ODE TO PMDS • FOLLOWING SURTEES • UNUSUAL FIELD HUNTERS
THE MAGAZINE OF MOUNTED FOXHUNTING
WINTER 2018 • $5.00
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HIDDEN TRAIL The Plains ~ Magnificent horse property in the midst of serene Virginian countryside. From Young Road, two driveways access the 107 acres of Hidden Trail Farm. The first leads to one of the finest indoor riding arenas surrounded by exquisite ride out. The second is a graceful, park-like drive which parallels a creek and then gently curves upward leading to the elegant manor home. $5,000,000
CLEREMONT FARM Upperville ~ The impressive, historic & award winning 1511 Acre Estate & Cattle Farm of Cleremont, offers a healthy environment for all of its inhabitants from the forest & land on the eastern slope of the Blue Ridge Mountains to the 33 verdant pastures & abundant natural water resources. Prime Piedmont Hunt territory with riding trails on the property. Residences include a historic manor house, a second manor house, the original patent house & 3 tenant houses. $19,750,000
RALLYWOOD The Plains ~ World class equestrian facility on 115 Acres in the OCH Territory. The U shaped complex encompasses an 80’x180’ lighted indoor riding arena connected by a breezeway to the 12 stall center-aisle barn and extraordinary living and entertaining quarters overlooking the outdoor ring. Additional structures include tenant houses and large heated equipment barn. $4,400,000
MUSTER LANE FARM The Plains ~ 108 gorgeous Acres, Minutes from Middleburg in prime Orange County Hunt Territory with exceptional ride-out to both wooded trails and open pasture. The Stately Manor House, with it’s grand proportions and terraces, has been host to many events including charity balls and political benefits. Additional features include: Detached 2-level fieldstone 5 -car garage with handsome office, 20’x 40’ in-ground pool with pool house. 11- stall beautifully finished center aisle stable with apartment, riding arena, two 3 - bedroom cottages, bank barn and 4-bay machine shed. $8,250,000.00
DESTINAIRE FARM Hume ~ Impeccably maintained, exquisite 118 Acre horse farm with ten fields and paddocks of 4 board fencing, gently rolling land & panoramic views of the Blue Ridge Mountains with glimpses of Skyline Drive. In addition to the stucco and stone main residence, there are guest and tenant homes, numerous barns and run-ins to house 25 horses comfortably, and an indoor dressage ring. $2,450,000
“Specializing in large land holdings”
JOHN COLES 540-270- 0094 REBECCA POSTON 540-771-7520
Offers subject to errors, omissions, change of price or withdrawal without notice. Information contained herein is deemed reliable, but is not so warranted nor is it otherwise guaranteed.
Please see our fine estates and exclusive country properties by visiting THOMAS-TALBOT.com
Page 16
Pretty is as pretty does for the Penn-Marydel.
WINTER 2018 • VOLUME 9, NUMBER 4
Features 16 SOUTHERN MIGRATION BY FRED BERRY, MFH
The Penn-Marydel is gaining favor with southern hunts.
22 JAUNTS AND JOLLITIES BY DEIRDRE HANNA
The RS Surtees Society follows the path of a celebrated hunting author.
IN EACH ISSUE: From the Executive Director p.2 From the Publisher p.4 MFHA News p.6 Last Run of the Day p.36
8
10
WHY WE HUNT Keith Gray, MFH, reflects on our sport. OTTB MAKEOVER ATTRACTS A CROWD Field hunter class breaks attendance record.
26 30
34
ART OF THE HUNT A look at “Working Like a Dog”
14
THE FIELD HUNTER Reliable foxhunters can come from unlikely backgrounds.
ASK THE HUNTSMAN Stephanie Phillips discusses hound maturation. YOUNG ENTRY The non-horsey parents’ guide to hunt-crazy kids.
GONE AWAY We remember those who moved on.
ON OUR COVER:
32
12
HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE
Rolling Rock Hunt, Ligonier, PA. Photo by JEFFREY JAMES PHOTOGRAPHY
WINTER 2018 | 1
FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Home and Abroad
I
2 | COVERTSIDE
MASTERS OF FOXHOUNDS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA www.mfha.com
OFFICERS Patrick A. Leahy, MFH • President Leslie Crosby, MFH • First Vice-President Penny Denegre, MFH • Second Vice-President Bill Haggard, MFH • Secretary-Treasurer David Twiggs • Executive Director
MFHA FOUNDATION Patrick A. Leahy, MFH • President PO Box 363, Millwood, VA 22646 (540) 955-5680
HUNT STAFF BENEFIT FOUNDATION Nancy Stahl, MFH • President PO Box 363, Millwood, VA 22646 (540) 955-5680 LIZ CALLAR
WRITE THIS FROM THE DUBLIN AIRPORT having just attended the International Union of Hunting with Hounds. We are a part of this group, along with England, Ireland, New Zealand, Canada, Belgium, France and Australia. We discussed the challenges faced by the member countries and the opportunities to learn from each other’s experiences to strengthen hunting at home and abroad. Much of the global conversation centered around issues we have also been discussing in North America, including developing training and continuing education programs for Masters and staff to be better prepared for the unique challenges that arise in our rapidly changing political and regulatory environment. One issue particularly hit home with me: the challenges of preserving our hunting land. With all the outside pressure on our hunt territories, it is absolutely vital that we respect the registered country of our neighboring hunts. Disputes and unauthorized use will always cause a home-hunt concern and can easily result in real loss of permission and a weakened position within its territory. We naturally love our home hunts — often to the point of becoming insulated to the challenges of our fellow member hunts. We are a community. We must protect and build up each other at every opportunity. I encourage you to participate in hunt weeks, joint meets and special events — wonderful opportunities to make new hunting friends while supporting the sport in a larger context. These are also great ways to showcase our sport, so organizers should invite their local representatives and legislators. These relationships can be a very tangible advantage in meeting challenges on the local and state levels. We must always continue to keep a wary eye on those that seek to limit our rights to hunt and our access to land either through being misinformed or simply malicious intent. We will continue to work with partners such as The Sportsmen’s Alliance and Equine Land
Conservation Resource to protect our hunting heritage at national and state levels. Our headquarters renovation is coming along well. We’ve targeted completion for the spring. We are planning to have grandopening celebrations in conjunction with the Virginia Foxhound Show, so it will be a special year to attend that event. Now that the season is settling in, find someone to invite out hunting. While we work on many national issues, we grow foxhunters one at a time. Every one of us should seek to be a host, guide, and mentor to a new hunter. Our sport is too wonderful to keep to ourselves. I wish each of you good hunting and a safe season and look forward to seeing you at a hunt or seminar in the near future.
