Each year on Memorial Day weekend, Virginia’s hunts send foxhounds to compete in the dappled sunlight of late spring under the towering oaks of Morven Park. After spectating last year, I knew I wanted to participate in 2024. I shared my interest with Anne Brooks, MFH, and we started preparing hounds, focusing on the Junior Handlers class. Huntsman Julie excitedly endorsed the idea, agreeing that it would be a great way to get juniors out to the kennels and involved with the hounds on a personal level.

As Fred Barry, Master of Ceremonies at the North Carolina Foxhunting Performance Trials declared during the Calcutta on Friday night, “This ain’t the Virginia Hound Show, folks.” He’s correct: The Hound Show is all fancy hats and glamour and sundresses, where Sedgefield is all dirty boots and grit and worn tweeds. But in a great hunt, both spheres serve their purpose, just as modern conformation/breeding classes serve the sporthorse world. And I, for one, can appreciate both. Function follows form, ideally, and we want our hounds to not only be great at their job in the field, but also be able to hunt for many years due to their conformation and soundness. We began our selection process for which hounds to compete not long after returning from Sedgefield.

Julie suggested that we aim for the Penn-Marydel ring for two reasons:  She appreciates the breed for their relevance in our territory, as they tend to be “slower” but more thorough for smaller fixtures. Further, the Crossbred ring at the Virginia Hound Show tends to attract a very large number of participants—so much so that the Crossbred classes are broken down into the size kennel of the hunt of the participating hound (less than 25 couple, and 25 couple or more). The Penn-Marydel ring was both smaller in competition scale, and more applicable for the purposes of our hunt. Amongst our Penn-Marydel stock, we emphasized disposition of the hounds for ease of handling for our juniors.  We also considered confirmation in a similar sense of selecting a sport horse—a balanced animal with a powerful hind end, strong, correct limbs, and a ground covering gait. We chose Ribbon and Riesling among our bitch hounds, and Rhythm as our representative dog hound.

We began practicing once per week to ready the hounds.  As Julie and I discussed, the hound show is a very different atmosphere than what the hounds were accustomed to. In addition to strutting around a show ring lined with spectators, the hounds had to accept being “stood up” in front of a judge for inspection, and then stay at attention while their handler showed them to the judge. This was all a far cry from full cry! None of the three hounds had shown before. Our three junior handlers, Addie Zinck, Julianne Rexrode, and Sage Wise were also new to this endeavor, but all were enthusiastic and committed.

Practicing weekly, we prepared the hounds for the show atmosphere. My mother, Lou Toms, a former professional handler, provided valuable tips. Brenda Simmons, MFH, guided us on specific hound show techniques. Addilyn Zink, Julianne Rexrode, and Sage Wise were committed and enthusiastic junior handlers. During a barn cookout, Brenda suggested exposing the hounds to a different atmosphere. It revealed Rhythm's crowd anxiety, leading us to substitute Ricochet. With final rehearsals and spa day preparations, we were ready.

On show day, our juniors and adult handlers, including Jake Arbaugh, Julie Bullock, and myself, donned traditional attire. Despite some humorous mishaps, we represented Glenmore proudly. Though we didn't win ribbons, the experience was invaluable for both hounds and handlers. I’m grateful to everyone who helped and look forward to next year’s event at Morven Park.

— Anne Morrison, Member

Video 

The Sedgefield Carolina's Foxhound Performance Trials invites hunts from all over the U.S. to bring five hounds to hunt 9,000 acres in the sandhills of North Carolina. Following a very successful season, 17 Glenmore members attended. Most of the group arrived on Friday afternoon and helped Huntsman Julie Bullock settle the hounds. Julie chose Tuesday, Tennessee, Rhythm, Ragtime and Bandana.

This year’s edition included hounds from Belle Meade (GA), Goshen (NY), Rockbridge (VA), , Long Run Woodford (KY), Limestone Creek (NY), Mecklenburg (NC), Red Oak (VA), Moore County (NC), Camden (SC), Goodwin (NC), Farmington (VA) and, of course, Glenmore. Green Creek (NC) and Sedgefield (NC) also participated without hounds. Flights for the trial include a Huntsmans’ Flight, First Flight, Second Flight and a Third Flight. Eager Car Toppers follow the action using the many roads that crisscross the country. A group of mounted judges, try to keep in front of the hounds, score the hounds on the following:

Hunting - Efficient drawing of the covert

Trailing - Following the game at a distance

Full Cry - Chasing and giving voice

Endurance - Calculated by the Trail President through a combination of Hunting or Trailing plus Full Cry

Marking - Accounting for the quarry by bringing it to ground

Exemplary Performance - Unusually brilliant work awarded by a two thirds majority of the judges

Codie Feureisen from Golden’s Bridge Hounds (NY) served as Huntsman for the two days. Now hunting the Golden’s Bridge Hounds in upstate New York and Florida, Codie grew up hunting in the North Carolina Sandhills and knows the country well. Rain the previous days and cooler weather promised good hunting on Saturday. Unfortunately, the hunt shared much of the country with soldiers on an orienteering exercise. The soldiers out on these maneuvers may have disrupted the game as the day was blank.

Tuesday, a crossbred hound out of Piedmont Grouse and Piedmont Tangent, managed to catch the eyes of the judges by his relentless efforts to produce his game garnering a fourth place for day one in the ‘Hunting’ category. Unfortunately, Ragtime and Tennessee became bored by the proceedings and were judged to be chasing deer and eliminated from further competition.

Sunday’s weather promised to be warmer so many of the riders embraced the casual dress suggested for the second day. In an effort to avoid the soldiers, Masters and Huntsman decided to hack to the far north end of the grounds to see if any game had taken shelter there. This decision resulted in a rousing morning of hunting providing fields and car toppers with the opportunity to hear much hound music.

The judges gave Tuesday high marks again for ‘Hunting’ ability, awarding him a second place for day two. This brought Glenmore an overall first place in the ‘Hunting’ Category. Other hounds of note included Rockbridge Oscar, brother to Glenmore Oprah, winning first place overall and Moore County Rutger out of Glenmore Ripple by Moore County Leonidas winning Exemplary Hound.

— John Meyer, previous MFH

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

A Tuesday Adventure at Hy-Hill  Video

On Tuesday, February 20, 2024, Huntsman Julie Bullock DVM led a selection of 6 couple hounds at our Hy Hill fixture. Almost immediately, the hounds picked up a scent and eagerly pursued it. However, despite their diligent efforts, the trail was too cold, prompting the group to pivot and explore the next set of wooded land.

Whipper-In Christine observed a large coyote cross at the green gate before disappearing beyond the boundaries of the territory with hounds in hot pursuit. We called them back and recast them into Riley’s woods. There were some excited yips here and there but hounds weren’t able to take it anywhere.