Field Hunter Champion Gabrina Von Schweez ridden by Lindsey Williamson. / Middleburg Photo
I watched for glimpses of red and gold in the forests along the highway as I headed North on Saturday, October 2, 2021. But, no, not a glimpse of any color but green. Virginia wasn’t far enough north of Georgia, where my horses and I foxhunt with Belle Meade Hunt, or South Carolina, where I live and work. Fall and cooler temperatures had yet to arrive in Virginia. It’s still hot.
My F250 and four-horse trailer were fully loaded, hauling three horses to Middleburg, where I would stay through the end of the coming week. Four days of foxhunting with four different hunts were in my plans as a judge in the Theodora A. Randolph Field Hunter Championships: hunting in the field every day with the competitors and then riding in the finals on Saturday, October 9, at Glenwood Park. The final tests and awards in the morning would lead up to the Virginia Fall Races in the afternoon.
Theodora Randolph, MFH, Piedmont from 1954 to 1996
The First Lady of Foxhunting
Theodora A. Randolph was Master of the Piedmont Fox Hounds (VA) for over forty years. She died while Master at the age of ninety (about twenty-five years ago), and was widely known at the time as The First Lady of Foxhunting.
Though she had married into one of the oldest and respected families in Virginia, the Randolphs, she was, in fact, a Yankee from one of the oldest families near Boston, the Ayers. On Boston’s North Shore, Neil Ayer was highly influential in hunting (Myopia Hunt Master), three-day eventing (Ledyard owner), and philanthropy (United States Equestrian Team’s three-day training establishment).
As a child, Miss Ayer hunted at Myopia. Her introduction to hunting in Virginia was through visits to her uncle, General George S. Patton. Earning Mrs. Randolph’s displeasure while Field Master of Piedmont was feared equally to those U.S. Army subordinates who displeased her uncle.
The field hunter competition now in her name is in its thirty-seventh year. Karyn Wilson, organizer and enabler, informed me we have forty-six entries from twenty-five hunts arriving from eight states and Canada―a somewhat smaller field than usual, probably the result of the lingering Covid effect. But still a sufficiently robust crowd of foxhunters. I can’t wait.
Judging competitors this year are Frank Cubero, Green Spring Valley Hounds (MD); Leslie Hazel, Orange County Hounds (VA); Tony Mansmann, Old Dominion Hounds (VA); Karen Nutt, Piedmont Fox Hounds (VA) and Middleburg Hunt (VA); Cameron Sadler, MFH, Moore County Hounds (NC); and yours truly, Jean Derrick, Field Master, Belle Meade Hunt (GA).
Judges confer before announcing the winning lineup. (L-R) Tom Mansmann, Frank Cubero, Cameron Sadler, MFH, Jean Derrick, and Karyn Wilson, trial organizer. / Middleburg Photo
Day One
Our first meet, hosted by Bull Run Hunt, is the furthest, probably an hour-and-fifteen-minute drive, but I got started early enough and found the site easily with my GPS. What did we do in those days before…?
The day’s fixture, Willow Marsh, is owned and managed by carriage driving enthusiasts. It’s a lovely, large tract with rolling meadows and forest cut with wide swaths of rides, excellent footing, and lots of room to ride abreast and chat quietly with participants from all over the foxhunting world. There were a few jumps, and my fellow judge, Cameron Sadler, efficiently stationed herself at a jump, videoing with her cellphone the line of riders clearing the obstacle.
“These were glossy, well-groomed, athletic animals. Muscles rippled everywhere. Wow!” -Judge Jean Derrick / Middleburg Photo
This year, the riders were marked clearly, with large numbers, front and back, in pinnies that Karyn had conjured up. They showed up plainly in the films, which we judges reviewed at the end of each day. My other companion judge, Frank Cubero riding a borrowed horse, was alert and quiet, watching the large group of entries out this first day. I was overwhelmed. I really liked just about every horse out there. These were glossy, well-groomed, athletic animals. Muscles rippled everywhere. Wow! And every rider (well, almost every) knew their horse was the best. That’s how it should be.
It was warm, but the Bull Run hounds still gave good enough sport, with short bursts of runs, to put several foxes to ground. I rode up and down the line of riders, chatting briefly with some, asking about their horse’s breeding, age, and home hunt―a fascinating topic to both my conversationalist of the moment and me. As the morning wore on, my mind settled.
