Brian Kiely bested a strong lineup of fourteen participants to win his fourth National Horn Blowing Championship. / Liz Callar photo
Brian Kiely broke his own record by winning his fourth National Horn Blowing Championship. Since the start of the competition in 1995, five men have won the title twice—Andrew Barclay, Steve Farrin, Ian Milne, Adrian Smith, and John Tabachka—but with his fourth championship Kiely continues to move the goal posts for the rest of the field. Kiely is the new huntsman at the Potomac Hunt (MD), and his victory was accompanied by the cheers of his supporters led by retiring Potomac huntsman Larry Pitts.
The 2015 National Horn Blowing Championship was held at Morven Park on May 23, 2015 over the Virginia Foxhound Show weekend. The large crowd on hand under the Saturday night dinner tent listened enthusiastically to the fifteen entries in a strong lineup of contestants.
After the first round in which all participants blew three calls on their horns, three individuals were asked to return for a blow-off: Brian Kiely, Adrian Smith, and John Tabachka. This was an all-star lineup with all three finalists holding multiple titles. Adrian Smith is huntsman for the Metamora Hunt (MI), and John Tabachka is huntsman for the Sewickley Hunt (PA).
Two-time champion Adrian Smith placed second. / Liz Callar photoThe final three—Kiely, Smith, and Tabachka—produced brilliant, classic calls, thrilling to anyone who has experienced the exuberant “Gone Away” in the hunting field and has hacked homeward, bone-weary yet soul-satisfied, to the long, mournful notes of “Going Home.”
The judges for this year’s National Championship were Dr. Marvin Beeman, MFH, Arapahoe Hunt (CO), Lilla Mason, MFH, Iroquois Hunt (KY), and Marion Thorne, MFH, Genesee Valley Hunt (NY). To maintain anonymity, participant numbers are used—not names—and the judges are positioned so they cannot see the contestants as they blow.
Two-time champion John Tabachka placed third. / Liz Callar photoThe National Championship competition is open to huntsmen or staff, professional or honorary. Under the new rules, any qualified individual may enter whether they have won a previous horn blowing contest at another hound show or not. The winner receives prize money, an engraved hunt horn to keep, and his or her name is engraved on the perpetual silver horn trophy.
Posted June 2, 2015