Penn-Marydel foxhounds broke tradition at the Virginia Foxhound Show on May 25, when Rose Tree Needy entered the championship ring on the grounds of Morven Park, Leesburg, Va. In the past, it seemed a hopeless gesture to exhibit a Penn-Marydel against the champion American, English and Crossbred foxhounds when the hounds were compared against one another to determine the best of the day. But Rose Tree Needy and championship judge C. Martin Wood III, MFH Live Oak (Fla.), changed that.

Wood approached the four hounds with the intent of determining which hound best represented its own particular type. After careful examination of the four champions, two entered and two unentered hounds, Wood stunned the spectators and the Rose Tree contingent by selecting the tricolor Penn-Marydel bitch as grand champion foxhound.

“It was the right decision, but it also took a judge with Marty’s stature to pull it off,” said Norman Fine, editor of Covertside. “She is a very good example of a what Penn-Marydel should be,” said Wood. “The American, the English and the Crossbreds are all very good hounds, but she’s the best representative of the breed than the other three for their type.”

“It was kind of a surprise to us, and we don’t know quite what to say,” said Joseph T. Murtaugh Jr., MFH Rose Tree Foxhunting Club, Brogue, Pa. Another unusual sight was a child exhibiting a hound in the Virginia championship ring. But Needy was handled expertly throughout the day by 12-year-old Cody Hayes, Murtaugh’s granddaughter. Cody also exhibited the Rose Tree hounds in the pack class, earning second place to Marlborough Hunt (Md.).

“Cody has been showing hounds for me for two years, which makes hound shows a lot easier on me; it’s her third or fourth time in the championship ring,” said Murtaugh. “Cody comes home from school and helps out in the kennels and walks puppies. She has a pony now and hunts right up along side me. Her mother, Kerrie, my daughter, serves as the field master and is in charge of the horses and kennels. It’s pretty exciting for me to have my daughters and granddaughter hunting with me.”

Since Needy was first shown as an unentered hound in 2002 at Virginia, the lovely tricolor bitch has been preeminent. That first year, she was best registered unentered, and last year she was reserve champion Penn-Marydel. She’s the pride of Murtaugh’s breeding program. “Every hound we show is in the top 10 in the field. We are working on getting back to the pure Penn-Marydel,” said Murtaugh.

Rose Tree, originally based outside Philadelphia in Media, Pa., is the oldest subscription pack in the U.S., founded in 1859. Murtaugh’s grandfather, Roy Jackson, is one of the founders of the Penn-Marydel breed. But Rose Tree’s country is now in York County, Pa. The territory consists of grain fields and areas of hilly and wooded terrain between the western side of the Susquehanna River and Interstate 83.

Fox River Valley Larry Tops Crossbreds

Lisa Campbell and Donna Ross

The Crossbred ring featured another unusual sight–Fox River Valley Larry ’00 sporting a fine black-and-tan coat reminiscent of Ireland’s renowned Scarteen hounds. Strong, bold and athletic, Larry responded beautifully to huntsman Tony Leahy, jt.-MFH Fox River Valley Hunt from Barrington, Ill., near Chicago, and claimed the Crossbred championship.

“I was looking for a hound that I would want to hunt in the morning,” said Chris Ryan, MFH, who co-judged the Crossbreds with Suzy Reingold, ex.-MFH. “This is an outstanding hound. He has presence, he’s balanced right and he has a concentration about him. He has beautiful conformation and an easy way of traveling.” Leahy said, “He’s a good hunting dog and he has a great big booming voice. He never seems to miss a day hunting, and we were out 120 days last season. We bred him. He’s fourth-generation Scarteen crossed with a July line to Hardaway pack.”

Pinned the best stallion hound, more than 30 couple class, and reserve champion dog hound, Midland Forester ’02 is certainly one of Midland’s favored hounds. Mason Lampton, jt.-MFH Midland Foxhounds in Columbus, Ga., said, “He’s a good dog, great in the field. The whole litter has been very successful. Their dam, Maple, is an exceptional bitch in the field.” Forester’s dam, Midland Maple ’94 was bred by artificial insemination to Bicester Whaddon Chase Faraday ’94. The match was arranged by Ben Hardaway because Faraday was an outstanding foxhound and he was by an exported Midland hound.

