A Voice from the USA
Foxhunting in the States compared to the Current Sport in the United Kingdom
Chris Allen
TMV USA columnist Chris 'Tiny' Allen (British bred and entered to fox) is currently connected with the Farmington Beagles in Virginia.
I’ve been Stateside for 14 years and initially came across to hunt the Los Altos Foxhounds in California, having previously been connected with the Bonnelle Staghounds in France. I was master and huntsman for the Stoke Hill Beagles 1983-84, and 1981/1983 I hunted the Wigtownshire Foxhounds for Lady Stair. I started in hunt service at the Tickham as second Whip in the sixties, much to the chagrin of my father who wanted me to follow him into the medical profession. Suzy my wife has supported me in every venture, and whipped-in. She's also an excellent skinner.
Most packs on the East Coast have made an early start with the Fall Hunting, albeit with some countries ‘in the mud’ with an unusual amount of rainfall. Our beagles, the Farmington, started their season on Oct.4th and there seems to be an abundance of ‘bunnies’ about.
Amongst Hunt Staff changes (we like to call them Hunt Staff here, instead of Hunt Servants, which smacks of the Chains of Tyranny…), Anthony Gaylard, who was Capt. Wallace’s terrier man on Exmoor, and son of David Gaylard who has enjoyed a long and successful career with foxhounds & harehounds, has left the Montreal (1821) the oldest hunt in North America, to go to the Toronto & N. York as Huntsman. His place is taken by Alisdair Storer (British) who has been turning hounds to Dennis Downing at the Blue Ridge in Virginia. Hugh Robards of Co. Limerick fame has gone to the Saxonburg in Pennsylvania from the Rolling Rock, PA., with Brien Kiely from the Los Altos taking over there.
Michael Potter has taken over the horn at the Sewickley in PA., having come from the Waynesburg Magnolia in Ohio. The Sewickley hounds are a Drag pack, and hunt an enclosed country close to the suburbs of Pittsburg.
Farmington Foxhounds
As we get closer to Opening Meets, folks will be starting to get their hunting kit ready and in good order, Hunt Staff wear Ratcatcher for pre-season hunting… NO not Cubbing… please!! Most hunts have a distinctive collar on their coats, and one or two just have plain scarlet for Master’s & Staff, like the Orange County in Virginia.
A very nice tradition here is St. Hubert’s Day, with the Annual Blessing of the Hounds, just like they do in France. Huntsman, hounds, and riders are blessed by the local Minister and a Cap is taken, usually for a worthy, local charitable cause. The Keswick Hunt outside of Charlottesville in Virginia, have one of the best known events, with their hounds and members coming to Cismont Church each Thanksgiving Day, usually the third Thursday in November at 10am.
Another occasion which seems to have caught on in popularity is the Annual Virginia Hunt Week held each October, with nearly all the hunts in the State participating, and hosting a day for visitors from other hunts, with added conviviality and a nice Tailgate Party to conclude.
The great day, Opening Meet, arrives on or around Nov.1st with the time set about 10a.m. or earlier in the Deep South where it is much warmer still. A lot of folks go on to work after hunting, or the Ball game (American Football) and the mornings sport concludes around 2p.m… NO, it ain’t England!! I have to do a smirk when I think about how un-swaying I was when I first carried the horn in California. Come to think of it, I was definitely in heavy culture shock, insisting in doing hound exercise in white kennel coat & bowler hat… Sic Transit Gloria Mundi! ha-ha… I am so proud of our good young English Huntsmen who have settled here in the States, and made a resounding success of the job.
Bon Chasse, Mes Amis
Chris Allen