As an educational consultant, I spend most of my time visiting schools and teachers across the United States, learning and sharing effective practices in education. Occasionally, though, my work takes me abroad. When I travel, I also try to plan experiences that help me connect more deeply with the location—and what better way to do that than by going out with a local hunt? One of my favorite international partnerships is with a handful of schools in New Zealand. Last year, my travels took me to the South Island, where I had a fabulous day joining Eastern Southland Hunt for their Opening Meet (you can read about that adventure here). This year, I had the chance to cap with a hunt on the North Island!

When I found out I’d be traveling back to New Zealand to visit schools in the greater Auckland metro area, I immediately began scouring the New Zealand Hunts’ Association site to see what hunts might be in the area and who would be open while I was there. The Waitematā Hunt fit the bill, and I reached out to inquire about capping for a day.

The Waitematā Hunt is located on the northern side of Auckland, with fixtures on both sides of the Kawau Parua Inlet and as far south as Muriwai. Their sport is in partnership with generous farmers, who allow them to enjoy the chase across rolling farmland, marshland, and bush (the Kiwi term for woods or a covert). Much of their territory is also bordered by water, delighting this foxhunter from Colorado with seaside vistas.

I was staying with friends on the opposite side of the city, so my day began with a scenic drive past the iconic Auckland skyline and into the countryside of the Te Korowai-o-Te-Tonga Peninsula, where we would be hunting at Shelly Beach. My host for the day was Polly Joseph, a committee member for the Waitematā Hunt.

Polly introduced me to members and officials alike. Since hunting in America is a bit of a novelty to the New Zealand community, introductions often went like this: “This is Kristy, she’s from Colorado. Guess what they hunt in the US?!” The guesses were enthusiastic—my favorite being “Buffalo?” It was always a surprise to hear that most of us chase coyotes west of the Mississippi.

I was also introduced to the Waitematā pack, who arrive at the meet in style in a kennel at the front of a horse van. Last year, I learned that hunts in New Zealand typically chase the European hare, an invasive species introduced in the 1800s. As such, New Zealand packs are Harriers—as keen as our foxhounds and as plucky as beagles. This pack was striking and clearly eager to start their day.

The day began with an unmounted stirrup cup, served by Hunt President Caitlin Metz, followed by a briefing from Joint-Masters Denise Mathers and Phil Grainger, and professional huntsman Alex Maguiness. They shared notes for the day, including potential obstacles and the plan for casting. Afterward, the Joint-Masters and officials distributed some bottles. Polly handed one to me, and my confusion must have been obvious because she explained, “They’re for laying the scent. We carry them in our saddle bags to supply the scent laying team.”

The Waitematā Hunt is, in fact, the only drag hunt in all of New Zealand. President Metz explained that the hunt has a long tradition of drag hunting, due to the fact that the European Hare doesn’t make its home on their peninsula. Each bottle contains a brew of fermented hare, and the scent laying team puts down a line cast by cast for the pack to follow.

Thus, with a bottle of hare solution in one saddlebag and a bottle of water in the other (Polly: “Kristy, be sure not to mix those up!”), I was ready to mount and move off. Polly had generously loaned me her primary mount, a handsome Clydesdale/Paint cross named Larry. Larry was just as friendly and generous as anyone I’ve met in New Zealand and seemed eager to show me a good day.

As we hacked to the first cast, I was mesmerized by the absolutely stunning scenery. The green hills stretched in front of us, broken here and there with patches of bush. With every step, the aquamarine waters of the Kawau Parua Inlet shimmered brightly. Polly and I hung back a bit on the first cast, giving Larry and me a chance to become better acquainted and take in the scene.

Just as with my last New Zealand hunting adventure, so much of the experience felt incredibly familiar. The talented pack picked up the line and opened with a recognizable melody that always stirs up memories for me—especially of my childhood, following the Fort Leavenworth pack through the woods and fields of rural Kansas. The members of the field organized themselves behind the masters and flew across the ground, migrating from one pasture to the next in pursuit of the pack, riders standing in their stirrups with excitement, the horses gamely leaping over the spars… Well, that’s where things start to feel quite different.

Let’s have a quick sidebar about “spars.” I mentioned this in my entry last year, but it’s worth bringing up again. Hunts in New Zealand have mastered the art of minimalism when it comes to navigating fences. Rather than building large permanent jumps (coops, walls, panels, etc.), the tireless hunt committee prepares spars for each meet. Sometimes these are compressed wire with a horizontal wood panel, and sometimes they’re vertical stakes woven through the wire to give horses a sightline. Kiwi horses rarely hesitate over them, and one quickly learns to roll along with the field. After the hunt, the committee raises the wires, leaving fences and fields nearly pristine.

As the day progressed, I never quite got over the beauty of the Shelly Beach fixture and how it facilitated such a superb experience. With each cast, we wound up and down hillsides, over spars, always following the music of the pack. I love hound work, and the Waitematā territory offers ample opportunity to watch the hounds loop in cloverleaf patterns while searching for a line, their tails feathering in concentration. One hound would strike, and the rest of the pack would honor his find. Our own path featured dells, crops, bush, livestock, and even beehives (New Zealand honey is world-famous), all under the skilled and caring leadership of the Masters.

After the hunt, we gave our mounts a quick rinse and gathered for a shared breakfast and recap. Huntsman Maguiness noted the top-performing hounds for the day—part of their tradition of friendly competition. Members sponsor individual hounds, and each one earns points throughout the season, with a winner crowned at the end. Joint-Masters Grainger and Mathers shared upcoming events, including a week-long celebration for the Waitematā Hunt’s 75th season of sport.

After the official announcements, we did what hunters have done since the beginning of our sport: We enjoyed the beauty of the outdoors, swapped stories from the day, learned about one another, and shared fellowship with fellow enthusiasts. I believe one of the best ways to connect with people is through shared experience, and I’m grateful to now feel connected to a new group of friends on the other side of the world.

To the Masters, officials, members, and guests of the Waitematā Hunt: thank you for welcoming me to join your adventure for the day. I’m humbled by your hospitality and grateful for your friendship. I hope to return the favor someday. Until then—kick on!

Kristy Lathrop has been a member of the Fort Leavenworth Hunt in Kansas since she was a junior, where she also whipped-in. Her whole immediate family has colors with Fort Leavenworth, and her mother, Gayle Rue, is an ex-MFH. Kristy is currently a whipper-in (honorary) for the Comanche Creek Hounds, a farmers pack in Kiowa, Colorado.