Most Famous Hunts

[altjaeger]

What are the most famous hunt clubs in the U.S. (and where are they located)?

[JSwan]

Virginia.

[TBlitz]

Virginia.

:lol: Way to be descriptive JSwan! :winkgrin:

[MapleMeadows]

Other states to consider...
Midland -Georgia
Belle Meade-Georgia
Arapahoe-Colorado
Red Rock-Nevada
Genesee Valley-New York
Millbrook-New York
Myopia-Mass
& a bit further to the north...
Loudon-Ontario
Montreal-Quebec

and many more!

[houndsplease]

Cheshire - PA.::D

[houndsplease]

Sorry subconscious took over , meant to put dont forget Cheshire - PA.:winkgrin:

[JSwan]

:lol: Way to be descriptive JSwan! :winkgrin:

Just havin' some fun. I'm a bit partial to my home state. :D

[SteeleRdr]

Green Spring - MD

[florida foxhunter]

Live Oak Hounds.......Monticello, FL

[SidesaddleRider]

Most famous, as in hunts that today's hunting people from around the country and around the world know something about (for whatever reason)... I'd definately say Piedmont (VA), Middleburg (VA), Green Spring Valley (MD), Cheshire (PA), Belle Mead (GA).

About 30-50 years ago, some of the NY hunts were pretty big (you'd see a lot of article on members in the NY society pages), but not so well-known today. Some of the other hunts mentioned are good hunts, but I don't think they are "famous".

[JSwan]

If any of y'all are interested the Warrenton Antiquarian Society published "The Jericho Turnpike". Very interesting reading. Articles and photos of hunts from the early 1900's, historical perspective of foxhunting the US from NY to VA.

It's a very interesting read.

Here's a link to order it - it's a great Christmas gift and the money is used to restore Weston. (Weston is on the list of "must visit" when touring this part of Virginia.)

http://www.historicweston.org/jericho.htm

I think you can order it on-line from Horse Country (horsecountrylife.com) if you want to get it in time for the holidays. Oh - I think you can order it from Borders too but I'm not sure.

Wanabe - I think you might really enjoy it.

[War Admiral]

As a non-foxhunter but lifelong equestrian, I would rank my Top Five "most recognizable name brands" as:

1. Middleburg
2. Piedmont
3. Myopia
4. Warrenton
5. Cheshire

And even though I'm from GA, I would not put either Shakerag or Belle Meade in the top 10 of "famous" hunts. I had to really WORK to find out about them when I first moved down here 25 years ago (prior to t'internet!).

[xeroxchick]

Because of Jackie O I would include Orange County.
Really War A - no Midland? I remember articles about Midland in the 80s.

[Cita]

Because of Jackie O I would include Orange County.
Really War A - no Midland? I remember articles about Midland in the 80s.

Yeah, I was surprised nobody mentioned Orange County. Seems to have a reputation as a very fashionable hunt! :cool:

[Beverley]

Okay, I shouldn't get started...but as a history buff AND hunting buff, yes, the 'famous' hunts have shifted over time coincident with the loss/relocation of the industrial/textile riches in NY and NE in the 19th and first half of 20th centuries. There were many, many hunts up thataway that were 'famous' in their day, but are now defunct. Millbrook and Genesee Valley and Goldens Bridge and Rombout come to mind as still doing well and providing great sport.

What put Virginia 'on the map' as the chic hunt country was the Great Foxhunting Match of 1905, in Piedmont country, where Harry Worcester Smith's Grafton Hounds (American:)) beat Henry Higginson's Middlesex Hounds (English) fair and square. Also around that time was when the wealthy northeastern scions- Harrimans and others- commenced to bringing their hounds south for winter hunting-- which is how Orange County came to be where it is- it retains its original name from Orange County NY.

And if the Jackie O link is a criterion you have to include Essex, where she also hunted.

I do recommend the Jericho Turnpike (Santa brought it to me per my request for a previous Christmas!:cool:) I also recommend Mackay-Smith's book, Foxhunting in North America- and if you want to go further back and world-wide, I like Longrigg's History of Foxhunting published in the 70s (saw a copy for sale cheap not long ago, maybe while surfing on Amazon).

Must. Stop. Now. Before I write a treatise.

