PrintThe Hildegard Neill Ritchie “Joys of Foxhunting” writing contest is held annually by the U.S. Pony Clubs in memory of Hildegard Neill Ritchie, founder in 1958 and district commissioner of the Colorado Springs Pony Club for 30 years.
Ritchie was also the regional supervisor of the Colorado (now Rocky Mountain) Region for 12 years and hosted regional Pony Club camps on her ranch for more than 20 years. She served several terms as a USPC Governor and received the USPC Founders Award in 1989. She hunted with the Arapahoe Hunt (Colo.) and loved the sport, so she worked tirelessly to encourage Pony Clubbers to follow hounds whenever possible.
The contest is open to all D- or C-rated Pony Club members. The first-placed winner receives $200; the second-placed winner receives $100, and the third-placed winner receives $50, all to be spent on foxhunting dues, capping fees, Pony Club camp, or a related activity. The contest award is from a memorial fund established by friends of Mrs. Ritchie.
FIRST PLACE
The First Foxhunt
by Jessie Longe
Throwing on breeches, ratcatcher and socks,
A brush and a hairnet to tie up my locks
I head out to see the early sunrise,
Sleepiness gone from my excited eyes
My pony’s awake and ready to go,
To await the call of a ‘Tallyho’
Quickly, pack the trailer and hit the road,
I soon will meet friends as we all unload
In no time my pony and I are all set,
We’ll gallop along; all fears I’ll forget
The Master in his pink coat blows his horn,
Traveling on horseback through fields of corn
Then o’er a coop, across the vast land,
Multi-colored leaves paint a palette so grand
The deep forest glistens with morning dew,
To the top of the hill for a majestic view
Autumn breeze blows, I feel my horse prance,
Toward the last jump, we swiftly advance
Her excitement builds for the final chase,
Clearing rocks and ruts with amazing grace
Slowing down, I give a pat to my horse,
And relish the moment on such a fine course
I think she’d agree, our foxhunt was thrilling,
Nowadays they don’t send out foxes for killing
Hounds trot away in their triumphant pack,
And I can assure you, next time I’ll be back!
Jessie Longe of Medina, Minn., is a 15-year-old D-3 member of Lead Hound Pony Club (Minn.) in the Northern Lakes Region. She rides a pony named Phoebe, a Pony Of The Americas mare whom Jessie has been leasing for almost a year now.
Last fall, she was invited to join the Long Lake Hounds on a junior hunt day. Her poem is a reflection of the amazing experience she had on her first hunt. According to Jessie, the scenery was magical, and everyone she talked to was kind and helpful. Phoebe and Jessie enjoyed the ride so much that neither of them wanted it to end!
A few weeks later, they jumped at the chance to compete in the Long Lake Hound’s Hunter Pace and won a second-placed ribbon! Jessie looks forward to the next foxhunting opportunity. “I guarantee you I’ll be there!” she said.
