Overnight the moon rose and the temperature dropped hourly to almost freezing and then, as the waning moon set, pink light appeared at the margins of this morning.  Spring has already officially begun over a week ago but it is still cold in the morning.  Today trailers parked on the kennel lawn, riders readied their horses, hounds were released from the kennel, Ivan Dowling blew his horn and the last meet of the 2012-2013 season officially got under way.

Ivan Dowling, Huntsman, discusses where he will draw hounds with Michael Dickinson, a hunt enthusiast who follows on foot. See: http://www.chronofhorse.com/article/madman-or-mad-genius

Hounds and Huntsman leave the kennels for the last time this season.

As Ivan had discussed with Michael Dickinson, hounds were led down the driveway of the kennels towards the stables and then drew across Route 82 towards the old Brooklawn Dairy.

Hounds eventually crossed over Route 842, then, following a fox, ran back towards the kennels and behind Plantation Field, site of the Three Star Three Day Event in the fall.

The fox was accounted for in the spinney above the old dressage arenas at Plantation Field and with that, two hours after leaving the kennels, the meet was over and hounds, staff and riders returned to the Kennel Lawn for a Hunt Tea graciously provided by one of the hunt members.

Huntsman Ivan Dowling, on the left, and Honorary Whipper-In Paddy Neilson, on the right.

Stephanie Boyer, Professional Whip for Cheshire.

The Millennials

Master Russell Jones on the left, Author Prue Osborne (Scarlet on Scarlet) on the right

Young members Schuyler McKenna and Chloe Hannum

Hunting ends, by law in March and – no co-incidence – by tradition, when the vixens begin to whelp their young.  The end of hunting means that the kits can’t be far behind.  Any day now they will emerge from their underground birth chambers and begin the cycle anew.

Walking the course of the Southern Pines Horse Trials II this past Friday underscored yet again the tremendous amount of preparation, and bravery,  involved for both horse and rider at the Advanced level.  These fences are not for the faint of heart, equine or human.  The humans, of course, have walked the course more than once; the horses, however, as they round each twist and turn, are seeing the course for the very first time.

7A and B, the White Trellis Boxes, come after the competitors have taken two wide turns to the right from the start, having jumped the initial Log Frame, then a trakhener, two “Hobbit Houses”, an oxer and a natural hedge at the bottom of the hill; the approach to 7A is up a hill with a tree line to the immediate right.  Shortly, as you come up the rise, 7A appears at the crest of the hill but offset to the right so that the rider has to ride past the tree line before he/she can line up to the fence only two or three strides out.  Steering is definitely required here.

7A is Skinny and Deep:

After 7A/B, the course takes a wide left turn to head downhill to a Brown Table and Stonewall.  Then comes 10A, a significant brush jump at the top of a mound, followed by a drop off to the flat ground and a corner at 10B:

Then, on to the first water complex, where the horse and rider head downhill to 11, a stiff log at the top of a bluff which appears to drop off into an abyss:

Here is what the horse sees on the approach:

…and here is what the horse sees while in the air:

Down the hill, into the water and on to the next fence at 12, which is the cascade roll in the water.

********

The second water complex entails more obstacles:  22ABCD:

Notice the tree handily dividing the approach to the first element.

Having negotiated A and B, the rider splashes through the water making a turn to the left to line up to C, a corner decorated with flowers.

And then on to 23:

Then right handed to 24, “Another Brown Table”:

This is no small table – it is tall AND it is wide.

Back out into the open, across the steeplechase track, to a Red Roll Top:

Then 26AB, the next to last.  Here is where the rider and horse face what is to me the most interesting obstacles of the day.

As you approach 26A

you have to make a slight correction to the right to line up with the interior of the tobacco barn:

After going over 26A, you line up to enter the tobacco barn:

go through the tobacco barn

and get ready to pop out the other side

and one stride later, the horse discovers there is yet another element to go over.  26B is a bending line to the right and it is a skinny.

Surprise!

So, here is what 21B looks like to the Intermediate Horse or Rider as they come through the tobacco house:

A straight line, but no less daunting.

In either case, remember the B element is invisible to the Advanced Horse until he is already inside the tobacco house and barely visible on the left to the Intermediate Horse:

Here is how some of the leading riders negotiated these fences this past weekend.

Will Faudree and Andromaque

led the Advanced division all weekend and finished first.

.

