In & Around Horse Country Feb/March 2014

IN & AROUND HORSE COUNTRY, 60 ALEXANDRIA PIKE, WARRENTON, VA 20186

VOLUME XXVI / NUMBER 2 • THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE VIRGINIA STEEPLECHASE ASSOCIATION • FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

IN & AROUND HORSE COUNTRY • FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

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HUNT MEETS Middleburg Photo

Tad Zimmerman, MFH, with a little snow cover in the Piedmont Fox Hounds country, Salem, January 18, 2014.

Middleburg Huntsman Barry Magner, Foxcroft, November 23, 2013.

Jennifer Strickland on a chilly day out with Piedmont Fox Hounds, Salem, January 18, 2014.

A family outing with the Piedmont Fox Hounds. (l-r) Cricket Bedford-Morris, Neil Morris, Wright Morris. Salem, January 18, 2014.

Mathias Hollberg shows how it’s done. Middleburg Hunt, Wind Fields, Thanksgiving Day, November 28, 2013.

John T. (Jack) Ferguson, ex-MFH Princess Anne Hunt (VA), visiting with Middleburg Hunt, Huntland, December 21, 2013.

Carey Shefte, Whipper-in, Middleburg Hunt, Tarleton, December 28, 2013.

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IN & AROUND HORSE COUNTRY • FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

SPORTING LIFE HIGHLIGHTS Book Launch and Signing: A Tale of Foxhunting, Religion, and Sex March 20, Horse Country Saddlery, Warrenton, VA On Thursday evening from 6 to 9 pm, Horse Country Saddlery will host a book launch and signing party for a new novel by J. Harris Anderson.

The Prophet of Paradise takes place in the Virginia Piedmont, around the fictional village of Paradise Gap. A joint-master of the local hunt, in the belief that Saint Hubert has sent him a vision, sets out to create The Ancient and Venerable Church of Ars Venatica, aka The Church of Foxhunting. He begins to exhibit uncanny powers, hunters sing—literally—the praises of the sporting life, and the two meanings of “venery” (pursuits both sporting and erotic) blend happily into a single drive for many followers of this new (or possibly very old) religion. But with the established hierarchy challenged, conflicts arise and tensions grow. Threatening messages begin to appear calling for the “false prophet” to be put to death.

The Prophet of Paradise takes the reader inside a world where foxhunting, religion, and sex blend in a cocktail of passion that can lead to pleasure or pain.

Anderson is well known among the foxhunting community. He has been part of the writing staff for In & Around Horse Country since 1998 and now serves as the managing editor. As a committee member for the Masters of Foxhounds Association’s Centennial Celebration, he assisted with editing the commemorative book A Centennial View. He also created the accompanying DVD, A Centennial Run, an archival collection of information, histories, photos, and videos from every recognized foxhunting club in North America—165 of them.

An avid foxhunter himself, Anderson has served as a whipper-in, outrider, and field leader. He lives on a horse farm in Philomont, Virginia, where he rides with the local hunt.

Horse Country is pleased to serve as the launching pad for this new addition to the ranks of foxhunting literature. Join us on Thursday evening, March 20, to be among the first to pick up a just-released, signed copy. Refreshments will be served. RSVPs appreciated (540) 347-3141.

[See page 17 for Jenny Young’s full review of The Prophet of Paradise.]

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Chuck Younger (left) and Richard D. Webb, MFH, Moore County Hounds (NC), Opening Meet 2013. The 2013-14 season is the 100th year for the Moore County Hounds. Mr. Webb has been joint master since 1961, is still hunting, and just celebrated his 87th birthday – an inspiration for any of us who feel a bit creaky! Claudia Coleman photo

[Editor’s Note: We received this letter from a friend of Aga. The Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation is something all of us at Horse Country support. And we’ve been known to enjoy a good Mardi Gras party as well. So to benefit a great cause, while also having a good time, we encourage our readers to consider attending this worthwhile event. Aga thanks you.]

Dear Aga, We were talking the other day and decided to contact you because you and your people know everyone.

We need to get the word out about the big shindig our crew is putting on March 1st, 2014. Our humans are trying to raise money for the 69 horses that we take care of at Montpelier. The Montpelier farm is part of the nation- Enzo, an official TRF al Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation. The 501c3 dog, looks forward to group based out of Saratoga Springs, NY, is a group ded- the Mardi Gras party, scheduled for March 1, icated to providing rescue, retraining, and care of to benefit the 69 retired Thoroughbreds no longer able to compete at the race- Thoroughbreds being track. Our gang’s Mardi Gras party, with music from the cared for at Montpelier.

Fredericksburg Big Band, and silent auction will be used Photo courtesy of TRF to raise money for the horses at Montpelier. For more info or for tickets or sponsorship options contact Nancy Lowey at nlowey@thoroughbredretirement.org.

Sincerely, Enzo, Fritz, and Junior (the official TRF dogs)

Middleburg Hunt Huntsman Barry Magner, Creek Hill, November 16, 2013. Middleburg Photo PHOTOGRAPHERS: Audibert Photography Shel Blanscet Kimberly Brenengen Liz Callar www.lizcallar.com John J. Carle II, ex-MFH Richard Clay www.richardclayphotography.com Coady Photography Claudia Coleman Janet Hitchen 540-837-9846 www.janethitchenphotography.com Adrian Jennings Austin Kaseman www.austinkaseman.com Douglas Lees douglaslees@comcast.com ON THE COVER: Huntsman Michael Jim Meads, U.K. 011-44-1686-420436 Brown, Rappahannock Hunt, Virginia. Middleburg Photo www.middleburgphoto.com Red Hill, New Year's Day, 2014.

George Payne Owen Young COVER PHOTOGRAPHER: Janet Hitchen

Regular subscription 6 issues $25.00, U.S.A. First Class subscription $35.00, Europe, Canada, etc. $45.00

is a bimonthly publication.

Editorial and Advertising Address: 60 Alexandria Pike, Warrenton, VA 20186 For information and advertising rates, please call (540) 347-3141, fax (540) 347-7141 Space Deadline for the April/May issue is March 15. Payment in full due with copy.

Publisher: Marion Maggiolo Managing Editor: J. Harris Anderson Advertising: Mary Cox (540) 636-7688 Email: hcmaryads@embarqmail.com Contributors: Aga; J. Harris Anderson; John J. Carle II, ex-MFH; Lauren R. Giannini; Jim Meads; Will O’Keefe; Betsy Burke Parker; Rose Sandler.; Virginia Thoroughbred Association; Jenny Young LAYOUT & DESIGN: Kate Houchin Copyright 2014 In & Around Horse Country®. All Rights Reserved. Volume XXVI, No.2 POSTMASTER: CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED

IN & AROUND HORSE COUNTRY • FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

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FOXHUNTING

Legends of the Chase Return to Horse Country Foxhunting Fans Gather for an Evening of Story Time

By Betsy burke Parker

A standing-room-only crowd packed into Horse Country Saddlery on Thursday evening, January 30, to hear “Legends” Oliver Brown, MFH, Rappahannock Hunt and Tommy Lee Jones of Casanova Hunt share stores, wisdom, knowledge, and a few differing opinions about the sport of foxhunting. Horse Country photo

Twenty-three years ago, they were like a tag team, two of the hottest industry professionals bantering for a rapt audience on Horse Country’s sales floor, transformed for that 1991 evening into part intimate comedy club, part university lecture hall.

On Thursday evening, January 30, Tommy Lee Jones and Oliver Brown were at it again, recalled for an encore performance on a bitter January night to reflect on a combined total of more than a century of sport.

Jones, who since 1970 has been professional huntsman for Virginia’s Casanova Hunt, and Brown, who first went out with the Rappahannock Hunt in 1956 and later carried the horn for 20 years, are fast friends. They share a love of horses, hounds, sport, and history, ties that bind them even if they don’t see eye-to-eye on every subject.

“How’s that workin’ for you?” Brown asked Jones time and again regarding the issue of the influx of coyote into their native Virginia Piedmont hunt country. Brown’s Rappahannock hounds, now hunted by his son Michael, hunt coyote, red fox, and gray fox. Jones, on the other hand, still treats coyote as “riot,” preferring instead to keep his hounds trained strictly to course red and, increasingly, he said, gray fox.

“It’s hard,” Jones admitted, with so many coyote moving into the region. “But the hounds sound different on a coyote, and they run different. I break mine off deer. You just break them off coyote, too.

Same way. Just pay attention.”

Brown and Jones settled into a familiar repartee, telling tales of hunting. They talked about scenting, riding, landowner relations, hounds, parties, their own personal hunting heroes and more. For almost three hours they kept the capacity crowd—nearly 200 by some estimates—rapt, with complete attentive silence, only broken a few times when spontaneous applause erupted and set the group atwitter.

“Coyote. Casanova,” Jones said. “Not in my lifetime.”

The audience loved it.

“Casanova has declared war on the coyote,” he continued, by offering a bounty to farmers to take out the coyote.

He’s noticed more coyotes in the quiet fallow territory closer to the Quantico Marine Corps Base, with more red fox sticking closer to populated areas and abandoned farmland. “Red foxes are crafty about getting away from coyotes,” said Jones. “They are moving into thickets and we have to break them out across fields.”

Jones said his hunting strategy has evolved as the game has. In the past, he would approach covert quietly. Now he makes noise, which triggers coyotes to move out. “The coyote leaves, but the red fox sits tight,” he explained.

Just as the red fox adapted to the presence of coyote, his hounds had to as well. Like breaking hounds off running deer and other inappropriate game, Jones sticks to his guns about coyote. “If you don’t teach them what you want to run, how do you know when they’re on a riot?” he said.

Brown, on the other hand, has embraced the new game. In Rappahannock’s bigger woodlands and open farm fixtures, there’s plenty of space to run the bigger coyote. He’s seen red fox begin to co-exist with the coyote, though, and even the native gray foxes have begun to re-emerge, sometimes in front of his pack.

“I’ve been seeing more grays recently,” Brown said. “Things seem like they go in cycles. Everybody was all scared that coyotes would totally push out the foxes, but we’re seeing more co-existence now, foxes living where there’s coyotes.

“Last year, I’d say we were like 70 percent coyote, 30 percent fox. But I swear we’re more like 70 percent fox this year.”

Gray fox habits and evasion skills make for an interesting hunting day, both said. They’re found more in swampy areas, Jones said, and Brown noted that the gray fox can duck through deeper, closer covert than reds or coyotes.

On “appropriate game,” Jones admitted sometimes the definition is murky. This season Jones says he’s seen an unusual increase in the bear population close to the hunt’s Casanova kennels and his own farm nearby. Two young bears—about 70 pounds, on two separate days, and an enormous, 500-plus pounder, led hounds astray. “I’d always heard that

Horse Country Saddlery in Warrenton, Virginia, hosted an evening with “Legends of the Chase” Oliver Brown, MFH, Rappahannock Hunt (left) and Tommy Lee Jones (Casanova Hunt). These two gentlemen made a similar appearance 23 years ago when Horse Country Saddlery moved into their current location. Horse Country photo

even your deer-broke hounds will run a bear,” Jones said. “My deer-broke hounds definitely did.”

“And don’t let anybody tell you that bears aren’t fast,” Brown added. “Some people think of bears like Jungle Book, all goofy and lumbering. No way. They can run 30 miles an hour. And they will.”

On Horses and Riding Among lamentable changes in the modern sport, Brown and Jones both feel that changes to the development of riders is chief. “People in the old days,” Brown said, joking that that’s often how “old-timers” start sentences, “they used to do it all. You’d foxhunt in the fall and winter. In the spring, you’d take your fit Thoroughbred foxhunter and you’d do the steeplechase circuit. Then, in the summertime, you’d take your hunters with a little scope and you’d show.”

“Nobody but the 3-year-olds got to jump 3’6”,” Jones added.

Brown remembered the days when young horses were moved to the 4’ level by age 4, and working hunters jumped 4’6” on open, galloping outside courses. “I remember one time my dad and I took this horse to a show. I took her around the 3’6” course and the next class was at 4-feet,” he recalled. “I said to my dad, ‘You know this horse hasn’t ever jumped 4-feet before.’ My dad glared at me. ‘Horses don’t carry a measuring stick. You don’t either.’

“We jumped around, but the more I thought about it, I realized the horse hadn’t jumped much at 3’6” either. It was another way to think about training horses, back then.”

The “cross-training” of foxhunting-steeplechasing-showing was what has given them both longevity in the sport, Jones said. “It was a different way of ‘making’ horses and riders. Today, you almost have to convince trainers it’s okay to take their students out of the ring.”

Continued

IN & AROUND HORSE COUNTRY • FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

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Legends continued As for his hopes for the sport, Jones feels like a skillful master keeping the field “with the hounds” is vital to maintain interest. “I want people to see the action, see what’s happening.” Brown agreed. “I want the field to watch the hounds, watch what they’re doing, to enjoy it as much as I do.”

“Hunting is hardest on the huntsman, that’s for sure,” Jones said. “People wonder why their huntsman is so grumpy sometimes. You gotta realize for them, it’s a job. It’s your pride, it’s your hounds.”

On scenting, Brown said that elevation plays a pivotal role. Up in the Rappahannock County highlands, he sometimes finds scent lying heavy on the peaks, rather than in the more-expected lower stream valleys. “But you can hardly tell how it’s going to be,” he added. “If you could predict it, you’d really have something special.”

Some days, Brown said, he could smell the fox or coyote scent himself, wafting high in the air well above hound nose level. “It’s almost like the fox is up on the horse with you,” he said. “An old farmer once told me to watch the chimney smoke from the houses as I was driving to the meet,” to predict scenting that day.

“He said, ‘Look at that chimney, the smoke’s trying to get back inside it.’ Those

HUNT MEETS

are the days you expect scenting to be good,” with air pressure keeping scent trails close to the earth. Add in a little ground moisture and northwest breeze, you’d better tighten your girth. “Some days everything just works out perfect.”

South wind, and so-called “bluebird skies” were harbingers of “dressed-up trail rides,” cautioned Brown. “But you really just never know.”

