PrintThe MFHA Centennial closing ceremony, held on the grounds of the Museum of Hunting and Hounds in Leesburg, Va., was filled with memories and laced with symbolic gestures. It capped a weekend of Centennial celebration festivities, May 25-27.
The ceremony was the official end of a year of events designed to draw foxhunters from across North America together and to raise money to protect the course of the sport in the future.
“The most pleasant result has been a tremendous sense of unity and commitment in the foxhunting world,” Masters of Foxhounds Association president Mason Lampton said, “We are one. We are not just little packs—we are a cadre of people participating in the sport. That was not the artic-ulated mission of the centennial but was the most lasting and rewarding result.”
Marty Wood, MFH of Live Oak Hunt (Fla.) viewed the Centennial weekend festivities as an enormous success. “The camaraderie and enthusiasm—if you could have bottled it and sent it to England, this whole sport might turn around. It was just a wonderful experience, and I can only sing the praises of everyone who worked so hard to put it on,” he said.
A Packed Calendar
The finale followed a raft of related activities that ran the course of the weekend. There was an artists reception, a party preceding the venerable Virginia Hound Show—a highlight of which is the annual horn blowing contest (won this year by Live Oak’s huntsman Charles Montgomery)—the hound show, a Centennial dinner party, the performance hounds conformation test, the selection of grand champion Centennial hounds, field hunter finals and a grand luncheon feting almost 3,000 people, if one is to believe the reports of parking lot attendants counting passengers exiting cars and shuttle buses. It was the marking of an era and the passing of the torch to another generation. It was quite simply, historic.
The works of many artists were displayed in the Winmill Carriage Museum on the grounds of Morven Park. According to Greg Ladd of Crossgate Gallery in Lexington, Ky., who organized the traveling exhibit, there are still 22 more shows scheduled throughout the year and Lampton has requested another show at the 2008 hunt ball. “There are more than 140 artists participating using all mediums—oil, pastel, watercolor, drawing, enameling, sculpture,” Ladd said. “The exhibit has been through seven states to date, mostly three-day shows. But, it is scheduled to be in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., for two weeks during the racing season and the Thoroughbred sales from July 27-Aug. 9,” he continued.
“We have sold between 125 to 150 items with gross sales of over $400,000. We have 15 more shows between now and the end of the year. The best is yet to come.”
The dinner party attended by 450 foxhunters was held at the Lansdowne Resort on Saturday following the Virginia Hound Show. A hound dog theme was designed to let people relax and mingle. The original painting Rush Hour by Booth Malone was auctioned off and fetched $15,000. Several hunting appointments were offered through a silent auction.
The Grande Finale
The closing ceremony on Sunday began following the judging of the field hunters, the performance hounds and the Centennial hound show. It started with a parade led by a color guard composed of three young riders.
The ceremony was the official end of a year of events designed to draw foxhunters from across North America together and to raise money to protect the course of the sport in the future.
“The most pleasant result has been a tremendous sense of unity and commitment in the foxhunting world,” Masters of Foxhounds Association president Mason Lampton said, “We are one. We are not just little packs—we are a cadre of people participating in the sport. That was not the artic-ulated mission of the centennial but was the most lasting and rewarding result.”
Marty Wood, MFH of Live Oak Hunt (Fla.) viewed the Centennial weekend festivities as an enormous success. “The camaraderie and enthusiasm—if you could have bottled it and sent it to England, this whole sport might turn around. It was just a wonderful experience, and I can only sing the praises of everyone who worked so hard to put it on,” he said.
A Packed Calendar
The finale followed a raft of related activities that ran the course of the weekend. There was an artists reception, a party preceding the venerable Virginia Hound Show—a highlight of which is the annual horn blowing contest (won this year by Live Oak’s huntsman Charles Montgomery)—the hound show, a Centennial dinner party, the performance hounds conformation test, the selection of grand champion Centennial hounds, field hunter finals and a grand luncheon feting almost 3,000 people, if one is to believe the reports of parking lot attendants counting passengers exiting cars and shuttle buses. It was the marking of an era and the passing of the torch to another generation. It was quite simply, historic.
The works of many artists were displayed in the Winmill Carriage Museum on the grounds of Morven Park. According to Greg Ladd of Crossgate Gallery in Lexington, Ky., who organized the traveling exhibit, there are still 22 more shows scheduled throughout the year and Lampton has requested another show at the 2008 hunt ball. “There are more than 140 artists participating using all mediums—oil, pastel, watercolor, drawing, enameling, sculpture,” Ladd said. “The exhibit has been through seven states to date, mostly three-day shows. But, it is scheduled to be in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., for two weeks during the racing season and the Thoroughbred sales from July 27-Aug. 9,” he continued.
“We have sold between 125 to 150 items with gross sales of over $400,000. We have 15 more shows between now and the end of the year. The best is yet to come.”
The dinner party attended by 450 foxhunters was held at the Lansdowne Resort on Saturday following the Virginia Hound Show. A hound dog theme was designed to let people relax and mingle. The original painting Rush Hour by Booth Malone was auctioned off and fetched $15,000. Several hunting appointments were offered through a silent auction.
The Grande Finale
The closing ceremony on Sunday began following the judging of the field hunters, the performance hounds and the Centennial hound show. It started with a parade led by a color guard composed of three young riders.
