AN EARLY CALL…..

     The Weather Channel, using the American model and the European, gives two different forecasts for Wednesday, Nov. 26. The European model predicts snow for Wednesday.

     Given that this is Thanksgiving Eve, so many of you have big plans, lots of people under roof, let me make an early call.

     If it does snow, I will cancel Friday’s hunt and move our High Holy Day to next Sunday.

     As you must braid, see to guests, this will be more difficult if the weather is bad. Even if it clears for Friday, braiding wondering if you can trailer out for Friday morning seems an unnecessary stress.

     If the weather holds and the American model is correct, of course, we will hunt.

     Look for an early call Wednesday evening. 540-456-8787 Huntline

     The bad weather, if it comes, should not affect Saturday’s foot hunt. That call will also be on the Huntline by early Friday evening.

THE CHILDREN’S HUNT…..please park at The Run-In Shed

      Thanksgiving, the second High Holy Day, is our children’s hunt. A brief review of our modus operandi is in order.

     Thanksgiving Hunt begins with awarding of the hunt button and colors.

     After this happy occasion, Huntsman and staff take a handful of steady Eddies, the children follow. As some are on lead line, this isn’t a long walk, usually down to the polo field. After the kids have walked behind hounds, perhaps seen a fox, they return to the trailers.

     Then the adults walk, trot down to the Arena where the rest of the hounds await us and off we go.

     Should a fox appear when you are with the children, here’s the drill. Stand still. The Huntsman will stand still. The whippers-in will stay with the hounds. Parents, friends will turn the children back to the trailers. Once the Huntsman and the Field Master determine that moving off will not frighten the kids or set off their ponies, adults will go toward the hounds.

NOVEMBER 29, Waldingfield Beagles, 3 pm

     Eat too much? Run it off with the beagles at Tea Time Farm, meeting at the Upper Barn. If you have visitors, children, too, this is an excellent way to introduce them to hunting with hounds. People are on foot, can get close to the beagles, see the action.

     The beagles run much like foxhounds but the circles are smaller, the range of the game, rabbit, being smaller. The biggest difference between beagling and foxhunting is when beagling, you are hunting a prey animal. When foxhunting, you are hunting a predator.

     Actually, when beagling, you hunt what the fox hunts. It is instructive for those fox hunters who wish to learn more about their quarry, but most of all, it’s great fun. Better yet, no one will part company with their horse.

     Following the run, we celebrate with a tea.

     Hope to see you Saturday.

OPENING HUNT….

     Oak Ridge, vast and beautiful, always delights us as well as our guests. November 9 proved no exception. True to form the day became warm. When hounds were picked up we had various temperature readings from 68*F to 73*F.

     Sixty five to seventy five riders went out. The number is a bit shaky because some returned early. There were thirty car followers. Hard to believe but yes, thirty, and the breakfast hosted over two hundred and twenty people including Oak Ridge’s wonderful Hollands and other landowners, without whom we would enjoy no sport.

     We picked up two foxes but scent didn’t hold. We ended on a coyote and there again, scent didn’t hold. Dee Phillips, whipper-in viewed and the field saw some lovely hound work. Not much of a run though. Then again, would it be Opening Hunt without unseasonable warmth and spotty scent?

     Mark and Karen Catron won the Jean Beegle Award amidst much cheering. Their name, engraved on the silver platter, now follows eight or is it nine others? At any rate, it is a high honor and much deserved.

     Wayne Dawson won the Guess-the-Temperature-at-Noon award and promptly donated the monies to the hounds.

     I was thrilled because the hounds did the best they could in the circumstances and also for the very first time I was able to sample some of the over-the-top hunt breakfast. I actually managed to eat half a plate, a victory of sorts.

     The formal season is now upon us.

     Good Hunting,

     Always and Ever,

     Rita Mae

     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

A huge thank you to all the participants and workers in the Oak Ridge Hunter Pace yesterday. Winners were based on average time on course and those closest to average.

 

Full Cry (one entry):

1st – Priscilla Friedberg, Lynn Earnest, and Jim Finn

 

Second Flight:

1st – Liz Taylor and Marty Szczur

2nd – Emily Schilling, Eileen Lang, and Marie Slagle

3rd – Robin Ellis and Ashley Williams

4th – Louise Goodling, Julia Bayliss, and Rosie Purvis

 

Hilltoppers:

1st – Jane Eckes and Robert Holmberg

2nd – Jane Andrews and Amelia McCulley

3rd – Beth Tyler and Tracy Ferguson

4th – Barbara Barrell, Liz Russell, and Kathleen Anderson

 

Junior (one entry):

1st – Martha Drum, Kelly VanScoter, and Trinity Mac Donald

 

Congratulations to all our winners…..ribbons will be forthcoming…..