Huntsman Graham Buston brings the Blue Ridge hounds to the first draw, where a fox was quickly unkenneled for a field of juniors participating in one of 31 qualifying meets for the 2016 Junior North American Field Hunter Championships. / Michelle Arnold photo
Every junior who qualifies by competing at any one of thirty-one Qualifying Meets offered across fourteen states and provinces will be eligible to compete in the Junior North American Field Hunter Championship Finals this year. The meets are in full swing.
The Blue Ridge Hunt hosted a qualifying meet on Saturday, September 24, 2016 at the McIntosh farm situated just above the Shenandoah River under western brow of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Anne McIntosh, MFH led the field of hopefuls, judges, and hunt members, the latter riding behind the junior competitors for a change.
Hunting was excellent, with foxes getting away right at the start and giving the judges plenty of opportunities to watch and judge the young riders and their mounts in action. And everyone viewed the quarry at least once!
Lucy Arnold keeps up with hounds in good form. / Michelle Arnold photo
Judges this day were Kim Ginn, Heather Heider, and Sandy Lytle. Juniors qualifying were Lucy Arnold and Casey and Colby Poe representing the Old Dominion Hunt (VA). Blue Ridge Hunt juniors Isobel McDiarmid and Lilia Sharp also qualified.
On the same day, Andrews Bridge Foxhounds held a qualifying meet in their Pennsylvania country, and Camargo Hunt held a qualifier in Kentucky. On the Sunday following the Blue Ridge meet, the Rappahannock Hunt held a qualifier in their Virginia hunting country. Click for the complete schedule. For an entry fee of $50.00, proceeds of which are ultimately donated to selected conservation organizations, juniors are encouraged to ride in as many of the qualifying hunts as they wish, even after they qualify.
Thirty-one hunts, up from twenty-seven last year, are holding qualifying meets this year in Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, Ohio, Ontario, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and Washington state. The 2016 Championship Finals will be held at the Iroquois Hunt in Lexington, Kentucky—a thoroughly exciting destination for any junior with a love of horses.
The Junior North American Field Hunter Championship competition that began modestly thirteen years ago between a handful of geographically-close Virginia hunts continues to expand in scope. The program is succeeding because it’s purpose is loftier than just competition. Founders Douglas Wise, MFH, Old Dominion Hounds and Iona Pillion from the Blue Ridge Hunt had a larger dream: bring children to new hunting countries and open their eyes to the fact that these playgrounds 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.
“We want these kids to know what a conservation easement is,” said Marion Chungo, one of the organizers. Judges and Masters at all the qualifying meets are urged to talk to the children about what they are seeing around them and the need to conserve it.
Posted September 27, 2016
Qualifying juniors, organizers, judges, and hunt staff celebrate with refreshments after a good day’s hunting, courtesy of Anne McIntosh, MFH and husband Bill. Rosettes awarded are worn at any subsequent qualifying meet the juniors may wish to attend, as a signal to the judge. Front row (l-r): Lilia Sharp, Casey Poe, Lucy Arnold, Iona Pillion, Colby Poe. Back row (l-r): Isobel McDiarmid, Michelle Arnold, Sheri Buston, Marion Chungo, Sandy Lytle, Graham Buston, Heather Heider, Kim Ginn. / Kim Poe photo