COVERTSIDE EDITORIAL BOARD Leslie Crosby, MFH Penny Denegre, MFH Emily Esterson, Editor-in-Chief Patrick A. Leahy, MFH David Twiggs, Executive Director
DIRECTORS Canada • Charlotte McDonald, MFH Carolinas • Fred Berry, MFH Central • Arlene Taylor, MFH Great Plains • Dr. Luke Matranga, MFH Maryland-Delaware • John McFadden, MFH Midsouth • Eleanor Parkes, MFH Midwest • Keith Gray, MFH New England • Dr. Terence Hook, MFH New York-New Jersey • David Feureisen, MFH Northern Virginia-West Virginia • Tad Zimmerman, MFH Pacific • Terry Paine, MFH Pennsylvania • Sean Cully, MFH Rocky Mountain • Mary Ewing, MFH Southern • Mercer Fearington, MFH Virginia • Mrs. Coleman P. Perrin, MFH Western • Susan Denny Gentry, MFH At Large • Dr. John R. van Nagell, MFH At Large • Dr. G. Marvin Beeman, MFH At Large • Ed Kelly, MFH
Good hunting,
W. David Twiggs Executive Director and Keeper of the Stud Book, MFHA
COVERTSIDE (ISSN 1547-4216) is published quarterly (February, May, August, and November) by the Masters of Foxhounds Association, 675 Lime Marl Lane, Berryville, VA 22611. Periodical Postage paid at Winchester, VA 22601 and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to MFHA, PO Box 363, Millwood, VA 22646. COVERTSIDE READERS: Direct all correspondence to the same address. Tel: (540) 955-5680. Website: www.mfha.com
Enjoy the view We’ll protect you #Safety365
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FROM THE PUBLISHER
WINTER 2018 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/PUBLISHER EMILY ESTERSON publisher@covertside.net 505-553-2671
Part of the Club
O
4 | COVERTSIDE
EDITORIAL ASSOCIATE EDITOR Ashley M. Biggers ashley.biggers@gmail.com STAFF WRITER/ ECOVERTSIDE.NET EDITOR MARTHA DRUM martha@mfha.com
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS ROBERT KORNACKI
NE OF THE GREATEST JOYS I’ve experienced in the past decade has been belonging to a hunt club. I’m not a “joiner” by nature. I don’t like group tours when I travel, opting instead to wander solo. I did not belong to any academic clubs during my school years. I joined local business organizations to be supportive and for business purposes, but rarely go to meetings. As I’m sure you’ll agree, belonging to a hunt club is a totally different experience. Maybe because the population of a hunt club might be a lot of people like me — independent and adventurous — and that makes it a different kind of group experience. As the holiday season is upon us, I think a lot about my hunt friends: It’s a gift to share these early Saturday mornings with them, mornings that sometimes stretch into late afternoons around a fire, our cheeks sore from laughing. Bonding us is the galloping, the hounds, the hard work that members undertake to keep a club thriving and the care we all have for each other. This issue, we visit with Deirdre Hanna, from Hounds magazine in the United Kingdom, about a different kind of club — one dedicated to keeping the stories of hunting author and humorist R.S. Surtees alive. We explore the dedication of the non-horsey adults in the lives of hunt-loving kids, and Fred Berry, MFH, huntsman of Sedgefield, waxes poetic on the Penn-Marydel. As part of a grander club of North American foxhunters, this is your maga-
ART DIRECTOR GLENNA STOCKS production@covertside.net
zine. I need your contributions! Letters, articles, photos, ideas, anything at all that you think would make a great story in this magazine, send it to me! We consider all submissions, and are especially happy to use writing from our members. There is a wealth of talent in the foxhunting community, and I’d like to showcase it in these pages. I look forward to hearing from you. Happy Hunting,
FRED BERRY, MFH KEITH GRAY, MFH DEIRDRE HANNA
ADVERTISING AND MARKETING SALES MANAGER CHERYL MICROUTSICOS sales@covertside.net 434-664-7057 PENNSYLVANIA/MID-ATLANTIC KATHY DRESS kdress@ptd.net NORTHEAST TOM KIRLIN Tkirlin@covertside.net
Emily Esterson Editor-in-Chief/Publisher
Covertside is the official publication of the Masters of Foxhounds Association Published by E-Squared Editorial Services LLC 2329 Lakeview Rd. SW Albuquerque, NM 87105 Telephone: 505-553-2671 Web Address: www.ecovertside.net www.mfha.com
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MFHA NEWS
4 LONGTIME ARAPAHOE HUNTSMAN DR. G. MARVIN
BEEMAN, MFH, passes the horn to Steve Currey, who took over as professional huntsman. Grant Carey is now hon.
4 THE INTERNATIONAL UNION
legislation pertaining to hunting,
OF HUNTING WITH HOUNDS
and the IUHH resolved to pursue
(IUHH), formed in 2008, met in
this area more in the future. The
England September 23-28.
next meeting will occur in the
Lord Benjamin Mancroft, chair-
United States in the fall of 2019.
man of the British MFHA, and
whipper-in. (Pictured L-R: Grant Carey, Ken Slyziuk, Marvin
Tim Easby, executive director,
4 TWO CANADIAN HUNTS
Beeman, Steve Currey, Marshall Younglund, and Cary Meyer)
organized the meeting for eight
RECENTLY MARKED NOTABLE
member countries’ representa-
anniversaries. Toronto and North
tives. Each gave an update on
York Hunt, out of Mulmur, Ontar-
hunting and animal rights in
io, marked its 175th anniversary.
their countries, while Col. Dennis
Founders launched the Toronto
Foster provided information on
hunt on May 15, 1843, making it
animal rights strategies and or-
one of the longest continuously
ganizations from an international
running hunt clubs in North
perspective. Jim Barrington, of
America. It shares that accolade
the Countryside Alliance, a British
with the London Hunt, which
organization that promotes rural
also celebrated its 175th anniver-
issues such as farming, hunting,
sary this year. That club’s origins
and land conservation, reported
date to May 9, 1843, when a
on the work the alliance is doing
military steeplechase illustrated
in schools and universities to
local interest in equestrian
educate the public on hunting is-
sports, including foxhunting. The
sues. Members pinpointed social
London Hunt club later formally
media as a key way to generate
organized and established ken-
public support for issues and
nels in 1885.
ZINA BALASH
first whipper-in. Cary Meyer remains the club’s professional
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Good Winds Farm
Call COURTNEY CONGER at 803.645.3308 . $1,100,000
Remarkable equestrian property includes 29.54 acres of board fenced fields and woods. Custom built residence encompasses over 5,000 square feet with covered porches, heart pine floors, state of the art kitchen, spacious great room with fireplace. Cypress paneled sunroom overlooks salt water pool and board fenced pastures. There are 4 bedrooms, each with bath ensuite. For horses there is a 3-stall barn with tack room, feed room and covered wash rack. Two run in sheds with access to miles of protected riding trails. Separate “barn” studio/office with full bath and attached workshop, plus 40 X 22 equipment shed.
Steeplechase Cottage . $1,599,000
Call THOMAS BOSSARD at 803.640.2845
Beautiful 3-acre parcel in Aiken's historic downtown Horse District has magnificent views of the steeplechase track and horse show grounds. The 3458 square foot main residence has open floor plan that includes 4 bedrooms and 3 full baths. Kitchen boasts top of the line appliances, and gracious screened porch overlooks salt water pool. Charming guest house has 2 bedrooms and 2 baths, and both properties are fenced for pets.
Field View Cottage
Call BARB USKUP at 803.295.3199 . $999,999
Old Buckland Barn Call COURTNEY CONGER at 803.645.3308 . $1,425,000
Historic training facility in Aiken’s downtown Horse District has spacious 2,787 square foot main residence, combining 2 original cottages with central great room. Cottage is delightfully renovated with wood floors, granite counter tops and all appliances. There are 2 converted race barns with 15 expanded stalls total, board fenced paddocks, grooms’ apartment, dressage arena with mirror.
King’s Ridge JANE PAGE THOMPSON 803.215.8232 . $799,000
Artfully situated to capture vibrant sunsets, this spectacular home has 5,100 square feet under roof with verandas and screened porch overlooking the sparkling pool and lake. Exceptional craftsmanship is evident in designer details in this 3 bedroom, 3.5 bath home! Includes garage with studio apartment and several barn sites on 5 acres in gated equestrian community.
C’est La Vie Farm . $550,000
COURTNEY CONGER | RANDY WOLCOTT
Located on over 60 acres of fenced fields & woods, this fully developed horse farm includes brick 3 bedroom home, 2-car garage, center aisle barn, dressage arena, 6 large paddocks, 2 run-in sheds, round pen and dog run. The custom barn has 8-10 stalls with rubber pavers, tack room/lounge with Mexican tile floors, half bath, feed room, wash stall, fly spray system, and large unfinished apartment with enclosed stairs to loft.
Handsome 3 bedroom cottage features hardwood floors, lovely kitchen with stainless appliances and granite counters, soaring stone fireplace, front and back porches all set amidst beautiful mature oaks on 115 acres of verdant grass. Gaze out your first floor master with attached bath and large walk-in closet upon your piece of paradise! For horses, established pastures are fenced and cross fenced including 6 large pastures with run-in sheds, 4 paddocks, 30 X 36 barn, round pen, storage shelter and 20+/- acres of irrigated grass. Owner is agent.