Will Faudree and Pawlow

had a great weekend too, moving from Third after Dressage to Second after Cross Country and maintaining that position through Stadium to take second overall.

Susan Beebe and Wolf

were third in the Advanced Division:

Intermediate Rider

Victoria Jessop on Desert Mystery, 1st in Intermediate Rider

Jodi Hemry on In Style, Second in Intermediate Rider

Open Intermediate – A

Caitlin Silliman on Remington XXV, 1st in Open Intermediate – A

Allison Springer on Copycat Chloe, 2nd in Open Intermediate – A

Open Intermediate – B

Allie Blyskal on Sparrow’s Nio, 1st in Open Intermediate – B

Boyd Martin on Steady Eddie, 2nd in Open Intermediate – B

Recently,  Augusta, Georgia hosted the first leg of the Mercuria NCHA (National Cutting Horse Association) World Series of Cutting. The competive event will then move through Texas, Canada, Idaho, California, Ohio and Lyon, France before the end of 2013. TheNCHA, with 16,000 members nationwide, falls somewhere between eventing (USEA) with 12,000 members and dressage (USDA) with 30,000 members so it represents a significant number of competitors nationwide although membership tends to be clustered in regions where the sport first sprang up.

“Cutting” grew out of the necessity to isolate individual members of a herd of cattle for such mundane activities as branding, castrating and vaccinating. But much like Eventing, it grew from the immediate practical use of a horse into a sport of dexterity and complexity the original ranch hands could have hardly imagined.  The rider directs his horse into a herd of cattle and moves a cow outside the group, “making the cut”, and at that point, the horse takes over.

Athleticism and Dexterity are the hallmark of the sport.  To see more photographs of the competitors and the winners, go to:

http://www.equidigital.com/Chasin-the-fox-the-line-the/Rodeos-Penning-Other/2013-Augusta-Futurity-Mercuria/27760093_PHB9fk#!i=2340308094&k=TpnQXXJ

The Lowcountry Hunt, whose territory encompasses land southeast of the South Carolina city of Walterboro – approximately half way between Charleston and Hilton Head – was formed in 2006 which places it among the newer Recognized Hunts in the United States.  That youth is  belied by the passion and ability of the field, the staff and the hounds.  Jointly led by four Masters, the chase for quarry carries over onto private plantations owned by family, friends and supporters who generously open their land to the Hunt.

This year marks my third year coming back to the Plantation Hunt Weekend.  Such is the conviviality and genuine hospitality of the Masters and the members that most hunters, having come once, return year after year for The Weekend.  Lowcountry hosted hunters this year from twelve states and even more hunts, including a large contingent from Virginia.

During The Weekend, hunt territory ranges from a plantation covered by Live Oak hardwood (1), to a farm actively logging conifers (2), to salt marsh along the Ashpoo River(3).  Quarry likewise is varied, comprising red fox, black fox, coyote and bobcat.  As can be seen from the Google Earth map below, the area is still heavily agriculturally based, characterized by green spaces with drainage to the Atlantic Ocean just below Edisto Island.

This year I was accompanied by a friend from Cheshire Hunt who made the 12 hour trip to join me in Aiken; from there we loaded up horses to head over to Walterboro.  Our horses were boarded at Airy Hall Plantation, one of the fixtures of the Hunt.  Volunteers from Lowcountry take on the herculean task of coordinating board for all of the incoming hunt horses, stashing them in barns large and small all over the territory.

The entrance to Airy Hall Plantation from Bennetts Point Road.

The allee of Live Oak trees with Spanish Moss backlit in the early afternoon of our arrival.

One of the several barns at Airy Hall.

As we travelled east towards Walterboro  a rain squall tailed us much of the way.  A welcoming trail ride was scheduled for 3:00 that afternoon but with darkening skies coming from the west, the ride lasted not more than 15 minutes before rain began to fall and thereafter became a downpour.  Riders scattered back to their respective barns and trailers, retreating to prepare for that evening’s Kick Off Party.  A Lowcountry Boil (a steamed pot of seasoned shrimp, potatoes, corn  and sausage) was preceeded by an Oyster Roast where oysters were dumped in batches on tables, replaced as fast as we could shuck and eat them.