Brown cited Albert Poe’s Piedmont pack of the early 1970s as the best hounds, and hunting, of the modern era. He and Jones agreed that Lovell Stickley’s Rolling Rock Hunt (PA)—he was there 1956-1977—and Melvin Poe’s Orange County Hunt were also the stuff of legend. “You just hit it sometimes,” Brown said. “Hounds, territory, staff, weather and scenting.”

These two legends certainly hit it that night. The audience, hungry for more, peppered them with a series of questions, all of which Brown and Jones handled with wisdom, knowledge, and a touch of down-home humor.

We hope both gentlemen will be willing to return to Horse Country for a third appearance. And, while we’re sure they’ll both still be going strong, we’d rather not let another 23 years pass before the next visit.

Richard Clay photos

Casanova Hunt Whippers-in Alice Fendley (left) and Jeanne Clark head off for their positions.

New Hope, October 29, 2013.

Casanova Hunt at New Hope, October 29, 2013. (l-r) Joyce Fendley, MFH, Amanda Choby, Nancy Crawford (rear, partially hidden), Jeanne Clark, and Kris Gerald.

Piedmont Fox Hounds, Buttonwood, January 16, 2014.

Orange County Hounds Huntsman Reg Spreadborough, The Tannery, December 21, 2013.

IN & AROUND HORSE COUNTRY • FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

AGA’S SAGAS

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Let It Be Hereby Resolved

Hello dear friends! I hope this issue finds you warm and toasty, because let me tell you it has been downright frigid here with temperatures lower than I can ever remember.

I saw it on TV, lassie; they call it the “Polar Fleece.”

Whaaat?

Well, it’s always good to have a lofty goal. What else?

I would like to befriend the neighbors’ Labrador.

Honorable, but almost impossible. He is a Labrador. Any more?

They said all this arctic air coming from Canada is called the Polar Fleece.

Yes, he really doesn’t like me. Wait, I know! Having received one prime rib for Christmas last year, this year I’ll set my sights on receiving two! That would be grand!

No, no, no, Bunsen! It’s the Polar Vortex, not fleece.

Where ever would you put it?

Are ye sure? When I heard it, it sounded like the stuff our dog coats are made of.

Arrgh, arrgh, arrgh, lassie. ’Tis like the old joke, how d’ye eat an elephant? One bite at a time! Arrgh, arrgh, arrgh! So tell me some of your resolutions, me wee darlin’.

Bunsen, our coats are made of Thermatex, not fleece!

Ach! Well, Vortex, Thermatex. I knew there was a “tex” in there somewhere.

Well, for starters I want to increase the number of lamb bones I receive. 14 lamb bones should be increased to 24. That at least would be two a month. I think that’s a doable number.

Aga. Anyway, even with our fabulous Thermatex coats on, Bunsen Secondly, I think the number of baths is way too high. and I are not staying outside long. Makes me glad I am not a With the baths I’ve taken at home I had 30 baths last year. Thirty! That’s way too farm dog with responsibilities to horses, cows, sheep, and other livestock that must many. I’m willing to take a number of baths equal to one half the number of lamb be taken care of in this freezing cold and snow. We do have responsibilities to you, ribs I get each month. That could mean a decrease of eighteen baths over the dear readers, and if you are feeling the cold, you should stop in. We have everycourse of the year while Marion ups my consumption of lamb ribs. I think that’s thing from hand and foot warmers to toasty lined gloves and warm scarves to fair, don’t you? shield your face from the biting winds to all kinds of outerwear to keep the cold I think the number of cups of kibble is just right, and unfortunately I think at bay, whether you’re going to the barn or out on the town.

I’m locked into the number of pills. Perhaps I should downsize the amount of If it’s your horses who are feeling the chill, we still have lots of blankets in cheese I eat, but then again maybe not. every weight so you can double rug. Could this finally be the reason to buy a You, Bunsen, have not one but two chairs to lie around in… I mean to wait Thermatex stable blanket for your heart horse? They make a great liner under a for guests in. I have only one little hassock. I think I should at least be given one turnout in these frigid conditions, and in the spring there’s nothing that wicks away chair. Do you agree? water so well after the first bath of the season. Come in and see our selection of quality horsewear (including Horse Ware – arf, arf, arf!) in every price range.

What, you may ask, have I been doing indoors while the deep freeze continues outdoors? Well, I have been working on my resolutions for 2014. While some dogs enumerate resolutions in time for New Year’s Eve, my Marion told me that no resolutions can be made until inventory in the store is counted. Once that huge task has been accomplished, I can look back at my personal count and, using the techniques Marion taught me over the years, I analyze the prior year in all its minutia, and then after a good night’s sleep with my nose on my paws, I can clearly set out my goals for the coming year.

Curled up on my downstairs bed, I tallied up my assets and actions. I buried 14 lamb rib bones. So tiny, but oh so good, like me! Two large beef ribs came my way at Christmas and burying them in the frozen yard was no easy task, believe you me. I received one new collar and lead, because as a representative of Horse Country I must keep up with fashion, and my old one was looking a bit last year.

I was given 26 baths at the groomers plus four more in Marion’s luxurious dog, err guest, bathroom. The fact that the bathroom is stunningly appointed and our Buddy Bath shampoos and conditioners are left on display in the tub niche year round doesn’t change the fact that I had four more baths. I had 183 cups of kibble, 365 pills, and at least 700 treats. For some reason, I seemed to have eaten a lot of cheese in 2013. I have four dog beds at home and two at work and I consider the footstool in the snug my very own. My picture appeared on Facebook, I wrote six columns for In & Around Horse Country, and spent hours being Marion’s sounding board and giving her advice and counsel. I provided comfort and counsel to Bunsen, shook hands with 300 children, attended race meets, and entertained Santa.

My goodness, lassie, that’s some inventory! But what are your resolutions?

I’ll tell you mine after you tell me yours.

Ha! I stumped him because he thought, and thought, and thought, then sat down and scratched his ear. Finally he said, “I dinnae know where to begin.

Sometimes I’ve been a verra bad doggie.”

It’s not Confession, Bunsen, it’s a resolution. Something you resolve to do this year that you didn’t do last year, or you want to do better this year. Like one of mine is to chase three rabbits this year, since last year I chased two of those wascally creatures.

Ach! I see now, lassie! Put me down for three rabbits also.

Hmm. Resolutions, dear Bunsen, are supposed to be realistic.

Two rabbits, then?

Lassie, as long as it’s not one o’ mine you’re anglin’ for, you’re welcome to it!

I think you’ll also agree with me that Marion should resolve to finally finish redoing the store. It’s been going on for two years now. Long enough, don’t you think?

Aye, lassie. You know how Marion could tell when it was time to take me to the groomers? When my furnishings turned gray from drywall dust. I think if there’s less of that, then we’ll both have fewer baths and trips to the groomers.

Yes, Bunsen, finish the store and… do a catalog! She must resolve to do a catalog again. Friends have been lamenting that they have nothing to leave out on their coffee tables and peruse on chilly nights while sitting in front of the fire.

Ach, and we must get Marion to have more book signings, with light refreshments.

I LOVE the light refreshments! I do verra well at book signings when we serve our friends tasty morsels. I’m thin enough now to look truly pitiful when I beg, I mean ask, for a taste.

You, Bunsen, must be psychic, because I overhead Marion planning a book signing in the very near future. I bet you’ll find details elsewhere in the newspaper.

Well then, let’s resolve to take our resolutions to Marion, and get her to agree to our resolutions for HER! So, dear readers, that’s what we’ve been doing while trying to stay warm. Marion keeps telling us that spring is just around the corner and that the spring races are not far off. You know what that means, Bunsen.

Tailgates! I love tailgate parties. The food is fabulous and such a wide variety.

Yes, tailgates. So, party planners, get your cookbooks out and see what you’re missing in the party department. We have wonderful new melamine plates, printed napkins, and all sorts of serving trays and utensils. Lovely cheese boards, tableware, and linens. You’ve come so close to winning the competitions in the past.

Dial up the presentation and take home the trophy! We have unique objet d’art to use as centerpieces to create the perfect display, and The Tally-Ho Table Cookbook can spice up your menu. Come to the store and let our wonderful staff help you find just the right things to set your tailgate apart from the rest.

So until it really is warm again, keep your pets and horses safe from the cold.

You’ll find us burrowed under the covers.

Shiveringly yours, Aga

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Upcoming Events In & Around Horse Country Spring will be here soon (we hope!). Hunter paces and point-to-points, hound shows, book signings, informative presentations, museum displays – lots to do!

Here’s a list of some upcoming events.

The Foxhall Farm Cup Team Chase Sunday, March 16 Hosted by Green Spring Valley Hounds, Glyndon, MD www.centralentryoffice.com/CalendarMD.aspx

Hunter Pace Events and Spring Races: For contact information and more details on the Hunter Pace Events and Spring Races, go to www.centralentryoffice.com.

Hunter Pace Events: Sunday, February 23: Casanova Hunt Sunday, March 2: Thornton Hill Fort Valley Hounds Sunday, March 9: Blue Ridge Hunt Sunday, March 16: Warrenton Hunt Saturday, March 22: Piedmont Fox Hounds Saturday, March 29: Orange County Hounds Sunday, April 6: Old Dominion Hounds Saturday, April 12: Bull Run Hunt Saturday, April 19: Rappahannock Hunt Saturday, April 26: Loudoun Fairfax Hunt Spring Races: Saturday, March 1: Thornton Hill Fort Valley Hounds Point-to-Point Saturday, March 8: Blue Ridge Hunt Point-to-Point Saturday, March 15: Warrenton Hunt Point-to-Point Saturday, March 22: Piedmont Fox Hounds Point-toPoint Sunday, March 30: Orange County Hounds Point-toPoint Saturday, April 5: Old Dominion Hounds Point-toPoint Saturday, April 5: Dogwood Classic Races, Colonial Downs Sunday, April 13: Loudoun Hunt Point-to-Point Saturday, April 19: Middleburg Spring Races Saturday, April 26: Foxfield Spring Races, Charlottesville Sunday, April 27: Middleburg Hunt Point-to-Point Saturday, May 3: Virginia Gold Cup Races

Book Signing: Horse Country Saddlery Thursday, March 20, 6:00-9:00 pm Warrenton, Virginia J. Harris Anderson will be signing copies of his new novel, The Prophet of Paradise, a tale of foxhunting, religion, and sex. Refreshments served.

Reservations appreciated.

540-347-3141, www.horsecountrylife.com Piedmont Fox Hounds Sporting Weekend March 20-23 Hunting, Racing, Parties Information and reservations, briggs@huntoverfarm.com Virginia Trail Riders Spring Competition April 7-10 The Homestead, Hot Springs, VA www.virginiatrailridersinc.com Masters of Foxhounds Association Biennial Staff Seminar April 12 & 13 Lexington, Kentucky www.mfha.org Reception, Lecture, and Book Signing: National Sporting Library Thursday, April 17, 6:00-8:00 p.m.

John Blackburn, author of Healthy Stables By Design www.nsl.org

Foxhunting: The History and Future of the Sport in the Piedmont Presented by The Mosby Heritage Area Association Sunday, February 16, 2:00-4:00 pm Hill School, Sheila C. Johnson Performing Arts Center, Middleburg A panel of five speakers will discuss the history and future of the region’s beloved foxhunting and equine sports. Panelists are Will Allison, ex-MFH; John J. (Jake) Carle II, ex-MFH; H. Turney McKnight; Randolph D. (Randy) Rouse, MFH; and Arthur A. “Tad” Zimmerman, MFH. For tickets and other information: 540-687-6681, www.mosbyheritagearea.org.

Book Signing: National Sporting Library Thursday, February 20, 8:30 pm Middleburg, VA Lecture and book signing by Stephanie Grant Millham, author of The Legacy of Master Nuno Oliveira. www.nsl.org Side Saddle Symposium: National Sporting Library Saturday, March 15, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. www.nsl.org

Illustration by Rose Sandler

Used Book Sale: National Sporting Library Museum Saturday, May 24, 10:00 am-5:00 pm NSLM used book sale in conjunction with the Hunt Country Stable Tour. www.nsl.org Museum of Hounds & Hunting North America Members Reception Saturday, May 24, 5:00 pm The Mansion, Morven Park, Leesburg Open to current members and members’ guests. www.mhhna.org Virginia Foxhound Club Cocktail Party and Dinner Saturday, May 24, 6:00 pm Horning Blowing Contest, 7:00 pm www.virginiafoxhoundclub.org Hunt Country Stable Tour May 24-25 www.trinityupperville.org/Hunt-Country-Stable-Tour/ Virginia Hound Show Sunday, May 25, 8:00 a.m.

Morven Park, Leesburg rferrer@patricioenterprises.com Museum of Hounds & Hunting North America Sunday, May 25, 11:00 The Mansion, Morven Park, Leesburg Current exhibits open to the public. www.mhhna.org Hound Shows For the full schedule of hound shows: www.mfha.org/hounds-showsched.html.

IN & AROUND HORSE COUNTRY • FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

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HUNT MEETS James Madison’s Montpelier Hosts a Special Meet of the Keswick Hunt Club On December 16, 2013, James Madison’s Montpelier hosted a meet of the Keswick Hunt on the mansion front lawn for the first time in more than 50 years.

It was a beautiful December morning with nearly 75 riders participating in the stirrup cup followed by a great day of hunting. Several foxes were run that day and the last one ran straight across the steeplechase track.

Foxhunting is a longtime Montpelier tradition. While Madison was known to

enjoy riding, it was the du Pont family who brought foxhunting to Montpelier more than 100 years ago. Marion du Pont Scott served as the Master of Foxhounds for the Montpelier Hunt until 1980, and the Keswick Hunt Club hounds brought foxhunting back to Montpelier in 2001. While KHC enjoys hunting from Montpelier throughout the season, the front lawn meet was a unique and special day.

Huntsman Tony Gammell (front right) prepares to move off with hounds from Montpelier, historic home of James Madison, fourth President of the United States. George Payne photo

Sally Lamb (front left) leads the Hilltoppers for the Keswick Hunt Club following the special front lawn meet at James Madison’s Montpelier. Jerry Pitz is seen riding beside her.