Polo Vista Stables at New Bridge Call COURTNEY CONGER 803.645.3308 . $695,400
This beautifully constructed center aisle barn on 22.47 acres overlooking polo field offers 18 large, matted stalls, wash stall, spacious tack room/lounge combo, 2 bunk rooms, laundry room and full bath. Includes 1800 square foot equipment shed and 13 board fenced paddocks. Amenities include riding trails, clubhouse and pool. May be purchased in conjunction with charming 4 bedroom cottage located across the polo field and offered at $454,000 (see right).
Woolworth House COURTNEY CONGER 803.645.3308 . $675,000
Historic Winter Colony cottage with stables in downtown Aiken just steps from Hitchcock Woods, Aiken’s 2200-acre riding reserve! Delightful 3 bedroom, 3.5 bath home, updated in recent years, features high ceilings, wood floors, fireplace, and wall of windows overlooking patio and paddocks. For horses, there is a 3-stall shed row barn.
Polo Vista at New Bridge Call COURTNEY CONGER . $454,000
Comfort and craftsmanship are the hallmarks of this delightful 2929 square foot home featuring open floor plan with cathedral ceilings, wood floors and window walls overlooking polo field. Great room with stone fireplace, custom kitchen, formal dining room, 4 bedrooms and 3 full baths. Community amenities include world class polo, tennis court, clubhouse and swimming pool.
Three Runs Plantation COURTNEY CONGER 803.645.3308 . $575,000
Aiken’s most desirable equestrian community is the setting for this delightful home on over 5 fully fenced acres. Custom home features wood floors, high ceilings and extensive millwork with formal living room with fireplace, formal dining, custom kitchen with granite, 4 bedrooms, 3.5 baths, screened porch and oversized garage. Amenities include over 30 miles of riding trails, clubhouse, fitness center and pool.
www.CarolinaHorseProperties.com . 803.648 .8660 WINTER 2018 | 7
GIVE VOICE
T
HERE IS SOMETHING
in the moment, completely consumed
ABOUT AN ANIMAL
with one thing, and reacting to an
HUNTING that transfixes
instinctual drive. I think that we experi-
most people. It’s elemental
ence this, too. It’s a big reason we hunt.
in nature. Whether it’s bears in Alaska
In the moment, we give no consid-
catching salmon out of midair, or a
eration to yesterday’s problems or
raptor silently swooping down to grab
tomorrow’s obligations. We live in the
dinner for itself or its young, witnessing
now. And that promise of psychologi-
this behavior in the wild is captivating.
cal escape draws us to the hunt in the
It involves both skill and an element
hope we can recapture that feeling.
of danger, which adds to the appeal.
A continuing series on the spiritual, emotional and practical reasons behind our captivating sport
Why We Hunt BY KEITH GRAY, MFH, MILL CREEK HUNT
whiskey road foxhounds
Although our sport is called “fox-
Think of our terriers, whose purpose
hunting,” technically it’s the hounds do-
on this earth seems to be searching
ing the hunting, and the riders are hon-
for quarry in holes — and for trouble.
ored guests into their world. A hound
Their excitement and accompanying
working a line has the same focus as
adrenalin rushes can be contagious to
that stalking cat, and hounds in full cry
humans and animals alike. (I love to
exhibit the same drive as those terriers
share the story of our barn cat jumping
that can quickly relocate eight pounds
into a racoon/terrier encounter.) How
of dirt to access a two-ounce mouse.
many of us freeze when we see a cat
It’s in their DNA, and they surely seem
moving stealthily toward the object
to enjoy it!
of its attention, completely shut off to everything else in the world? These domesticated companions are
Hunting, whether with a fishing pole, binoculars, bow, firearm, in partnership with hounds, or any other
well fed, and have no logical reason to
way, is an escape that makes us feel
hunt, yet hunt they do. They are living
incredibly alive.
Hunt Week 2019 february 6-12 aiken , south carolin a
Stirrup cups, hunt breakfasts and evening soirees hosted at some of the lovliest homes in historic Aiken. Please join us for some of the finest hunting in the South!
For additional information, please visit: whiskeyroadfoxhounds.com/huntweek Contact Barbara Nelson, MFH • wrfhhuntweek@gmail.com • (803) 443-1339 8 | COVERTSIDE
WINTER 2018 | 9
THE CLUB
Holly Zecchin and Dynomite Warrior showing their water crossing skills.
show jumping, ranch workevent-
scores for a flat class under sad-
ing, competitive trail, show hunt-
dle, a mock hunt, jumping, and an
ers, freestyle, and field hunters.
individual test. The top five then
To qualify for the Makeover, all
competed against each other
horses must have raced or trained
with a tougher test to determine
Makeover Draws a Crowd
to race and the competitors
the overall winner. Among the
have just a few months from
top finishers were several MFHA
getting them off the track
members, including Cameron
or from a rescue to com-
Sadler, MFH, and Sarah McMerty
pete. The yearly event has
of Moore County.
Field hunters come out in force with OTTBs.
The winner of each event
JUDGES:
BY LT. COL. DENNIS FOSTER (RET.) | PHOTOS BY DAVID TRAXLER
receives $5,000 and that winner goes to compete
Lt. Col. Dennis Foster, ExMFH
grown in total to about 500 horses in the competition.
against all the other winners THE RETIRED RACEHORSE
new careers. The Makeover, which
PROJECT’S THOROUGHBRED
takes place in October at the
MAKEOVER in Lexington,
Kentucky Horse Park, includes
RRP Makeover has grown expo-
Kentucky, is a great example of
10 equestrian disciplines: barrel
nentially: from 12 competitors
giving off-track Thoroughbreds
racing, dressage, freestyle, polo,
three years ago to 50 this year.
for an additional $10,000. The Field Hunter event at the
For the past several years, MFHA
OWN A PART OF THE PIEDMONT
has sponsored the Field Hunter competition, and MFHA hunts and members are well represented in the event’s organization, judging, and competition. Maggie Wright, a member of the Iroquois Hunt, worked with organizers to design the course. Iroquois Huntsman Lilla Mason, MFH, and
3500 Lillards Ford Road Madison County, Virginia This is an exceptional country estate. The home sits on 17.92 acres and boast five(possibly six) bedrooms and five and one half baths. Gourmet kitchen and plenty of room for entertaining.
her staff staged the mock hunt part of the competition, and Wright, plus Marlboro Joint Master Christy Clagett, and I judged
Maggie Wright, Iroquois Hunt Christy Clagett, Joint MFH, Marlboro Hunt TOP FIVE FINISHERS: Today’s Tom Sawyer, 2013, 16.1 gray gelding; rider Natalia Neneman Indy’s Lil Bro, 2014, 16.1, bay gelding; rider Lauren Burke Dynomite Warrior, 2013, 16.2 chestnut gelding; rider Holly Zecchin Big Feat, 2010, 16.2 chestnut gelding; rider Sara Katz Secret Bid, 2010 16.2 bay gelding; rider Cameron Sadler MFH.
the event. Competitors earned
This picturesque estate was renovated with the equestrian in mind. Facilities include a four stall Morton stable, equipment building, covered European Hotwalker and outdoor arena. Turn your horses out in multiple paddocks with Morton run-in sheds. Plenty of storage in the three car oversized garage/shop with additional carport of horse trailer storage. Too many details to list! Call for more information. $1,595,000
Cathy Inskeep Marco 540-229-3031 | cathyimarco@gmail.com 151 West Main Street Orange VA 22960
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Lilla Mason and the Iroquois hounds leading the mock hunt.