The rain associated with a cold front brought daytime temperatures down from the 80 degrees of the day before to the mid-50′s; temperatures dropped 10 degrees an hour.  Nighttime temperature was in the 30′s.  The next day was beautiful, bright and clear with the incredible Blue Sky for which South Carolina is known.  The first day of hunting kicked off with a noon luncheon under the trees of Hayne Hall Plantation, a tract of land which has remained in the same family since it was owned by Isaac Hayne, a Revolutionary War hero who died in 1781 (http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=11769).

Hayne Hall (through Google Map service)

Lunch!

Blue Field Farm of Hayne Hall Plantation.

Masters of Lowcountry Hunt: from left to right, Nina Burke, Melinda Shambley, Christina Bates-Jones, Dr. Mark Shambley

Our host, Parker Tuten, welcomes us to Hayne Hall.

Lunch is eaten where you can find a horizontal surface. Not all Hunt Breakfasts are silver, crystal and white tablecloths.

One of the amazing attributes of Foxhunting is the development of close friendship regardless of age difference.

Prior to releasing the hounds and the commencement of the Meet, Huntsman Doug Russell meets with Whippers In to discuss where hounds will be cast.

Riders mounted prior to the 2:00 meet wait for the hounds on the hay field. Riders are dressed informally in tweeds and ratcatcher.

Hounds from three Hunts – Lowcountry, Green Creek (Tryon, NC area) and Mecklenberg (Charlotte, NC) – mingle before following the Huntsman off the field.

Huntsman Doug Russell of Lowcountry Hunt.

There are three fields of riders led by four Fieldmasters. There are two First Flights, one that jumps everything, one that picks and chooses; a Second Flight that runs but doesn’t jump; and a Third Flight that moves slowly and carefully, the ideal place for a green horse new to hunting.

Occasionally the dirt lanes are pitted with tire marks from the very large equipment used to bring the timber out. This was particularly soggy because of the heavy rains the day before.

Hounds split and the Second Flight and one group of hounds met back at the hound trailer until the remainder of the hounds could be gathered and brought back.

Whiling away the minutes waiting for the remainder of the pack to return, William Dunne, Whipper In, tosses cookies to the hounds.

When the full pack is recast, riders return to the dirt paths and, making a turn, discover a wagon carrying hilltoppers, photographers and patient spouses.

At the end of the day, Whipper In Tommy Gissell helps load hounds for the return trip to the kennels.

Food yet again at 5:00. The Cocktail Hour is hosted by Reynard, the Red Fox.

With temperatures dropping rapidly as the sun sinks, party goers stay warm around the fire.

It is a 30 minute trip from Hayne Hall to the barn where we wash the horses, feed them and put them up for the night.  As there is no warm water, light in the barn is dim and the temperature is now somewhere around 40 degrees, we load up our tack into the truck and return to the hotel.  We still have to clean the tack.  It turns out the the hotel supplied luggage rack is a awesome saddle holder.  We drop into bed totally exhausted at 10:15.

The next morning, the alarm goes off at 5:15.  We have to get some breakfast (The Walterboro Comfort Inn cafe hostess Cindy has graciously agreed to open it early for us foxhunters), 45 minute trip to the barn, tack up and off yet again (30 minute drive) for a 9:00 Formal Hunt at Ravenwood, the plantation owned by Joint Master Nina Burke and her husband.

Seen on the feet of a hunter from Virginia, she definitely WILL NOT be wearing this wonderful footwear in the barn this morning.

The barn at 6:45 A.M.

Thank goodness for the extended cab as there is no tack room on the stock trailer.

Ravenwood Plantation (courtesy of Google Map service)

The parking area under the Live Oak at Ravenwood prior to the Meet.

Master Nina Burke is joined by other Joint Masters and staff to welcome the riders to Ravenwood.

The front lawn of Ravenwood.

Staff and hounds passing through.

Staff and Masters carry radios so they can keep track of each other over the vast distances. Just after turning onto this pathway, we get a radio message from Nina Burke heading up the Third Flight that she has seen a black fox pass right in front of her and over the track we had just left moments before. It is heading our way. We don’t see it. She sees it again. It is Not a Black Fox, it is a black cur dog. As we retreat to our previous location, we pass Master Burke who is good naturedly singing, “I’m in the dog house now, I’m in the dog house now.”

At the end of a long dirt path, in the distance we see two black forms cross the track from left to right. Master Melinda Shambley thinks it is two hounds. Hounds are indeed working the woods to the left and we can hear them in the distance. After a while she says, “I think we had a “sighting” and didn’t know it.” The forms in the distance were two coyote. Hounds continue to work the woods and there is lots of hound song. Finally the Huntsman picks up his hounds to drop them elsewhere.