Audibert Photography photo

Mindful of the gun hunters who share their territory, members of Mooreland Hunt in Alabama give a nod to safety. (l-r) Jennifer Edwards, Monty Edwards, Second Flight Field Master Mary Marshall VanSant (in sash), Martha Brouse, Vivian Brouse, Tracy McConnaughey, Thomas Freeman, Carly Payne. Belle Mina, January 11, 2014. Adrian Jennings photo

Rhodri Jones-Evans, Huntsman for Alabama’s Mooreland Hunt, takes his hounds to covert.

Hall Place, January 18, 2014. Adrian Jennings photo

Loudoun Fairfax Huntsman Andy Bozdan prepares his pack for the Blessing of the Hounds.

Black Oak, Thanksgiving Day, November 28, 2014. Austin Kaseman photo

Paul Wilson, MFH, calls the crowd to order at the Loudoun Fairfax Hunt’s Thanksgiving Day meet.

Black Oak, November 28, 2014.

Mooreland Hunt (AL) Huntsman Rhodri Jones-Evans in the hole with his hounds. Egypt, January 25, 2014.

Austin Kaseman photo

Adrian Jennings photo

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REMEMBRANCE

IN & AROUND HORSE COUNTRY • FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

Bay Cockburn: A Life Lived Full On

On January 10, 2014, a chilly, icy Friday afternoon, an over“Bay then retrieved his boots from the stirrups, remounted, flow crowd packed into Buchanan Hall in Upperville, Virginia, and proceeded to chew us all out for not having removed the to memorialize the life of Bay Crosby Cockburn. Barbara fallen tree when out trail clearing, as if we were clairvoyant and Riggs, one of the organizers of the event and Master of knew it had fallen in the first place. We were all somewhat perCeremonies, estimated the attendance at roughly 300 people. plexed by this ‘dressing down,’ but after a great day of hunting, 200 of them were seated and another 100 lined the walls, we all had a good laugh at the end of the day over a hot toddy jammed into the side foyer, or stood in the open doorway and at the Beautiful South Restaurant.” on the front steps where they endured what became a freezing Barbara went on to describe the influence Bay had on other rain—all to hear a host of tributes to a remarkable man. people.

Bay Cockburn was born in Shuckburgh, England, May 18, “When you were with him you couldn’t help but feel the 1956. His parents were avid foxhunters with the Warwickshire power of his energy, witness his determination, and share the Hunt as well as breeders of steeplechase horses. He was edupassion for his sport. He had a magnetic personality that attractcated at Dunchurch-Winton Hall and Worksop College in ed people to him. People wanted to be close to him and to be England. He apprenticed with his uncle and aunt in their chamassociated with him. Whether it was hunting with him, watchpion-filled steeplechase barn as an amateur jockey, then went ing and cheering him on at the races, clearing trails, working to Sussex where he broke yearlings. At 21 Bay moved to with hounds, or socializing with him at his favorite haunt, The Ireland, where he won many races, went on to open his own Beautiful South [in Hamilton, Virginia], the de facto clubhouse training facility on the Curragh, and worked as a whipper-in for for hunt members. He carried you along in his wake. He was the Kildare Hounds. inclusive and welcoming—that is if you could keep up with his Bay came to the US in 1988, working in Hamilton, brutal schedule.

Virginia, at Hillbrook Farm, owned by Dr. Joseph Rogers, then “He was known to party until two o’clock in the morning, MFH/Huntsman of Loudoun Hunt. Cockburn and Rogers have hounds out hunting at 7 a.m., and then ride four or five Bay Crosby Cockburn teamed in the hunt field and on the point-to-point circuit with races in the afternoon, usually winning at least half of them— May 18, 1956 – December 25, 2013.

Douglas Lees photo Rogers’ stable of horses. all in the same day.

Cockburn married Chrissy Keys in 1989 and they had two “These were the personality traits that allowed him to children, Katie and Sam. The couple later divorced. develop into a champion race rider, an award winning trainer, and a renowned huntsBy 1991 Bay was hunting the Loudoun Hunt pack and also began serving that year man. These were also the traits that gave him the fortitude to carry on a productive life as huntsman for Maryland’s Goshen Hounds. He hunted both packs for three seasons. as a trainer after a catastrophic injury.

In 1994 he became huntsman and master for Loudoun Hunt West.

“He was an inspiration.”

During these years he was also a major figure on the local racing scene. In his tenDavid Moyes: year career he rode a combined total (for both steeplechase and point-to-points) of 433 David began hunting with Loudoun Hunt in the mid-1970s. He has competed in steeraces with a record of 85 firsts, 74 seconds, and 54 thirds. plechase races, served as president of Loudoun Hunt and Loudoun Hunt West, and is On April 17, 1998, he fell from a horse during a pre-race workout and suffered a now a joint-master of Loudoun Fairfax Hunt. severe spinal cord injury that left him a quadriplegic. In 2013 he was diagnosed with David believes that the reason Bay and Dr. Joe Rogers hit it off so well right from melanoma and passed away on December 25 of that year. the start is because they were both thrill-seekers. He recalls Bay as a true horseman, an Despite the tragic turns Bay faced, the gathering at Buchanan Hall was clearly a athlete, and a charismatic personality. celebration of a life lived in full, regardless of obstacles, whether minor or major.

He also recalled some amusing stories. For one, Dr. Rogers carried a cow horn Several speakers, each of whom knew Bay from a different perspective, presented when he hunted hounds and David remembers the lovely music “Dr. Joe” could get word pictures that together formed a colorful mosaic of the man. We present here from that horn. When Bay began to hunt the Loudoun pack, Dr. Joe passed that horn selected excerpts. along to him. In those early days members of the field often heard sounds coming Barbara Riggs: through the woods that they took for the cries of a wounded animal. Bay eventually Barbara began hunting with Loudoun Hunt in 1991. Although a neophyte at the time, mastered the cow horn but then moved on to using a brass horn. she was soon swept up by Bay’s enthusiasm for all things associated with hounds, horsDavid also learned some arcane English slang, such as a phrase uttered to an uncoes, and hunting. It wasn’t long before he converted her into a “hunting addict.” She operative horse Bay was attempting to mount. Bay was known for his gymnastic abilishared a typical Bay story along with other remembrances: ty to spring up onto a horse from a standing position, do a belly-flop across the saddle, “I remember being out hunting with Bay one cold, damp and dreary weekday, what and then spin around to a sitting position. He attempted this once on a particularly tall you might call a perfect hunting day. He was riding his favorite horse, Don’t Tell Ma, horse, in view of the entire field of hunt followers. He only managed to get his chin on a mare who loved hunting and a horse that could locate hounds even when humans the saddle and, with Bay’s feet dangling off the ground, the horse trotted away to join could not. There were only a handful of people in the field that day—Harry Miliner and his companions in the field. Everyone could hear Bay saying, “Stop, horse. Stop, his daughter Joanne, Kathy Milam, and myself. The hounds began speaking along the horse.” When the animal did not comply, Bay exclaimed, “Bloody horse, you’re daft as creek below Dr. Glegg’s house in Lincoln and soon were in full cry, going away very a brush!” quickly.

Another trait for which Bay was well known was, as David put it, his “strange “The four of us in the field were riding right behind Bay, all of us galloping to stay sense of construction.” When erecting jumps, Bay did not bother to follow such conwith the hounds, when we came upon a huge tree fallen across the path with no way ventions as width or spread, no concern for take off or landing. Some Bay-built jumps around. The only option it seemed was to turn around and find another path. Bay would were no wider than a horse’s shoulders. David noted that some of them are still in place have none of that. Hounds were running and he was determined to stay with them. So today and when he comes to one of them he respectfully rides by it and looks for anothhe sent Ma forward through the branches of the fallen tree. Well, Ma did thrust forward, er way into that field. but in the process Bay was knocked out of the saddle. In fact, not only was he knocked Karen Jones: out of his saddle, but he was knocked completely out of his boots and landed on his butt For three seasons beginning in 1991 Karen whipped in to Bay at Goshen Hounds, in the mud. where her husband was then a master. Bay, she said, changed the way of going at “By then, Ma had emerged through the fallen tree on to the other side, and continGoshen, a pattern that continues to this day under the leadership of Robert Taylor, MFH ued to gallop on, ears pricked in the direction of the hounds in full cry, with Bay’s boots and Huntsman. Bay told the masters at Goshen to follow him, not to go stand on a hillfirmly in the stirrups! top or they’d get left behind.

“Bay didn’t miss a beat. After uttering a few expletives, which I cannot repeat here, Not one to be left behind himself, Bay did double duty for those three seasons, he leaped up, plunged through the fallen tree branches, and began running down the wet hunting both the Goshen and Loudoun packs. When a faction split from Loudoun Hunt and muddy trail in his stocking feet, all the while blowing his horn to cheer the hounds in 1994 to merge with Dr. Jim Gable’s pack, Bay withdrew from Goshen to take the on. huntsman’s job at the newly formed Loudoun Hunt West. Karen went with him “The four of us left behind thought better of attempting to negotiate the tree. And because, she says, she was hooked on the excitement and enthusiasm Bay showed in while having a good laugh at Bay’s expense in his absence, we didn’t dare do that in the hunt field. his presence. We backtracked until we found the hounds, and Ma, and Bay blowing the fox to ground.

IN & AROUND HORSE COUNTRY • FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

9

She told a tale of how that enthusiasm once got Bay a thorough soaking. Hounds were on the far side of a creek from Bay when they struck a line. Eager to get to them, he plunged into the creek at what he thought was a suitable spot. There was, however, a deep hole. The horse went under, Bay with him. Karen, racing along the creek bank after hounds, looked down to see Bay’s hunt cap bobbing along the water as it floated downstream. Barbara Riggs was also whipping in that day and remembers Bay calling out to her to go on with hounds. He then dove back under the water to retrieve his horn.

He and the horse eventually made their way out of the creek, caught up with the action, flinging water in all directions, and was with his hounds when the fox went to ground.

Andrew Barclay: Andrew served as Huntsman at Maryland’s Green Spring Valley Hounds for 20 years, during which he shared many days afield with Bay. “Hunting with Bay,” Andrew said, “was always entertaining, often nerve-wracking, and usually an adventure…He was a natural in the hunt field, he understood hounds and they understood him. After all, they hunted for the same reason—the pure enjoyment of it.”

As a fellow huntsman, Andrew had a special appreciation for Bay’s ability with hounds. Bay could chastise a hound with just a growl, not even lifting a finger. He could read hounds almost instantly. He knew who was a troublemaker and who had class. He had an uncanny ability to read the country. He could hunt in country he’d never been in before and instinctively knew how to stay with hounds. And he was just as good at reading horses as he was at reading hounds.

Bay supplied Andrew with horses when he had a need. This once came shortly after Andrew had taken a bad fall and, he admits, his confidence was still a bit shaken.

The first horse Bay brought for him to try was a mare that, as Andrew recalls, stood on her hind legs during the entire meet. But Bay assured him that once they got underway the mare would be perfect. And she was. The next horse never stopped jigging while waiting for hounds to be off. Bay said Andrew would never want to part with the horse when he saw how well it went. Again, he was right.

With both hounds and horses, where those with lesser ability might have given up, Bay Cockburn knew how to find the best in an animal.

Will O’Keefe The voice of Virginia point-to-points and the administrator of the Central Entry Office, Will lived at Morven Park and managed the property during Bay’s time as Huntsman and Master at Loudoun Hunt West. He testified to Bay’s skill with landowners and his success at opening new country in that part of the hunt’s territory.

While watching Bay from his vantage point in the announcer’s stand, Will said that “Bay Cockburn rode as if winning was the only alternative.”

Will also unwittingly helped Bay achieve one of those wins. The year was 1992 and Bay was riding one of Dr. Joe’s horses in the Deep Run Hunt Cup. Bay won the race easily, then came up to Will afterward, handed him a bottle of wine, and said, “You deserve this. You won the race for me.” He explained what he meant to a surprised announcer. “I was coming to the final turn, I saw two fences. One I obviously had to jump, but I wasn’t sure about the second. Thinking of you, I said, ‘Bloody Jesus, man, tell me what to do!’ Then I heard you say, ‘And he’s only got one more fence to go.’ So this bottle of wine is yours.”

David Moyes was not the only one to witness Bay’s remounting skills. In 1994 Bay was riding Eternally Irish in the Casanova Cup. He and the horse separated company and, as Will puts it, “the horse did not have the good sense to run away.” As the rules then allowed a jockey to remount, Bay leaped back into the saddle and continued on.

He was, Will estimates, about a quarter mile behind at that point. He went on to win by ten lengths.

Beth Newman deStanley: Twice the Lady Rider Timber Champion (1994, 2004), Beth knew Bay from both the racing circuit and the hunt field. She noted that Bay was not shy about giving advice or criticism. But she admitted that she benefited greatly from both. His counsel on how to ride a race proved invaluable to her success.

She also spoke of Bay’s habit of jumping off his horse when hounds went into covert and going in with them, leaving the horse on its own. Sometimes the horse was still there when he came out, sometimes not. On one of those latter times she was going on along a road when Bay popped out from the woods and started running down the road after her. He grabbed her horse’s reins and ordered her to get off the horse. When she hesitated, he took hold of her arm, pulled her off, jumped on the horse, and rode away. Fortunately some car-followers were close by and conveyed her to where the fox went to ground. She had a few choice words for him. But the story stands out in her memory as yet one more of those many endearing tales of this special man.

Peter Walsh: Peter serves as a whipper-in and on occasion field leader for both Orange County Hounds and Piedmont Fox Hounds. He was a contemporary of Bay’s on the racing circuit.

Peter said that Bay rode a horse the way a horse should be ridden. The other jockeys, Peter included, looked at Bay and wished they could be that good.

Bay’s mischievous behavior fills much of Peter’s memories. He can still hear Bay

Joint meet, 1994, Bay Cockburn, MFH and Huntsman, Loudoun Hunt West, coming in at Clifton with Randy Waterman, MFH and Huntsman, Piedmont Fox Hounds. Douglas Lees photo

coming up behind him, not only during a race but even at the starting line, mimicking the Wicked Witch from the Wizard of Oz, calling out in a high-pitched voice, “I’ve got you now, my pretty.”