I started to notice some negative as well as positive behaviors. There were horses who didn’t stand, but circled at a check. Some who jigged when we walked. I saw that half-halt on the first stride after the fence. I saw the loose reins of the relaxed hunters. I noticed the lovely, relaxed approach and smooth quiet jump. I gained confidence that my task could be accomplished on some basis of objectivity, and I started getting my mojo back by the end of the day.
Reserve Champion and winner of the Dr. Matthew Mackay-Smith Champion Thoroughbred is Forever Bernadini ridden by Mary Crane, Norfolk Hunt (MA) / Middleburg Photo
Day Two
Blue Ridge Hunt’s Weldon House in Boyce, Virginia, the home of Master Anne McIntosh, is an impressive and inviting site for a meet. The driveway entrance is off the gravel road that follows the shoreline of the beautiful Shenandoah River. The huntsman drew from covert to covert, and I’m sure the day had been thoughtfully planned because there was a lot of jumping along the way. There were several refusals (eek!!) at the first fence, a weathered coop on the steepish side. Again, it was warm, but we had several runs as the day went on. This day, ratifying what we saw the first day, the top four or five horses were plain to pick. All thru the day, one of us would ride up to the other and breath quietly a number to watch. It was intoxicating seeing such talented horseflesh. Frank and I made notes on a pocket pad and Cameron on her phone, and when we compared our lists of numbers at the end of the day, there was a good bit of overlap.
Sometimes, one of us hadn’t noticed a horse the other two had looked closely at, and the description given by those two about what that horse had done that day was vivid and compelling. There was a lot of passion in our talk. There was a lot of talent, human and animal out there. The beautiful image of a horse who loves and trusts its rider was becoming clearer, seeing them go together this second day.
“Judging so many top-notch horses was more stressful for me than when I rode as a competitor,” said Frank Cubero. “Just about any of these horses could win this event on the right day, so nominating only a handful at each hunt was an enormous challenge, and one I did not want to botch!
“With so many nicely matched pairs, sometimes you had to wait for just the right situation―a tricky crossing or a trappy fence―when the smallest detail might distinguish one competitor from another.
I always think warm, tough scenting days are demanding on hunt staff. But I was worried that poor scent over these two days would be taxing for the competitors as well. I think everyone was happy we found early on each day so they could quickly start showcasing their horses and clearing their minds.
Best Turned Out Pair is Lisduff John Bay and Holly Rachel Smilh, Middleburg Hunt. / Middleburg Photo
Day Three
Orange County Hounds. It had rained overnight, and there was a heavy mist all day. It was most definitely cooler, even soggy by the end. The meeting site had been changed the day before because a landowner at Welby was moving 125 yearlings. I don’t even want to think about the scene that could have erupted! We met instead at a farm off Zulla Road.
The weather had presented us with a cool, moist hunting day. As Cameron Sadler later said, “All of our other days hunting were similar, adequate enough, but Orange County was a day to remember for any time in your life, not just for this event.” We chased several foxes and finished a fifteen-mile run on the last one.
At one point, new judge Tom Mansmann from Hume had joined us riding a gorgeous young Irish hunter. The horse’s hind end slipped while galloping over the concrete pad at the end of a wooden bridge. Heart in my mouth, I watched Tom, correctly centered on his horse, continue to sit there balanced, while the young gelding kept his front feet planted on the driveway and then righted his hind end to gallop on. The remaining riders proceeded slowly over the bridge, and we had a wonderful fast run to catch up.
I led on my home-bred Irish Sport-horse, and we did indeed go ‘Belle Meade purposeful.’ I had several competitors tell me later they’d never gone so fast on their Thoroughbreds.
We spent that day with the roar of those American red-ring-necked hounds in our ears, jumping walls, coops, and logs, too many to recall. I am proud to report that the only riders who made it to the end that day were the judges and five of our contestants. Some we had already picked as finalists, others were picked later, but all five finishers were finalists. Those are the values this event emphasizes and prizes.
Most Suitable Pair is Ares ridden by William Fraser, Whiskey Road Foxhounds (SC) / Middleburg Photo
Day Four
Just finding the meet at Old Dominion Hounds was a challenge. We had met in Marshall the day before, only twelve minutes from Middleburg, so I figured this would be similar. Wrong.
“Don’t worry,” said Karyn Wilson reassuringly. “You’ll have plenty of time when you get here.”
The meet was close to the kennels at a hilly field with long, thick grass. The big field of riders, led by Master Kim Poe, reflected her lively sense of humor and happy, go-along manner. We had good hunting that day and possibly chased a coyote at the end.