[Painted Wings]

Ha, the most famous hunt is entirely fictitious. It is the "Jefferson" hunt in Virginia. Just ask Rita Mae,

One of our hunt members was asking about it the other day. He thought it was a real hunt.

[JSwan]

[QUOTE=Painted Wings;3731016

One of our hunt members was asking about it the other day. He thought it was a real hunt.[/QUOTE]


You're kidding!:lol::lol:

[Tantivy1]

I don't see Elkridge-Harford anywhere....

Say, the top DOZEN in America?

OCH, PH, MH, (VA); GSV, EHH, (MD); Cheshire (PA); Essex (NJ); Millbrook and Genesse (NY).

Ok, room for only three more! :)

Presuming maybe another NY hunt belongs on this list but not terribly familiar with them; also think some SC/Aiken area hunts have a lot of history too.

And maybe another from VA....Warrenton? Blue Ridge?

[Dispatcher]

Most of you I bet are not old enough to remember Rose Tree Fox Hunting Club in Media PA. It was THE place to be a member. Samuel Ridlde would bring Man O' War there on race day. Now, that was before my time, but I sure remember the spring and fall race meets. In the 1960's it was the only dumbell shaped race track left. HUGE natural brush fences and timber fences. Radnor Hunt was nothing compared to Rose Tree. Rose Tree club left Media in the 1960's and moved to York County PA. I still wonder what happened to all that Man O' War memorabilia that was on display in the club house.

The county bought the grounds and slowly tore everything down. So sad to see the kennels go, then the paddock, then the grandstand, then the upper barn, then the racetrack. Now it's a county park with only the lower barn (all redone, but not for horses) and the club house still standing. Totally sucks to see how they paved everything and reconfigured the land.

It was famous in its day.

[JulesGirl]

Ha, the most famous hunt is entirely fictitious. It is the "Jefferson" hunt in Virginia. Just ask Rita Mae,

One of our hunt members was asking about it the other day. He thought it was a real hunt.

Next you're going to tell me that Santa's not real.

[Elghund2]

I think "famous" also has to do with how public a hunt is or how much they stay out of the public eye. I grew up in NJ and had never heard of the Essex Hunt. Right before my wife and I moved to Virginia we lived out in the hunt country of NJ. One day we were riding along one of the back roads near Bedminster and had to wait for the hunt to cross the road. It was quite the sight. I couldn't have told you that that was the Essex Hunt but it was.

The name recognition of hunts seems to come and go the same way the reputations of hunts changes over time. As someone mentioned above, some of the famous hunts are now gone. With all that said, when I moved to VA I had heard about Piedmont and Middleburg hunts but that was about it and I lived in Loudoun. I'd say for the general public the hunts are kind of invisible.

[Janet]

These are the ones I remember knowing about. But in some cases it is because of shows or HT they ran rather than the huntiung itself.

Genesee Valley
Chagrin Valley
Millbrook
Myopia
Fairfield
Radnor
Mr Stewart's Cheshire
Arapahoe
Middleburg
Warrenton

[altjaeger]

I didn't know Jackie Bouvier Kennedy Onassis hunted (or even rode). Wikipedia says she was a life-long equestrian. Did she hunt all that time?

[Ravencrest_Camp]

I didn't know Jackie Bouvier Kennedy Onassis hunted (or even rode). Wikipedia says she was a life-long equestrian. Did she hunt all that time?

Can't answer your question, but here is an interesting bit of trivia in light of Obama's promise of a new puppy for his daughters.

Apparently "Macaroni" was the first (and I assume only) pony that lived at the White House. He was given to Caroline Kennedy as a gift from a family friend.

[Beverley]

I didn't know Jackie Bouvier Kennedy Onassis hunted (or even rode). Wikipedia says she was a life-long equestrian. Did she hunt all that time?

Yes, pretty much. She was a member of Piedmont, Orange County, and Essex and hunted around a bit too. She also competed in the pair races and the Orange County team event.

