by Tami Masters
(l-r) Field Master Patty Steimert, Eric Stiemert, and author Tami Masters / Andrew Towell photo
The Woodbrook Hunt Club in Washington State was established in 1925 and is the oldest hunt west of the Mississipi. The drag hunt was recognized by the MFHA in 1962 and has recently undergone a changing of the guard. Huntsman Jennifer Hansen has brought about much newfound energy and enthusiasm to the clubhouse and to the hunting field. We have a rather diverse pack of hounds that Andrew Barclay helped us to acquire from all around the country.
Opening Weekend was a spectacular affair, starting with our annual Hunter Trials and Hunter Pace on Saturday and ending on Sunday with a lively eight-mile drag hunt through the beautiful woods and prairie on military land just southeast of the kennels.
Huntsman Jennifer Hansen with honorary whipper-in Mike Wager, MFH / Andrew Towell photo
Members began weeks prior, mapping out the Hunter Pace course and accumulating material for the newly designed Hunter Trials course. The necessary ingredients were brought in from homes and farms, such as fallen trees, wine barrels, standards, hay bales, as well as arena type gates and walls. The end result was stunning. A hunter derby course designer’s dream.
The weather, as luck would have it, was crisp and cool on Saturday morning, giving the early junior riders plenty of horse to hang on to, warming to a lovely seventy degrees, keeping the senior riders’ mounts more civilized. The Hunter Pace, a less competitive way to share a ride with a friend while working on confidence and endurance for the upcoming hunt season, provided a lovely five-mile hack through the woods.
Patty Stiemert and Tami Masters on their way to winning the Pairs Class in Saturday’s Hunter Trials / Andrew Towell photoMeanwhile, the Hunter Trials offered an alternative event to test a rider’s skills and precision for the hunt field. The day’s events were judged by the legendary Pamela Arthur who has officiated at many famous horse shows, including Thunderbird Show Park and Spruce Meadows, but is best known for her sparkling personality and great knowledge of horsemanship and cross country riding.
The juniors were first out in the morning classes: Junior Working Hunters, Junior Handy Hunter, Junior Hunter Hack, and finally a Juniors Costume Class in the tradition of Halloween. All classes were well attended with stiff competition. Announcer Bo Masters did his usual bang-up job, keeping the crowd entertained and informed of the events taking place on the field. The morning events ended shortly after one o’clock with a short lunch break to allow senior riders plenty of time to prepare for the afternoon activities.
Preparations included, but were not limited to, finding one’s stock tie and pin, remembering how to tie it, locating a hunting martingale and flat tack, (where did I put my hunt whip? gloves?), polishing boots, dusting off the horse, applying boot polish to all areas of the horse that have no hair due to over aggressive pasture mates, and finding the flask. (I suggest not locating that final item too early as it’s possible the other items will then not be found.)
The afternoon classes started with a Family Class, a new addition to the lineup, which produced tough competition from six different families. The families rode two or more abreast and were asked to walk, trot, and canter as a group. Though quite exciting at times, there were no unscheduled dismounts or horrific incidents.
The Family Class was followed by the Pairs Over Fences, Hunt Teams, and Senior Hunters, which were open to all riders. The most prestigious class of the day was the Field Hunters, open to riders who are members of a recognized hunt and requires a participant to complete a course and either crack a whip, dismount and mount, or lower a jump from your horse’s back—the basic hunt field requirements. At the conclusion of the final class all riders, family, and friends were invited to the clubhouse where the Masters awarded coolers to the High Point Junior and Senior riders and the winners of the Hunter Pace were awarded their medals.
After the prizes were presented, staff and friends were invited to the house of Jean Brooks, MFH Emeritus, for an amazing dinner of lamb shanks and lively conversation centered around the days events. It was an early evening for most as the next day was what we had all been gearing up for—Opening Hunt.
For kennel meets, numerous road whips help move hounds and riders down busy roads to the hunting country. / Andrew Towell photo
The early morning fog burned off to expose an absolutely cloudless day. Several member had been designated to move some of the Hunter Trials jumps to the fixture in the hopes of enhancing the riders’ hunting experience. (This had been a dandy idea, which came about the previous evening after a few glasses of very good wine.)
Members and staff met at the clubhouse and we were off at 11:00 am. Huntsman Jennifer Hansen had quite a few hurdles to overcome in order to make a hunt from the kennel possible. The first being to procure numerous road whips to help move the riders and hounds safely down busy roads to the first check. For this duty we were glad to have several members who showed their love of the sport by putting themselves and their vehicles in the line of traffic to protect the riders.
Once safely to the designated hunting area we commenced with the first line. Tami Masters, a seasoned fox, and her trusty game-keepers, Kate Gormally and Linda Hagerman, DVM, had arrived early at the fixture and awaited the signal from huntsman Hansen to commence laying the first line. At the signal the fox was away, through thick wooded areas and sparse open fields, eventually finding a well used game trail to allow hounds to move at speed. Hounds were heard giving voice which signaled they had found the start of the line. The fox then picked up the lure which provided a loss and a chance for the hunt staff and field to catch up and safely negotiate two sets of decrepit railroad tracks. The fox once again lowered the lure into the brush and finished laying the quarter mile line to Hillhurst where the car caravan and honorary road whips were waiting with cool drinks for riders, horses, and hounds.
Simon Chapman, the fox that runs on two feet! / Andrew Towell photoTime to change foxes. The fox became a game-keeper and Simon Chapman took the lure to become the running fox. It can take many clever foxes to challenge a pack of hounds. The next line started a half mile from the check at the huntsman’s signal. The fox made use of a newly established game trail then crossed a heavily used hunting trail into thick woods of hard going. The fox then ran the lure down the jump trail known as the Ditch course. As the hounds were heard opening on the line the fox continued on his merry way through more rough going to slow the pursuit of the hounds.
The game-keeper took the opportunity to hide-out and observe the hounds as they worked. Two-and-a-half couple were on the line in full cry, Jupiter, Kent, Cece, Gearhead, and Hobbit, while more hounds gave voice not far back. The game-keeper felt very fortunate and proud to have had this opportunity to watch hounds work. The lead hounds made it to the end of the line but the scent was evaporating quickly and the huntsman called a loss after hounds worked diligently.
Andrew Towell photo
The field and staff regrouped and prepared for the final run of the day. Hounds were counted, and it was noted that we had a hound out. With temperatures reaching seventy degrees the huntsman gave hounds a chance to catch their breath and have a swim in a plastic pool that had been provided by hunt members Cece Fitch and Lori Lenox while we waited for Homer, the errant hound, to catch up.
The final line of the day was the Selden course through open prairie with scattered trees, ditches, and the aforementioned Hunter Trials jumps. The field and staff got to watch some wonderful hound work as the fox laid a challenging line over the course. The hounds were spot-on, working together as a focused and united pack the entire run. Huntsman Hansen decided in the best interest of the hounds to provide them a ride back to the kennel, while members and staff hacked in. Homer was spotted before the trailer left for home and happily jumped in with his mates to share the ride to the kennel. This is how we do it at Woodbrook. What’s in your Hunt Journal?
Posted October 20, 2015