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COURTESY SUSAN GENTRY
GONE AWAY
A WESTERN FOXHUNTING PIONEER MFH, CLOUDLINE HOUNDS (1924–2018)
Rex Denny influenced the sport and the nation. BY LT. COL. DENNIS FOSTER (RET.)
director for the Western District
hounds were circling the coyote,
for six years. He was a frequent
but they were not moving in.
speaker for the MFHA January
Hardaway was encouraging
meeting’s seminars, often with
them and getting frustrated
Ben Hardaway. Hardaway would
when … all of a sudden from
talk about foxes and Denny
the back of the pack a lone
about coyote. Denny was one of
Cloudline bitch raced through
the first in our country to openly
Hardaway’s pack and took down
express his love of hunting
the coyote. Hardaway turned to
coyotes. He couldn’t see why
Denny and blurted out: “How
so many hunts, especially in the
much do you want for that
east, were fussing about hunt-
bitch?”
ing coyote. He told them to get
“Oh that one, she is mighty
over it. As coyote began to take
expensive and I’d hate to lose
over territories, it was no longer
her,” Denny said. Hardaway
an option not to hunt them.
bought her on the spot for ask-
Hunts had to learn how to hunt
ing price, not realizing Denny
the coyote, and they turned to
had a full pack of hounds that
Denny for expert advice.
would account for their quarry
When Ben Hardaway began hunting coyote, he had already
— the coyote. My first encounter with Denny
formed a friendship with Denny.
was at an October Board of
Denny invited Hardaway to
Directors meeting in Texas
Texas to hunt with him. With
hosted by a new director, Amy
Hardaway’s usual flare for show-
Adams Hunt, MFH, Kenada Fox
ing off his hounds anywhere he
Hounds. Denny was there help-
could, he showed up at Denny’s
ing as the past director for the
home in Texas with a full pack of
district. I was late getting there
hounds, horses and staff. Denny
for reasons I can’t remember
COL. REX CLARENCE DENNY
numerous awards included the
told me at the time he was a bit
whereupon Denny took me
JR., MFH, passed away peace-
Bronze Star with a Combat V
overwhelmed for his little hunt,
aside and chewed me out as
fully in his sleep on August 9,
for valor, Legion of Merit, and
but he was determined to show
only one Marine “bird” colonel
2018, in Texas.
Distinguished Service Cross. I
good sport. And that he did.
could do to an Army lieutenant
In my mind, Col. Rex Clarence Denny Jr., is “up, up and away” somewhere far above
can say he was my hero, and a hero to a lot of others, too. Born and raised in Celeste,
Up to that time Midland had
colonel. I learned to listen to
not accounted for many coyotes
him, not to cross him and that
(it was one of the reasons
sometimes the old grouch had a
us hunting his pack of hounds
Texas, he retired from the Ma-
Hardaway wanted to come hunt
soft side that showed up only if
or flying mach speed in a war
rines and hunted the Cloudline
with Cloudline). They combined
he liked you.
plane. Denny flew planes in the
hounds with his wife, Joint
the two packs. They got on a
Marine Corps, including in the
Master Marjorie (who preceded
straight-necked coyote for a hell
more to his nation and to fox-
Pacific in World War II. He flew
him in death) and their three
of a run over flat Texas coun-
hunting than most people know.
Admiral Nimitz back from the
children, son Bryce, and daugh-
try. Hardaway and Denny were
A dedicated family man who
Japanese surrender ceremony
ters Monica and Susan. Susan
riding together, and Hardaway
loved excitement and enjoyed
onto the USS Missouri. He was
Gentry, MFHA Director for the
pointed out on several occa-
life to the fullest, he foxhunted
the first graduate of the Marine
Western District, took over hunt-
sions to Denny that his hounds
like he piloted: always on the
Corps helicopter school and the
ing her father’s hounds and was
were in front during the chase.
edge. He enjoyed the challenges
first Marine to be certified to fly
a Joint Master when he stopped
While both men were not shy
life throws at us. Our nation and
fixed wing and rotary aircraft.
riding. He stayed a Master to the
giving their opinions, Denny
foxhunting have lost a great man.
He flew attack helicopters in the
end, and Susan often brought
didn’t say anything. After a
Korean War and did two tours in
the hounds by the house to visit
great run of several miles, the
the Vietnam War as commander
with Marjorie and Rex.
coyote was brought to bay. As
of a helicopter squadron. His
12 | COVERTSIDE
Denny served as an MFHA
the field caught up, Hardaway’s
Col. Rex Denny contributed
Dennis Foster is the former executive director of MFHA.
Thomas Menefee (Crispin). He
Former Master Kevin R.
is also survived by numerous
Maple provided the following
nieces, nephews, cousins and
reminiscences:
many friends. In lieu of flowers,
Bob started hunting with
please consider a donation to
Smithtown in the early 1970s.
the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s
He was awarded his colors in
Hospital at Vanderbilt, Center-
1978 by Dr. Arthur Fredericks
stone, the Vanderbilt-Ingram
and was invited to be honor-
Cancer Center, or a charity of
ary whipper-in for the 1981–82
your choice.
season. Soon after, he became Joint Master with Howard
ALBERT L. MENEFEE, III
Schare and took up the horn as huntsman. Bob hunted
MFH, CEDAR KNOB HOUNDS (1959–2018)
Smithtown’s 20 couple of hounds and pro-
ALBERT MENEFEE passed
were infectious, and made an
vided great sport for 10
away September 3, 2018, in
unforgettable impression on ev-
seasons.
Tennessee, with family and
eryone who hunted with him.
friends by his side, after
One of Bob’s and
Menefee was a keen sports-
Howard’s greatest
sustaining serious injuries in a
man and supported conserva-
achievements was the
riding accident two years ago.
tion efforts, serving on the
building of the cur-
He was raised in Williamson
board of the Tennessee Wildlife
rent kennels that now
County, Tennessee, and lived
Federation. He received its
house our beloved
most of his life near his fam-
Land Conservationist of the
hounds. Bob was
ily’s Holly Hill Farm. Menefee
Year award for his work restor-
the acting general
attended Overbrook School,
ing native habitat in Giles
contractor on the job.
Battle Ground Academy and
County. Menefee contributed
His Joint Master said
the University of Tennessee-
to the Iroquois Steeplechase
building the kennel
Knoxville, where he earned a
as a board member and
and hunting out of the
degree in business administra-
past secretary, treasurer and
hunt house in Shore-
tion. He succeeded his father as
president of the race commit-
ham, New York, was
president of Menefee Crushed
tee. He also volunteered at
the highlight of their
Stone and held that position
Centerstone Military Services in
until 1998.
support of wounded veterans,
In addition to being a
the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer
devoted husband and father,
Center, Williamson Medical
Menefee was passionate about
Center, Boys and Girls Club, the
animals, the outdoors and
Boy Scouts of America, Monroe
working on his farm. A skilled
Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at
rider, he relished the traditions
Vanderbilt, and other charities.
and challenges of foxhunting,
He is survived by his wife,
ROBERT A. MOELLER
EX-MFH, SMITHTOWN HUNT (1935–2018)
time together. Howard said, “Bob was like John Wayne; he didn’t say much. He didn’t like the spotlight, but he worked very hard, and he loved the hounds. He always had all the big equipment and
ROBERT MOELLER, 82, passed
telephone poles readily avail-
away at the Kanas Center
able to build jumps and get the
which he enjoyed as a whipper-
Theresa Stewart Menefee;
for Hospice Care in Quiogue,
job done, like all the drag lines
in and then Master at Hillsboro
children Albert Leo Menefee
New York, on August 11, 2018.
we built together — he was a
Hounds (Tennessee). Later,
IV, Hannah Menefee Dudney
Predeceased by a son, he
straight arrow.”
he established his own pack,
(Nathan), and Benjamin Potter
leaves his wife, Patricia, three
Cedar Knob Hounds, which
Menefee; step-children Eliza-
children, including Cindy Bene-
exhibited hounds at Belmont
hunted the territory around
beth Brodnax Shanahan (Peter)
detto, also a former Master at
Park, Westhampton’s annual
his family farm. He loved the
and Phillip Brodnax; aunt Mar-
Smithtown Hunt, and many
St. Patrick’s Day parade, in the
call and echo of horn and
garet Menefee Gillum; sisters
grandchildren and great-
Grand Prix ring at the Hampton
hounds across the hollows of
Rabbi Ruth Valere Adar (Linda
grandchildren. He served as
Classic among other events. His
his beloved middle Tennes-
Burnett), Marianne Menefee
Master and huntsman at Smith-
former wife, Jackie Bittner, ex-
see country. His generosity
Byrd (Andrew), Eleanor Mene-
town Hunt on Long Island for
MFH, said, “Bob blew a beautiful
and enthusiasm for the sport
fee Parkes, and brother John
a decade.
horn!”—MARTHA DRUM
As Master and huntsman, Bob
WINTER 2018 | 13
THE FIELD HUNTER
Saddlebred Madison Valley, now 22, carries Barb Chase in the hunt
SOLANGE ELLIS
field four days a week.
