Hark Forward Wicomico Performance Trial March 2-4, 2018
-By Barbara Smith
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| Zeus, Champion Hound , Thornton Hill Hunt |
The MFHA Hark
Forward Hound Performance Trial hosted by Wicomico Hunt in Chestertown,
Maryland started in a whirlwind. Literally, Winter Storm Riley brought wind
gusts over 70 mph, which resulted in travel restrictions on the Chesapeake Bay
Bridge, and overturned tractor trailers that closed I-95 to the north. Many
participants were delayed more than a day with the high winds and traffic problems.
Jan Sorrels MFH, Sedgefield Hunt, and Barbara Smith, Bull Run Hunt and
Marlborough Hunt, two of the 5 judges, had decided to come a day early due to
the wind warnings. We met up with fellow judge and host organizer, Alison
Howard of Wicomico Hunt, on Thursday night for dinner and a lively discussion
about hound trials. Head judge Fred Berry MFH, Sedgefield Hunt, and host Ed Fry
of Wicomico were busy sorting out the storm delays.
Friday morning dawned with Winter Storm Riley’s full
strength. The wind was ferocious, opening a stall door was almost impossible,
and we began to hear of the problems other participants were having trying to
arrive. Beth Opitz MFH of Thornton Hill Hunt had the roof blow off her puppy kennels,
a fire started in a hayfield’s round bales from a sparking wire and a tree fell
on a tenant’s moving truck! But she was still coming! David Twiggs, MFHA
Executive Director, was stuck in traffic for over 9 hours due to bridge and
highway closings. Fellow judge Mitzi Cabeen of Smith Mountain Hunt, and the
huntsman from Mt. Carmel Hunt, both travelling with hounds and horses, finally
gave up and spent the night on the Western shore or went home after trying for
11 hours to get here. One half of the participating hunts decided to wait until
Saturday to avoid long delays at bridges. For the brave ones who crossed the
Bay Bridge in scary winds and beat the traffic delays we dined on delicious
prime rib, chicken marsala and Caesar salad at Garon and Donna Stutzman’s
Muleskinner’s Lodge in Centreville, MD. We congratulated those who made it and
shared stories and Moscow Mules in the lovely lodge. All looked forward to
Saturday’s “hurricane hunt”, sure to test even Penn-Marydel hounds!
The winds had diminished slightly by morning. The sun came
out and with an hour delay to help the Saturday arrivals we trailered 40
minutes, to Starkey Farms on the water near Galena, MD. Seven hunts had made the
journey; Marlborough Hunt, De La Brooke Hunt, Carrolton Hounds, Mt. Carmel
Hunt, Kimberton Hunt, Red Mountain Hunt, Thornton Hills Hunt. This was an all
Penn-MaryDel hound trial and we were expecting to hear some great hound music. The
five entry from each club were painted, some collared and the guest huntsman, Greg
Thompson of Wicomico Hunt, simply put the pack together and we quickly moved
off to the first covert. . Large open fields bordered by the Chesapeake Bay
offered pine trees and thick brush along the shoreline. Hounds opened quickly
on a red fox and, as Greg had hoped, the pack came together as one. This fox
was turned back several times by the fields eager for a view, ran into Greg
Thompson’s horse at one point and soon after that he slipped away in the thick
brush. Hounds settled and we continued on, but the wind was still a
factor. Gusting 30 mph, we could
see white caps on the water and Garry Riggs MFH, Red Mountain Hunt, told me at
the breakfast, when waves are slapping on the shore the game “sits tight”. The next fox ran tightly in the
thickets and marsh, never breaking out into the open. Viewed briefly by one
judge and the riders in Garon Stutzman’s mule-driven carriage, this fox ducked
back into covert and eventually was put to ground by the raucous and excited
pack. We were able to get some great Marking scores. Greg Thompson said he could just see the fox, which the
hounds were determined to get, but after much praise he remounted and called
them away. But a few of the hounds would not leave the fox until Fred got off
his horse and yelled at them. And as soon as the last hound was out of the
hole, the fox bolted- to a chorus of delighted Tally-Ho’s from the field. The
Gone –to- Ground was the highlight of the day.
We called the hunt after several more short runs and
returned to the Starkey Farm buildings for a hearty, delicious tailgate and to
tally scores. We were to meet at dinner for the Day One results and another fun
evening at Muleskinner’s Lodge. The jokes and wisecracks abound between
huntsman when they get together, but Fred Berry’s “Smart Ass” award actually went to the Stutzman’s chef who
was determined to hold his own with these foxhunters. We cheered and gave him a
warm thank you for the food and fun! Thornton Hill Hunt’s Beth Optitz MFH, the
sole woman huntsman, won the requisite horn- blowing contest and she was widely
cheered by all in the room for her excellent Gone Away. Her closest competitor from
Mt. Carmel Hounds graciously said he couldn’t come close and just bowed to her
prowess. Doc Addis MFH, her dad, at the table with wife Happy and other
daughter Anne, couldn’t have been prouder!
