Zina Balash photo

The United States Pony Clubs, Inc. has recognized the Arapahoe Pony Club as winners of the eleventh annual Live Oak Hounds USPC Foxhunting Challenge. The Live Oak Challenge encourages Pony Club members who do not hunt regularly to try the sport. Through the support of Mr. and Mrs. C. Martin Wood III, Joint-Masters of the Live Oak Hounds (FL), the Pony Clubs that regularly bring the most less-experienced members out hunting receive distributions of the annual $10,000 Challenge award.

Seventy-one Pony Club members competed this year, accounting for more than 690 days in hunting fields across the country. Nine hunt clubs welcomed the participating Pony Club members into their fields: Arapahoe Hunt (CO), Bear Creek Hounds (GA), Bull Run Hunt (VA), Elkridge-Harford Hunt (MD), Old Dominion Hounds (VA), Rolling Rock Hunt (PA), Rose Tree-Blue Mountain Hunt (PA), Sewickley Hunt (PA), and Spring Valley Hounds (NJ).

The 2017 Challenge winners are:

The top seven 2017 Challenge winners are:
1st Place: The Arapahoe Hunt Pony Club (Rocky Mountain Region)
2nd Place: Old Dominion Hounds Pony Club (Virginia Region)
3rd Place: Elkridge-Harford Pony Club (Maryland Region)
4th Place: Woodbine Pony Club (South Region)
5th Place: Rolling Rock Hunt Pony Club (Tri-State Region)
6th Place: Spring Valley Hounds Pony Club (New Jersey Region)
7th Place: Blue Mountain Pony Club (Maryland Region)

Mr. and Mrs. Wood are both past presidents of the MFHA. Mr. Wood was inducted into the Huntsmen’s Room in ceremonies this year at the at the Museum of Hounds and Hunting in Leesburg, Virginia.

Posted June 30, 2017