Hi, my name is Clara. This is about my first mounted fox hunt. I was in the third flight, riding my leased horse named Moon with Mary Lee McDavid and Masters Joe and Brenda. We stayed with the first and second flight for a little while and then we went off in another direction. After a while we came across a cornfield where the hounds were hunting, and Mary Lee said we needed to be very quiet to maybe see a fox come through the woods. So we went down a little path and stayed quiet. Then we told Master Brenda and Angelika that we were going to explore more of the woods Master Brenda found. We went into the woods, came to a little creek and we walked along it until we found a place where we could cross it. When we were going into it, I almost fell off of Moon, but I held on tight. Going up out of the creek was much easier.

Then we came out of the woods until we met Angelika and Brenda up on a little road. We saw Whipper’s In, Jacob Arbaugh next to a cow field. We went into the field, while Jake said he would go up the road. So he cantered up the road. When we were in the cow field, the cows trotted up to us, and Joe used his whip to scare them off. He kept doing that until we got past them into the next field, which was full of holes. Moon tripped a bit, but we got past it to the next gate. Then we got out of the cow field and saw a lost hound named Potomac. He followed us for a bit, and then we found first flight and Huntsman Julie Bullock, and followed them for the rest of the hunt.

We went along the cornfield and waiting while the hounds sniffed around in the corn. Then we heard something! The next thing we knew, something gray jumped out of the corn, and right back into it. Mary Lee and I said “What was that?” Joe said “It was a deer.” We left the cornfield, trotted into the woods, and came across another creek. I didn’t want to go in, but Mary Lee encouraged me to. We went through the water, it was steep, and I felt like I was going to fall into the water. Then Moon went into the deep part, and I steered her away, but my boots and pants got a little wet. We made it out though, and Moon took good care of me.

We came back out of the woods, to another cornfield. First and second flight and Julie started cantering. I said I wanted to canter too! We started cantering. While I was cantering, a hound jumped out of the corn, and spooked Moon. She jumped sideways, and did a little dance, because she wanted to buck. After we caught up to the other flights, the hound truck came up to us on the road. Julie had decided to finish the hunt. Julie and our Kennelman, VJ Thomas, helped get the hounds into the truck.

Then we walked and trotted up the road, back to the trailers. It was such an amazing experience and Moon was such a good girl. She took good care of me. I can’t wait to come out again!

— Clara Johnson, age 10, Daughter of Alan and Whipper-In Lindsey Johnson

A large crowd showed up for our first adventure at our new Piedmont Fixture, named after the Battle of Piedmont which took place near here in 1864. We were not disappointed! Julie and Staff moved off from our parking area at the fixture promptly at 10:00 am with 9 couple of hounds. We combined first and second flights because we have not paneled this fixture due to its novelty. Staff roaded the hounds southwest to the large harvested corn fields allowing a long, luxurious gallop for the field. We made our way up beside the Middle River allowing the hounds to work beyond the bridge on Cline River Road and circle back through more hay field territory. 

It was after we crossed the Cline River Road Bridge where the hounds diligently searched for scent (once again beside Middle River now on the opposite side) that our quiet day quickly turned into a whirlwind race. Not long after the hounds began hunting an undesignated field plentiful with covert and a low lying pond, the pack entered into a large brush pile. Hounds immediately began to speak. John Meyer, MFH tally-hoed a red making a run for the cedars and Jake Arbaugh spotted a second red fox exiting the back door of what Julie deemed ‘Fox Mecca’. The pack split here with five hounds (led by first year entry Jojo) following the red fox that jumped out of the covert; however, the remaining thirteen hounds continued to adamantly hunt the covert due to the overwhelming scent. 

I asked Julie if she wanted the first flight to follow the five hounds who were hot on the trail of the first running fox. She replied “yes” and she would remain to collect the hounds out of the thistle and bring them along to the pursuit. At speeds exceeding 25 mph, Sage Wise led the way after we fumbled with a difficult gate. First fight followed and we were not far behind hounds when we encountered another difficult gate. Initially Sage and I jumped off to open it together.  We later received help from CJ Wise so that Sage could continue to follow the hounds while we secured the gate. Sage ran up a mowed path behind a landowner’s home but feared we shouldn’t continue on the trail because it led to their private driveway. Fortunately the landowner heard the hounds, met us at his driveway, and gave us directions for a safe passageway to where the hounds had run.  

As we neared the field that we could hear hounds, the field was met by Jake and we collectively gathered hounds to stop them from moving out of territory. Julie met the field back on the Cline River Road with the rest of the hounds and VJ picked them up in the hound truck. Christine soon came along with Potomac who had lagged behind. The field hacked back through the lovely riding trails behind the Gordon’s Farm and excitedly recapped the day's thrilling pursuit. 

– Stacy Thompson, Leader of First Flight

When I joined Glenmore 3 seasons ago I began riding with Julie Bullock, DVM who was a whipper-in at the time. I fell in love with the sport and spent those first years absorbing all of the knowledge and wisdom she had to offer. Fast forward to Sunday, February 18th at Bellevue Farm. It was time for my new horse, Monroe and I to step up to the plate.

As Huntsman Julie cast the hounds into the crep (Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program) heading East, Monroe and I encountered cattle for the first time. Following Julie's advice, I encouraged Monroe to move them, as Julie taught me that familiarity would overcome fear. As I was getting to the gate at the top of the hill toward the Kwanza Hut - Stacy, all of First flight, and Whipper-In Lindsay viewed a large coyote loping out of the crep and up the hill. A beautiful coyote darted into view, sending a surge of adrenaline through me.

Tracking its movements, I radioed my excitement and pursued, determined not to let him cross me. I turned into the Bear Trail, where he slipped out of sight momentarily. I quickly moved forward to the next hillside beyond Ida’s Creek. Moments later, he came out and hustled toward Coyote Corner. I went wide and moved into position at the back of the woods on Scott Christian Road.

According to road whips, he crossed out of territory at the bull pen. Julie began collecting hounds and encouraged them to re-join up with the rest of the hounds who had circled back to hunt the woods at Picnic Hill. From my position, Jake and I viewed another coyote trotting down the trail. Hounds worked diligently on this line but were given the slip. We began collecting hounds and headed in for the day. As we regathered the hounds and headed back, I felt an immense sense of pride in how Monroe handled the day’s excitement.

- Christine Brady, Whipper-In