Thornton Hill Hunt took top honors on Day One. Red Mountain
Hunt and Marlborough Hunt were second and third respectively. Every hunt had
hounds represented in the Top Ten hounds in the categories, which are Hunting,
Trailing, Full Cry, Marking and Endurance. These are combined to reach the Best
Hound and Top Three Hunts. Red Mountain’s Remus was Best Hound on Day One and
the favorite of the trial’s organizer, Fred Berry MFH, Sedgefield Hunt.
Marlborough’s Vice Admiral also ribboned in several and the Thornton Hill
hounds did Beth proud, with Zeus, Lentz and Utz receiving high marks. It had
been a great day and tired foxhunters thanked our hosts again and left to get
ready for Day Two.
Sunday was sunny and less windy, though gusts were still in
the 30 mph range! We met at Chino Farms, the 5000 + acre farm of Dr. Henry Sears.
Our gracious host welcomed us, wished us a good day and said to stay off the
landing strip as his wife was coming home at 11! He has deeded a large parcel
of the farm to Washington College in Chestertown, MD and every year Ed Fry
hosts the Chino Chase, a foxhunt fundraiser for the College that draws hunts
from near and far. It is a beautiful fixture and we immediately found a fox on
the north eastern shore. Hounds came together quickly, just as the previous day
and we continued to draw towards the east along the water. Today we were
getting solid hunting and trailering scores, as we paralleled the landing strip
eastward. Once we turned back into the tall grasses, hounds opened and judges
raced for full cry scores. This fixture yielded lots of fox and the field was
treated to many views. At one point the huntsmen group, shepherded by Garry
Riggs MFH of Red Mountain Hunt, viewed 4 fox coming out of the same ravine.
Grumbling that no judge was present, they were relieved that the scorers did
arrive to get great scores as the hounds ended the day on another fast, all-on,
full cry across the field back in the direction of home. As we were galloping
toward a road and the clock was reaching noon, we called it a day when there
was a simultaneous quick dismount and hound check. With all hounds on, we roaded back to the meet to again
tally scores, put tired horses away and return to the 4-H Park for breakfast.
Hosted by Wicomico members Leo and Liz Courtney, chili,
fried chicken, ham and all the fixings as well as endless cakes, awaited grateful
foxhunters who ate and drank as they waited for final scores. It was a long
wait but well worth it for those who stayed. Thornton Hill Hunt was the top
scorer overall, followed by Marlborough Hunt and Carrolton Hounds. Thornton
Hill and Marlborough had three hounds each in the top ten hounds. Thornton Hill’s Zeus and Lentz were
champion and reserve champion respectively, with Utz also top ten. When asked
about her hounds Beth Opitz said Zeus was by Bishop, her best THH hound, “ …(he)
is heavy Kimberton/ Addis bloodlines.
Zeus and littermates are super hounds-in front when on fast run, but can
really get down and hunt when scenting is tough…Lentz is all Addis bloodlines. ...
Utz is Golden’s Bridge bloodlines”.
Marlborough’s Vice Admiral was third, Valor was fifth, followed by
Vidalia, also in the top ten. This sort of placing in a Performance Trial is
one of the ways hunts and huntsmen can evaluate a breeding. All three of Marlborough’s
aforementioned hounds and a fourth, Victor, are littermates, by Marlborough’s
O’Jay out of Golden Bridges Kelby. When I checked with Marlborough’s MFH Katherine
Cawood, she said, “ Both O’Jay and Kelby were outstanding hunting hounds”. To
see the get of a breeding excel like this at a Trial is gratifying to any
huntsman. Another hound worth noting was Carrolton’s Hounds Korvette, number
23, who placed fourth overall. I saw this hound up front on the lead in every
full cry run on Sunday and every judge had him placed numerous times. Red Mountain
Hunt’s Remus, was the favorite and top hound on Saturday in tough scenting
conditions. Huntsman’s Choice was De La Brooke’s Vector, number 32. Greg said
he noticed the hound due to his diligence and honesty, acknowledged to the
delight of De La Brooke’s kennelman. Ribbons, silver trays and beautiful wooden
sweat scrapers were handed out amid much applause. As the goodbyes were being
made and plans laid for the next Performance Trial, everyone agreed it had been
a fun, successful weekend, albeit a windy one! Beth Opitz MFH, Thornton Hill
Hunt, said in a follow-up message to her members, ”While it’s nice to get
ribbons the best part is getting together with fellow fox hunters”. I
think we all agree.
Of interesting note to myself is that our guest huntsman, Greg
Thompson, Wicomico Hunt, whom everyone thought did an excellent job in tough
conditions, is leaving to assist MFHA President Tony Leahy of Massbach and Fox
River Valley Hunts in western Illinois. These two hunts hosted the first Performance Trial of the
2017 Hark Forward Tour Hark last September. I was blessed to have been at
Leahy’s and Wicomico’s and a few in between. Hound Trials are really fun and a great way for hunt clubs
to support each other and to share ideas on breeding, membership, land
conservation, to mention a few issues.
We all face the same challenges and we need to come together as we move
into the next generation of foxhunting.
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| Huntsmen |
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