Dear ORH Member,
Cubbing started Friday, September 12th. Hounds opened in five minutes and never stopped until I picked them up two hours later. Each successive cub hunt was essentially the same story. All with multiple views until Friday, September 26 and Sunday, September 28. The heat came back on us, humidity so-so, but it slowed us down. For all that, hounds tried and tried, doing what was asked of them, even the first year entry.
I am pleased with the hounds and await cooler weather. The people have been good, too. Everyone is hauling themselves out of bed in the darkness, tacking up, mounting up and riding full throttle until the last two hunts. Somehow it all works out and I am looking forward to a brilliant fall, foliage and hunting.
We took a small draft from Warrenton Hun and another one and a half couple from Radnor Hunt. They’ve worked into the pack and are good citizens.
We had many old hounds who pushed through the hard winter, but earned their retirement. Hence these two small drafts. Keswick and Deep Run have also offered a few hounds which will be a big help as our numbers plummeted. This is a testimony to our hound practices in that we can keep hounds hunting to a good old age, at least once a week if nothing else. What an assist that has been for our youngsters.
Now with a young to middle aged pack, a few seniors out there, you have enjoyed the summer training which the older hounds put into them, as well as John, Toot, Maria, Sonia, Stuart and myself. Occasionally Mary Shriver could make it, but the core group was out there at 8 am every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Given our cubbing season so far, this has really paid off.
The revitalization of the kennels, outfitting a stand alone wooden kennel with a gambrel roof up at the house, makes a big difference, too. Still need to insulate the gambrel kennel which was originally a basset kennel. For years I’ve tried to get that nice extra run fenced down at the Main kennel (we even have a donated trailer) but I haven’t been successful in the fund raising. So this will help us somewhat. The most important thing is it’s warm and tight.
The goal has been to lower the electric costs, combat winter’s freezing of the water, as well as to provide plenty of recreation space. Bill Johnson will install our waterers and that, too, is a savings. As you know labor costs are a killer and Bill keeps coming through for us.
The extra condo built by Wayne Dawson, Dave Pritchard, Bob Satterfield, Gib Stevenson, and Bill Johnson has proven to be a big favorite with the hounds in the large youngster run. If I forgot anyone on the building group, forgive me, tell me and I will correct my error.
As we ramp up to another season, I think everyone has seen the improvements. Doesn’t mean there isn’t more to do. There always is but this summer has been a summer of progress.
Thank you all.
Up and Over,
Rita Mae
COOKIES….we need more cookies…..
NELSON WATERERS…….
Long lasting, no freeze waterers are modestly priced. Bill Johnson, as I said, will install them. They average about $250/waterer with one a double. We need eight. If anyone would like to donate one for the hounds, send a check to David.
WASHING MACHINE…..
Lots of hound kisses to LIz Taylor, as they now have their own washing machine. The horses have their own washing machine, too, thanks to Mark and Karen Catron. Hounds have laundry, as do the horses, and this is a godsend.
CUBBING FIXTURES…..
These demand a call usually two days before a hunt day due to harvesting, plowing for winter wheat, etc. And now deer season is upon us. This means we lose Carter’s land until January, 2015.
This will be the first year that landowners may allow deer hunters to hunt on Sunday. Some will and some won’t. Right now, we don’t know what our various landowners will do. We know Miss Henderson will not allow any deer hunting at ant time, nor will Jim and Joan Klemic. Oak Ridge has a paying deer hunting club. We do not yet know if the Hollands will allow Sundaydeer hunting. We will tell you when we know. It may be possible, if Sundays are permitted, to hunt one quadrant of Oak Ridge while the deer hunters have the rest.
This also holds for Gene Dixon’s lands. Some of those acres have paying hunt clubs.
The new law has all of us scratching our heads, not just Oak Ridge.
As always, we will hope for the best and support our landowners with whatever their decision. Always bear in mind, the deer hunters pay. We do not.
Busy as Cat’s Hair,
RMB
oakridgefoxhuntclub 
Dear RMB, You lighten up my life sending me all the reports about your Hunts and activities. I have never had the opportunity to go Fox Hunting nor do I know anything about the sport except what I have self taught through old fashion way of reading. I have enjoyed reading about Hunts since young childhood and always thought I would live the life that you are so Blessed to live, but at the age of 58 I still have not had the privilege of joining in the thrill, but receiving your reports is the next best thing in making me feel like I am a part. So in ending just wanted to say ‘Thank you’ for allowing non Hunters like me to enjoy the excitement through your reports. Sincerely, Lauri
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