The proof of his drive and athleticism lies in Faraday’s photo, which appeared in the Sept. 17, 1999 issue of the Chronicle in an article about artificial insemination in foxhounds, which was pioneered by Dr. Robert Scott Dove in Virginia. In the photo, the large rough-coated Faraday was caught on film as he ran down a fox after he flew a five-bar gate. Bicester’s kennel huntsman, who sent the photo, wrote, “Faraday is almost the complete foxhound. He has great fox sense, a good voice and wonderful drive.”

Metamora’s Folly captured the best unentered Crossbred hound title. The results capped the day for Metamora Hunt (Mich.), which took the largest share of ribbons with packs reporting fewer than 30 couple. According to joint MFH Joseph Kent, the cornerstone of the Metamora breeding program is Iroquois Fairy ’93, an English bitch that was drafted.

Fairy was crossed with a Midland hound to get Fanny ’98, who produced Fable ’00, Folly’s dam. “Fanny and Fable have both exhibited the strong nose that Welsh hounds have,” Kent said. Folly was sired by another draft, an English hound named Somerset ’97, from Toronto & North York in Ontario, Canada. “Somerset is a spectacular hound, a strike hound that has exhibited impressive bid- dability, excellent hunting skills, plus nose and voice,” Kent said.

Why Worry Hounds
Finnegan ’03 won the best single dog, entered in the fewer than 30 couple category. Finnegan was sired by Whiskey Road Factor ’97, “a brilliant dog that has sired several good litters,” according to Why Worry Hounds jt.-MFH and Huntsman George Thomas. “Finnegan is a very good dog,” Thomas said, “he hunts very well and is a very steady hound.” Warrenton Hunt’s Singer ’01 and Spike ’02 (Loudoun West Tornado ’96–Warrenton Sally ’97) took the blue in couple of dogs entered.

“These dogs hunted two seasons and are excellent, very fast on the track,” Huntsman Jim Atkins said. “They are super kind of dogs, very biddable, good bloodlines that go back to Piedmont with some Bywaters breeding.”

The best stallion hound in a pack with fewer than 30 couple went to a hound with the same breeding as the Warrenton couple, Loudoun West Spindle ’01. According to jt.-MFH Dr. E.C. “Pug” Hart, “Spindle is very, very consistent, biddable, has a good voice and plenty of speed. He hunts well. He’s correct, has a good disposition and is easy to deal with.” Spindle’s first litter will be entered this season.

Warrenton’s Fable Writes Winning American Story
Donna Ross

There was nothing fictitious about Warrenton’s Fable as she earned the American foxhound championship, edging out Potomac Tenor ’03. “We had a hard time deciding between the two hounds,” said judge J.W.Y. “Duck” Martin. “We could have flipped a coin. She is a good looking hound, everything about her is very, very lovely.”

Fable, an unentered bitch, is by Warrenton Jarvis ’99. “Jarvis is a blue tick dog with a black saddle back, which may be where Fable’s ticking comes from,” said K.T. Atkins, who showed Fable. “He’s a very, very good hunter with a good nose, wonderful voice and a good bit of fox sense. [Huntsman Jim Atkins] has seen him pick up a line in a road when no one else can, which is why we bred him,” she said. “Jarvis’ line is a lot of Virginia pedigree. We are trying to go back to American hounds, which is what Warrenton had,” Atkins added.

Fable is out of Fancy ’00, an unentered draft from Orange County that goes back to Potomac. The reserve ribbon for Tenor topped a day where Potomac picked up more ribbons than any other hunt in the ring and won half the classes it entered in a card filled with tough competition.

Tenor ’03 won the American dog hound championship, squeezing past Brazos Valley Elliott ’01, a hound that won consistently throughout the season garnering the Southwest Hound Show (Texas) grand championship in April. “Either dog could have won it, if we could have had a tie, we would have,” said Martin.

“Tenor ’03 is a second year hound out of one of the best nosed hounds in the pack, Telltale ’00,” huntsman Larry Pitts said. “He’s a great young dog, he finished the season with no problems. He didn’t show unentered because he was too shy.” Tenor is by Potomac Rapidan ’99, who won the best American stallion hound class. Rapidan is by Rombout Ranger ’94 out of Potomac Waxbill ’96.

“Rapidan is the nicest dog there ever was,” Pitts said. Rapidan ’99, and his littermate Raider ’99, also picked up the blue for couple of dogs entered. The stallion hound with three of his get went to Rombout Partner ’03, another hound by Rombout Ranger ’94. According to Rombout huntsman Vincent Tartaglia, “Partner hunts out front, he’s a strike hound, a good little dog.” He resembles Potomac Warcloud ’96, a multiple black type winner, through his bottom line as Partner’s dam and Warcloud’s dam were littermates. Partner showed with Lime-rick, Leader and Lampman, which are out of Rombout Stylish ’00.

