Jeanne & Allen Forney / Karen Kandra Wenzel photoHow often do we get the opportunity to celebrate the seventieth birthday of a foxhunting legend while he (or she) is still an active and constant contributor to the sport? A large group of friends—Masters, huntsmen, and foxhunters— representing most of the foxhunting clubs in central Maryland did exactly that on Sunday, April 10 at the Potomac Hunt in Barnesville, Maryland.
Huntsmen: (front, l-r) David Pickett, Howard County-Iron Bridge; Ray Carter (ret,) and George Harne (ret.), New Market-Middletown Valley; (back row) Larry Pitts, Potomac; Allen Forney (ret.), HC-IB; Steve Currey (acting) / Karen Kandra Wenzel photoAllen Forney has provided sport for decades, starting out under the tutelage of huntsman Johnny Bill Linton at the Taylorsville Hunt outside of Westminster, Maryland. (Linton is one of those select few honored by induction into the Huntsmen’s Room of the Museum of Hounds and Hunting at Morven Park.) Allen assumed the huntsman’s role at Taylorsville when Johnny moved on to Howard County. Soon thereafter Allen became the huntsman for Iron Bridge Hounds. Riding hard in this tough country, bounded as it was even decades ago with major highways, Allen quickly became expert at following hounds through the numerous commercial “sand pits” that comprised much of the country at the time and proved to be a favorite haunt of the local foxes.
When the country of Iron Bridge finally became untenable and the hunt merged with Howard County to become the present Howard County–Iron Bridge Hounds, Allen rejoined his old mentor Johnny Bill Linton. Allen rode for several years as a professional whipper-in with HC-IBH before Johnny finally retired and the pack became Allen’s.
No one in hunt service works harder and is more conscientious about his hounds than Allen. It became his responsibility to settle the pack into their new quarters when new kennels were built. Visiting HC-IBH when Allen was there was a special treat—the grounds immaculate, the hounds anxious, and even the puppies already learning their names and manners.
Masters: (front, with Allen) Beverly Bosselmann, MFH, Potomac; (second row) Pat Witty, ex-MFH. Goshen; Pat Carter, ex-MFH, NM-MV; Hardy Pickett, ex-MFH, Goshen; Skip Crawford, MFH, Potomac; (back row) John Ward, ex-MFH and Ray Carter, former huntsman, NM-MV; Peter Hitchen, MFH, Potomac; Tom Scrivener, ex-MFH, HCIB / Karen Kandra Wenzel photoAllen moved to “semi-retirement” several years ago, but he sure was in no hurry to hang up his spurs! Potomac huntsman Larry Pitts, hearing of Allen’s availability, invited him to visit the Potomac pack. Soon a bond was formed, and with the blessing of the Potomac Masters, Allen has whipped-in to Larry for several seasons and helps with the hound showing and exercise program at Potomac. With his quiet, easy manner, Allen is a consummate showman with young hounds and is often pressed into service by other clubs to “show my puppy” at the big shows.
The celebration of Allen’s seventieth birthday was replete with a long list of Masters, ex-Masters, and huntsmen, all of whom came to recognize a real houndsman and a true gentleman. Allen, may you enjoy many more, and may we all continue to benefit from your wonderful way with hounds.
Anne Moe and Karen Kandra Wenzel contributed to this story. Tom Pardoe is MFH of the Goshen Hounds (MD)