New to South Carolina, rider Emily Harris is the daughter of Joint Masters of Andrews Bridge Hunt. She works during the week in Charleston and on weekends Lowcountry members provide her with a horse for hunting.

A view of the very large equipment used on this plantation.

First, Second and Third Fields assembled.

Returning to the Meet.

Today it is a Grey Fox standing guard over the Long Island Tea (with very potent vodka).

Bagpipes before the Hunt Breakfast.

Senior Master Mark Shambley blesses the food, the hounds, the participants, the horses, the quarry.

Joint Masters Melinda Shambley (on left) and Nina Burke (on right).

Lunch! Roast Pig.

Seen in the parking area. Yes, this definitely is a Recreational Vehicle.

Following the Hunt Breakfast, return the horses to the barn, clean tack, take a nap (huh?) and prepare for the 7:00 Cocktail Party at Ravenwood.  The travel this day alone from Hotel in the A.M. to Hotel in the P.M is 160 miles.

Airy Hall (Google Maps)

The last day of Hunting is Formal at Airy Hall Plantation, a piece of cake for our preparation as our horses are stabled just a half a mile from the front lawn.  I can’t imagine a prettier hack to a meet than this one.

The main barn and parking area at Airy Hall before the Meet.

Lowcountry Hunt has several children who are encouraged to join the hunt field on the weekends.

Joint Masters (l to rt) M. Shambley, Nina Burke, Christina Bates-Jones and Dr. M. Shambley welcome the field to Airy Hall, owned by Frankie and Buck Limehouse.

The soil at Airy Hall is sandy and covered with pine needles. It cushions the footfall.

A Check.

Riding over the ancient levees of a former rice plantation.

This day, the First Field was led by Master Bates-Jones on the grey. Hounds worked the marsh land behind the tree line for at least a half an hour.

Lunch on the Levee. There ARE alligators on this plantation.

The Meet concludes.

Huntsman and staff join in a large field below the Barns to gather hounds. The Huntsman blows his horn for at least a half hour to bring the hounds in before they are all accounted for.

We leave the hounds behind and hack back to the barn.

We pass this beautiful site on the way back. It is one of my favorite locations in the Lowcountry.

All hounds accounted for, the Huntsman and staff return to the barns.

Buck Limehouse, our host, enjoys some libations.

The Hunt Weekend concludes with a luncheon around the pool.

Abby Shultis and Mary Ellen Bailey of Southern Pines epitomize both the elegance and the unabashed fun of the farewell gathering.

Two weeks ago I left the rolling green hills of Pennsylvania and flew to the flat brown mesas of New Mexico to join up with Caza Ladron, a hunt organized out of Santa Fe and Albuquerque, New Mexico.  Caza Ladron is a recognized hunt with the Masters of Foxhounds Association, one of some 165 hunts in the United States, so you might think they might be stuffy, but one of the Joint Masters told me before I even sent in my check that this is a hunt that “has fun”.  And fun they have.  One of the most welcoming groups of people I have ever met, they are organized around the concept that the hunt provides an opportunity to indulge a passion for riding a horse, hunt an elusive quarry and, just plain, enjoy each other’s company.  My arrival found me in the terminal meeting one of the Joint Masters who had insisted that he drive me to my hotel, some 60 minutes away, even though I had arranged a limousine.  Out to dinner with said Master and his wife that night, I enjoyed some of the warmth of spirit for which Santa Fe is known.

We packed up horses and gear the next morning and headed for Chinle, Arizona and the Navajo Nation who would be our hosts for the next two days.  Canyon de Chelly is a National Monument within the National Park Service domain but as members of the Navajo Nation live within the park precincts, Navajo guides are required of all who enter except those who do self-guided tours.  The six hour trip took us along national highways that ran straight to the horizon.

We stopped at the Hubble Trading Post, operated continuously since 1878, and itself a National Historic Site now operated by the National Park Service.  Where else can you ogle silver jewelry and rugs on the way to a hunt meet?

Arriving at our destination we pulled up to the rodeo grounds which would be the stabling area for the next two days.

Everyone pitched in to make the horses comfortable, give them hay after the long drive and supply them with sufficient water, which arrived in a huge container on the back of a flat bed.

Horses bedded down for the night, the hunt members left for dinner with a night watchman engaged to spend the night and protect the horses.  Night check after dinner found everyone happy.