As serious as Peter was about his job as a jockey, Bay was equally inclined to be relaxed, casual, and a bit of a clown. But whenever Peter skimmed through the program and saw that he’d be riding against Bay Cockburn, he knew it was going to be a long day on the track.

“Riding against the best riders makes you a better rider,” Peter said. “And Bay did that for a lot of people in both racing and hunting.”

Ron Blankenship: The Blankenships were neighbors of Bay at his home in Unison, Virginia. Bay got the daughters, Emmie and Amber, into riding. Under Bay’s tutelage Emmie won the Junior Field Masters Chase series in both 2012 and 2013. Just now turning 16, Emmie will be racing in the adult ranks this spring.

The Blankenships only knew Bay after his accident. But he soon became a daily fixture in their lives. At first Ron thought the stories he heard about Bay were exaggerated. But the more he got to know Bay, he began to see hints of truth in those stories.

Bay was still just as fearless in his chair as he’d been in the hunt field and on the racing circuit. There was no field too rough, no hill too steep, nor day too cold for Bay not to be out going wherever he wanted to go and doing what he wanted to do. Not that there weren’t occasional complications. Ron found that Bay would sometimes conveniently forget to mention that the battery in his motorized chair was low. With Ron and his wife Melanie escorting Bay as he plunged deep into the country following hounds or training their daughters, the battery would die at the farthest possible point from a road or Bay’s specially equipped van. Ron and Melanie would then have to push him all the way back.

Ron discovered that Bay had little patience for anything he saw as a weakness in others. This attitude was reflected in his own approach to life. No handicap was going to hold Bay Cockburn back.

Sam Butler: Sam Butler is a former master and the current president of Warwickshire Hunt, Bay’s hometown hunt where his brother is a current master. Sam and Bay first met when they were seven years old and remained the best of friends from then on.

Sam put his feelings about Bay into succinctly elegant phrases. “He was trouble to be with. Never compromising, strong willed, genuine, brave, sensitive, and loyal.

Never complaining. Life taken full on, and at an extraordinary pace. Following him meant going places and jumping things one would never do otherwise. The more difficult the hunting, the more difficult the race riding, the more he loved it. The more difficulty we got into behind him, the more he loved it. He frightened you with his bravery, and inspired you with his determination.”

By the conclusion, the speakers had woven together common threads of memory to create a portrait of the man they knew: Charismatic, energetic, fearless, determined, mischievous, a wizard with hounds and horses, an inspiration, and a man they, and so many others, are glad to have known.

[Editor’s Note: Special thanks to Barbara Riggs and Ron Blankenship for their help in making this remembrance possible.]

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IN & AROUND HORSE COUNTRY • FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

RACING

Preview: 2014 Spring Steeplechase Season

By Will O’Keefe Warrenton Hunt Hunter Pace Events will also The Spring Steeplechase season is fast approachhave a new home at Oakwood Farm near ing with hunter pace events the last Sunday in Warrenton.

February and point-to-point races the first Saturday of March. Casanova will host their Last year a new type of race was debuted in Virginia at Old Dominion and Orange County. It hunter pace events on Sunday, February 23, at was a Restricted Young Adult Flat Race and was Winfall near Warrenton, and the Thornton Hill very successful. This race was restricted to horses Fort Valley Hounds have point-to-point action five years old and up ridden by amateurs 15 to 18 over fences and on the flat on March 1 with their hunter pace events the following day at Thornton years old. With the addition of races at Blue Ridge, Loudoun, and Middleburg, five young Hill Farm near Sperryville. adult races will be run and a new year-end award After the opening weekend the schedule will be presented. The Junior Field Masters includes a point-to-point and a hunter pace almost every weekend with the spring sanctioned series Chases, which had very limited entries the past few years, will not be run this year. of four weekly races beginning with the Dogwood The Virginia Gold Cup Races on the first Classic races on April 5 at Colonial Downs.

Saturday in May will offer pari-mutuel wagering Virginia riders and horses will be split that day for the second time. New technology and expandwith Old Dominion holding their point-to-point on ed betting stations will hopefully shorten the lines their traditional first Saturday in April. The only that were prevalent a year ago. You can bet that gap in the point-to-point series is on April 20, the the action will be thrilling. The $75,000 Virginia day after the Middleburg Spring sanctioned races.

The Virginia Gold Cup 2013.

Gold Cup over the challenging four-mile course There are a few changes that should be highDouglas Lees photo will once again attract a strong field of timber lighted on your calendar. The Rappahannock Hunt Hunter Pace Events will be run on Saturday, April 20, not on April 21, which is experts, and a new race has been added to the card, which will feature Virginia-bred Easter this year. On March 9 the Blue Ridge Hunt Hunter Pace Events will be run horses racing on the flat for a very generous $25,000 purse.

Complete information for these and other events can be found on the at a new but very familiar venue. This year’s hunter paces will be run over a course starting at the Woodley Farm Race Course near Berryville. The next Sunday the www.centralentryoffice.com website.

OBITUARY

W. Gary Baker

The Horse World Loses a Champion

By Lauren R. Giannini

W. Gary Baker Liz Callar photo

When W. Gary Baker, 72, passed away at his home in Middleburg, Virginia, on January 27, he left behind all the various “hats” he wore for most of his life. It’s a safe bet that it will take more than one person to fulfill all of his various jobs and responsibilities.

Baker’s passing means that the horse world has lost one of its most dedicated, articulate, and opinionated “champions” in

terms of how he supported and worked in so many different aspects of showing, breeding, racing, and steeplechasing. He was well known as a horse show manager, judge, trainer, and breeder of Thoroughbred race horses and Welsh pony hunters. He served horse sports indefatigably and belonged to so many organizations and committees that the list may be incomplete or not enough room for all of them, but we’ll try.

Gary Baker’s curriculum vitae includes: lifetime honorary director of the Maryland Horse Show Association, member (and board member) of the Virginia Horse Show Association, secretary/treasurer of the Virginia Steeplechase Association, president of the National Hunter/Jumper Association, US Equestrian Federation Zone 3 chairman, longtime chairman of the Virginia Fall Races at Glenwood Park and the Piedmont Fox Hounds Point-to-Point (VA).

Baker was a former member of the US Equestrian Federation National Hunter Committee. In 2007 the USEF awarded him the Pegasus Medal of Honor for his many

contributions to the show world. Baker has been honored with membership in the National Show Hunter Hall of Fame, Maryland Horse Show Association Hall of Fame, and the Virginia Horse Show Association Hall of Fame.

Baker loved horses and dogs with a passion. He was organized to the nth degree and, as one of his longtime friends, Janet Hitchen, put it, “Sometimes Gary irritated people when he said it the way it was.” But if he came across as strident at times, it was simply a reflection of the passion he felt for a worthy cause. “As for being a show manager,” Janet continued, “he was just getting the Loudoun Benefit show back on its feet when he died. They had big plans for this year.

Gary really did expect everybody to be as dedicated as he was… There was a huge turnout for his service in Upperville—everybody was there—locals from the area and from far away.”

Rest in peace, Gary Baker. You are already missed.

IN & AROUND HORSE COUNTRY • FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

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IN & AROUND HORSE COUNTRY • FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

12 4 3 R D

R U N N I N G of the

Orange County Hounds Point-to-Point Locust Hill Farm, Middleburg, Virginia

Sunday, March 30, 2014 Post Time 1 p.m.

Hunter Pace Event Saturday, March 29, 2014, 9 a.m.

Race Chairman and Pace Entries: Rab Thompson (540) 687-5552 Pair Race Chairman: Leslie Hazel (540) 253-5566

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Casanova Hunt Hunter Pace Events Winfall, Catlett, Virginia Sunday, February 23, 2014 First Event 12:00 Noon Casanova Hunt is kicking off the Hunt Pair Race season on February 24th at Winfall, near Warrenton, that are open to both Hunt Members and non-Hunt members. The Pair “Races” start at noon and consist of jumping and non-jumping “races.” Jumping pairs of horses and riders follow a mapped course about 3-4 miles long over coops, rail jumps and natural hunting terrain complete with hills, streams, ditches, and woods; non-jumping pairs follow a similar route without the jumps.

Entry fees are $50 per pair, and pre-entries for Hunt members can be made to the Central Entry office, phone number (540) 439-3820, before 11:000 a.m. the Wednesday prior to the Races.

The course for the Pair Races is located at Winfall, 5031 Dumfries Road, Catlett, VA 20119.

From Warrenton: Take Rt. 29 north, turn right onto Rt. 605 (Dumfries Rd.) Go 3.4 miles, entrance is on the right.

From Gainesville: Take Rt. 29 south to a left on Rt. 605 (Dumfries Rd.) Go 3.4 miles, entrance is on the right.

Jim & Suzy Gehris (540) 270-5381 (Leave message) Email: amtracker74@aol.com

Old Dominion Hounds Point-to-Point Saturday, April 5, 2014 12 Noon Ben Venue Farm, Ben Venue, VA 16 miles west of Warrenton on U.S. 211 Seven Races featuring Leeds Don Open Timber Information: 540-364-4573, 540-636-1507

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IN & AROUND HORSE COUNTRY • FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

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Oak Ridge Fox Hounds

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IN & AROUND HORSE COUNTRY • FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

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HUNT MEETS

Douglas Lees photos

Orange County Hounds eager to be unboxed, Thanksgiving Day, 2013, at Salem.

Peter Walsh, Orange County Hounds Field Master, December 7, 2013.

Warrenton Hunt Junior Day, November 20, 2013. Matt van der Woude, Huntsman, leaving the meet.

Spencer Allen, Piedmont Fox Hounds Huntsman, draws through a covert, December 7, 2013, at Salem.

The fox is up! Orange County Hounds, New Year’s Day, 2014, at Potts Mill.

“A Place to Call Home”

Reg Spreadborough, Orange County Hounds Huntsman, New Year’s Day, 2014, at Potts Mill.

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IN & AROUND HORSE COUNTRY • FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

HUNT MEETS

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Rappahannock Hunt Red Hill Farm, New Year's Day, 2014.

Janet Hitchen photos

Barton Hitchcock, Whipper-in; Michael Brown, Huntsman; Laura Hitchcock, Whipper-in.

Augustus Edwards, MFH, Oliver Brown, MFH.

Michael Brown, Huntsman, and Ashley Brown, Whipper-in (on the gray).

Hattie Brown, daughter of Alan and Ashley Brown.

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Kate Illenszky and Olivia Sisk.

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IN & AROUND HORSE COUNTRY • FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

FOXHUNTING

It Takes a Buddy, Not a Village

By J. Harris Anderson, Managing Editor

Huntsman Nancy Mitchell (center) casts the hounds of Colorado’s Bijou Springs Hunt. Shel Blanscet photo

Some people are born to foxhunting (increasingly few these days). Some people have foxhunting thrust upon them (mostly husbands who would rather be playing golf). And some people take up foxhunting with little clue about proper conduct and no structured support system to help them learn (arguably a high percentage of the sport’s neophytes).

To gain some insights into that latter category, I conducted an informal survey. (I mean really informal, as in I posted a question on Facebook asking if anyone’s hunt had something like a mentor, sponsor, or buddy system in place.) While the responses would not pass any reasonable test of statistical reliability, they were nonetheless revealing.

One- or two-day “camps” or seminars are fairly common. These are, without doubt, a viable way to provide those interested in foxhunting with an introductory overview of the sport. But, obviously, it takes much longer than one or two days to develop even a moderate understanding of this uncommon pastime. (Some of us are still working on that even after several years.)

On a tip from a Facebook poster, I caught up with Skip Crawford, a joint-master at Potomac Hunt in Maryland. Skip told me that Potomac faithfully follows the time-honored practice that the person who sponsors a prospective new member is clearly expected to act as that person’s guide in all matters having to do with foxhunting in general and Potomac Hunt in particular. No doubt that’s how it should be done and no more would need to be said. But the observed evidence suggests that Potomac’s adherence to this tradition is more the exception than the norm.

The preponderance of responses spoke of a welcoming atmosphere, a willing spirit to help newbies, experienced members always ready to answer questions, and so forth. No one used the phrase “It Takes a Village,” but that would describe the general sentiment.

The problem with the “Village” approach is that if everyone’s supposed to be a mentor, no one has the clear responsibility to fill that role. So the neophyte has to take the initiative to know whom to go to with questions, or to even know what questions to ask, or to determine if the information received is reliable. (I’m sure such is not the case with your hunt club, but I do know of some instances where a seemingly “knowledgeable” member may not be the best person to offer counsel to a beginner. The beginner, of course, would have no way to filter the information provided by multiple, and possibly contradictory, sources.)

My quick-and-simple inquiry did, though, turn up two examples of hunt clubs that have initiated formal and ongoing programs where a new member is assigned a specific sponsor (and possibly a back-up sponsor as well). One has been in place for several years, the other just began this season. I’m sure other clubs have similar programs. But if there’s even a shred of reliability to my casual inquiry, many (possibly most) do not. In any event, the two clubs that did respond will serve as useful examples.

Colorado’s Bijou Springs Hunt started their “buddy system” many years ago.

The motivation was twofold: in part to assure every new member had a reliable source to provide helpful guidance on all the standard hunting-related details, but also for some unique safety concerns not faced by most hunt clubs. As honorary secretary Judi Tobias explains, “The country in Colorado is so large [roughly 40,000 acres] and unforgiving. We’ve experienced sudden blizzards and even one time a range fire. It’s just dangerous to be out alone, especially for someone who doesn’t know the country, and cell phones don’t work in much of the area.”

Huntsman Nancy Mitchell described how the club’s “buddy system” works.

