C. Martin Scott
Hunt-to-Huntsman Relations: A Matter of Concern?
Sidney Bailey retired in 2005 after serving as professional huntsman for the Vale of the White Horse (UK) for forty-three seasons.Foxhunting Life readers demonstrate enormous interest in our articles covering the migration of huntsmen each year at about this time. (See “Huntsmen on the Move,” published last month.) Nancy Mitchell, who has hunted hounds at the Bijou Springs Hunt (CO) over a period of sixteen years, wants to know the why of it.
“I’m curious to know what motivates this ‘spring dance of the huntsmen,’” Nancy wrote. “What circumstances create this phenomenon? Money? Prestige? Politics? Age?”
We thought it was an interesting subject for our Panel of Experts, so we asked Jerry Miller, MFH, C. Martin Scott, ex-MFH, and Hugh Robards, ex-MFH, to weigh in on Nancy's question.
Canadian Grand Champion Has a Royal Family Tree
Toronto and North York huntsman John Harrison gets his hounds moving for the judges. / Mary Raphael photo
Toronto and North York Clarence 2012 was judged Grand Champion of the Canadian Foxhound Show at the Ottawa Valley Hunt Farm on June 14, 2014. Judges were Messrs. C. Martin Scott, ex-MFH, Vale of the White Horse (UK) and Mason Lampton, MFH, Midland Foxhounds (GA).
It wasn’t too long ago that the Canadian hunts showed mainly English foxhounds, but the Canadian show now offers classes for both English and Crossbred Champions. With this in mind, it’s interesting to note that this year’s Grand Champion, while considered English based on the high percentage of English bloodlines in his pedigree, goes back in tail female to Midland Crossbred lines and on his sire’s side to a strong Blue Ridge female line of Crossbreds.
Clarence’s dam, Toronto and North York Clinic 2006, was a Crossbred hound out of a Midland female.* His sire, Blue Ridge Barnfield 2010, goes back in tail male to strong English lines of which Judge Martin Scott makes note:
Panel of Experts
Everyone has a question at some time on an arcane hunting term, the correct attire, a point of etiquette. Or you might wonder one day why the huntsman did what he did. The FHL Panel of Experts will answer your question on any aspect of hounds, hound breeding, hunting hounds in the field, training the field hunter, foxhunting history, sporting art, and literature. Try us! Hugh Robards, ex-MFH Huntsman, Author Dr. Roger Scullin, MFH Veterinarian, Foxhound Breeder Jerry Miller, MFH Huntsman, Foxhound Breeder Paul Striberry Foxhunter, Horseman, Trainerwww.consciousriding.com Nigel Peel, MFH (UK) Hunstman, Breeder, Judge C. Martin Wood III, MFH MFHA President 1990-1993Huntsman, Breeder, Judge Steve Price Author or Editor of 19 books, including The Whole Horse Catalog and 1001 Best Things Ever Said About Horses C. Martin Scott, ex-MFH (UK) Foxhound Breeder, Judge, Writer Bill Gamble Photo Marion Thorne, MFH Huntsman, Foxhound Breeder {loadposition deceased}
Read More
