Fifty-six junior finalists line up for their commemorative photo at Foxboro, home of Belle Meade Master and host Epp Wilson. / Eric Bowles photo
Junior foxhunters, their horses, parents, and friends traveled from thirteen states to Thomson, Georgia, where the Belle Meade Hunt hosted the finals of the fifteenth annual Junior North American Field Hunter Championships on November 11-13, 2017.
Throughout the course of the informal season, hunts around the country held qualifying meets from which the young finalists were chosen by mounted judges. Of the 216 juniors who qualified to compete in the finals, fifty-six young riders from eighteen North American hunts—more than twenty-five percent of those qualified—traveled to Belle Mead to hunt, compete, see old friends, and make a pile of new friends. And did they have a wonderful time! It was truly a pleasure to see.
Juniors from the following thirty-one hunts qualified for the finals: Aiken Hounds (SC), Andrews Bridge Foxhounds (PA), Bear Creek Hounds (GA), Belle Meade Hunt (GA), Camden Hunt (SC), Carrollton Hounds (MD), Cedar Knob Hunt, Elkridge-Harford Hunt (MD), Farmington Hunt (VA), Fort Leavenworth Hunt (KS), Fox River Valley Hounds (IL), Green Spring Valley Hounds (MD), Hillsboro Hounds (TN), Iroquois Hunt (KY), Live Oak Hounds (FL), Long Run-Woodford Hounds (KY), Lowcountry Hunt (SC), Middleburg Hunt (VA), Midland Fox Hounds (GA), Mill Creek Hunt (IL), MOC Beagles (VA), Moore County Hounds (NC), Mooreland Hunt (AL), Mr. Stewart’s Cheshire Foxhounds (PA), New Market-Middletown Valley Hounds (MD), Old Dominion Hounds (VA), Orange County Hounds (VA), Radnor Hunt (PA), Red Mountain Foxhounds (NC), Shakerag Hounds (GA), and Woodbrook Hunt (WA).
Those hunts from which juniors traveled to the Belle Meade finals are italicized in the list above. Eighteen hunts! Fifty-eight percent of all hunts with qualified juniors were represented, the Woodbrook traveling the furthest!
13 and Over Division: (rt) Gabriela Sacco, Live Oak Hounds, riding Bella is Champion. Natalie Tidwell, Mooreland Hunt, riding Jasmine is Reserve Champion. / Eric Bowles photo
The Purpose
In fourteen years, the program has grown steadily in participation and geographical representation from its modest beginnings involving a few hunts in Virginia. The program has succeeded because it’s purpose rises above just competition. Founders Douglas Wise, MFH, Old Dominion Hounds (VA) and Iona Pillion from the Blue Ridge Hunt (VA) had a larger dream: bring children to new hunting countries, broaden their hunting perspectives, and open their eyes to the fact that these hunting countries don’t just happen to be there for them by chance, but have been nurtured and conserved for the perpetuation of wildlife, open space, and for those who treasure the natural world.
Organizers of all the qualifying meets and the final competition are urged to talk to the juniors and explain that they—the juniors—will in a few short years be responsible for the land and the future of foxhunting.
12 and under Division: (left) Ainsley Colgan, Old Dominion Hounds, riding Bay is Champion. Amira Cooney, Middleburg Hunt, riding Loretta is Reserve Champion. / Eric Bowles photo
How It Works
Emphasis in judging is on the junior rider and their pony or horse. The foxhunting mount and appropriate turnout is important, but of utmost importance is the suitability of the mount to the rider. There’s plenty of hunting to be had by all juniors who enter.
Even after a junior qualifies, he or she, for the paid total entry fee of $75.00, may attend any additional qualifying meets to which they can travel, as well as the final competition. A junior with turbo-jet-powered horse transport could conceivably have hunted with up to twenty-two packs of hounds in twelve states across the country in qualifying meets over a three-month period this fall.
Hilltopper Division: (rt) Sam Dozier, Belle Meade Hunt, riding Jerry Lee is Champion. Ruby Dozier, Belle Meade Hunt, riding Sweet Pea is Reserve Champion. / Eric Bowles photo
The Finals Program
Belle Mead Hunt is a genuine family affair, three generations of some families often represented on any given day in the hunting field. Thomson is a small town, and the Belle Meade hunt, established in 1966, is surely one of the biggest games in town. Members are close, and family values are paramount in a typically close-knit southern culture.
