Chula Homa Opening Hunt

Chula Homa Hounds at their 40th annual opening meet Photo by Wesley Shoop

By Allison Crews

The Chula Homa Hounds hosted its 40th annual Opening Meet and Blessing of the Hounds at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Jim Crews on November 12th in Canton, Miss. Fifty riders and 300 spectators from Mississippi, Arkansas, Tennessee, Alabama, and Louisiana braved the cold, wrapping up and kicking on to make it the largest mounted fox hunting event in central Mississippi. Eight ladies rode side saddle with two being a mother and daughter duo on their mules.

Your Personal Chef of Madison, Miss. catered a fantastic breakfast while guests purchased silent auction items sponsored by Susan and Doug Williams of Kalalou.

Huntsman and Master of Foxhounds, Petra Kay, hunted 23 hounds, or “twelve and a half couple” in foxhunting terms. Father Kevin Slattery blessed the hounds, horses, and riders while Tim Gordon of Carthage serenaded all with his marvelous bagpipes. Prior to the blessing, violinist Marta Szlubowska lifted riders spirits with her gifted, albeit frozen fingers. Hounds hunted for coyote, fox, and bobcat, and found a fox right away that dashed off the property. Petra recast them and they were soon off on another gray fox in the middle of the property. That fox switched the hounds off on an unsuspecting coyote who took the hounds three miles north for more blessings from the Episcopal Diocese’s Camp Bratton Green property. Fifteen miles later, hounds and those who were able to gather them were thoroughly exhausted and very well blessed.

Riders also braved the deep and very cold “River Crossing” at Tilda Bogue. Deer, turkey, and rabbits skirted aside as horses and riders galloped among rusting cypress and the remaining splashes of shagbark hickory gold. Seven tally-ho wagons spirited guests along the property to watch the hunt and pause for another forest feast provided by membership and overseen by Florence Cooper.

Foxhunting continues to grow thanks to national efforts to encourage students and young adults to participate. Currently there are 167 organized clubs in North America and Canada, three of them hunting regularly in Mississippi.

Ashley Waldrup and her 8-year-old daughter, Rivers, rode their mules, Rye (pictured dun, molly mule, and Old Joe. A 28 yr. old sorrel john mule).

Photo by Wesley Shoop

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