Handsome Is as Handsome Does A reliable foxhunter comes from an unlikely background. BY MARTHA DRUM
When a preteen girl began showing an American Saddlebred in Ohio, no one would have predicted that two decades later, both horse and rider would be seasoned experts bringing newcomers to the hunt field.
M
ANY RIDERS HAVE FOUND successful hunt horses in the show ring, but it’s less common for that ring to be the flashy and raucous arena of saddle seat equitation. When Solange Ellis turned 12, her parents purchased a young chestnut mare, Madison Valley, for her to compete in the park and gaited disciplines in central Ohio. Madison is a granddaughter of Supreme Sultan, the influential American
14 | COVERTSIDE
Saddlebred sire who is buried beneath his life-sized sculpture at the Kentucky Horse Park. “She has what they call a ‘tea cup muzzle,’” explains Ellis, “which means she was expected to be a nice ladies’ horse.” Despite this promising pedigree, the mare never developed the requisite knee action to be competitive on the saddle horse circuit. Ellis, meanwhile, had started learning to jump, and she decided to try the smooth-cantering Madison over a few fenc-
es for fun. The mare proved to be a fantastic jumper, and when the opportunity to go out with Chagrin Valley Hunt (Ohio) arose, Ellis decided to give her unorthodox mount a try. It was a successful day, although fellow field members raised eyebrows. “That first hunt, we were waiting for the hounds to start off, and being a Saddlebred, Madison parked out,” Ellis says. “An older gentleman on a large, heavy hunter rode up to me and said, ‘Little Miss, your horse is going to pee — stand up!’ I replied, “Big Sir, my mare is a Saddlebred, and she’s parked out!” The pair clicked in the field, and hunted together for ten years. Ellis is now a professional trainer at her Horsehaven Stables in Hinckley, Ohio, and introduces many students to foxhunting. Madison, now 22, carried several seasons of juniors in both first and second flight at Chagrin Valley. The mare continues to enjoy an active life with septuagenarian owner Barbra Chase, who takes her hunting or trail riding four days a week. Today, Ellis’ string includes several Saddlebreds. While their showy posture and conformation (those ears!) set them apart from the more traditional Thoroughbreds, Quarter Horses, and draft crosses, Ellis appreciates their strengths in the field. “The thing that always stuck out in my mind about hunting Madison, and all my other Saddlebreds, is that she’s very surefooted and incredibly nimble. She’s not downhill at all. They have higher front ends, never trip, and cross the toughest terrain with incredible ease and grace.” She laughs that no one believes she hunts and jumps a Saddlebred, even though she and Madison have lived and worked together for 21 years. The mare she first rode in a bright shadbelly as a preteen in the show ring continues to carry her new owner safely across country. “She’s always been sound and healthy — she’s just so reliable.” EDITOR’S NOTE: Do you have a field hunter with a unique back story? Contact Covertside and tell us about your horse. editor@covertside.net
MASTER’S DINNER, ANNUAL MEETING AND MASTERS’ BALL IN
We invite you
New York
to join us in New York for the 2019 MFHA Annual Meeting and fes-
January 24 & 25, 2019
tivities, beginning on Thursday evening with the Masters Dinner, the Annual Meeting and Friday evening’s not-to-be-missed Ball. New Masters will also benefit from a special seminar focusing on their concerns and responsibilities; Marty Wood, MFH Live Oak Hounds, will address this group. And as always, the Ball at the Pierre Grand Ballroom will be a high-energy conclusion to the business meetings. Make plans now to reserve rooms at the best rate!
THE UNION CLUB will again host the Masters’ Dinner and Annual Meeting, while the elegant PIERRE
HOTEL once more hosts the New Masters’ lunch and seminar, and Friday evening’s ball.
JANUARY 24
JANUARY 25
TO MAKE RESERVATIONS
12:00 P.M. NEW MASTERS’ LUNCH & SEMINAR (invitations will be sent to new Masters)
9:00 A.M. ANNUAL MEMBERS MEETING/SEMINAR
Where: The Pierre
Where: The Union Club
Details: A chance for new Masters to meet
Details: Cocktail reception immediately
the MFHA Board of Directors. Seminar will
following. Must be a current
begin immediately following lunch and
subscribing member to attend
will be led by past MFHA President Marty
(jacket and tie required)
Wood, MFH Live Oak Hounds.
Keynote Speaker: TBD
7:00 P.M. MASTERS’ DINNER
7:00 P.M. MASTERS’ BALL
Cocktails at 7 p.m., Dinner at 8 p.m.
Cocktails at 7 p.m., Dinner at 8 p.m.
Where: The Union Club*
Where: The Piere
Cost: $275/pp
Cost: $275/pp
Details: Masters and ex-Masters only
Details: Must be a current subscribing
(through January
18th),
please call (540) 955-5680
The Pierre ROOM BLOCKS ARE RESERVED AT THE PIERRE (800) 743-7734 $390/night - standard $450/night - city view Reserve your room by December 9, 2018 To receive MFHA discounted rate, reservations must be made directly with The Pierre, not through a travel agent.
*Jacket & tie required, jeans not permitted at The Union Club. No cell phone/tablets/ cameras are allowed.
member to attend For more information: Please contact Yolanda Knowlton at (914) 393-9916 or the MFHA Office at 540-955-5680.
ATTIRE Meetings - jacket and tie Master’s Dinner - formal, men in scarlet; women in black or white. Masters’ Ball - formal, (men in scarlet or tux) white or black gowns are traditional.
For additional information visit WWW.MFHA.COM WINTER 2018 | 15
THE OFT-MALIGNED PENN-MARYDEL HAS GAINED FAVOR IN THE SOUTH.
Southern Migration
KEMPER EMLEN
BY FRED BERRY, MFH
16 | COVERTSIDE
Doc Addis is possibly the Penn-Marydel’s most staunch advocate.
WINTER 2018 | 17
Huh? They are ugly, shy, and slow; they dwell, and the people are snobs. “But, Garry, those hounds are hideous looking!” said Irmgard Hill, MFH of the Rougemont, North Carolina–based Red Mountain Foxhounds, at the proposition their club bring on Penn-Marydels. It was 2001 and they were considering hiring David Raley as huntsman. Raley was a Penn-Marydel man, and if he was going to be their huntsman, he was bringing those hounds. They took the gamble. 18 | COVERTSIDE
Among the skeptics was the revered Fred Cockerill, an Englishman who was Red Mountain’s first huntsman, who now followed the hunt in his truck. However, after the hunt had PMDs for several years, Cockerill asked Garry Riggs, a Joint Master, if they would hunt the pack one Sunday afternoon, so some of his English friends could hear the pack’s amazing cry. “That said it all for me,” says Riggs. “These hounds fit our country, and they fit us.” Red Mountain wasn’t the first southern PMD pack, and they aren’t the last. The hound-dog looking hound used by George Washington — the father of our country
and of the American foxhound — has found love in the South. THE SOURCE
The foxhound’s name comes from where it was established: Pennsylvania, Maryland and Delaware – “Penn-Marydel,” get it? And while others are important, the southern PMD comes primarily from a small barn/kennel combination on a busy road in Chester County, Pennsylvania. It is a private, non-MFHA recognized pack, and for over 55 years Dr. Todd “Doc” Addis, DVM, has been Master and huntsman. Addis and his wife Happy live in an apartment over
KEMPER EMLEN
The PMD pack Dr. Todd “Doc” Addis, DVM, runs in Chester County, Pennsylvania — bad feet (below) and all — has shaped the packs of the South. KEMPER EMLEN
the kennel, which he runs on a shoestring. Addis is not just frugal; he is cheap. The annual cost of running his Warwick Village Hounds is a fraction of most packs — think cow innards. But Doc is generous, and he gives away hounds — great hounds that transformed the South. Other important PMD packs whose blood has gone south include Pennsylvania hunts Rose Tree–Blue Mountain Hunt, Kimberton Hunt Club, and Andrews Bridge Foxhounds, along with New York hunt Golden’s Bridge Hunt. Addis shares hounds and opinions: “It’s the cry, man, and the nose, and the tenacity. That is what is special about this hound! Looks are last, looks are last.” Addis’ hounds do have voice. One fall we hunted with him in the cornfields around his farm, and at the end of the hunt my ears were ringing. As to looks being last — well, he said it.