About halfway through the day, contestant Number 2 (Jill Marshall from Bull Run Hunt) riding a tall, leggy warmblood that had trained with the Royal Guard in the Mews of London Park, called out, “I need a stirrup.” Thinking stirrup leather, Master Kim began giving directions about where to get a leather.
“No, my stirrup is broken,” says Jill. A long moment of silence passed over the field. Not seeming to have a quick remedy at hand, our Fieldmaster announced that she’d tell No 2 the way in when we got closer. Then she mercilessly trotted off downhill, with some intermittent cantering thrown in for good measure. Jill is posting with no stirrups, and I’m thinking, ‘It’s a real long way down from the back of that horse.’
At our next check, in a small voice, Competitor 35 (Ashley Tabor, Monmouth County Hunt) says, “I’ll give you my stirrup.” Competitor 37 (Janie Motion, Piedmont) jumps off her horse and offers to help transfer the stirrup. Ashley strips her stirrup off its leather, and hands it over. She slides her boot into the leather, and says, “Let’s go.” And we did. That spirit of sportsmanship is also what this event is about.
Wrapping Up
“This was a special year,” Karyn Wilson noted. “It was evident that all riders were here for the pure enjoyment of foxhunting with different packs after last year’s restrictions. It is a pleasure to see new friendships develop between riders from twenty-five hunts. The sport this year was fabulous on all four days, and we are looking forward to next year’s competition on October 3 to 8, 2022!
The Champion field hunter this year is a ten-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare―chestnut with a lot of chrome―with the ungainly name of Gabrina Von Schweetz. “Gabby” is owned and ridden by Lindsey Williamson and hunts with Thornton Hill Hounds. Lindsey has owned Gabby for two years. The mare was imported several years ago and passed through two owners as a showjumper. It because increasingly clear she was unhappy with her job. When Lindsey acquired her, she undertook a total makeover, beginning with simple ground handling. It took two people to lead her into the barn, then progressing to being ridden at a walk.
“On good days, we went on a walking trail ride,” said Lindsey. “On bad days, we stayed in the ring. It took her a while to come around.”
The mare started foxhunting in the Fall of 2020. “She absolutely loves it,” says Lindsey. She’s 16.3 hands and 1400 pounds of horse. She has the speed and stamina to keep up with the Thoroughbreds. I never sat on a horse who loves her job in the hunt field more than this one.”
Judge Cameron Sadler concurs. “I had my eye on her all week, and she improved every day. She just kept getting better and better.”
The next Theodora A. Randolph Field Hunter Championship is set for October 3 to 8, 2022. Be there!
Sportsmanship Award to Ashley Tabor, Moore County Hounds (NC) riding Cleave, owned by Cameron Sadler, MFH
Complete Results
Champion: Lindsey Williamson, Thornton Hill Hounds, riding Gabrina Von Schweez, ten-year-old Warmblood mare.
Reserve Champion: Mary Crane, Norfolk Hunt, riding Forever Bernadini, eight-year-old Thoroughbred gelding.
Third: Vanessa Massaro, Keswick Hunt, riding Churchill, International Sport Horse, eight-year-old Thoroughbred gelding.
Fourth: John Wittenborn, Smithtown Hunt, riding Socrates, 18-year-old Thoroughbred-cross gelding.
Fifth: Annie Sikorski, Bull Run Hunt, riding Go Quick Go, ten-year-old Thoroughbred mare.
Sixth: Jordan Basham, Blue Ridge Hunt, riding iCandy, eighteen-year-old Thoroughbred-cross gelding.
Seventh: John Pemberton, Snickersville Hounds, riding Kitra, eleven-year-old Warmblood mare.
Eighth: Jill Marshall, Bull Run Hunt, riding No Secret Nolies, eight-year-old International Sport Horse gelding.
Dr. Matthew Mackay-Smith Top Thoroughbred Trophy: Mary Crane, Norfolk Hunt, riding Forever Bernadini, eight-year-old Thoroughbred gelding.
Best Turned Out Champion: Holly Rachel Smith, Middleburg Hunt, Lisduff John Bay, aged Irish cob.
Best Turned Out Reserve Champion: Katie MacSwain, Middleburg Hunt, London by Night, nine-year-old Thoroughbred gelding.
Most Suitable Pair: William Fraser, Whiskey Road Foxhounds, Ares, eleven-year-old Percheron-cross gelding.
Sportsmanship: Ashley Tabor, Moore County Hounds, Cleave, seven-year-old Thoroughbred gelding owned by Cameron Sadler
Hunt With Most Competitors: Bull Run Hunt with five.
Posted December 12, 2021