionable every twenty years or so. Or is […]