Sherman Haight
Haight, White, Barclay Inducted into the Huntsmen’s Room
Andrew Barclay (left) and Sherman Haight congratulate eachother on the occasion of their mutual induction into The Huntsmen's Room at the Museum of Hounds and Hunting. / Douglas Lees photo
Three huntsmen, two living and one deceased, were honored the day before the Virginia Foxhound Show for their uncommon skill as huntsmen and for their contributions to foxhunting in North American. Sherman P. Haight, Jr., ex-MFH; William John White, Jr.; and Andrew T. Barclay were inducted into The Huntsmen’s Room of the Museum of Hounds and Hunting in ceremonies held at Morven Park on Saturday, May 23, 2015.
While recognized by this honor for their achievements in handling hounds in the field and producing the highest level of sport, each of these three men of disparate backgrounds contributed uniquely to our sport. Their stories are just as uniquely fascinating.
Melvin at Ninety
Melvin Poe celebrating his ninetieth birthday
Douglas Lees photo
Douglas Lees photo
Hounds were screaming, and the huntsman was cooking. A cattle guard loomed ahead—a coop to the left and a gate to the right. The huntsman veered left.
"Melvin," someone yelled, "the gate’s on the right!"
"Melvin just kept kicking on, right over the coop," recalled Joe Conner, shaking his head and grinning in wonder.
Conner, who has whipped-in to Melvin for years at Bath County (VA), didn’t resurrect that story out of a distant past. It had happened only weeks before Melvin Poe’s ninetieth birthday celebration.
A month or so earlier, I had recognized the same notes of awe and wonder as I stood chatting with Brian Smith, my farrier, about Melvin’s upcoming ninetieth birthday.
Where Did You Hear That One?
I shall always be grateful to the Masters of Foxhounds Association for allowing me to develop Covertside and serve as
its editor for fifteen years. During that time I had the unparalleled opportunity to meet, observe, hunt with, talk to, and interview many of the greatest huntsmen, hound breeders, Masters of Foxhounds, and foxhunting statesmen of the last half-century. Not only in North America, but in England and Ireland as well.
When planning this website, one of the features I wanted to offer was access to authorities such as these. Every foxhunter has the occasional question, whether it be on an arcane hunting term, hunting hounds in the field, breeding hounds, correct attire, a point of etiquette, training the field hunter, sporting art or literature.
Overqualified Judges Abound at Blue Ridge Puppy Show
May 31, 2010
It wasn’t enough that Linda Armbrust, MFH had secured two of the world’s foremost judges—Nigel Peel, MFH of the North Cotswold (UK) and C. Martin Wood III, MFH of the Live Oak Hounds (FL)—to judge the Blue Ridge Hunt Puppy Show. She and her judges got together and stunned spectators at ringside when she invited a special panel of venerable Masters to judge the final Championship Class of the day.
Biography of a Sportsman, II
Most foxhunters know Sherman Haight by reputation, but it’s our guess that few know about his new memoir. That’s because it was written primarily for friends and family, but FOXHUNTING LIFE believes it deserves to be relished by a wider audience.
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}
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