LAURA LINDAMOOD
THE HOUND
They are ugly, at least compared to other foxhounds. Their features are an acquired taste — they really look like hounds: long, low-set ears, long backs, beefy turned-out feet. Once I was an apprentice judge in a PennMarydel ring with an Englishman. When the first hounds walked in, he was agog over the feet. “What do I do
with these feet?” he asked. But the hounds are getting more refined. And, once in a blue moon a stunner will come along: Rose Tree Needy ’01, won the grand championship at the mother of all hound shows — the Virginia Hound Show. Jody Murtaugh, another giant in the PMD world, bred Needy. And a few years ago Golden’s Bridge Phoenix ’10 won it all at Virginia. But these are exceptions. If you want a PMD with traditional good looks, you might need to outcross into English or American bloodlines. They are sensitive. They can be shy, but all they need is love. While other hounds show off-lead and pose like movie stars, many Penn-Marydels are still shown on leashes, lest they slink away to a corner of the ring. But it doesn’t have to be that way: Like the nerdy kid in school with no personality, PMDs bloom with kindness. If they are raised with gentle attention they are happy and biddable, and sometimes outgoing. We once had a hound that loved to show off-lead. Budweiser ’08 was bred by Sandy Dunn, MFH of the Kimberton Hunt Club, and he won lots of blue ribbons. But he was probably an English hound in an earlier life. They are slow. If the scent is poor, they won’t just run, they’ll wait. “There is a myth that Penn-Marydels are slow,” says Bonnie Lingerfelt, MFH of the Tryon Hounds. “That’s a lie — when they lock onto a coyote, they run like hell.” But the hounds WINTER 2018 | 19
DO THEY FIT YOU, AND YOUR TERRITORY?
generally don’t outrun their noses. If the scent is good, they fly; if it is poor, they don’t. Sometimes that makes for slow going, but at least it’s loud. They are loud. Get earplugs. They are tenacious. They don’t give up, so once they start hunting, plan on staying a while. After several hours of running, the hounds can get “cracked-out” — mindlessly committed to a line. The only way to stop them is to get in front of them and yell. Then they raise their heads and you practically see them think, “Huh? Oh.” The people mostly aren’t snobs. “I like Penn-Marydels. It’s the people I can’t stand,” a huntsman said to me over drinks. Ouch. While my experience with PMD folks has been overwhelmingly supportive and positive, the passion some people have for the
hound approaches religious. And, back in the day there were some chips on some shoulders because the PMD was looked on as the redheaded stepchild by the MFHA. But things have changed; the Penn-Marydel has respect! Through the efforts of many people, including Dennis Foster, former executive director of the MFHA, and Cameron Sadler, MFH of the Moore County Hounds, the PMD now has its own registry in the stud book, and it has popular rings in most hound shows. If you pour some bourbon at a PMD gathering, and folks get talking about their long, loud runs, you might find a zealot or two.
Fred Berry is huntsman and MFH of Sedgefield Hunt, which has 22.5 couple of primarily Penn-Marydel hounds.
THE JOURNEY SOUTH TENNESSEE Tennessee Valley Hunt – started with PMDs around 1998 with a year-long visit from Doc and Happy Addis. Ryan Johnsey, MFH and huntsman: “The hounds will draw at the speed you want them to. They will go old-man slow, or faster if that suits you. We need Thoroughbreds to keep up with ours.” Cedar Knob Hounds – restarted in 2009 with Addis PMDs. “I think it is the voice that holds them together,” says Clare Pinney, huntsman. “If hounds get away from us on a coyote, and we have to get in the truck to look for them, they are all together when we find them.” Longreen Foxhounds – started in 1957 with PMDs from Wilbur Hubbard and Pop Ford, and they introduced Addis lines in 2004. Susan Walker, MFH and huntsman: “They are easygoing, and we don’t have many spats. Hunting, they meticulously work up last night’s line to the coyote. But it is vital to socialize the puppies when they are very young. Play with the babies!”
20 | COVERTSIDE
Mells Fox Hounds – began their conversion about four years ago. Karen Kressenberg, MFH and huntsman: “When I took over four years ago I was looking for hounds that our amateur staff could hunt in a tight country. We found that with the PMD. The voice really helps when the pack gets over a hill.”
NORTH CAROLINA Red Mountain Foxhounds – has had PMDs for 17 years. Garry Riggs, MFH: “I wanted hour-long runs, like you can get with beagles on a good day. The first year we had a few long runs, the second year we had lots. Now our people are spoiled.” Moore County Hounds – This hunt has had PMDs about 12 years with many Rose Tree lines from Jody Murtaugh. Cameron Sadler, MFH: “Our change to PMD hounds at Moore County has been a tremendous success. We had a number of factors that led us to make the change: coyotes becoming the predominant quarry, sandy ground with challenging
PMDs are not the only game in town, and the breed is still in the minority. The speed, drive, power and grace of the other hound breeds is breathtaking. “I love our Crossbred hounds; they really do something for me,” says Mason Lampton, MFH of the Midland Fox Hounds. You are cheating yourself if you don’t hunt with the top Crossbred packs in the country. Yet, those who write and lecture say that you must breed hounds to fit your country. And “country” includes a hunt’s staff and budget, as well as territory. Many hunts are finding that PMDs provide great sport with limited resources. “I have come to see that you really don’t need a lot of hounds,” says David Raley, who is now starting a PMD pack at the Green Creek Hounds in Tryon, North Carolina. “Why take 18 1/2 couple of hounds when you can have just as good sport with 12 1/2?” The hounds’ gentle nature generally makes them easy to keep. Doc Addis keeps all his hounds together, and all the hounds at the Sedgefield Hunt live together — dogs, bitches, and even 6-month-old puppies. If you haven’t hunted with a pack of Penn-Marydels, give them a try. But bring earplugs.
scenting, and the need to hear the hounds well when moving very quickly through the pine forest. They are wonderfully suited to our country and to chasing coyotes.” Lincoln Sadler, Moore County’s huntsman: “Sometimes they act like a sulled-up drunk in the corner, but when they go to work, they make a believer out of you.” Sedgefield Hunt – has had PMDs for about 14 years. Rich Weintraub, MFH: “These hounds even make Fred [Berry] look good.” Tryon Hounds – PMDs for two years. Bonnie Lingerfelt, MFH: “The PMDs are provid-
PMDs aren’t known for their beauty, but the breed’s other qualities — their nose, cry, and tenacity — have gained
LAURA LINDAMOOD
them favor with many hunts.
ing good sport, and the voice is unreal, but this is just their second year. I do miss the beauty of our American hounds.”
Penn-Marydel hounds from three packs over the last two years. We love what we have seen so far.”
Green Creek Hounds – Just starting with PMDs with their new huntsman, David Raley. Deborah Bundy, MFH: “Call me next year, but we are really excited.”
Aiken Hounds – part-PMDs about 10 years. Katherine Gunter, huntsman: “Penn-Marydels turned our pack around.”