The first day of the meet was reserved for a casual trail ride in the Canyon de Chelly,  a National Monument administered by the National Park Service.  It has been continuously occupied by Puebloans for at least 5,000 years.

The following morning, Caza Ladron hounds made an appearance:

and the acquaintance of local dogs from the Reservation.

We decamped to the entrance of the Canyon de Chelly which turned out to be a mere 500 yards from the hotel parking lot.  Horses were tacked up and we rode, as a group, into the Canyon where walls of stone quickly rose from the desert floor.

We paused to look at petroglyphs as we made our way up the dusty canyon.

and again to marvel at the Antelope House Ruins.

Lunch had been brought in for us and we stopped to rest in the shelter of the high canyon walls.

Back out again, the trip, and the horses, went a little faster as we headed to home.

Home entailed getting water yet again.  Water, and its scarcity, began to be a recurring theme on this trip.

Next morning, we headed a few miles out of town to foxhunt over Navajo Nation land.  Our access had been arranged by a native guide who has become a friend of the Hunt.

We pull off the main highway, through a pipe gate and straight west down a dirt track toward the far away mesa.

This is truly “the Range” where horses roam free and forage for whatever they can find.  They are attracted to this location by the windmill and the trough of water that it fills.

As anyone who foxhunts knows, where there are fox hunters there is food.  The table is set up for lunch before anyone even thinks of tacking up the horses.

Looking back east toward our trailer it is possible to see how flat and expansive the terrain is.

High jinks ensue when one of the whips practices “cracking” the whip and can’t get the appropriate “breaking the sound barrier” result.  Her husband, the Huntsman, gives her an impromptu lesson.

Now mounted, we head out of the trailer area awaiting the Huntsman’s horn and the release of the hounds from the truck.

Huntsman, Hounds and Whips flanking the hounds leave the Meet and head towards the first cover.

We ride west up a slight incline, through sagebrush, and within a mile of the trucks, the land drops off into a wide open plateau.  The huntsman casts the hounds and they begin to look for the scent of the coyote.  Since it looks like I can see every defining feature of the landscape, I ask my host (whose horse I am riding, by the way) where is the quarry?  In the east, I am used to not seeing fox as they are hiding in the shrubbery or the cornstalks.  Never you mind, he say, they have been watching us since we arrived.

After a few miles with no pursuit as yet, hounds spot a windmill in the distance and make a beeline straight towards it.  The plateau is parched, as are they, and they want a drink.

The First Flight takes off in a different direction and finds a coyote who gives them a good chase and then abruptly drops over the rim of a canyon where horse and hound cannot follow.  He is free for another day.

Second Flight and Third Flight combine and return to the Meet.  It has been strenuous in the deep sand and riders do not want to expend their horses’ reserve the first time out.  Opening Meet will come the following week and riders are saving their horses for that.

Yet again, humans in service to their beloved horses – carrying water.

After horses are taken care of, attention turns to food.  Sandwiches prepared earlier in the day at the hotel taste wonderful.  That parched air?  How long does it take for an uncovered sandwich on white bread to get crunchy?  About 15 minutes.

We load up and prepare for the six hour drive back home.  When we arrive, sundown at my hosts’ paddock is a fitting end to a wonderful day.

It’s Fall

And that means it is

Dressage at Devon

Saturday, September 30, 2012

7:30 P.M.

FEI Grand Prix Freestyle – $10,000

In Reverse order of Win:

10.  Barbara Strawson on Amicelli (Holsteiner) (U.S.)

9.  Annie Desranleau on Magruin (Canadian) (Can)

8.  Susanne Hassler on Harmony’s Baroncelli (Hanovarian) (U.S.)

7.  Nicholas Fyffe on Sentimiento I (P.R.E.) (Aus)

6.  James Koford on Rhett (DWB) (U.S.)

5.  Diane Creech on Devon L (Hanovarian) (Can)

4.  Jaimey Irwin on Lindor’s Finest (DWB) (Can)

3.  David Marcus on Chrevi’s Capital (DanWB) (Can)

2.  Pierre St. Jacque on Lucky Tiger (DanWB) (U.S.)

1.  Jacqueline Brooks on D-Niro (SWB) (Can)

Break Entertainment provided by Guy McLean and his Equine Team – Hope, Sequel, Pride and Spinnaby

And The Foam Finger makes an appearance in the Grandstands

Saturday, September 1, marked the end of houndwalking for Mr. Stewart’s Cheshire Foxhounds in Unionville, PA and what better way to bring the season to a close but an early evening ride out from the kennels followed by a covered-dish supper?  Instead of meeting with the hounds at 7:00 AM, the “meet” was called for 5:00 PM.

