Hunt Reports

Jack Day, MFH flies a big Leicestershire hedgeA number of universities in England maintain packs of foxhounds or beagles hunted on horseback or afoot. Students often comprise the staff—Master, huntsman, whippers-in—and this tradition has provided a start for some of the most successful and brilliant Masters and huntsmen that England has produced—the late Ronnie Wallace for just one.

At Cambridge University a pack of foxhounds are maintained that hunt a drag laid by student volunteers, normally from the cross country track team. Hounds usually complete three or four "lines" during a day's hunting, which might take two to three hours.

Installment Six

Whiskey Road huntsman Joseph Hardiman takes hounds, staff and field for a long day's hunting.Betsy and friends escape frozen Virginia for a week of hunting in warmer climes. We bring you Installment Six of her daily blog, exclusive to Foxhunting Life.

Whipper-In Ado Moran negotiates the double bank.

The Kildare Foxhounds, kennelled on the grounds of  Punchestown National Hunt Racecourse in County Kildare on the east coast of Ireland, met recently at the village of Grangecon in County Wicklow. The countryside and the village were a sea of autumn colours; even the roads were a carpet of multi-coloured leaves.

Hounds met at Moore’s Pub which is run by Paul Moore, the fourth generation of the family. It is still a gem of an old-fashioned pub and was originally an old coaching stop. It is a sensibly laid out pub for hunting and racing fans, as when you are sitting at the short bar having a drink, you can also pick up a copy of The Irish Field, The Farmer’s Journal, and The Racing Post, which are strategically positioned within arms reach.

Fourth Installment

Betsy and friends escape frozen Virginia for a week of hunting in warmer climes. We bring you Installment Four of her daily blog, exclusive to Foxhunting Life.

Tom Neel and Gene Hough out with Whiskey RoadRained all night long Friday, and into the morning Saturday. I picked up Tom at one a.m. in Columbia, and I think we arrived home only a few minutes after our little Hunt Ballers. Over breakfast in the morning, it was reported that Don was the belle of the ball (see photo from Installment Three). He danced every dance and was a most charming escort for our three bedecked ladies.

Third Installment

Betsy and friends escape frozen Virginia for a week of hunting in warmer climes. We bring you Installment Three of her daily blog, exclusive to Foxhunting Life.Don Palus and Jackie Burke are ready for the Ball!

I know we need the rain, but, for gosh sakes ...who ordered El Nina?

Just as the weatherman warned, one hundred percent chance of cold, nasty, persistent rain today. Whiskey Road Master David Smith swore at last night's party—a humdinger of a time at new Folly downtown on Laurens Street (precious classic housewares and nifty interior items)—that the hunt would go on, weather or not. My crew consulted briefly at bedtime last night and agreed to put off a decision until the morning.

We heard the rain pelting the tin roof of our cottage all night, and it was without dissent that we collectively decided to can hunting. I heard from several other Hunt Weekers who bailed, too, and we saw more Hunt Week folks around town when we went in to check out the Aiken village,

Second Installment

Betsy and friends escape frozen Virginia for a week of hunting in warmer climes. We bring you Installment Two of her daily blog, exclusive to Foxhunting Life.

(l-r) Whiskey Road Field Master Geri Rapp, Fairfax Hunt members Ray Moffett, and PetraProbably seventy-five riders in the field this morning from the Batesburg fixture. Whiskey Road hosted a stirrup cup and snack before the meet after which huntsman Joseph Hardiman moved off with the mixed English and Penn-Marydel pack, east towards the cow field adjacent to the fixture.

Hounds struck immediately, coyote, probably, a brace or possibly a leash, and split into two or three groups. Hardiman went with one group, Master/whipper-in Lynn Smith with another, and (seemed like) Master David Smith and the main field with still another.

Betsy and friends escape frozen Virginia for a week of hunting in warmer climes. We bring you her daily blog, exclusive to Foxhunting Life. 

First Installment

Don Palus, Dawn Cline, Maggie Johnston, and Jackie Burke stretch their horses' legs in the Hitchcock Woods in preparation for Hunt Week in Aiken, SC.

It poured rain last night. Woke up several times with rain pelting the tin roof of our cottage, but when I opened the door to see if we were going to float away I couldn't help notice it was weirdly warm. Like sixty degrees warm! Odd.

This morning dawned light and sunny and toasty warm. I stripped down to just my turtleneck layer for the horse trials next door.

At Full Gallop Farm, they hold training horse trials—intermediate level all the way down to beginner novice—attracting hundreds of competitors. Our Hunt Week crew is volunteering for duty to "earn" the right to school/ride/hack over their hundreds of acres of cross country jumps, show jumping fences, and dressage arenas.

Lynne and Ian Anderson, ex-MFHs
Ginni Beard photo

Northern Ireland
Yesterday evening the Northern Ireland Assembly rejected a Hunting Bill that was introduced into the Assembly by Green Party Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) Brian Wilson. This Private Member’s Bill was virtually identical to the Hunting Act of 2004 in England and Wales, so its rejection by the Assembly sends a strong and clear message to Westminster: the Hunting Act is a bad law, and we in Northern Ireland do not wish to repeat the mistake.

Louisa Davidson photos

We had the South Carolina version of a blizzard on Boxing Day, but we and some of our hardiest of members decided to brave the elements and go hunting anyway. It had rained all night then turned to sleet and snow, which carried on all day and into the evening. Cancelling was an option but not one we wanted to use. We have always hunted on Boxing Day since the hunt was started, so we hated the thought of missing it this year, especially since the scenting would hopefully be better and we were meeting at our favorite fixture.