Hounds

Grand Champion Fox River Valley Nightcap 2009 / Jim Meads photoBlessed with perfect weather, the fifth annual Southern Hound show (“Stars of the South!”) was held on April 9 in Monticello, Florida. Having been prevented from attending in 2010 by volcanic ash over Europe, Judge Martin Scott, ex MFH Vale of the White Horse and photographer Jim Meads were on hand this year to enjoy seeing quite a few truly quality hounds being presented. Mr. Scott was ably assisted by co-judge Mr. J.W.Y. Martin, MFH, Green Spring Valley Hounds. The apprentice judge was Mrs. George Thomas, MFH, Why Worry Hounds.

Huntsman David Conner and Rockbridge Lawyer 2008.              Jan Sorrells photo

Rockbridge Lawyer 2008 and his littermate Lead scored a one-two punch at the Carolinas Foxhound Performance Trials on March 26 and 27 in Hoffman, North Carolina. Competing against hounds from twelve other hunts, the Rockbridge pair finished first and second respectively after two days of hunting. We talked to Conner about his handsome and talented hound.

Trial organizer Fred Berry, MFH of the Sedgefield Hunt, has been actively involved in foxhound performance trials for years—first judging, then organizing. As a result of Berry’s considerable experience, he has introduced some interesting new wrinkles into the management of his trials to improve both the hunting and the experience for the field.

Full Cry Largo, hunting back home, just after being judged top hound at the Belle Meade Foxhound Performance Trials. She still carries her number 17, which was painted on her for the competition. Adrian Jennings photoFull Cry Largo was judged top hound at the Belle Meade Foxhound Performance Trials held in Thomson, Georgia on February 25 and 26. Belle Meade Lifeguard was runner-up to Largo, and, with three hounds in the top ten, Belle Meade took top honors among the hunts. For complete results, click here.

“Largo's story is a great testament to how hunts and huntsman can work together to help each other out and find the right fit for hounds,” says  David Hyman, MFH and huntsman of the Full Cry Hounds (AL). “It's truly a unique fraternity.”

John Emms, oil on canvas, collection National Sporting Library and Museum

The National Sporting Library & Museum in Middleburg, Virginia, will host a full-day symposium "Lives of Dogs: Origins & Evolution of Hunting & Sporting Breeds" from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, October 23, 2010. An international panel of six speakers, moderated by Timothy J. Greenan, M.D., will trace the history of hunting with dogs from prehistory through the present day. The symposium, made possible by the gift of an anonymous donor, is part of the Library’s Public Lecture Series, and coincides with the exhibition "Lives of Dogs, Viewed through Literature, Art, & Ephemera" on view through December 11, 2010.

The Westmeath Foxhounds based in the midlands of Ireland was founded in 1854 and is one of the most popular

Grafton Staff in Ireland: Tom Jenner on Sir Ritchie, Harry Worcester-Smith on Success, Jackie Brown on The Cad

foxhunting packs in Ireland. They have had a distinguished succession of Joint-Masters over the years, but one of the most flamboyant arrived at the Irish kennels from the USA in 1912 with a retinue that caused quite a stir in the neighbourhood.

The new Master’s entourage included sixteen Thoroughbred horses, a pack of American hounds, five African-American grooms, a yellow open-top sports car, a yellow sulky, and three fighting cocks. His name was Harry Worcester-Smith, MFH of the Grafton Hounds in Massachusetts. He was even better known for the 1905 Great Foxhound Match in the Piedmont Valley with Mr. Alexander Henry Higginson’s English hounds, mainly of Fernie origin.

(L-R) Marksman and Marmite, best dog and best bitch

The annual Farmington Hunt Puppy Show was held at noon on Sunday, the first of many hot days of summer 2010, June 20th at the kennels. Pimm's Cup and other cool refreshments were served ringside by Forbes and Sherry Reback, and a post-show luncheon was served at the clubhouse by former club president B.J. Korol, with help from Kay Barquin, Shelly Thompson, and secretary and social co-chair Pattie Boden.

The hunt staff, Daron and Alison Beeney and kennelman Tom McCauley made sure the grounds were in beautiful shape for the event that welcomed a good crowd of members, visitors from out of town, and the Free Union neighborhood. Guest judges were Mrs. Phelps S. Hunter, ex-MFH of Los Altos Hounds (CA), and Martyn Blackmore, huntsman for the Loudoun West Hunt.

Clasher and Clementine (foreground) with huntsman Antony Gaylard

The experts tell us that puppies can change from one week to the next. Not that Toronto and North York Clementine was ever an Ugly Duckling. But to go from Reserve Champion at the hunt’s puppy show on one weekend to Grand Champion of the Canadian Foxhound Show the next weekend is certainly a remarkable feat for any un-entered hound.

MFHs Michael Dempsey and Vincent Shields

The Galway Blazers Puppy Show drew a large attendance at the Kennels in Craughwell, County Galway, Ireland.

Michael Dempsey, internationally known Joint-Master and former huntsman of the Galway Blazers for the last 32 seasons, has maintained some Old English bloodlines in his pack. He likes a light hound that can bank the Galway walls and leave the stones in place. Vincent Shields was attending his first puppy show as a newly appointed Blazers Joint-Master, while retaining his current Mastership of both the East Galway Foxhounds and the Roscommon Harriers.

One is ever mindful of the great tradition of hound breeding at the Blazers’ kennels, particularly when thinking of previous huntsmen like Captain Brian Fanshawe, Paddy Pickersgill, and above all American-born Isaac Bell who hunted the pack from 1903 to 1908, and who made such a lasting contribution to what is now known as the modern English foxhound.

June 25, 2010
Myopia Gallant 2008, a handsome example of the modern English foxhound, dominated the flags at the New England Hound Show on June 13, 2010 to emerge Grand Champion. With Exmoor bloodlines on both sides of his pedigree and Heythrop blood in abundance on the male side, Gallant surely benefitted from the renowned breeding mastery of the late Captain Ronnie Wallace, who had brilliant tenures as Master and huntsman at both hunting establishments in the UK.

Old North Bridge Dandy 2002, a venerable brood bitch for that Concord, Massachusetts based hunt, was judged Champion American Foxhound. North Country Nacho 2004 traveled south from New Hampshire's and Vermont's Connecticut River Valley to capture the Crossbred Championship. And the Penn-Marydel Champion was Shakerag Valor 2007, a traditional black and tan hound full of Andrews Bridge bloodlines on the top side.

May 31, 2010
It wasn’t enough that Linda Armbrust, MFH had secured two of the world’s foremost judges—Nigel Peel, MFH of the North Cotswold (UK) and C. Martin Wood III, MFH of the Live Oak Hounds (FL)—to judge the Blue Ridge Hunt Puppy Show. She and her judges got together and stunned spectators at ringside when she invited a special panel of venerable Masters to judge the final Championship Class of the day.