“A member with seniority agrees to be the ‘buddy’ to a new member. This includes answering questions from, riding with, giving pointers to, and advising the new member on proper etiquette and protocol. Generally this program introduces newbies to the ‘ins and outs’ of foxhunting by pairing them with someone, hopefully fairly close to them, who can lend them a helping hand with the tried and true methods of hunting in our territory and with our membership, in such a way as to prevent embarrassing faux pas and tips on how to stay comfortable and safe. This ‘mentor’ makes himself or herself available for questions, and to offer advice with horses and horsemanship, attire and comfort, field manners and etiquette, and just general suggestions that keep the newbie in tune with and at ease in the group. We also have handouts that they are given concerning fitting up horses, generally accepted attire and why it is used, and field rules for the safety and success of the hunt. We also pass out copies of Wadsworth’s Foxhunting in North America.

“We always have a ‘new season’ party early in the fall to introduce the new and old members, tell stories, and do informal presentations about attire, care and fitness of horses, hounds, general field guidelines, and just to welcome folks to the new season.”

The senior member who accepts the mentor role is provided with a list of “Suggestions on Being an Effective Buddy.” A few examples include: • Phone them within three or four days of being assigned as your buddy. The phone call will let them know that you are a point of contact and they are welcome to the hunt.

• Use the [informational material] to educate your buddy. The more a person understands about the hunt the better it is enjoyed.

• When you are at the hunt, try to look out for your buddy. For example: Answer questions, talk with them, introduce them to other members. Make them feel welcome. Let them know that if they or their horse gets tired, you will help find someone to go back with them.

• Give suggestions that will help them be comfortable and safe.

• Be natural – don’t push yourself on anyone.

• Explain what a tailgate, hunt breakfast, and potluck are so they know what food to bring.

IN & AROUND HORSE COUNTRY • FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

Beginning with the 2013/2014 season, Maryland’s New Market – Middletown Valley Hounds initiated a mentor program under the leadership of new membership committee chair Jackie Pope Hoffman. Similar to the Bijou Springs method, Jackie says that, “each new member is assigned a big brother or sister to answer questions, gently guide, and assist in assimilating folks into the group. Mentors also actively check in with new members to be sure they know about upcoming activities and are aware of last minute fixture changes, etc.”

Katharine Byron, MFH, provided additional details. “The mentor’s role is to offer advice, answer questions, keep the new member out of trouble. The mentor should ride in the field with the new member if possible. Preferably, two people will be assigned to the mentoring role so there’s a backup.”

When an applicant is approved by the membership committee, a letter goes out to that person and two sponsors are assigned. Some members have volunteered to be mentors, in other instances there are one or more members toward whom the new person has gravitated. An effort is made to find something in common, some connection that will help foster the relationship.

The mentoring term is an open-ended arrangement. It may last an entire season, maybe longer. Ideally, the new member will go on to become a mentor for someone else at some point.

There is one other beneficial aspect of a mentoring program that is rarely if ever mentioned, something not covered by Wadsworth nor, as far as I know, any other informational material about foxhunting. Every hunt club (actually, any entity that consists of two or more humans) has its own culture – unspoken rules, customs, beliefs, and interpersonal dynamics. A person coming into that environment afresh is likely to need some guidance navigating the mores and values of the group. A competent mentor will, of course, be able to cover all the technical details. But the best mentors are those who also have the perspective to diplomatically steer the neophyte along to an awareness of the more ethereal elements that form the club’s unique personality.

Anyone who has belonged to a college fraternity or sorority knows the value of a big brother/sister arrangement. While membership in a foxhunting club might not rise to the same level of commitment and structure, there are parallels that we’d be wise to observe. For most clubs, we already have the partying aspect down pretty well.

BOOK REVIEW The Prophet of Paradise A New Foxhunting Novel

by J. Harris Anderson Reviewed by Jenny Young When the editor of In and Around Horse Country offered me a chance to read a draft of his new book and write a review, I jumped at the chance. Not too much foxhunting fiction comes on the market these days, and our readers are always asking for something new. This one has a bit of a twist: it isn’t a murder mystery, and there is a suggestion of fantasy about it without departing from our Virginia world at all.

How can it be “a suggestion”? Well, here’s the plot.

The book opens with “Thumper” Billington, one of the joint masters of the Montfair Hunt, encountering his fellow joint master, Ryman McKendrick, approaching him afoot with obvious signs of a fall from his nowhere-to-be-seen mount. Ryman is babbling about the horse being spooked by a huge buck with something shining between its antlers, and a mouth with moving lips. Thumper assumes he is suffering from concussion, but soon things start taking a strange turn. Ryman cannot get the buck off his mind; he sees a Glenfiddich label with a stag, the buck himself reappears several times, and then he sees on someone’s hand a ring with a cross akin to what he’s seen between the buck’s antlers, and it comes to him – the St. Hubert’s legend. The picture becomes even clearer when he finds a similar image on the label on a bottle of Jägermeister. The accompanying poem becomes his creed. Ryman begins to show signs of an uncanny ability to understand animals and predict where the hunt will find a fox. Even stranger, to the concern and dismay of his friend Thumper, he becomes convinced that he is a spokesman for St. Hubert and sets out to proclaim his new faith to the entire hunt field.

Woven throughout is the revelation of relationships between characters. We are introduced to Ryman’s workforce at his father’s farm equipment shop, a handful of hard-talking “good ol’ boys” with the exception of Mildred the bookkeeper,

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Katharine Byron, MFH, New Market – Middletown Valley Hounds (MD).

Kimberly Brenengen photo

a woman devoted to Ryman’s father to the point of going without pay for several months when business is practically nonexistent. There are Ryman’s dour mother who has never gotten over the death of the favorite older son in Vietnam, Ryman’s lively live-in mistress Nardell, and a young female author who is eager to investigate the foxhunting life for a potential new book. When Ryman’s father keels over with a massive heart attack, Ryman has to take the reins in the shop, and it’s clear he hasn’t a clue what to do to improve business. He begins to rely on the advice of Bar, one of the workers who also just happened to be his older brother’s buddy in ’Nam – and Ryman’s mother has never forgiven him for coming back alive, though damaged, when her beloved son was killed. As Ryman spends more time with the hunt and his enthusiasm for his new “religion” of Venatica emerges, a local minister begins to resent his growing “congregation” and launches a counter-attack from his pulpit. And Ryman begins getting warning threats from an unknown sender.

Be forewarned: there is some strong profanity, especially early on in the shop, and some graphic sex: as Ryman points out, the word “venery” is used both for hunting and for sex, and it becomes obvious that the latter appeal is increasing after each hunt. However, I found myself too captivated by the story line and character development to give up reading it just because I’m a tad straight-laced.

Anderson has created believable and sympathetic characters that are (with a couple of exceptions) not bad-hearted, even if they may be in error in their thinking.

(You may want to shake Ryman’s mother and tell her not to be such an old fool, though!) By the middle of the book I was very worried about what was going to happen to Ryman. Would his missionary antics get him thrown out of the hunt by the increasingly exasperated Thumper and the foxhunting community’s leadership? Was his anonymous opponent going to make an attempt on his life? When you start caring about the characters, that’s a pretty good sign the author has done his job.

The author, himself a foxhunter, knows what foxhunting is all about, and it’s easy to picture events as they unfold in a fictitious Piedmont Virginia countryside.

We know it isn’t too far from home – Warrenton is actually mentioned in the book!

I can recommend this as an easy and enjoyable read to while away the hours when the weather is too nasty for you to be out hunting yourselves. Perhaps you too will find yourself bellowing “Yip, yip! Arooo! Tally-Ho!” and seeking out your significant other by the end of the book.

IN & AROUND HORSE COUNTRY • FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

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BEAGLING

2013 Fall Beagle Trials November 6-10, Aldie, Virginia • By John J. Carle II, ex-MFH

Hills Bridge 3-Couple Lee Reeser, whipper-in; Miki Crane, MB/Huntsman; Sharon Meyers, whipper-in.

Sherry Buttrick, MB and Huntsman with her winning 3Couple Farmington Beagles.

Orlean Foot Beagles 3-Couple pack in full cry.

Judge Libby Gilbert.

“…When they strike a hot trail of scent, beagles begin to sing… The coursing cry is more nearly a yodel…clear and sweet and rife with the excitement of the chase. They sound happy, and any happy-sounding dog is a Michael McIntosh good thing.”

There is something electrifying about the month of November that stirs the souls of followers of scent-hounds, be they mounted or afoot. During the second week of the month that was especially true for the select group of beaglers lucky enough to gather at “The Institute” near Aldie, Virginia, to participate in the 2013 Fall Beagle Trials. We all come aglow with anticipation, optimistically awaiting whatever surprises Lady Luck and Mother Nature have between them conjured up. And we come eagerly to luxuriate in the warm embrace of camaraderie and congeniality that historically has been such a feature at “The Institute.”

And most cherished of all are quiet hours in the quaint cabins among treasured friends, tongue-loosening Kentucky mahogany swirling over ice, where all enjoy what Robert Ruark so eloquently evokes as “…the power of nostalgia in the evening, when the fire snaps and the bourbon melds with the branch water.” All of this we experienced in abundance and enjoyed to the fullest.

Wednesday morning, a balmy 50˚ under partly cloudy skies with little dew, ushered afield the three-couple packs.

There were only two 13” entries, and neither had exceptional hunts. Bedlam got the better of Wolver under trying conditions, with neither pack able to sustain long runs. Hills Bridge made the most of the thinning cloud-cover by hustling several rabbits sharply about the enclosure in their usual hard-driving style, and with excited, almost agonized, cry. As the sun began burning away the clouds, scent deteriorated and the pack strung out somewhat. For the next seven packs, under warming sun, bluebird skies, and a gusty south wind, there was hardly any scent and even less luck. Hill’s Bridge’s hunt was looking pretty special!

It wasn’t until 4:20 p.m., with the sun just kissing the horizon, the air cooling, and clouds once again building, that any pack could shine; and shine the Orlean Foot Beagles did. Their start, however, was somewhat inauspicious: when asked to parade for judges Daniel Powell and Libby Gilbert, they disappeared under a huge brushpile!

But out they soon popped and, almost immediately, jumped a rabbit—probably one left by Beth Opitz’s Ben Venue pack—and they were away with much enthusiasm. This fellow proved hard to hunt (“Bad rabbit—no scent,” was Judge Powell’s verdict), with progress of the hit-and-miss variety, until Huntsman Ramsay Barrett, not known for his patience, lifted the pack to the stone wall and environs northward. Near the top of the enclosure, Whipper-In Elizabeth Kelly viewed away a stout, better-perfumed cottontail, and hounds had a very good run, circling the upper woods at speed and with energetic cry for the remainder of their allotted time. Working checks largely unaided and driving their pilot relentlessly, they ended with a flourish by marking her to ground with gusto, echoed by Ramsay’s primal screams of encouragement.

Sandanona went afield at 7 a.m. Thursday under cloudy skies and a warm (60˚) southwest wind, and enjoyed a good hunt marked by the most diligent of houndwork.

Their first rabbit made them struggle for every inch, yet their progress, though slow, was steady as they fought through the densest tangles and under brushpiles in a large figure eight near the three small ponds. When they finally

checked, Betsy Park lifted them to the stone wall and immediately had a raucous sight-race back to the ponds, where the strung-out pack regrouped before racing back to the wall. Going uphill through the series of coverts parallel to the enclosure fence, their performance was top-notch: working all checks with confidence, then hard-driving with wonderful cry. Once heel-line seduced them briefly, but Kate Butler’s timely view got them righted, and they flew back to the wall as scent dimmed and time ran out.

At the nine o’clock hour that elusive window of opportunity flew open in time for Farmington to scramble through and lay down the premier run of the entire ThreeCouple. Drawing northward from one of the new, verdant food plots cleared and planted by David Vore over the summer, they soon had a rabbit afoot. Perhaps it was the one that Octorara was running when their time ran out, but it was a strong, game runner, swift and sweet-smelling, that showed excellent sport. Picking up where their winning Eight-Couple left off in the spring, the Farmington pack hustled in large circles from the upper woods to the woods below Squaw Hill, covering most of the center of the enclosure, working brief checks on their own before human interference arrived and going ever forward with lovely, musical cry. Halfway through their run, luckily on a loop toward Squaw Hill, there arose a sound like thunder from just beyond the top end of the enclosure. The Middleburg hounds were driving a fox in our direction, their cry a fierce roar like that of the rabid rabble at Lambeau Field. Just when it seemed they would chase the red raider through our midst, he hit the enclosure fence and turned back to the deep valley beyond, all sounds of the fox chase drifting forever away. As for the beagles, their own cry drowned out that of A Farmington hound. the foxhounds, and they never faltered, never relented no matter their quarry’s tactics, driving at killing speed, tightly packed, until the pressure drove Brer Rabbit to ground just before time was called. It was a spectacular show that overwhelmingly won the blue ribbon and put Farmington’s name on the Wheatly “Frantic” Cup. Orlean took the red rosette convincingly enough, but to choose between Sandanona and Hills Bridge proved daunting. As outdoor guru Mike Gaddis once wrote, “There wasn’t a frog slick between ’em,” but the judges rewarded Sandanona’s steadiness just above the Hills Bridge flash.

It began to rain at the end of the Three-Couple, and Octorara opened the Five-Couple with several short, hard runs in a steady downpour. Just before lunch, as the rain began to ease and the air grew noticeably cooler, Ben Venue had a very useful hunt atop the long hill at the upper end of the property. Put on a fresh rabbit viewed during Octorara’s last run, Beth Opitz’s hounds went to work with a vengeance. Driving hard and led by a machine-gun-voiced veteran, their efforts were accompanied by a roaring battle cry. Scent proved to be maddeningly spotty—blazing in one spot and vanishing only a few feet farther on—and hounds’ progress was interrupted by frequent checks as their rabbit ran back and forth from the open field to the headwaters of the main creek deep in the woods. This run was long on excitement but, unfortunately, short on continuity.