When the Junior Field Hunter Championships were launched fifteen years ago, one of the purposes of founders was to bring children to new hunting countries and broaden their perspectives. Belle Meade made their own unique statement this weekend.
Friday evening, a huge outdoor fire blazed in the stone pit in front of the hunt’s well-used clubhouse, Boots Hall. Juniors from all over swarmed around the fire, tumbling, throwing footballs, generally mixing it up. A whole roasted pig served the throng and then some. The pork and even the delicious barbeque sauce was the work of Tommy Lee, the hunt’s chief chef. This is not Tommy’s day-job, but it could be. Tommy is the husband of first whipper-in Barbara Lee. The rest of fixings, appetizers, and desserts are always organized and prepared by members. Home cooking at its best. And all members contribute.
Saturday was a hunting day for all, and started with a streamlined version of the Belle Meade Blessing of the Hounds conducted annually during the hunt’s well-known Opening Meet ritual. With a local minister leading the Blessing and two acolytes from the hunt to assist in the handing out of the St. Hubert medals, the field of foxhunters, standing with their horses, form two parallel lines.
On the dot of the hour, the mounted staff and hounds appear, jump into the field over a coop, hand off their horses to waiting members on foot, and march with the pack between the two rows of waiting field members toward the minister. The blessing prayers are made, and everyone in attendance, in their turn, walks up to receive his or her medal.
A tally-ho wagon was on hand to carry parents and non-hunting guests through the countryside, a smaller version of the extravagant multiple wagon caravan of the annual Opening Meet weekend at Belle Meade.
Following the hunt, breakfast was served at Boots Hall. Eggs, bacon, barbequed pork, and, yes, those delicious cheese grits. Followed again by a choice of desserts. You cannot, ever, leave Boots Hall hungry.
Saturday night, Belle Meade threw a party for members and guests at Pine Top Farm, the Wilson family home in Thomson, site of the well-known combined training event. The emphasis was on juniors, with hotly-contested whip-cracking and horn blowing contests. Contestants ranged from highly proficient to those who were pushed forward and encouraged by their friends, with much shrieking and merriment, to “go on, give it a try”!
Sunday morning began with the daunting task of organizing fifty-six young mounted riders into one coherent line for a photograph of the entire group, then into three separate divisions for photographs, then behind their Field Masters along with perhaps a dozen mounted judges, and take them through the country on a mock hunt. After the mock hunt, ten finalists from each division were selected to perform individual tests for the final placements. Those thirty riders individually negotiated a course consisting of hunt fences, water, lowering a rail, leading over, re-mounting, opening and closing a gate, galloping on, and holding hard.
This was a long day for all, especially for the junior finalists waiting for their turns in the unseasonably cold temperatures. Horse blankets were put to good use throughout the day…even for the people.
The Purpose
The program has succeeded because it’s purpose rises above just competition. Founders Douglas Wise, MFH, Old Dominion Hounds (VA) and Iona Pillion from the Blue Ridge Hunt (VA) had a larger dream: bring children to new hunting countries, broaden their hunting perspectives, and open their eyes to the fact that these hunting countries don’t just happen to be there for them by chance, but have been nurtured and conserved for the perpetuation of wildlife, open space, and for those who treasure the natural world.
This 2014 photo shows a Belle Meade foxhound extending an invitation to police officer Mike Coke to join the Belle Meade family. Mike, accepted, learned to ride, outfitted himself, and is now a member of the field. On hand this weekend to help out, Mike freed a pony caught in wire with the help of competitor Caroline Kraeuter, Aiken Hounds, who won the Sportsmanship Award.
Sportsmanship Award
Caroline Kraeuter, a good sport, on Izzy. / Eric Bowles photoCaroline Kraeuter from the Aiken Hounds (SC), competing in the Hilltopper Division, was awarded a Sportsmanship Award. She was, in fact, Joanie-on-the-spot on two separate occasions during the Mock Hunt, accepting the chance of not being chosen for the individual test. She stopped to help a competitor who fell. Then, when another rider’s horse got caught in wire, she jumped from her pony and held the wire away from the trapped pony’s chest while Belle Meade member Mike Coke cut and removed the wire from between the pony’s hoof and shoe. (In fact, Caroline was chosen for the individual test and finished fourth in her Division.)
New perspectives, new country, new friends, competition, horses, hunting, play, and lessons in sportsmanship. A magical experience for young riders.
Individual results may be found on the JNAFHC website.
Posted November 24, 2017
A long, busy weekend, right, Aiden? Good night. / Eric Bowles photo