Following the protocol established earlier in the summer, hounds left the kennel lawn in a leisurely fashion, headed down the hill, across Route 82 and up towards Brooklawn, the home occupied for so many years by the prior Master of Foxhounds Mrs. John Hannum.

Hounds looped around the old dairy in search of the fox, who went to ground.

A slow walk back up the hill past horses turned out in the fields owned by Olympic eventer Bruce Davidson,

across the street and back to the kennel lawn for the eagerly awaited dinner.

Cubbing season (the “official” start of the hunting season) commences the first Tuesday, Thursday or Saturday following Labor Day but traditionally Cheshire has its Opening Meet on Labor Day.  This year Hounds met at Brooklawn for only the second time in Cheshire history, the first being the celebration of Mrs. Hannum’s birthday just shortly before she died.  The House is now, fittingly, owned by Mrs. Hannum’s grand-daughter and her husband, Nancy and Crosby Wood, and their children.  Meets move to 8:00 AM for cubbing and at about 7:45, on the way to the meet, the skies opened up and poured.  Trailer, cars and vans continued on, parking in the field, riders confined to the cabs of their vehicles, except for this hardy soul.

8:00 rolled around and still the rain came down in buckets.  Would the meet be cancelled?

Everyone stayed in their trucks wondering whether the rain would stop, who would pull the plug on the meet.  Foxhunters hunt in most any weather, cheerfully acknowledging that “this is just like in Ireland”, but even this was too much.  Thankfully, the storm front passed on through and by about 8:15, the rain let up and riders cautiously emerged from their vehicles and started to unload their horses.

Riders, Hounds, Masters and Staff gathered on the lawn of the estate and with the blowing of the hunt horn, the hounds moved off to their first cover.

Wind picked up and showers returned but the enthusiasm of riders was unchanged even when standing at a check.

Back at the trailers, queued for coffee and donuts, Anna Coyne was drenched but undaunted.

Saturday, the 8th, was forecast to be cloudy with showers but thankfully the heavy rains held off until late afternoon.  The hunt met at one of the Joint Master’s homes under overcast skies that broke to sunshine as the hounds left the meet.  All of the rain of the previous week had turned the fields, newly planted with soybeans, a brilliant green.

September 12 brought the Hunt to the other side of Unionville, a cool morning to start with temperature rising as the day grew older, burning the dew from the grass.

Saturday, the 14th, young members met to hunt The Doe Run Village with their parents and grandparents.  The unique shared experience of getting up early, cleaning tack and pony and then arriving at the meet makes for a close knit community of children.  Many of these children are the third and fourth generations to hunt the same land.

September 13 through the 16th saw the inauguration of the Devon Fall Classic.  Parking and admission to the new event were entirely free, a pleasant surprise after I had pulled a twenty out of my wallet to enter the lot.  The event, dedicated to jumpers of all ages and education, was punctuated  on Saturday evening by a $7500 High Junior Amateur Owner and the signature event, the $25,000 Devon Fall Classic.  Much like the traditional Devon Horse Show earlier in the year, there were crowds checking out the vendors, eating hotdogs and basically hanging out.

Perhaps the most exotic picnic hamper I have ever seen. A place for everything and everything in its place.

Sculptor Kathleen Friedenberg works intently on a clay form outside her booth.

The picnic area is well attended.

Hats, hats and more hats.

The first event of the evening, the SJHF High Jr.-A/O Classic had ten competitors three of whom rode two horses each.

The timed event brought three horses back into the ring for a jump off, Valentino, ridden by Harrison Shure, Torsinaa riden by Megan Cacchio and Kyyron riden by Stacey Davis.

Here, Khyron in the first round:

and in the jump off:

Torsinaa in the first round:

and in the jump off:

and, finally, Valentino in the first round:

and Valentino in the jump off:

Following the awarding of ribbons, Harrison Shure and Valentino took a victory lap.

