Hillsboro Walnut 2017 is Grand Champion of Show at Virginia. (L-R, front row): Huntsman John Gray, Judge Dr. Marvin Beeman, MFH (straw hat), Joan Jones, president of the Virginia Foxhound Club, Orrin Ingram, MFH, (kneeling) with Lee Ann Ingram behind, and Leilani Gray. (L-R, back row): Charlie Burke, Hunt Secretary Dana Burke, Hill McAlister, MFH, Emily McMcAlister, Nina Lindley, Michael Lindley, MFH, and Eleanor Menefee Parks, MFH. / Lauren Giannini photoAt this year’s Virginia Foxhound Show, the Hillsboro Hounds (TN) matched a bit of history made back in 2010 by the Live Oak Hounds (FL) in that most exciting final class of the day, Grand Champion of Show. The show was held at Morven Park on May 27, 2018
As usual, four hounds were qualified for the Grand Champion class—the American, Crossbred, English, and Penn-Marydel Champions. Hillsboro had two hounds in the ring, having won both the English and the Crossbred Championships. When the class ended, Hillsboro Walnut 2017 was Grand Champion of Show, and Hillsboro Starlight 2017 was Reserve Grand Champion. It only happened once before, and there have been seventy-one Virginia Foxhound Shows.
Judging the final class was Dr. Marvin Beeman, MFH, and if anyone on the show grounds is able to clinically judge a horse’s or a hound’s conformation any better than Dr. Beeman, I don’t know who that might be.
“Did you ever imagine winning both Grand Champion and Reserve at this show?” I asked Hillsboro MFH, Orrin Ingram. To Ingram’s credit, his imagination is loftier than mine. “Well,” he replied with a happy smile, “You can always hope!”
I spoke briefly to a deliriously happy huntsman, John Gray. “Some crust you have coming here and winning Grand Champion and Reserve,” I accused him.
“I should probably retire right now,” he replied. “It’ll never get any better than this!”
Earlier this spring, Hillsboro Walnut was judged Grand Champion of the Southern Hound Show hosted annually by the Live Oak Hounds. Walnut appears to be totally correct from every angle one chooses to look. And she is a big and beautiful mover as well. Her sire, Hillsboro William 2013, is a Crossbred hound that goes back three generations to Fox River Valley and Heythrop bloodlines. Her tail male line, however, goes back to through Fox River Valley to Midland Crossbreds.
The bottom half of Walnut’s pedigree has some real stars, both in the ring and in the field. Walnut’s dam, Hillsboro Sable 2013, is an English hound by Live Oak Farrier 2010, a Grand Champion at Virginia. Farrier’s littermate, Fable, was also a Grand Champion at Virginia. Sable’s dam was by Duke of Beaufort’s Bailey 2003. For nearly twenty years, Bailey has been considered one of England’s most influential stallion hounds. Martin Scott, ex-MFH, Vale of the White Horse (UK), one of England’s leading breeders and judges of foxhounds, notes that Bailey’s male line goes back to Heythrop Busby 1996, another highly influential sire in his time, as well as to College Valley/North Northumberland Grafter 1989 from one of the most influential hill hound kennels in England, regarded as an outcross and valued highly for his work in the field.
Hillsboro Starlight 2017 is Reserve Champion—a twofer for HIllsboro! / Lauren GIannini photoReserve Champion Hillsboro Starlight 2017 is all Warwickshire Foxhounds (UK) in the tail female line and all Vale of the White Horse in the rest of the all-English dam’s side—undoubtedly going back to Martin Scott’s breeding.
Starlight’s sire is Midland Striker 2015, Grand Champion at Bryn Mawr in 2017 and at Virginia in 2016. Striker’s dam, Staffordshire Moorland Stunning 2011 was imported from England to the Midland Foxhounds (GA) and produced hound show winners and top hunting hounds. Stunning goes back five generations to a breeding in England of Exmoor Orange County Barber 1989 through her sire and to Midland Hardaway 1989 though her dam. The double American cross made in the Exmoor (UK) kennels made her a desirable outcross to bring back to Midland.
History
In 2010, Live Oak Maximus 2009, the English Champion, was judged Grand Champion of Show at Virginia with the Crossbred Champion, Live Oak Apache 2008 as Reserve. Had there been a formally designated Reserve Grand Champion at Virginia in 1998, Live Oak Hounds would have turned the trick even earlier, with their Crossbred Grand Champion Hostess 1997 and English Champion Morning 1997. It wasn’t official, but on that day, Judge Hi Petter chose Hostess, then turned and gave Morning the nod.
Click for complete show results for Virginia, 2018.
Posted June 4, 2018