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IN & AROUND HORSE COUNTRY • FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

At around 3:30 p.m. the Orlean came afield, throwing in just below the old stable (now just storage), and were away on the scut of a worthy adversary. Racing upstream and into the godawful tangles near the burnpile, where this rabbit had so tortured the Ripshin Bassets in October, these gallant warriors attacked the thorny fortress with fierce purpose, emphasizing their resolve with equally fierce cry. Defying the conditions, they refused their pilot any respite, kept him ever-moving. But this Old Longears is a determined and wily trickster, and, although he ran from the Stable Woods to the old stable and back upstream, he never left his briary fortress for long, punishing his pursuers by continually doubling through its most impenetrable depths. For most of the hour this contest raged, hounds’ war-cry mingling with the cheers of their Huntsman. Finally, like that of Ripshin’s Edgar Hughston, Ramsay’s patience frayed, and he lifted hounds to try the septic field below the Merry Meadow. Here they bumped up a fresh rabbit and came rocketing downhill in overdrive, really rolling as time expired. Screaming now, they were unstoppable until a check brought them up short, and they came to the horn.

How everyone hated to see this frantic chaos ended! Had Ramsay’s patience not unraveled, this pack would most likely have done what no other has yet managed: push this longeared magician hard enough to force him to go to ground. What a sweet reward that would have been for these deserving hounds!

Last pack of the day was Ardrossan, and what a wonderful run they enjoyed up and down the creek below the cabins. Running tightly packed and working diligently when brought to their noses, the Philadelphians gave the Orlean a tough tussle. With a name like Ardrossan, one might expect these hounds to speak with a Scottish burr, yet, although there may have been a growl hidden within their chorus, their cry this chilly night had a lovely, musical ring to it. High and crystal-clear, it rang choir-like through the gloaming. This pack has had more than its share of bad luck at Aldie of late, so this hunt had to feel extra sweet.

On Friday morning the thermometer read a chilly 34 degrees and frost lay underfoot; but by 9 a.m. conditions had mellowed slightly, and Old Chatham took advantage.

Jessica Anderson put her happy hounds into covert north of the Merry Meadow, drawing past the Ripshin “Rattler” stump pile to the long, briar-encased logpiles, where they unkenneled a rabbit. This smart fellow ran northeast to the open woods, but very quickly returned to the protection of his log citadel. It is so tight in here that the rabbit had to squinch down as thin as his shadow to squeeze in, and hounds had to tithe their hide to follow. How this pack sang as they went about their work, many high voices anchored by “Tornado’s” low, drawn-out quaver. Over their heads, the green of honeysuckle and bittersweet’s orange shimmered in the sunlight like a pashmire woven of duoponi silk. Hounds kept pushing until old “Tornado” (Reserve Champion at May’s Triple Challenge) forced their rabbit out again, south this time, to another dense thicket where, deep out of our sight, they viewed it and, screaming like banshees, coursed it back to the jumble of logs. Their bunny now just crawled along up and down the hill, leaving little scent on increasingly foiled ground; and hounds, as well, were forced to crawl. Finally Jess gave old Peter best and drew uphill past new food plots and brush piles, softly encouraging her hard-hunting hounds until time was called. A staunch admirer, veteran beagler George Graham, observed, “She handles her hounds so beautifully. Jess just does it right!” At the evening’s award ceremony, the judges rewarded Orlean’s free-for-all with the top spot, followed by Ardrossan, Old Chatham, and Ben Venue.

Hills Bridge opened the bidding in the Eight-Couple on a partly cloudy Saturday morning, with 29 degrees producing a crunchy frost underfoot. Drawing in the Stable Woods and up to the stone wall, hounds eventually found

a strong line and carried it downhill and righthanded to the long covert just outside the enclosure fence (Betsy’s Covert). Going better all the time, they sounded good pushing through the dense undergrowth, until suddenly out leapt a huge rabbit. All on and shrieking, hounds poured out of covert well-packed and highballing so fast that soon they overran. They got their heads down immediately and cast back. But just then, Miki Crane got so excited that her cheering got all heads up so wildly that they almost blew it. A quiet word from Judge Gilbert and Miki got hounds reorganized and ignoring the extraneous noise, they hunted hard into the gigantic logpile in the bottom. To get under this decaying mountain they had to burrow like moles; but it gave them the chance to settle more, so when they carried the line out the far side and into the very dense thickets beyond, they were really locked onto their quarry’s scent, going stronger with every stride. As hounds fought their way through the tangle, they set huge clumps of bushes to shaking, gyrating like a congregation of snake-handlers in the throes of revelation. Pouring like a breaking wave off the hill, the pack, tightly bunched, roared into and through Betsy’s Covert, working hard in the open, oblivious to everything but their rabbit’s tantalizing scent. When time was called, they were screaming like demons, impossible to stop for some time. From his horseback vantage point, Judge Daniel Powell could see things invisible to the gallery, and it was his opinion that when Miki seemed to distract hounds, she was actually putting them forward to an especially trusted and unflappable veteran who seemed never to miss the line.

Whatever…it worked!

Old Chatham followed, eagerly accepting the challenge laid down by Hills Bridge; but from the beginning, it was clear that this was not to be their best performance.

Drawing well uphill from where Hills Bridge had hunted, most of the pack spent a few minutes belaboring nightlines, while one or two couple either skirted or went in search of their own quarry. Luckily the sharp-eyed and diligent staff rode herd on the miscreants, continually turning them to their packmates. Finally hounds worked up a rabbit and pushed it into the open, where it was viewed several times. Unfortunately, with three whippersin hollering, hounds got uncharacteristically wild, and badly overran. But Jess’s quiet whistle and soft, calming voice worked their magic, and hounds were soon screaming uphill en masse. More views and more overzealous hollers seemed to unsettle the pack, with some older hounds beginning to skirt repeatedly; and 1½ couple just went off on their own. However, Morgan Palacios, a veteran whipper-in at just fourteen, intercepted them with a sharp rebuke, which hurried them packward. Getting firmly settled on their rabbit, the pack picked up speed, looping repeatedly through most of the myriad tangles on the upper hillside, their exuberant, classic cry ringing in the crisp air like church bells. Their speed strung the pack out more than is the OCH norm, but they continued to fly until coming to a startlingly sudden silence. Billy Bobbitt, who was right there, reported that the lead hounds were within six inches of their rabbit when she bade them an “Irish farewell” and shot under a dense brushpile. After a round of well-deserved praise from their beaming Huntsman, hounds began hunting a fresh rabbit, and were thus occupied when time was called.

Ardrossan caught a failing scent but a plethora of rabbits. Hounds ran several and more were viewed, but the bounteous offerings tended to scatter hounds, often stringing them out on runs. Intuitive staff work, however, kept tightening things up, and any stragglers would fly to Fran Jacobs’ horn. As scent began to burn off in the open, the pack slowed and, on a couple of occasions, heel-line became a problem. But on the whole, this pack did a good job. Said Octorara Whipper-In Debbi Bright, “I loved the rapport between Huntsman and staff. The handling of hounds was excellent.”

Continued

The Orlean Foot Beagles 3-Couple pack, Ramsay Barrett, MB/Huntsman.

Old Chatham 8-Couple Morgan Palacios, whipper-in; Jack Kingsley, MB; Colin Anderson, MB; Jessica Anderson, MB/Huntsman.

Judge Daniel Powell.

Hills Bridge 8-Couple.

IN & AROUND HORSE COUNTRY • FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

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Octorara 3-Couple, Larry Bright, MB/Huntsman.

Glenbarr 3-Couple, Billy Bobbitt, MB.

Sandanona 3-Couple pack, Betsy Park, MB.

The remaining four eight-couple packs had to wait till Sunday morning, because Saturday afternoon was given over to the bench show and the Three Hour Stake, which ran until dark. AKC judge Sharon Clark presided over the bench show, a lively, well-filled interlude that saw Bedlam “Radish” pinned best 13” hound and Farmington “Iselin” topping the fifteen inchers.

Bennett Barclay, MB, whose Hermit Hollow pack couldn’t make these trials (they’ll be back in April), was pressed into service to hunt the Stake Class pack. Unlike the previous fall, when scent held well and an instant find led to a screaming run that melded a motley crew into a pretty good pack, on this day scent was poor, hunting luck was worse, and many hounds proved to be either wildly independent or rather disinclined to run at all. For three and a half very long hours, chaos reigned. For the Huntsman there was a choice of opposites: quietly encourage the small nucleus of hounds who came to work, or try to cheer the reluctant into the fray so as to give more hounds a chance to be scored. Bennett chose the latter, a plan that was only partly successful in the earlier stages of the hunt, but proved disruptive later. Daniel Powell described the judges’ conundrum: staying close to the action to evaluate the performance of those hounds who stayed in covert and carried the load kept them from seeing all the skirters trying to steal a lead or hunt a line of their own. Unfortunately, Bennett’s cheering proved contagious, and his cadre of whippers-in grew increasingly vocal, which continually got hounds’ heads up—the very opposite of what he was trying to achieve. Some hounds would leave a hunted line in covert and race to a view, only to return and go back to work, a performance which proved hard to judge. “Too much people-voice,” said Mr. Powell, which by day’s end was an understatement: the staff were more vocal than the beagles! One solution suggested by the veteran judge was to have a small group of spotters stationed on the periphery to document and eliminate the cheaters and loafers. As it was, however, it took the judges extra time to positively identify the elite amidst the confusion; but in the end, they got spot-on. Billy Bobbitt’s Glenbarr entry dominated the 13” hounds, winning with “Distaff” over kennelmate “Hocus Pocus.” Hills Bridge “Chatto” and Farmington “Stanley” followed. Old Chatham “Apollo” topped the 15” chart, followed by Bedlam “Paprika” (a 2013 Triple Challenge star), Orlean “Millie,” and Bedlam “Gizmo.” ’Twas a most successful afternoon for the Bobbitt family.

For the second trial in a row I missed the winning Eight-Couple hunt (which was also the highest scored run of the event). Out of loyalty to the Thornton Hill Hounds, I went to their opening meet. I should have stayed in Aldie. After quite a spell of being snake-bit, the stars aligned for Octorara, and Larry Bright’s very young pack (half are 2012 entries, ¼ 2011, and only ¼ older hounds) showed how it’s supposed to be done. Elmer Kelton once said, “Luck don’t come lookin’ for ya.

You’ve got to go out there and punch it up with a stick.”

And that’s what Larry did. Drawing the woods below the Merry Meadow, these hounds ignored nightlines for ten minutes until they jumped a rabbit by the “dry pond” (the dam burst years ago) near Oatlands Road. All together, they were off instantly, racing like comets and flinging over their shoulders an electrifying war-cry. They raced in a big loop through these woods, packed like sardines, turning sharply with their quarry and never overrunning.

If scent momentarily vanished, there was instant silence until the line was recovered. This pack wastes no time and keeps relentless pressure on their rabbit. Old Benjamin then veered uphill into the thick plot of switchgrass and then through the gallery, which brought hounds to their noses. Larry Bright had been hopelessly left by now, but hounds didn’t need their Huntsman’s help to unravel the puzzle, and soon were away with a roar.

Across the open, through tight briar patches and down to the windfall tangle of the Dump Woods they flew. About

now home-covert was looking pretty good to Benjamin, and he turned back. However, as Larry put it, “They ran into him before he got home.” By the time Larry and Debbi caught up, hounds had had their reward and were eager for more. After one of the fastest, most intense fifteen minutes imaginable, this pack had just warmed up; and they soon had another longears afoot above the Dump Woods and drove him to Oatlands Road near “Mrs. Bell’s Gate.” This rabbit was harder to hunt, but the Octorara’s houndwork was a classic performance. For the remaining twenty minutes they alternately worked feverishly, then raced at warp speed, all the while loudly proclaiming their unbridled joy. They were lifted running.

The judges were mightily impressed. “They were blanket-tight the whole time. Pretty neat!” drawled Daniel Powell. “I’d be happy to have his pack,” echoed Libby Gilbert. Larry Bright just grinned.

At the sparsely-attended awards ceremony at noon, club President Jessica Anderson announced the EightCouple results. Larry and Debbie Bright proudly took home to Floyd, Virginia, the handsome Richard P. Roth plate. Hills Bridge and Old Chatham followed. The last eight-couple pack to compete, Glenbarr, did just enough to edge Ardrossan for fourth. Competition like this is why the faithful flock to Aldie! Octorara’s cache of silver also included the Sir Sister Cup for the highest scored run of the trials. Hills Bridge repeated their 2012 triumph as overall highest-scored pack. Hard-working Bennett Barclay won the C. G. Rice Whippers-In award.

Although not everyone took home silver to engrave and keep polished, or ribbons to display, we all left knowing we’d been blessed with an extraordinary week of sport.

Aided by somewhat better scenting conditions than those with which the bassets were cursed ten days earlier, a lot of packs enjoyed quite spectacular runs, runs that were a joy for all to experience. And as usual, the conviviality was top-notch, especially the cocktail party celebrating Wolver’s centenary. All that was missing was a good country band…and there’s always April!

RESULTS Three-Couple 13” Three Couple 15” 1. Bedlam 1. Farmington 2. Wolver 2. Orlean 3. Sandanona 4. Hills Bridge Five Couple Eight Couple 1. Orlean 1. Octorara 2. Ardrossan 2. Hills Bridge 3. Old Chatham 3. Old Chatham 4. Ben Venue 4. Glenbarr Three-Hour Stake 13” Beagles 15” Beagles 1. Glenbarr “Distaff” 1. Old Chatham “Apollo” 2. Glenbarr “Hocus Pocus” 2. Bedlam’s Springfield “Paprika” 3. Hills Bridge “Chatto” 3. Orlean “Millie” 4. Farmington “Stanley” 4. Bedlam “Gizmo” Bench Show: Best 13” Beagle: Bedlam “Radish” Best 15” Beagle: Farmington “Iselin” Highest Scored Run: Octorara’s Eight-Couple Highest Scored Pack Overall: Hills Bridge Whippers-In Award: Bennett Barclay

Bench Show Best 13” Beagle Bedlam “Radish.”

Bench Show Best 15” Beagle Farmington “Iselin.”

Owen Young photo

Owen Young photo

IN & AROUND HORSE COUNTRY • FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

JENNY’S PICKS This winter seems to be a good one to spend some time catching up on your reading!

