Hounds

Stephanie, the professional kennelman for the Belle Meade Hunt, wrote a lovely tribute to a favorite hound in the kennels.

See how Norman Fine answered the question, "what is a July foxhound"? Originally posted in 2022.

This may come as a surprise to new hound show photographers, but... ...your primary purpose at the hound show is to produce hound portraits that clearly display the conformation of those hounds recognized by the judges as superior examples of the breed.

Photo Credit RuthWorks Photography.
*I wrote this a few years ago to be helpful to my neighborhood of non-foxhunters. Hopefully more will find it useful to educate new landowners or neighbors to kennels.

 

Alayna Myers and Tiffany Evitts are all smiles with the winning Crossbred Pack on the lawn of Morven Park, Photo by Judith Wilson.

Practicing for the Pack Class starts with handling hounds daily in the kennel. It’s about creating trust and boundaries. Teaching them to have manners, discipline, and respect without being overbearing. Knowing how to manage their attention span – how to extend it, and when to let them relax. Not letting them bowl you over or stampede through gates and interacting with them more than just feeding and hosing down. Spending extra time bonding with the aloof or shy ones. And, of course, choosing the hounds who will be the most comfortable and responsive in a stressful, public environment.

The combined pack.  Photo by Tisa Della Volpe Photography. 

On March 4 & 5^th 2023, Wicomico Hunt Club hosted the first ever All Maryland Masters of the Foxhounds Association (“MFHA”) Performance Trials on Wye Island. This performance trial brought together not just Penn-Marydel hounds (as in prior years), but the full chorus/compliment of diversity found in Free State packs: crossbred and American hounds.

Fun Fact: the first foxhounds in the Americas were brought to the colony of Maryland by Robert Brooke in the mid-1600s, making Maryland the cradle of foxhunting in America.

Norfolk Mickey at the kennels in Massachusetts   /   Jennifer Rogers Farrin photo

At the New England Hound Show, held on May 22, 2022, foxhounds from the Norfolk Hunt (MA) walked off with the English, American, and Crossbred Championship trophies. In the Grand Championship Class which followed, with three Norfolk hounds of the four qualifiers competing, the odds prevailed, and Norfolk Mickey, an un-entered dog hound, was judged Best in Show.

Orange County Pimple 2019  /  Karen Kandra photo

Orange County Pimple overcame the burden of her name to be judged Grand Champion of Show at the 2022 Bryn Mawr Hound Show held at the Radnor Hunt Club on Saturday, June 4, 2022.

First held in 1914, this is the oldest and longest-running hound show in North America. Hounds are shown in six rings: English Foxhounds, American Foxhounds, Crossbred Foxhounds, Penn-Marydel Foxhounds, Beagles, and Bassets.

Judges for the final Grand Champion Class were Charlotte Buttrick, ex-MFH, Farmington Hunt (VA), and Coleman Perrin, Ex-MFH, Deep Run Hunt (VA).

Grand Champion of Show Hillsboro Ringo and Reserve Grand Champion Hillsboro Wagtail with (l-r) huntsman John Gray; Hill McAlister, MFH; Emily McAlister; Michael Lindley, MFH; Nina Lindley; Eleanor Menefee Warriner, MFH; Orrin Ingram, MFH, Tom Warriner, and Caitlin Olson.  /   Linda Volrath photo 

Hillsboro Hounds (TN) pulled off a stunt that no hunt had yet achieved in the long history of the Virginia Foxhound Show. Two Hillsboro hounds finished the day as Grand Champion of Show and Reserve Grand Champion of Show for the second time. Live Oak Hounds (FL) did it once.

After having had to cancel the show for the last two consecutive years due to Covid, the Virginia Foxhound Show was held at Morven Park in Leesburg, Virginia on Sunday, May 29, 2022. It was a grand reunion for the many hunting people from across the country who participated, and the weather was fittingly gorgeous all weekend.

Hounds from thirty-four hunts competed at Virginia, but we’re not completely whole yet. We miss our foxhunting friends in Canada and hope that next year will see us together again.