[wateryglen]

I'd have to ask ....famous for what?!!! So my answers are related to the different KINDS of famous a hunt can be. Like:
1. Famous for the size of their jumps or territories
2. Famous for the trappiness of their territory
3. Famous for the length of their hunts and/or distance traveled!
4. Famous for their partying/breakfasts/huntballs!! :uhoh:
5. Famous for their afterhunt tailgaits :yes:
6.. Famous for the weather/footing they will go out in :eek:
7. Famous for their members friendliness/comraderie/spirit
8. Famous for the exclusiveness/high costs it takes to be a member or guest with them!
9. Famous for the quality of their hounds (voice/breed/good hunting)
10.Famous for their huntsman & the high regard (or low)they are held in the hunt community
11. Famous for negative things.....like poor landowner relations, snobbiness, shrunken territory, bad horsemanship, heavy drinking, poor reputations
12. Famous for the large number of good looking brunettes with skinny thighs that ride gorgeous horses, have witty personalities and are exemplary huntswomen!!..:rolleyes:
13. Famous for their masters!

Oh I could go on & on but I have hunts around here that I'd nominate for some of these? And some of it is reputation and not truth. So my list would be quite varied.

[JSwan]

I didn't know Jackie Bouvier Kennedy Onassis hunted (or even rode). Wikipedia says she was a life-long equestrian. Did she hunt all that time?


I think so. I think I remember seeing pictures of her as a little kid in ratcatcher. Some folks on this BB hunted with her and could tell you more, I'm sure.

Lots of people in eventing and other horse sports grew up hunting. Everyone hunted in the winter, including farmers hunting on mules and draft horses. It was a normal part (and still is) of rural life - regardless of social class. The great event riders were great because they developed their seat and abilities in the hunt field. Top dressage riders hunted, and so did their mounts.

Becky Holder grew up hunting with Ft. Leavenworth Hunt and whipped in for years.

[Beverley]

Can't answer your question, but here is an interesting bit of trivia in light of Obama's promise of a new puppy for his daughters.

Apparently "Macaroni" was the first (and I assume only) pony that lived at the White House. He was given to Caroline Kennedy as a gift from a family friend.

I doubt that Macaroni was the first, since pre-auto, the White House had stables (which I recall reading, burned during the Lincoln administration) and Teddy Roosevelt, for one, had lots of kids galloping around the place with lots of animals.

[linquest]

There's a cute story about Roosevelt's son, Archie- when he was sick in bed, either one of his brothers or a groom took Archie's pony, Algonquin, up the White House elevator to visit him and cheer him up!

There’s a cool online exhibit on “White House Horses” here- http://www.whitehousehistory.org/02/subs_horses/01.html

Back to hunting though, I’d add West Hills Hunt in CA, purely because of who their members are :D

[xeroxchick]

I didn't know Jackie Bouvier Kennedy Onassis hunted (or even rode). Wikipedia says she was a life-long equestrian. Did she hunt all that time?

Yes. There is even a book on her life as an equestrienne.

[altjaeger]

Wateryglen - we'll get to each of those in due time! :D

BTW, what does "trapiness" of their territory mean?

Let's start with:

1) Famous for the pucker-factor in riding there.

2) Famous for their exclusiveness. (And can anyone cap at all hunts or are some members and guests only?)

[Beverley]

Wateryglen - we'll get to each of those in due time! :D

BTW, what does "trapiness" of their territory mean?

Let's start with:

1) Famous for the pucker-factor in riding there.

2) Famous for their exclusiveness. (And can anyone cap at all hunts or are some members and guests only?)

Trappiness generally refers to- never mind the fences, the terrain is straight up and down and it can be sporting indeed to be getting lots of vertical as you gallop a serpentine trail in the woods. In Virginia, Rappahannock and parts of Old Dominion country come to mind. Guests from Florida might shriek in terror. Though after you have hunted in the Rocky Mountains they look pretty flat! However, when a little horse I hunted for 20 years would get to pulling too much, a day at Rappahannock would cure him for a couple of weeks. Pucker factor might be from the terrain, or the fences (though people do exaggerate there- I've jumped plenty of 3 foot to 3 foot 6 fences that magically grew to 'way over 4 feet' by the hunt breakfast!). Out west you might have different pucker factors, trotting a rocky spine with a dramatic slope on either side can be breathtaking. And then you do need to pay attention when you excuse yourself for a potty break, a Red Rock whipper-in chose what she thought was a lovely, secluded spot, only to have the cougar on the rock above start complaining as soon as she was, er, committed to the process. (It worked out fine though).

