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Massbach-Fox River Valley Performance Trial Sept 16 - 17, 2017
-by
Barbara Smith
I met Boo Montgomery (Bull Run Hunt) at Chicago’s O’Hare and
we checked out each other’s season-opening bumps and bruises. I am sporting a
ridiculous black eye from a tree branch lashing yesterday and her fingers are
orange from working on sore hooves. We will be right at home with the
foxhunters from Massbach Hounds and Fox River Valley, which is where we are
headed for the first stop of the MFHA Hark Forward celebration.
Tony Leahy, the current MFHA President, is hosting the kick-off for the
tour with a Performance Trial in Elizabeth, Illinois. As a diehard Virginian-
Marylander I was thinking, “ who hunts in Illinois?” but I have been assured it
is God’s country, so Boo is here to judge and I am helping with the Hark Forward
team. Epp Wilson, Master and
Huntsman of Belle Meade Hunt, and Jean Derrick, First Flight Fieldmaster, who
had driven 16 hours from Georgia yesterday with 10 horses were already settled
at Massbach’s kennels. The adventure begins.
Friday night was a Mexican fiesta under the stars on John
Novak and Marie Henrich’s porch, as all the hunts were welcomed. Six hunts had
come to Leahy’s Massbach-Fox River Valley country to participate in the
performance trial: Fox River Valley, Midland (GA), Mill Creek (IL), Shawnee,
Hillsboro (TN), Bridlespur (MS) and Elkridge- Harford (MD). When hunts get
together for Performance Trials, friendships are renewed and good-natured
insults abound between huntsmen that truly admire one another. A mariachi band
wandered among guests, the margaritas flowed freely and the Mexican buffet was
thoroughly enjoyed by all participants and guests. Fireworks ended the evening
as the last party- goers were leaving. It was a fabulous party.
On Saturday we
hunted two contiguous properties for three hours, and I admit it is God’s
country. Each hunt entered 5 hounds, and the pack of 17 ½ couple was blended
together in the morning. They soon harked to guest huntsman, Ashley Hubbard,
the new huntsman at Green Spring valley (MD). He had previously been Tony
Leahy’s right –hand man here at Massbach – Fox River Valley. Starting at our
host, John Novak’s beautiful farm, we moved from one cornfield to another,
skirting the occasional soybean field as hounds worked on coyote lines. It was
hot and dry today, but still green and beautiful. The green fields actually
reminded me of Ireland. The next farm was Bryan and Christy Cressey’s 5000-acre
property and we were proudly told it boasted 120 miles of mowed paths! There
were endless views of fields and woods and coverts that would be the envy of
any foxhunter. 
The hounds found three coyote Saturday and, regardless of
the heat, they were hunting as hard after three hours as they did in first
covert. Liz McKnight of Elkridge-Harford tally-hoed the first coyote and hounds
quickly harked to Fox River Valley’s Daffodil and Bracket, Hillsboro’s Bridget
and Mill Creek’s Dallas. Judges
were right there and all scored these hounds as the lead on the first Full Cry.
I am noting this first run because three of these hounds were Top 5 overall.
Bracket, Dallas and Bridget were 2,3,4 of top five hounds. Hillsboro‘s Dagwood
took the top honor and Midland’s Caper was fifth. These hounds hunted hard from
start of day to end and it is gratifying to see them rewarded for their
endurance and overall hunting ability. This is why we have Performance Trials.
Hounds can be judged objectively from different vantage points over several
days and the true stars of a hunt stand out.
The fields were treated to some great views and even the
road followers enjoyed watching across the hills. Riders were able to stand on
the hillside and watch as hounds worked hard, doubling back on themselves as
the coyote ducked through the cornrows below. After giving hounds a final drink
and cool off in a pond, we roaded back to Novak’s farm.