Following a brief break to change the course, riders readied for the Fall Classic featuring jumps to a height of 4’9″ with a 4’11 spread.  This class featured 29 entries, with Laura Chapot riding two horses and Kevin Babbington, former 2004 Olympian.  Lauran Chapot captured first and third with Umberto and Zealous (appropriately named) respectively.  Alison Robitaille riding for Mr. and Mrs. Bertram Firestone took second on Cover Girl 27.  The time for Laura Chapot’s winning ride was 40.228 seconds besting Alison Robitaille’s 40.998 by a hair.

Laura Chapot on Zealous in the first round:

Cover Girl 27 in the first round:

and in the jump off:

Umberto

Umberto in the jump off:

After the awards ceremony, Laura Chapot stopped by the rail to give a young spectator something quite precious – her blue ribbon.

For as many years as I can remember, Gerry Hoover has been the Field Master for Mr. Stewart’s Cheshire Foxhounds during the summer exercises known variously as “hound walking” or “hound jogging”.  This period, commencing for Cheshire the beginning of July, is when the hunt staff introduces the young hounds to the rigor of paying attention to the Huntsman while being distracted by freedom and the temptation all sorts of new smells.  As foxhounds follow scent and are not “sight” hunters they are now being trained to ignore rabbits, cats, groundhogs and other creatures they may come across and to focus on the scent of the Fox.  “Whips” are kept busy trying to keep the hounds together in a cohesive bunch.  Gerry’s role is pretty much the same for the people who come out behind the hounds during the summer – to keep the group together a safe distance away from the hounds so the followers themselves are not yet another distraction for the hounds when they are working, and to round up the stragglers.

Gerry has been out every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday morning at the kennels, 7:00 A.M. sharp, having ridden over from his house, rain or shine, for as many years as I can remember.

Gerry is 82 years old.

Gerry is also a regular member of the Cheshire hunt field, jumping every jump during the season.  September of 2001, the Saturday after 911, he quietly put a small flag on the front of his helmet cover and has worn one there every since.  A regular visitor to Cheshire, often riding his Four Star Event horse, took notice of this fact and the serious but kindly way that this gentlemen conducted himself in the hunt field.

Last month friends of Gerry were welcoming Boyd Martin back to his barn after returning from the Olympics in London.  Upon seeing them outside the barn, he ran back inside returning with the saddle pad that had been his for the Olympic competition.     This is for Gerry, he said.

The following morning a friend, who keeps a horse with Gerry at his farm, had the horse tacked up and ready to ride over to the kennels.  Underneath the saddle was a new saddle pad.  Gerry looked at it, wondered what it was, and upon learning that it had been a gift to him from Boyd, said quietly, “I am humbled”.

In Cheshire Country education of the young hounds has progressed to the point that they are now leaving the kennels under the direction of the Huntsman, Ivan Dowling.  The hounds bound out of the kennel yard precisely at 7 A.M. and head for the kennel lawn.  Beyond stretches the open meadows of Plantation Field, the site of one of the newer three star Eventing venues on the East Coast.

Mr. Stewart’s Cheshire Foxhounds has for many years invited the community to participate in this educational foray.  Riders and their horses provide the backdrop for this expanded classroom.  It is the first time some of these hounds have seen such a large group of horses and they have to learn to pay close attention to the Huntsman with this newly added distraction.  Riders follow behind at a respectful distance set by the Fieldmaster.  Other players in this production are the three Whips, one of whom is an 11 year old on a pony.  Their job is to keep the hounds in a cohesive group, a little like getting mercury back into the thermometer.

The pace is deliberately slow and quiet.  After passing through the gate from the lawn, the Huntsman will pause with the hounds at the top of the hill, gather them around for a moment, then renew his leisurely walk.  The hounds are led around through a break in the hedgerow, up a hill, down along a road, and finally pause at a pond for a break where they are freed for a moment to play in the water.  Blowing his horn to gather the hounds, the Huntsman regroups and heads the short mile home.

It is the same pace, the same route three days a week as the working relationship between hound and huntsman grows and matures.  In the next week or two, the route will track further afield and the pace will quicken to a trot.  By the beginning of August, the hounds are ready to move even further and the choice of route and destination will change from day to day, expanding their repertoire.  At the end of August, the graduating class of hounds will be ready to begin ”hunting” in the true sense:  Cubbing officially begins after Labor Day.

An arrival at the kennel lawn at 6:45 necessitates work in the barn before sunlight.  This month, Venus, the Morning Star, and Jupiter are visible on the Eastern Horizon but disappear with the first blush of the sun.