When it’s gusting wind and 10˚F out, I sure have no interest in getting on a horse. We have a few new books to mention, then I’ll turn to some used ones that we have received that might be of some interest. The first is for youngsters, the second for jumping enthusiasts of any age that can read.

Batts, Laura B. Love Your Pony, Love Your Planet. Everybody’s trying to go “green” these days, and that includes those in the horse world. Even young children can be encouraged to think about ways to help keep our planet alive. Here the author addresses how we horse owners can improve our management techniques couched in terms a youngster can understand. A cartoon pony accompanied by color photographs explains Best Management Practices in eye-friendly large print. Hardcover, unpaginated. $16.95 Murdoch, Wendy. 40 5-Minute Jumping Fixes. Wendy Murdoch strikes again! Her newest volume is chock-full of great advice on how to improve your jumping form and performance with exercises and tips like how to adjust your stirrups for whatever you’re working on – flat, show jumping, steeplechasing, or cross-country eventing. Line diagrams and color photos illustrate her text, which is divided into 7 sections: lower back and pelvis, hips, legs, feet, upper body, arms and hands, and equipment. Hardcover, 254pp. $29.95 I have selected some training books that over the years have stood the test of time, some of which are still reprinted.

Chamberlin, Harry D. Training Hunters, Jumpers & Hacks. Hurst & Blackett, London, 1947. Good cond., no dust jacket.

Black cloth cover lightly soiled, edges somewhat worn; interior clean and sound. Line illus. by unspecified artist and b&w photos illustrate this old favorite. Deals with selection and training of horses for hunting and jumping. Hardcover, 144pp. (6064) $35.00 d’Endrody, Lt. Col. A. L. Give Your Horse a Chance. J. A. Allen, London, 1978. Reprint, very good condition, dj very good w/some minor soiling. Interior appears unread.

D’Endrody’s classic work is not for the faint of heart but for those who are searching for a logical understanding of riding. His text addresses the training of horse and rider for eventing, showing, and hunting. His illustrations offer a sort of technical “push-button” guide to the aids to be used to produce the desired result. Hardcover, 544pp. (6027) $20.00 Kirschner, Michael. Forward Freely/The Forward System. A.S. Barnes & Co., New York, 1967. Dj aged with small tears at edge, but basically good. Small sticker on top of inside front flyleaf. Cover clean, book clean and sound. Lower corners bumped. B&w photos illustrate the concepts of forward seat riding, developed around the late 19th century by Italian riders to improve their horses’ performance by taking the weight off the hindquarters, particularly when jumping.

Hardcover, 144pp. (6065) $35.00 Littauer, Vladimir S. How a Horse Jumps. J. A. Allen, London, 1972. Ltd. ed. Published in 2 volumes, one of b&w photos, one of text, w/o dj in slipcover. This is in fine condition, appears unread, is autographed, and a limited, scarce edition in slipcover. This analysis of the way a horse jumps consists of a volume of text and one of a series of sequential b&w photographs of horses jumping, from the approach to the landing. Not only is this a scarce limited edition, but it is

HORSE COUNTRY BOOKSELLERS

21 very good guide to the Shetland Sheepdog, including an extensive section on breeding and color genetics. Hardcover, 307pp.

(6233) $20.00

Nicholas, Anna Katherine. The Book of the Shetland Sheepdog. Neptune City, NJ, T.F.H. Publications, 1984. Very good condition, no dj, nick to edge of front cover, clean tight interior. B&W and some color pho60 Alexandria Pike, Warrenton, VA 20186 • 800-882-HUNT • 540-347-3141 and tos. Plenty of information on the Shetland Sheepdog breed, loaded with photographs. also autographed by Capt. Littauer. Coleman, Catherine E. The Shetland Hardcover, 544pp. (6234) $20.00 Hardcover. Text, 81pp; photos unpaginated. Sheepdog. Good cond., owner’s name inside (6073) $275.00 front cover, dj tattered and soiled; minor fox- Sanborn, Kate. Educated Dogs of Today. ing in evidence some pages. A guide to the Boston, privately published, 1916. Fair Littauer, Vladimir. S. Jumping the Horse. Shetland sheepdog breed. B&w photos show cond. Grey cloth cover water-stained and Derrydale, New York, 1931. Limited ed. Fair the development of the type from Border- frayed, corners bumped. Nameplate inside condition, no dj, edges badly worn, soiling collie-like to the miniature collie we now front cover, flyleaves stained. Pages are inside. Cover starting to separate at spine. picture as the quintessential Sheltie. Includes deckle-edged. B&w photographs and line Owner’s inscription inside front cover and breed history, British and American strains, drawings by an unidentified artist illustrate flyleaf. This influential Russian cavalry cap- and show and kennel management. the dogs discussed, which include dog tain produced a number of books on riding in Hardcover, 168pp. (6228) $18.00 heroes of all sorts, from avalanche dogs to the 20th century. Here he expounds upon war dogs, the Dalmations of the fire departDavis, Henry P., original author, revised. jumping in this hard to find book that was ments, stage dogs, and even hunting dogs.

The New Dog Encyclopedia.

New York, limited to 950 copies. Hardcover, 125pp.

The tales told are really fascinating.

Galahad Books, 1970.

Book in very good (6070) $100.00 Hardcover, 77 numbered pages. (5950) condition, dj good with age discoloration, $150.00 We have amassed a fair number of dog minor wearing including a misfolding on books, many not pertaining to hunting at all. underside of front. Interior clean and sound. Smith, A. Croxton. British Dogs. London, For instance, we have a number from a A “completely revised and expanded updat- Collins, 1947. good cond., dj worn and torn Shetland Sheepdog enthusiast that might be ing of the Henry P. Davis classic “Modern but basically intact; book spine has slight of interest to a breeder. I have not included Dog Encyclopedia.” Information from rips top & bottom. Inscription inside front books about foxhounds that we have had breeding to showing and lots more – war endpaper. Several stains blot three pages in awhile, as they have been listed before. dogs, hunting dogs, etc. Hardcover, 736 pp. lower margin but do not affect readability.

(6226) $25.00 Eight color plates and 24 b&w illustrations Ackerman, Irving C. The Wire-Haired by various artists. Chapters cover ancient Eden, Sir Timothy.

Five Dogs & Two More.

Foxterrier. New York, G. Howard Watt, dogs of the British Isles, the “forest laws,” London, Longmans, Green & Co., 1928.

1927. Good cond. Black cloth cover, pencil various uses of dogs, and a summary of difInterior clean & sound, badly torn dj held marks inside front flyleaf. B&w photos and ferent British breeds. Contains an unusual together by plastic wrap.

Illus. by John line drawings illustrate good and bad points pair of drawings of very young foxhound Nicolson, frontis. in color, others b&w.

The in the fox terrier of the 1920s. 191pp. (5899) puppies that are obviously nursing, and a list author recalls the lives of seven favorite $40.00 of recognized British Kennel Club breeds.

Barton, Frank Townsend. Some Sporting dogs: a Scottie, a whippet, a bulldog, a fox Hardcover, (6112) $15.00 Dogs. New York, Frederick A. Stokes Co., terrier, a great Dane, a wire-haired terrier, no date, early 1900s. No dj, good cond., and an Airedale/sheepdog cross. Hardcover, Stonehenge (John Walsh). The Dog in Health and Disease. London, England, clean w/minor foxing. Color plates by 135pp. (6107) $28.00 Vernon Stokes illustrating the breeds. Care Foote, John Taintor. Jing. New York, Longmans, Green, Reader, 1867. 16mo, & management of sporting dogs, sporting Derrydale Press, 1936. Limited. Very good 468pp, illus. Good cond., slight foxing; breeds discussed. Hardcover,125pp. (6103) cond., no dj as issued, #471 of 950 copies. includes clippings and homemade dog remedies. With chapters on uses for dogs in hunt$125.00 Short fictional tale of a bird dog by a noted ing, coursing, shooting, a discussion of dog book writer.

Hardcover, 37pp.

(5999) Blount, Roy Jr. I Am Puppy, Hear Me Yap. breeds and kennel management. (1253) $130.00 New York, Harper Collins, 2000. Fine condi$225.00 tion, dj near fine; autographed by both the Galsworthy, John. Memories. London, photographer and the author. B&w photo- England, William Heinemann, Ltd., 1930. Walker, Joe. My Dog and Yours. London, graphs by Valerie Shaff. Text in the form of Third ed., 3rd printing. Sm 4to, color plates. Ward Lock & Co., 1929. Third impression. verse pairs with winsome photographs of Good cond., illus. boards, heavy pressed No dj, good cond. Three-tone illustrations by (mostly) puppies. Unpaginated. (6264) board covers, a little frayed. A wonderful G. L. Stampa. Delightful poetry about dogs, with equally delightful illustrations. $10.00 book with memories about getting a puppy, Hardcover, 96pp. (6114) $50.00 Branigan, Cynthia A. The Reign of the raising it, and growing along with it, as it got Wigan, Felicity. The English Dog at Home.

Greyhound. New York, Howell, 1997. Fine older. 71pp. (4284) $65.00 cond., dj fine in protective plastic, sound and Lyne, Michael. From Litter to Later On/ A Topsfield, MA, Salem House Publishers, clean. History of the greyhound, an ancient Puppy “Progress” Book. Gloucestershire, 1987. Good condition, dj has some marks coursing breed. Contains a middle section of Eng., Standfast Press, 1973. Book very good and wrinkles and is price-clipped. Top edges color reproductions of art depicting the grey- cond., dj price clipped, worn, tattered, with of maroon cloth cover are scraped. A wide hound plus a number of b&w illustrations & V-shaped tear in top front. Lyne takes a litter variety of breeds appear in these photographs by Geoffrey Shakerley, including a photos. Hardcover, 193pp. (6149) $29.00 of puppies bred from a beagle sire and a chapter on the Queen’s Corgis. Hardcover, rough-haired terrier looking rather like a Buchanan-Jardine, Sir John. Hounds of the 160pp. (6240) $20.00 Jack Russell and sketches them from birth, World. Cumbria, England, Grayling Books, 1979. Limited. Sm 4to, #476 of 600 copies, recounting their adventures in text as well. Williams, A. Courtney. Beagles/Their History and Breeding with Notes on autographed. Owner inscription inside front Hardcover, unpaginated. (6111) $50.00 flyleaf. Very good cond, bumped corners, Mackay-Smith, Alexander. The American Foxhounds and Harriers. Yorkshire, Eng., binding yellowed around edges. Dj fair con- Foxhound. Millwood, VA, American Grayling Books, 1974. 2nd ed., ltd. No dj, dition with tears, book fine cond., very clean Foxhound Club, 1968. Limited ed. Red cloth sound and clean interior; cover has multiple & tight. With 8 color plates from Baron Karl cover, fine cond., #311 of 1,000 copies. tiny bleached-out spots. Owner’s address Reille, 12 color plates from T. Ivester Lloyd, Owner’s bookplate front flyleaf. Signed. A sticker inside front flyleaf. #69 of 500 and 24 collotype plates. Hardcover, 233pp. comprehensive history of the American fox- copies, autographed. A few b&w photographs and one color frontispiece are includ(6135) $265.00 hound, including Penn-Marydels, with mened. This British guidebook to the Beagle tion of Walker and Trigg lines that influ“Caesar” (J. M. Barrie, anon.). Where’s breed is divided into three parts. Part One enced the modern American foxhound.

A Master? New York, Hodder & Stoughton, deals with history, predominantly, and judghost of b&w photographs of hounds, hunts, 1910. Fair cond., no dj, cardboard covers ing. Part Two is breeding, and Part Three stained & worn, but book interior sound, documents, etc. accompanies this massive contains “notes and observations on certain though pages age-yellowed. Frontis. by text. Hardcover, 451pp. including supple- celebrated beagles of the past” and stallion Maud Earl. J. M. Barrie, writing anony- mental index. (6120) $395.00 hounds since 1939. In the back are pedigree mously, writes a first-person lament by McKinney, Betty Jo; and Barbara Riseberg. charts. No reference to American lines.

Caesar, the beloved mongrel pet of the King Sheltie Talk. Loveland, CO, Alpine Hardcover, 191pp. plus bloodline charts. of England, upon the death of his master. Publications, 1985. Good condition, no dj, (6176) $40.00 Softcover, 54pp. (6104) $25.00 spine sun-faded, interior clean and tight. A

Specialists in New, Old & Rare Books on Horses, Foxhunting, Eventing, Polo, Racing, Steeplechasing & Sporting Art

22

HORSE RACING

IN & AROUND HORSE COUNTRY • FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

Horses and People to Watch Virginia Thoroughbred Association

VTA Stallion Auction February 12th and 13th We have a fabulous list of stallions for the VTA Annual Stallion Season Auction this year! Be sure to check out www.vabred.org for the full list and bidding instructions.

VTA to Administer Virginia Breeders Fund In 2014 The Virginia Racing Commission has awarded the Virginia Thoroughbred Association the contract to administer the Virginia Breeders fund in 2014, pending review and approval of the 2014 budget.

“I think the Commission is looking to have more input on the monies spent by the VTA to promote the fund and Thoroughbred industry,” said VTA Executive Director Debbie Easter. “We look forward to working closer with the Commission on these issues because it’s important that all the stakeholders are on the same page if we are to grow Virginia’s Thoroughbred industry.”

Each year a portion of Virginia’s Breeders Fund is set aside for administration and promotion of the Fund and the Thoroughbred industry. The Commission pays the VTA $190,000 to administer and promote the fund, of which over half goes to promotional programs.

“The unfortunate reality is that there is not enough promotional money to fund all the good programs we would like to. We would love to look at ways to partner the dollars we manage with others so that we are able to get more bang for our promotional buck,” Easter said. $5,000 Virginia Breeders Fund Yearling Futurity Bonus The VTA and the Fund would like to congratulate the winners of the $5,000 Virginia Breeders Fund Yearling Futurity Bonus for 2013.

Any Virginia-bred or Virginia-sired yearling that shows in the colt or filly yearling futurity class is eligible to compete for a percentage of a $5,000 bonus.