SOUTH CAROLINA Camden Hunt – PMDs for a few years. Sue Sensor, MFH: “We have drafted eight
Wiggins Hounds – part-PMD. Tommy Gesell, huntsman: “I am breeding hounds that are about a fourth to a half PennMarydel that give me the nose, drive, biddability and looks that we like.”
GEORGIA Shakerag Hounds – Mainly PMDs for a long time. John Eaton, huntsman: “The hounds are shy, and if you look at one wrong it might crap itself, so you have to be quiet with them. But they are wonderfully biddable. It is a thing of beauty to watch them work up a line.”
WINTER 2018 | 21
Chillingham Castle is a popular venue for the Surtees Society.
22 | COVERTSIDE
JAUNTS and Jollities Riders follow the path of the celebrated RS Surtees, hunting author. BY DEIRDRE HANNA
T
ILLUSTRATIONS BY ROSEMARY COATES
HERE IS NOTHING SO MUCH FUN as reading a good book — except perhaps for re-enacting the “jaunts and jollities” of a good book, as the late author Robert S. Surtees so aptly put it. So this is just what the Surtees Society members do. Each year they go to a location in the United Kingdom (often one which Surtees
wrote about in his books), go hunting, then dine on goose and dumplings, following the tradition started by Jorrocks, Surtees’ unforgettable huntsman. Named for the late Robert Smith Surtees, the Surtees Society (different from the Surtees Society founded in 1834) promotes the author’s works and republishes them, as well as arranges meetings and events in his honor. Surtees authored such notable titles as “Jorrocks’ Jaunts and Jollities” and “Handley Cross” as well as others devoted to frolicking hunting adventures — must-reads for any foxhunter. At the end of the winter, the society enjoys a weekend away, called the Northern Trip, staying in castles, dining in ruins, and going hunting. Chillingham Castle, a very popular venue, is a medieval defensive fortress near Coldstream in Northumberland, in the northeast of England. It is well known for its ghosts and ghost tours.
WINTER 2018 | 23
NEAR CHILLINGHAM CASTLE IS HAMSTERLEY HALL, SURTEES’ HOME. The first time the society went there, the Hall was in ruins and it was a case of “enter ye who dare.” With broken beams creaking overhead and floors crumbling below, the Society took out special injury insurance so members could lunch in the ruins. The following year, thanks to the kindness of Steven and Holly Spry, the present owners, the Society held a lawn meet in the front of the house, while the uproar of major construction work to fix the structure continued in the background. One dinner was held in the 11th century Vicar’s Hall, in Wells. Lord Cope, a member of the society for many years, spoke memorably, concluding his speech
24 | COVERTSIDE
with a famous Surtees quote, the original of which is: “Hunting is the image of war without the guilt and five and twenty percent of the danger.” Lord Cope updated the quote in a manner that would surely have pleased Surtees were he here today. Lord Cope remarked that reading one of Surtees’ books is “the image of hunting without the expense and five and twenty percent of the effort!” One recent meeting place was Cat and Custard Pot. This pub has a chapter of its own in “Handley Cross.” The Society was invited to hunt with the Duke of Beaufort’s hounds. Here too, with the Beaufort, there is a close association with Surtees’ book “Town and Country Papers,” in which the hunt (hounds, horses and all) are pictured swimming across the River Avon in 1835. Jorrocks, wrote that, “by reason of frost,
hounds did not leave the kennel until a little after the appointed hour.” Extraordinarily enough, on this day in March 2018, the Beaufort were again delayed in leaving the meet because of frost! Nobody can recall Surtees’ characters better than Rob Williams, RS Surtees Society chairman, who says they are often aptly named. For instance in “Mr. Sponge’s Sporting Tour,” Soapy Sponge is a “sponger” and Mr. Puffington is described as “a plump, portly sort of personage, filling his smart clothes uncommonly full.” In the same book, Mr. Buckram were described as being of a very shady order. “Dirty-shirted, sloggering, baggybreeched, slangey-gaitered fellows, with the word ‘gin’ indelibly imprinted on their faces.” In another book, Sir Harry Scattercash is a Master, and we all know how far and wide a Master has to scatter his cash.
The Beaufort bitch Goodness relaxing. Opposite page: Surtees’ former home, Hamsterly Hall, has become one of the society’s meeting locations. This page: “Handley Cross” is required reading. The society restored Surtees’ headstone at Ebbchester.
Farmers are called Lumpleg, Sneakington, Roughfold, and Grumbleton and lastly there are the “dirtiest of the Dirties.” For newcomers to the Society these books are, of course, required reading. Presently the most popular books seem to be Mr. Sponge’s Sporting Tour and Mr. Facey Romford’s Hounds. Apart from reproducing Surtees books, the Society has looked after Surtees’ grave. Williams found when visiting the graveyard where Surtees was buried that the marble headstone was face down in a patch of brambles. The headstone was put back on its plinth and cleaned. This revealed its original dazzling marble. So, for those who feel that the “hellfor-leather pace” described here might merit crossing the pond for the next annual excursion, which is usually in February–March, email support@rssurtees. com. Horses can be hired locally for the hunting day. The sheer fun to be had, for those who gallop through these weekends, will be remembered for the rest of our lives.
. ROSEMARY COATES has drawn the delightful pictures that accompany this article. Her most recent work, an illustrated guide to horse racing terms, was published by Merlin Unwin Books in September 2018.
Deirdre Hanna writes for Hounds Magazine in the United Kingdom.
WINTER 2018 | 25
holiday picks EDITORS’
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TRAUMA VOID™’S EQ3™ HELMET
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This new helmet is designed with MIPS technology, which has been used in bike, motor and snow helmets for years. The Trauma Void’s EQ3 helmet is designed for comfort, style and affordability. It features a removable and washable Coolmax® lining and great ventilation. This helmet carries a ASTM-SEI certification as well. Available in Microfiber and Smooth Shell and is offered in black, blue and brown. Available for purchase through Back on Track. $249 www.backontrackproducts.com
Inukshuk Professional Dog Food is guaranteed to deliver the highest energy available to support the performance requirements of dogs in the field. With proven results in the harsh sled dog races in Alaska and beyond, Inukshuk formulas are designed to sustain proper weight, nutrition and coat health regardless of any environment. The low carb, nutrient dense Inukshuk diets possess a very high digestibility ratio, which is key to optimal sanitary kennel requirements. Inukshuk Professional Dog Food is manufactured in a human
grade production facility and is delivered fresh in bulk quantities across the continental US and Canada. A team of specialists is also available for advice on any nutrition and performance topics related to kennel feeding management. www.inukshukpro.com
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EDITORS’
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ASK THE HUNTSMAN
Puppy Love
Stephanie Phillips of Rocky Fork Headley Hunt discusses hound maturation and enduring love.
R
Stephanie Phillips sometimes carries the horn for Rocky Fork Headley Hunt.
OCKY FORK HEADLEY HUNT’S (OHIO) Stephanie Phillips serves as honorary huntsman, with Joint Masters Sharon S. Chappelear and Sally Crane Cox, sometimes carrying the horn as well. Phillips spoke with us about the enduring lure and love of the hounds.
Covertside: Is there one moment with hounds that stands out as particularly memorable?
Covertside: Can you give an example of how a huntsman continues to learn from the pack?
30 | COVERTSIDE
JOHN KEAN
Phillips: I was helping out with the newest litter of puppies one year and had gone to their pen to visit with them. I was quickly encompassed by the effusive greeting of a mass of wriggling puppies speaking up for attention in a still-squeaky, high-pitched yippy way. All of a sudden, one of them pushed to the outskirts of the huddle, tilted her head back and boomed out an “ooooo” in a voice way bigger than she was. Everything stopped for a moment and all heads turned toward her. She looked around as well, not entirely sure where that voice had come from. Needless to say, it was very funny and her voice, to this day, is distinctive to my ear no matter if out hunting or in the kennel.