Scores were tallied for the day and we drove with results of
the day to Bill and Ellen Hunt’s farm where an enormous white tent had been
erected on the old airfield. Prime rib and scalloped potatoes, followed a
delicious salad and nobody missed the dessert cupcakes. During dinner Epp
Wilson And Jean Derrick made opening remarks and thanked all participants. David
Twiggs, the Executive Director of the MFHA warmly greeted everyone and spoke
enthusiacally about the new headquarters in Middleburg. He encouraged everyone
to get involved and to come and make use of the MFHA resources. Boo Montgomery
then assisted Epp with the awards. There are 5 individual categories with an
overall, cumulative award for top scores. “Hunting, Trailing, Full Cry, Marking
and Endurance” are the areas that the judges are critiquing. The top ten
scorers in each category are calculated and ribbons given to these top ten. The
top ten hounds and top three hunts with the most points are noted and at the
end of both days Champion ribbons are given to these.
Sunday morning started with a beautiful sunrise over the
Massback kennels, as we met Tony Leahy and 12 riders, to hack to the meet at
Bill Hunt’s farm. Again it was warm and dry, which made scenting difficult. A
coyote was viewed early and hounds were off. The runs were short but exhibited
diligent work from hounds. After scoring it was clear that the same hard
working hounds were there for every run. Tony kept the pack and fields out for
an additional hour to ensure that every effort was made for the judges to see
hounds work. A house cat interrupted one run and brought to mind the famous Ben
Hardaway story. One day his hounds unfortunately accounted for an old woman’s
cat and, hat in hand, he approached the porch saying, “ We are terribly sorry,
ma’am but here is a token for your trouble.” as he hands her a $50 bill. She
replied, “ It is no trouble sir. I can have another here for you next
week.” Luckily today, the hounds
returned to the line and all was fine. Riders had many great opportunities to
watch hounds. There were lots of coops to jump and riders had big dusty smiles
when they finally came back to the trailers. John Novak had returned with food
and drink as we waited for Tony and hounds to return.
Sunday night we went to Sunny Beaulieu’s home for another
great dinner of chicken cacciatore.
Epp Wilson again thanked all, as the final ribbons were handed out. As
earlier mentioned the top five hounds were rewarded for hard work on both days.
Hillsboro’s Dagwood was awarded top hound, which made Leilani Gray smile. He
had been her pick for the Trial and had not disappointed. Fox River Valley’s
Bracket was next. These two hunts were a mere 2 ½ points apart for Championship
Honors and Tony Leahy graciously tipped his hat to John Gray as he won overall.
Midland Foxhounds took third place. Tony then very sincerely thanked all the
hunts individually for coming. He had high praise for his fellow huntsman and
was generous in his compliments for specific hounds. Stories were told about
the lineage of two top hounds Hillsboro’s Bridget and Fox River Valley’s
Bracket, as he remembered a hound that John Gray’s father hunted named Swimmer,
whose descendants impressed today. Bracket was the Huntsman’s Choice for top hound overall. Ashley
Hubbard, picked her because, “ (she) was very accurate up front speaking. She
kept everything going. When hounds checked she‘d be the one to hit off and keep
it going.” Johnny Gray then later told me the story of Hillsboro’s Dagwood, who
with littermates, FRV’s Daffodil and Mill Creek’s Dallas, all in the top ten,
have an interesting history with Fox River Valley. Their mother, Warwickshire Daylight, was bred herself in
England by Warwickshire’s Joint-Master Charmaine Green, who was Master and
huntsman at Fox River Valley 35 years ago. Of special note here is the
extraordinary fact that Hillsboro hounds whelped six of the top ten overall
hounds.
Everyone took home a renewed appreciation for the hard work
it takes to make a great hunt. It takes a team. Boo Montgomery told me she
especially enjoyed judging, as she was able to watch Glen Westmoreland whip.
Said he is one of the best ever and now she knows why. I know from scoring that
Eleanor Hartwell is extremely dedicated and doesn’t miss a thing. She caught on
average ten hound numbers at every opportunity. Her judging was excellent. Everyone brought something to the
table and this is why these hound trials are important to the next generation.
Excellence is noted and explained, histories are repeated and we learn why some
hounds shine. It paints a bigger picture and captures our interest to watch and
keep hunting, to keep learning and ensure that our sport continues.
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