Bonuses are awarded to the top four money-earners at the racetrack at the completion of the horses’ 3-year-old year. The $5,000 bonus is divided as follows: 60 percent to the leading earner, 20 percent to the second leading earner, 14 percent to the third leading earner and 6 percent to the fourth leading earner.

Unfortunately, the 2011 Yearling Futurity was cancelled because of hurricane Irene but we decided to make all those that were entered to compete eligible for the 2013 bonus. The horses listed below were the top four earners at the end of their 2013 3-year-old year: First Place Securing top honors with earnings of $62,778 is Tubal. Bred by Lady Olivia at North Cliff, LLC, the bay colt is by Shakespeare out of Lady Nadine (GB)

by Alzao.

Second Place In second place with earnings of Virginia Yearling Futurity Bonus first-place winner Tubal, bred by Lady $36,256 is Olivia at North Cliff LLC, winning at Colonial Downs this summer. Coady Photography photo National Prayer.

National Prayer, a bay colt by Songandaprayer out of Senate Caucus by Siphon (Brz), was bred by Carlos S. E. Moore & Gillian Gordon-Moore.

Third Place Third place goes to Vestry with earnings of $35,306. Nellie M. Cox & Rose Retreat Farm are the breeders of Vestry, a bay gelding by Ecclesiastic out of Miss Moola by Saint Ballado.

Fourth Place Think Sunshine, $25,730, is the fourth place earner. He was bred by Hart Farm and is by Broken Vow out of Beautiful Stranger by Foxhound.

Congratulations to our $5,000 bonus winners!

Breeders Fund Awards Congratulations to everyone who received Breeders Fund and Stallion Awards in 2013! Please ensure that you have a W9 on file with the VTA, as we will not be able to send your check without one!

Stallion Awards: $25,000 Dr. Anne Louise Bonda $4,487.68

Donna Hayes Larry R. Johnson Lazy Lane Farms, LLC Nancy Rizer Mrs. Calvin E. Rofe Virginia Tech Foundation Breeders Awards: $483,750

$4,322.26 $4,890.02 $4,482.34 $1,760.92 $3,237.16 $1,819.62

Recipient Sum of Total Award Albert Coppola $508.82 Althea D. Richards $8,720.23 Anne N. Tucker $5,877.63 Anne N. Tucker & Bob Bouse $832.61 Atkins Homes, Inc. $2,220.30 Audley Farm $51,380.74 Bryan R. Baker $1,644.41 Carla Lou Morgan $411.68 Carlos S. E. Moore & Gillian Gordon-Moore $2,253.76 Carolyn Nicewonder Beverly $3,219.43 Chance Farm $8,084.05 Corner Farm & John T. Behrendt $1,010.70 Corner Farm & Theatrical (IRE) Syndicate $2,157.08 Darlene H Bowlin $3,654.24 David A. Ross $3,432.21 Dixie Noffsinger $508.82 Donna M. Hayes $894.29 Dresden Farm $1,017.64 DSR Limited Liability Corporation $1,202.66 Eagle Point Farm $2,544.09 Estate of Edward P. Evans $127,852.63 Foxcroft Farm $703.09 George E. Digon $339.21 Grace E. Ritzenberg $7,863.56 Hart Farm $6,758.04 Heidi Overfelt $1,296.72 Henry L. Carroll $832.61 Hickory Tree Stable LLC $5,273.21 Holly Ridge Farm, LLC $1,248.92 Jackie Hinson $693.84 James M. Hackman $508.82 James S. Carter $3,851.91 James S. Carter & Ann Marie Matthews $508.82 James S. Carter Jr. $786.36 James W. Myers, Jr. & Teresa C. Myers $894.29 John Robert Sellers $1,202.66 Karl B. Johnson Sr. $648.36 Karl William Donaghy $508.82 Kaz Hill Farm $2,174.04 Keswick Stables $1,341.43 Lady Olivia @ North Cliff LLC $20,947.91 Lazy Lane Farms, LLC $46,899.97 Lisa Calhoun & Gordon Calhoun $894.29 Mary S. Iselin $10,388.61 Mary T. O’Brien $2,112.37 Mede Cahaba Stable & Stud LLC $4,200.68 Morgan’s Ford Farm $10,615.04 Morgan’s Ford Farm & Gainesway Thoroughbreds Ltd $2,867.89 Morgan’s Ford Farm & Marablue Farm LLC $508.82 Morgan’s Ford Farm & Whodat Racing LLC $2,012.15 Morgan’s Ford Farm & Winstar Farm LLC $4,625.62 Mr. & Mrs. Bertram R. Firestone $15,126.02 Mr. & Mrs. Bruce Smart $1,834.83 Mr. & Mrs. C. W. McNeely III $3,330.45 Mr. & Mrs. Frank Zureick, Mr. & Mrs. George Rayborn & William M. Russell $3,469.22 Mr. & Mrs. Samuel H. Rogers Jr. $508.82 Mr. & Mrs. Sidney B. Cox Jr. $10,673.63 Mr. Paul Brown $1,248.92 Mrs. Nellie M. Cox & Rose Retreat Farm $601.33 Nancy Lynn Terhune $1,318.30 Nancy M Rizer & Eric A Rizer $911.25 Patricia R. Turner $1,433.94 Quest Realty $897.37 R. Larry Johnson $21,276.17 Roberta Cotrone & Darby Dan Farm $402.43 Rodger L. Smith $693.84 Rose Burns McDade & Lawrence G. McDade $1,017.64 S. Barton Inc. $1,017.64 Sam E. English II $7,510.16 Sandy Valley Farms $2,329.00 Sara Collette $346.92 Snow Lantern Thoroughbreds $6,290.85 Susan S. Cooney $4,671.88 Suzanne A. Dempsey $1,965.89 Tara Terrace $2,396.69 Virginia Tech Foundation Inc. $1,511.04 William M. Backer Revocable Trust $17,604.12 Yadkin Farm & RMF Thoroughbreds $425.56 Grand Total $483,750.00

IN & AROUND HORSE COUNTRY • FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

GEORGE WHITE FENCING AND SUPPLY

23

OBITUARIES Hall of Fame Member

Robert Pillion

Installation • Repairs • Fence Painting Portable Barns and Sheds FERNANDO VILLAVICENCIO General Manager Office: 540-687-5803 Licensed & Insured Fax: 540-687-3574 www.georgewhitefencing.com

CLASSIFIEDS

Richard Clay Photography

REAL ESTATE

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www.richardclayphotography.com rclay@hughes.net

HORSEFARMSANDCOUNTRYHOMES.COM

Cindy Polk, 703.966.9480, David O’Flaherty Realtor specializing in country properties from cottages, land and hobby farms to fine estates and professional equestrian facilities. Washington Fine Properties. 204 E. Washington St., Middleburg, VA.

FOXHUNTING MARCH 23-29: MARCH MADNESS In & Around Horse Country with BULL RUN HUNT - Six foxhunts, our Is Now Online!

Point-to-Point Races and Hunt Ball. Go to In & Around Horse Country is now available at the www.bullrunhunt.com for details.

FOR SALE JACKIE KENNEDY President House Glassware (304) 599-5125 TO GET YOUR AD IN THE NEXT ISSUE

CALL MARY COX (540) 636-7688 hcmaryads@embarqmail.com OR HORSE COUNTRY (540) 347-3141

Robert Joseph Pillion, 79, of Millwood, Virginia, died Sunday, January 12, 2014 at his residence. Mr. Pillion was born July 23, 1934 in Rose Hill, Virginia, son of the late White Ray Pillion and Sallie Emma Pauley Robert Joseph Pillion. Pillion.

Photo courtesy of the family.

He was a horseman for Shan Hill Farm in Millwood; a member of Blue Ridge Hunt; a ring master with Upperville Colt & Horse Show for 40 years; inducted into the Virginia Horseman Association Hall of Fame; and whipped in for Virginia’s Blue Ridge Hunt from 1966 until his retirement.

He married Iona Ferguson Pillion on March 13, 1970 in Boyce, Virginia.

click of your mouse.

Just go to www.issuu.com/horsecountrypost to read the current and past issues. It’s the same informative, entertaining content presented in a more colorful online format, and with hotlinks to our advertisers and other sites of interest.

Hall of Fame Member

Robert Powell Dedicated horseman Robert “Bob” Powell, 82, of Middleburg, passed away January 11, 2014, at Reston Hospital Center following a brief illness. Born Oct. 18, 1931, he grew up in Alexandria.

A lifelong dedication Robert Powell (far right), to the Thoroughbred judging the Virginia Futurity.

VTA photo. equestrian community took Mr. Powell and his family to many places throughout his life. He began his journey following high school when he came to Middleburg and worked for Mrs. A. C. Randolph. He then worked for Waverly Farm in Warrenton. He also worked for Arthur Godfrey in Leesburg and Bobby and Sallie Motch at Coleswood Farm in Charlottesville.

Afterward, he worked for equine sales company Fasig-Tipton, inspecting horses in many areas throughout the country.

Years later, he worked for Mike and Florence Rutherford at Manchester Farm in Lexington, Kentucky. In 1992, he returned to Middleburg to work for Herman and Monica Greenberg at Rutledge Farm.

In 2008, Mr. Powell was inducted into the National Horseshow Association’s Hall of Fame. His great work ethic, determination, dedication, and loyalty to what he loved afforded him the ability to work at Rutledge Farm until the time of his passing.

IN & AROUND HORSE COUNTRY • FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

24

ACROSS THE POND

A Triple Joint Meet, Winter Hound Show, & Boxing Day Hunt

By Jim Meads

Champion Hill Hound Tivyside “Arfon” shown by Huntsman Huw Green.

Reserve Champion Welsh Hound Cwrt-Y-Cadno “Bailiff” shown by Huntsman Cliff Williams.

The Banwen Miners took 1st & 2nd place in the class for Couples of English Hounds.

Champion Welsh Hound and Supreme Champion Towy & Cothi “Brychan” shown by Meinir Evans.

Champion English Hound Banwen Miners “Message” shown

by Peter Astle, MFH and Huntsman; and Nia Godsmark, MFH.

Triple joint meets are always popular, and Mid-Wales experienced one recently, [November, 2013] when the David Davies, Llanwrthwl, and Ullswater packs joined forces for a fun day in a very isolated area of forestry and mountain moorland inhabited by sheep. At the meet were 45 four-wheel drive vehicles, 28 quad bikes, and around 100 followers, while the three huntsmen – Steve Bradley, Mark Jones, and John Harrison (ex-Toronto & North York) – had each brought along 20 couple of hounds. However, as well as lots of water and mud, the clouds were down and visibility too bad for hunting to begin. After an hour, things improved slightly, and it was decided to “go for it!” Soon hounds and huntsmen could only be seen as ghostly shapes in the low clouds, but as soon as the pack picked up a scent, they vanished.

A good hunt ensued, but virtually none of us followers saw anything, although we all became soaked as torrential rain fell for the rest of this frustrating day.

The final foxhound show of 2013 was held as part of the Welsh Winter Fair, which attracted 15,000 people to the Royal Welsh Showground. There were classes for Welsh, English, and Hill hounds, with good entries despite the problems with the dreaded kennel cough.

Richard Williams, MFH, sorted the Welsh hounds, with the Towi & Cothi sweeping the board, winning four classes, and the Cwrt-y-Cadno taking the 5th. The Champion was the unentered dog, Towi & Cothi “Brychan.” English hounds were judged by Dylan Evans, with three packs taking the honors. The Llandeilo Farmers won both Unentered classes, with litter brother and sister “Gadsby” and “Garlic”; the Tredegar Farmers took the older dogs, while the Banwen Miners scored in the Entered Bitches with “Message” and in the Couples. The icing on the cake for the Banwen Miners came when “Message” was awarded the English Championship, the first in this pack’s 51 year history! The Hill hounds were dominated by the Tivyside, with their top dog “Arfon” taking the Championship.

Boxing Day was very frosty in the Teme Valley Hunt country, with sheet ice, which made driving very dangerous, but I made it in one piece despite finding two inches of snow on the highest part of the mountain.

Soon a large crowd of well-wishers had gathered at the meet site in Knighton, and a cheer greeted young huntsman David Savage as he arrived with 20 couple of Welsh and College Valley type Fell hounds. David’s father Roy hunted this pack for 34 years and now the next generation of the Savage family was at the meet, in the person of one-year-old Poppy, on a pony, with mother Tania. With snacks and drinks handed ’round, Joint Master Tim Gunning thanked everyone for coming to this Boxing Day meet, as had thousands of people all over the UK, where some 300 packs held meets.

Then David led the pack away to draw, followed by 38 horses and ponies, with their riders ready to enjoy a fun day of mounted sport in lovely countryside, Teme Valley Boxing Day 2013 Huntsman David Savage’s young in a traditional mandaughter Poppy with mom Tania. ner.

Three Hunts Joint Meet, November 2013 Peter Wybergh, MFH, Cumberland Farmers Hunt (center) with Zara Davies, Amy Evans, Emma Edgar, Carys Jones.

Three Hunts Joint Meet - The Three Huntsmen Steve Bradley, David Davies; Mark Jones, Llanwrthwl; John Harrison, Ullswater.

Teme Valley Hunt - Boxing Day 2013 At the meet in Knighton are John Naughton; Paul Segrott, ex-MFH; Tim Gunning, joint master.

The Field in Knighton High Street.

HUNT MEETS

Betsy Burke Parker Photos

Aiken Hounds (SC) member Gerry O’Beirne (on the gray) leads the field past the Aiken Horse Show grounds on a January Monday.

Windy Hollow Hunt (NY) members Dale (left) and Dorrie Roberts enjoy a hack through the storied Hitchcock Woods in downtown Aiken, S.C. during a winter foxhunting trip.

Green Creek Hounds (NC) Huntsman Tot Goodwin blows his Crossbred pack — chiefly July hounds — to draw near The Vineyard fixture east of Tryon.

The Aiken hounds, a Penn-Marydel drag pack, head to covert through Memorial Gate with Huntsman Katherine Gunter and whips Gina Salatino and Ann Mitchell.

Aiken Joint-Master Linda McLean (right) and Virginia visitor Karl McMillan follow a line laid along the picturesque “Cathedral Aisle.”