Phillips: Earlier this season, I watched as the pack feathered into excellent covert and were working diligently. One hound — a 3-year-old bitch that last year constantly larked forward of the pack with charisma enough to draw others with her — had nose to the ground, in the thick of the pack, and began to wave her stern in earnest. When she voiced, it was loud and insistent, and the entire pack whipped around to honor her. Hounds singing, they smoked after her with the fields following hard behind. Although the field missed the view, a whipper-in riding at the edge of the fixture watched a coyote fly across the road, with the entire pack less than 15 seconds behind. Unfortunately, hounds went on another two miles which was out of our territory. While we caught our breath and blew the hounds back to us, I had some time to reflect. I ultimately grasped that not judging this hound entirely on her frustrating behavior last season, and bringing her out again this year after more schooling and maturation, may account for RFHH cultivating a new strike hound, instead of culling a disobedient one.
Covertside: What do you wish more members of the field knew about hounds? Phillips:
Because I have so entirely delighted in working with the hounds, I always wish that more of our members would take advantage of the time spent walking the hounds, both mounted and in hand. It is a joy to watch (and help) the puppies discover their vocation and witness their maturation from awkward and slightly overwhelmed young entry into a cohesive hunting pack. This year, in light of the number of young hounds we are introducing into the hunt field, we designated our Wednesday hunts
during the informal season as “puppy hunts.” The youngsters were taken through the fixtures at a slower pace and allowed to absorb the new environment without the added exuberance of the full pack. Members that rode out on a Wednesday contributed to this important introduction by taking special care with their horses and voices — quietly following the lead of the huntsman and whippers-in. The second and third field riders, in turn, were also accorded an “up close and personal” view of the hounds that sometimes is often impossible during a normal hunting day. —Martha Drum
OUR FUTURE
National Headquarters Dear Friends and Supporters, The Masters of Foxhounds Association is entering an exciting new era, building a legacy for the future. The new headquarters and museum will be a symbol of our historic traditions and commitment to hunting’s future. It will be a platform to educate the public about our rich history, expound the values of hunting and rural tradition, and grow our sport. There are many ways for you to be part of this legacy and your donations are tax deductible. Patrick Anthony Leahy MFHA President
THE M F H A RE PR E S E N T S F OX H UN T IN G F O R AL L O F US! Whether you give $5 or $5,000, you can be a part of our new headquarters, building on our mission to Promote, Preserve, and Protect mounted foxhunting for future generations! SUPPORTER:
BENEFACTOR:
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will have the opportunity to sponsor and name rooms and areas while available. To see the full list of giving opportunities and appreciation go to www.mfha.com or call 540-955-5680 to donate.
Send your tax deductible donation to:
MFHA Foundation, P. O. Box 363, Millwood, VA 22646 Or online at: www.mfha.com Please make the notation “Headquarters Fund” on your check.
LIZ CALLAR
CLAIRE TIMM
YOUNG ENTRY
The Non-Horsey Parents’ Guide to Hunt-Crazy Kids
Parents share the challenges and rewards of supporting their youngsters’ passion. BY MARTHA DRUM
A
TTRACTING MORE juniors to the field is a top priority for many hunts and connecting with their parents is a critical first step. But adults who have never sat on a horse may feel trepidation about the variables of the hunt field: speed, terrain, large groups. We spoke with several non-horsey parents about getting kids into the hunt field. Michael and Jessica Sacco, whose children Gabbie and Gavin hunt with Live Oak Hounds (Florida), recall the youngsters’ early devotion to the less glamorous side of hunting. “Both of our kids have the normal attention span of a child: zero,” says Sacco. “When my wife and I saw their dedication to work days at the kennels, the desire to autumn hunt with staff in the Florida heat, and the willingness to help with hounds, we knew that this was something that they loved.” 32 | COVERTSIDE
Henry Nylen, of New MarketMiddletown Valley Hounds (Maryland), impressed his mother, Jo, with his commitment at a similarly young age. “Everyone around us said that boys don’t last long, they usually move on to another sport. At age 11, however, when he let us know that Huntsman Alasdair Storer had named Henry the kennel lad, and that he was to be dropped off at 6 a.m. every morning of his summer to pick litter, wash down, tend to hounds and walk-out, we were beginning to understand.” Katharine Byron, Joint Master at Newmarket-Middletown Valley, says the entire hunt community helps young riders whose parents are unfamiliar with the logistics of equestrian sports. “If we have to come up with five different ways to make it work, we come up with five different ways, from offering trailer space
to finding suitable hunt ponies to watching one another’s kids at the hound shows.” For example, she adds, Randall Medd, a longtime member, often hauls Henry to meets. “It’s a win-win because the youngster is learning from the more experienced rider, and the parents know their child is surrounded by caring adults.” Sometimes necessity requires non-horsey parents to learn the equine ropes. Kaitlin Macias took hunter/jumper lessons at a full-service facility in North Carolina, but when the family moved to Midland, Georgia, they couldn’t find a boarding stable. Her horse ended up at home, she joined the local pony club, and they purchased their own trailer. Kaitlin hunted at pony club meets, and in college she boarded her horse at an encouraging hunt member’s home. “My classes weren’t until after lunch on Thursdays, when Midland
hunts its Alabama country, so I hooked in with her, and that’s where I learned to love it.” Every parent wants to nurture a child’s interests, but how does a non-horse person cope with perceived risks? A competent, caring coach, field master and the right mount are all important. “Pony club is very much about safety,” says Susie Duran, whose daughter Sydnee Etuk goes out with Caza Ladron (New Mexico). “The wonderful community we have here is very focused on care of both the rider and the horse, and [local pony club board member] Lisa Reader sort of ‘runs’ third field, so I knew Sydnee would be okay.” Sacco adds that he and his wife also trust the supportive group of experienced adults at Live Oak. “We were very careful about who was teaching and mentoring the kids. Probably one of the most important things that we did was
NANCY AMBROSIANO
Opposite (left to right): Henry Nylen’s passion has made him a fine hand in the saddle and the kennels. Gabbie and Gavin Sacco showed early dedication to hunting with Live Oak Hounds (Florida). Above: Sydnee Etuk transitioned from pony club hunts to junior member with Caza Ladron (New Mexico).
have contact with more seasoned hunters, people who loved the kids and would watch over not only their safety, but their attitude and manners.” These parents praise hunting’s positive impacts beyond horsemanship, such as social maturity and becoming part of a community. Explains Duran, “The members of Caza Ladron and the pony club leaders are so friendly and welcoming. They’re all good role models: down-toearth, kind, willing to help, teach, happy, and supportive. She’s still shy and introverted, but is able to look people in the eye and talk to them.” Michael Sacco also credits the greater hunt club family. “[Joint Masters] Marty and Daphne Wood have supported the kids from the start. The truelife lessons, love and respect of the land and all that lives in it, escape most people. At Live Oak Hounds it does not. The love of
animals, the love of conservancy, the care for the outdoors — these loves are learned and they stay with one forever.” Despite the financial and time commitment, all agree they would encourage other non-horsey parents to let their children hunt. “With drugs, alcohol and all the other things kids have to deal with today, this is the best place Sydnee can be,” Duran says. “She’s learning, she’s focused, and she’s surrounded by good people. She’s not afraid to get dirty and to work hard.” Nylen adds, “We have met so many outstanding people from all over the country, and beyond, who have given our son encouragement. I cannot imagine that as a family we would have met and developed more friendships with Henry doing any other sport.” Martha Drum is digital content editor for ecovertside.net and associate editor of Covertside.
WINTER 2018 | 33
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LAST RUN OF THE DAY Liz Callar
Junior Champs?
Participants in a Junior North American Field Hunter Championships qualifier at Blue Ridge Hunt’s Fox Spring Woods Farm fixture in Virginia
EDITOR’S NOTE: Do you have a photo, story or essay to share with Covertside? Send high-resolution, 300 dpi photographs or essays to editor@covertside.net, or snail mail to Covertside, 2329 Lakeview Rd. SW, Albuquerque, NM 87105 36 | COVERTSIDE