Goldens Bridge Hounds Exceed the Challenges of Opening Day

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David Feureisen, MFH

The Goldens Bridge Hounds of North Salem, New York opened its eighty-ninth formal season on Saturday, October 5, 2013. By any measure, this was an opening day to remember.
As all sporting people know, Mother Nature may sometimes set a challenging stage. By New York standards, this early October morning could only be described as balmy. The humidity hovered at over 85%. The temperature exceeded 60 degrees at 7:30 a.m. and was quickly rising. To add to the challenge, the ground was bone dry since there had been virtually no rain for nearly two weeks.

South Creek Foxhounds in Hot Pursuit

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Dana Coberly

Katie Hayes photoFor those of you interested in stats (you know who you are) we are at 75% of hunts with runs so far! That is an amazing accomplishment considering that most of our hunt country is under water. This stat includes today's longest run of the season- 65 minutes!

After casting in the northern part of the property, the hounds were near the gates in the middle of Wyndfields when they took off full cry running from covert to covert headed southeast. They then made a turn to the west and made a big circle all the way to the Smith Road gate, circling north through the palmettos, and back through the middle gate where the pack split for a time.

New Englanders' Teamwork Shines at Hunter Trials

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Elaine Ittleman

Terry Holmes photoThe New England Hunter Trials were the topic of discussion at our annual meeting in 2011. The late Donald Little MFH for Myopia, was there and he said,” Elaine I think Green Mountain ought to take this on. You have beautiful territory and this is not the Myopia /Norfolk Hunter Trials”. He was referring to the fact that these two Hunts had taken on hosting most of the Hunter Trials for New England in the past. My new Joint Master Terry Hook (stressing the word new), not knowing what was involved, looked and me and said something like “I think we can do that”. Immediate agreement with the group followed and it was a done deal.

Gone Away With the Wind and Belle Meade Hunt

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Barbara Smith

Barbara Smith photoThere are perhaps six or seven American hunts that I might compare to the seven mountain peaks that world-class mountain climbers aspire to conquer. These hunts share a reputation for big fences or very fast chases behind coyote, or a hunting style that is demanding and requires a certain level of excellent horsemanship as well as athletic, fit horses. I would put Green Spring Valley Hunt and Elkridge–Harford Hunt of Maryland, Mr. Stewart’s Cheshire Hounds in Pennsylvania, Piedmont Fox Hounds in Virginia with its big stone walls, as well as Lynn Lloyd’s Red Rock Hounds in Nevada in this group. And, without a doubt, I think the Belle Meade Hunt in Georgia now goes to the top of my list.

Professional Development Program Hits the Road

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Melody Fleckstein

Woodbrook Hunt Club hosted a great educational weekend put on by Col. Dennis Foster, Executive Director and author of “Whipper In”; Andrew Barclay, a 27-year professional huntsman and author of “Letters to a Young Huntsman” and Tony Leahy, MFH and huntsman of his own hunt. Leahy and Barclay run the Professional  Development Program for the MFHA Foundation. The purpose of the seminar was to see if the MFHA can go out to individual hunts and help them in any way. We can report they are up to the task and was a wonderful experience for all, from the youngest pony clubber to the most experienced staff!