Horse & Hound
Billy Dodson, 1946 – 2022
Billy Dodson, huntsman for Thorton Hill Hounds, circa 2013. Photo by Gretchen Pelham.
Lewis William "Billy" Dodson, 76, of Sperryville, died Friday, December 2, 2022, at his residence surrounded by his loving family. He was born April 5, 1946, in Rappahannock County, VA to the late Ollie Dodson and Eva Clark Dodson.
Out of Luck
Sedgefield Hunt's coyotes are masters at sneaking by unnoticed. Photo by Edward Haynes.
Edward Haynes was in the right place at the right time to catch this coyote dart right in front of him, unlike the unsuspecting gentleman in the background who was sorely out of luck on this day with Sedgefield Hunt in North Carolina.
Thanksgiving Biscuits
Aiken Hounds MFH Linda Knox Mclean vs the hungry pack. Photo by Jeff Hendrickson.
Jeff Hendrickson took this wonderful photo on Thanksgiving of Linda Knox McLean, MFH of Aiken Hounds in South Carolina, trying to keep the biscuits away from the pack! Such joy is seen on all faces, as it should be on Thanksgiving Day.
Revisiting Opening Meet
2022 Opening Meet of Mission Valley Hunt. Photo by Olivia Daniella Photography.
Kansas photographer Olivia Danielle Long attended Mission Valley Hunt’s 2022 Opening Meet at the Fin and Feather fixture in Kansas, and it brought it back memories of foxhunting as a teenager.
An Irishman’s View of Kansas
James Tonery has a fun video of hunting with Mission Valley for their 2022 Opening Meet. James Tonery is from Galway, Ireland. His farm in Ireland revolved around selling horses, leasing hunt hirelings, and trekking tours. Trip Advisor has a Hall of Fame (who knew?) where James’ trekking tour business is honored. James moved from Ireland to Rhode Island in March 2020 to be an equine professor at James Wales University. That’s when he got the idea to visit a hunt in every state. Recently he visited Kansas to hunt with Mission Valley Hunt for their 2022 Opening Meet. The huntsman for Mission Valley, Ryan Beer, loaned him a horse. Enjoy the video! Orginially Published on November 13, 2022.... This content is for subscribers only.Join NowAlready a member? Log in here
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Both Ends of the Spectrum
Steph Burch has some wonderful images from several English foxhunts this season. They show both the highs and lows of our sport or shall I say the dry and wet?
Duke of Beauforts Foxhounds 2022 Opening Meet. Photo by Steph Burch Photography.
Fun Without Ribbons
Blair Snivley and Blaze at the 2022 MFHA FHC Virginia Qualifier. Meredith Newman photo.
This past weekend Blair Snively and her horse Blaze, members of the Bedford County Hunt, competed at the MFHA Field Hunter Championship Qualifier hosted by Deep Run Hunt at the Pine Crest Farm in Manakin-Sabot, Virginia. Not to highlight only the competitive winners (like there were just two riders the whole day) but let us feature the rest of the riders who just want to show up and have fun on the horses that they love. Despite the long day. Despite new, now-forbidden equine romances. Despite our horses deciding, “I’m out!” Blair’s recount of the day is a great representation of why we love to compete in these Field Hunter competitions.
Scarlets in Virginia
Piedmont Fox Hounds 2022 Opening Meet featuring whipper-ins Michele St. Once and John Dean, with huntsman Jordan Hicks in the center. Photo by Douglas Lees.
It's now the season of braided hunt horses, spotless turn-out, tally ho wagons, and outdoor blessings. In other words, it’s time for Opening Meet! Douglas Lees was a very busy photographer in Virginia recently as he attended Opening Meets for Piedmont Fox Hounds, Old Dominion Hunt, and Warrenton Hunt.
Perspective
Leilani Gray photo by Dana Burke.
Leilani Gray gives a hunt report of a very popular hunt that occurred early in October in southern Middle Tennessee. This is Leilani's first season as the Huntsman for Hillsboro Hounds. Her husband Johnny Gray retired at the end of last season.
Sub-zero Foxhunting, Montana-Style
Big Sky Hounds, with its pack of Walker Hounds, is the northernmost (latitudinal) cold-country pack in North America. The kennels are also located exactly at the confluence of the Madison, Jefferson, and Gallatin Rivers that create the Missouri River. We can hunt through winter because Montana doesn’t have as much snow or lake-effect weather as some Canadian counterparts. However, the extreme seasonal temperatures and conditions of Montana do present unique challenges to maintaining a happy, healthy pack of hounds, fit horses, and a predictable hunting schedule.