Arapahoe Hunt
4505 South Yosemite St., #113,
Denver, Colorado 80237.
Established 1929.
Recognized 1934.

This Is Not The Slow Pack

The 80th opening day of the Arapahoe Hunt was greeted by drizzling rain on Oct. 12. Dr. G. Marvin Beeman, jt.-MFH, hunted 221⁄2 couple of hounds.

He warned the field of 80 riders, gathering in the driveway of the hunt’s kennels just east of Denver, Colo., that
this was “not the slow pack and this is the 65th occasion upon which I have had the pleasure to ride with hounds on opening day with the Arapahoe Hunt.”

The youngest rider was just 2, Lauren Patoile, on her 43″-tall pony, aptly named “Pocket.” The field was rounded out by the oldest, Sylvia McDonald, in her 82nd year young, and 80 riders of every age in between.

Lauren was lead-lined to the blessing of hounds and stirrup cup by Jake Douglas, also a junior member of the hunt. Lauren took her place at the blessing of hounds and quickly retreated to the car due to the 40-degree temperature, as Pocket returned to the trailers.

Sleeting rain drove into the top hats and bowlers which a few riders donned for this high holy day of hunting, when the season officially begins on coyotes. The hounds were blessed by an Episcopalian minister, the Rev. William
H. Minnis (ret.). A stirrup cup was then served by Vicki Dow, Libby Jones, Holly Matt and Pam Rolph as a toast to a good season for horses, hounds, riders and the quarry. 

Hounds were soon off being hacked out a bit north and then east before being put into cover, just as second whipper-in Irvine Manuelito capped to a view of a coyote heading south.

“Lieu into cover and try my lads, lieu into cover and try,” urged Beeman to his pack of English-bred foxhounds. It didn’t take much more urging as they were off on a run which took us 5 miles south.

The field tried to keep an eye on the two coyotes that ran east, then south, and our hunted one, which was hard to do at a gallop with rain spitting in your eyes. Hounds lost the line after a good 5-mile run and then instantly started another on their own, taking us another 3 miles before they had to be stopped, as the coyote was given best, crossing County Line Road.

We didn’t check for more than a couple of minutes before we were off east again and hounds started another coyote, which took us to the old silo. Hounds checked for a minute and then were off well past the Coal Creek, by a mile or two, which made for another 5-mile run.

Beeman called the hunt at 2 hours and 20 minutes. There were just five riders left in the front of the field, which was testament to the speed of hounds. We trotted home 6 miles in sleeting rain with chatter of the great start to a new season.

Marc Patoile