Neil Amatt
Neil Amatt Is 2013 North American Horn Blowing Champion
Horn Blowing Championship trophy is presented to Neil Amatt by Richard Hornberger. Ringmaster is John Franzreb. / AlCookPhoto.com Neil Amatt, whipper-in to the Piedmont Fox Hounds (VA), won the 2013 North American Horn Blowing Championship on Monday, October 14. This final horn blowing competition of the season is held annually during Hunt Night activities at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Hunt staff members across North America qualify to compete for the championship by winning a horn blowing contest at any one of the MFHA-sanctioned hound shows held the previous spring. Previous winners have been Andrew Barclay, Sam Clifton, Emma Downing, Steve Farrin, Tommy Jackson, Brian Kiely, Ian Milne, Charles Montgomery, Adrian Smith, and John Tabachka. A perpetual trophy engraved with the name of each year’s winner remains on permanent display at the Museum of Hounds and Hunting at Morven Park in Leesburg, Virginia. Posted October 17, 2013
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All-New Staff at Blue Ridge
Huntsman Guy Allman leads the Blue Ridge pack on summer exercise with (l-r) whipper-in Neil Amatt and Albert Anderson behind. / Anne McIntosh photo
The Blue Ridge Hunt will have a new look up front when hounds take to the field for the upcoming season. Huntsman Guy Allman and first whipper-in Neil Amatt—both English-born—comprise an all-new professional hunt staff. The two men and the Blue Ridge pack of English and Crossbred foxhounds have spent the summer months getting to know each other and establishing a working relationship.
Guy arrived at the Blue Ridge kennels in May directly from England after twelve years as huntsman to the Mid Devon (UK). He has spent this very hot summer immersed in the task of establishing the Blue Ridge pack as his. Neil arrived just recently—within the month—from the Midland Fox Hounds (GA) where he has served for the past five seasons as kennel huntsman.