'Exclusiveness'- very few. You can peruse the latest Hunt Roster and I can only think, offhand, of one case where you won't read 'visitors welcome to hunt.' But I've hunted there so how exclusive can it really be?:cool:

[Jaegermonster]

There's a cute story about Roosevelt's son, Archie- when he was sick in bed, either one of his brothers or a groom took Archie's pony, Algonquin, up the White House elevator to visit him and cheer him up!

There’s a cool online exhibit on “White House Horses” here- http://www.whitehousehistory.org/02/subs_horses/01.html

Back to hunting though, I’d add West Hills Hunt in CA, purely because of who their members are :D

thank you so much for posting that link, it was lovely.

[Jaegermonster]

Yes. There is even a book on her life as an equestrienne.

There actually was a recent thread about her on the hunting forum that had a link to the book, which is wonderful

[SLW]

A google of Jackie brings up lot's of her horse passion:
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history.do?action=Article&id=287
http://www.jfklibrary.org/NR/rdonlyres/AD42B9D9-8EEC-456C-8FD7-9C29F600B9E2/22762/JBKWhiteHouseYears.pdf see item #14
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4722514/

and there is tons more out there. I swear there exist a photo of Jackie & Caroline foxhunting in Virginia in the 1980's.

[JSwan]

And then you do need to pay attention when you excuse yourself for a potty break, a Red Rock whipper-in chose what she thought was a lovely, secluded spot, only to have the cougar on the rock above start complaining as soon as she was, er, committed to the process. (It worked out fine though).


:lol::lol::lol: Talk about pucker factor!

I'll add to "trappiness" - bottomland. Foxgrape, galloping serpentines in woods with dense thickets, having to pick one's way through what you think is just a bit of mud and finding out its hock deep..... But Lordy Lordy is there a lot of fox.

Beverly - you should write a book. :)

[altjaeger]

Thanks, that last article was especially interesting! Who knew that Jackie was a smoker -- even a chain smoker? Did they keep that hidden from us or was I just too young to notice?

http://www.curtispublishing.com/images/NonRockwell/9630223.jpg

[Jaegermonster]

It wasn't really a secret, but she was a lady and as such was very careful not to be seen or photographed smoking in public.

[tlw]

What about Chagrin Valley Hunt celebrating its 100 anniversary this year? Or Iroquois Hunt in Lexington, KY? I don't hunt (I do event though) but my father did (Chagrin and Toronto and York) and my wife's family did (Iroquois).

[Elghund2]

When I think of trappy I think of territory with a lot of tricky jumps. LHW has what I think are a lot of trappy jumps. Stuff like coops in combination. They're fun to jump but I've seen them hang up several novices including myself.

[Beverley]

It wasn't really a secret, but she was a lady and as such was very careful not to be seen or photographed smoking in public.

In my experience, she wasn't 'that' secretive about it. She lit up standing next to me watching the horses being saddled at Piedmont, once. It was kind of fun sport at the pair races, milling about, just happening to accidentally spoil a photographer's picture by cutting in front of her as the shutter went click.:D

[Beverley]

When I think of trappy I think of territory with a lot of tricky jumps. LHW has what I think are a lot of trappy jumps. Stuff like coops in combination. They're fun to jump but I've seen them hang up several novices including myself.

True. I can think of one on the south end of Dr. Joe's that was as trappy as anything I've ever jumped anywhere! Honest 3'6" coop with a rather upward approach after crossing a little ravine, last time I jumped it ('93 or '94) the landing was in corn.

[Beverley]

Beverly - you should write a book. :)

The last time I thought about writing a book, Peter Benchley beat me to my idea- Q Clearance. And truthfully he probably did it way better than I would have.

But now and then I do think about writing one, just for myself, about all the horses I've owned since the mid 60s. It would of necessity include some tall hunting tales.:cool:

[gottagrey]

I didn't know Jackie Bouvier Kennedy Onassis hunted (or even rode). Wikipedia says she was a life-long equestrian. Did she hunt all that time?

I believe there was a story about Jackie Kennedy creating quite a stir when she arrived for a day of hunting preferring her hair loose as opposed to being contained in a net :lol:

Some of hunts have a rich history - for example Clarence Moore who went to England to bring back a pack of hounds for either Loudoun or one of the Washington DC hunts (Chevy Chase or Rock Crreek which is now probably the Potomac Hunt) but he and his hounds were lost in the Titanic.. So that would make Loudoun one of the top I would think..