With the exception of Potomac’s double win in the couples classes, both entered and unentered, the blue ribbons for bitches stayed in Virginia. Orange County Melody ’99 continued her song as she was named best American brood bitch for the third year in a row. “Melody is carrying the flag of Orange County again,” MFH James L. Young said.

Single bitch unentered from a large pack also went to Orange County, but to a hound of a different color, Bristol. The hound is a tri-color with a dark saddle. “We’re not sure where the color came from, she’s pure Orange County,” Young said. “From time to time you get black hairs in the coat, the departure of color can go back many, many generations. We’ve had less red over the years because we’ve gone out to Potomac.”

The consistency of the American foxhound winners in 2004 can be seen in their pedigrees. More than half of the winners of the dog hound classes and almost half of all the hounds that won during the day had Rombout Hunt bloodlines, including the champion American hound.

Toronto & North York’s Gossip Queen Of The English Ring
Lisa Campbell

Judging in the English ring was consistent with hounds of similar breeding in the pack from Toronto, Ontario, taking all the high marks from judges Mrs. R. D. Green, MFH Warwickshire and Mrs. Coleman Perrin, MFH Deep Run Hunt (Va.). Toronto & North York’s unentered bitch Gossip swept the ranks with wins in her unentered class, then champion bitch, best unentered hound and finally champion English hound. Her littermate Gothic was reserve best unentered hound.

Their dam Toronto & North York Credence is a littermate of Crackshot, the champion English hound of the past two years. And Critic, the champion bitch, is a full-sister to Crackshot. Mark Powell, huntsman of Toronto & North York, was pleased with the outcome of the day as he explained the close relationship of the champion hounds. “Gossip’s lineage goes back to Heythrop. And Critic is a full sister to Crackshot. Critic is full of bounce and a super character. All these hounds hunt well; we don’t show hounds that don’t hunt,” said Powell.

Toronto & North York Crackshot ’00 was reserve champion English hound and dog hound. The mostly white dog has certainly shown consistently over the years. Last year he was champion English hound and the previous two years champion dog. “He is a very aggressive dog in the field and a hard running dog,” said Powell. “Like Ben Hardaway says of a good hound, ‘He hunts like a dog who is paid to do it.’ “

LEESBURG, VA–May 30
GRAND FOXHOUND CH: Rose Tree Needy ’02 (Rose Tree Farmer ’94–their Krispie ’99). AMERICAN FOXHOUNDS sSingle Dog, Unentered, Less Than 20 Couple – 1. Warrenton’s Mert (Mission Valley Dragon ’00–Old Dominion Modest ’97); 2. Warrenton’s Famous (Warrenton Jarvis ’99–their Fancy ’00); 3. Casanova’s Preacher (Orange County Orion ’01–Casanova Iris ’97). sSingle Dog, Unentered – 1. Orange County’s Branston (Orange County Forger ’00–their Brandy ’96); 2. Keswick’s Gandalf (Keswick Wilder ’01–their Grace ’00); 3. Potomac’s Triumph (Potomac Rapidan ’99–their Teacup ’00). sCouple of Dogs, Unentered – 1. Orange County’s Branston & Bronco (Orange County Forger ’00–their Brandy ’96); 2. Potomac’s Battler (Potomac Brimstone ’98–their Rachel ’99) & Triumph; 3. Rombout’s Leader & Limerick (Rombout Partner ’99–their Stylish ’00). sSingle Dog, Entered, Less Than 20 Couple – 1. Brazos Valley Elliot ’01 (Brazos Valley Duster ’94–their Jazzy ’97); 2. Warrenton Tarzan ’03 (Potomac Rapidan ’99–their Telltale ’00); 3. Casanova Kip ’99 (Casanova Friar ’94–their Dazzel ’92). sSingle Dog, Entered – 1. Potomac Tenor ’03 (Potomac Rapidan ’99–their Telltale ’00); 2. Orange County Orion ’01 (Orange County Flyer ’96–Piedmont Orange ’98); 3. Keswick Orbit ’01 (Keswick Partner ’92–their Ornament ’96). sCouple of Dogs, Entered – 1. Potomac Raider ’99 (Rombout Ranger ’94–Potomac Tippet ’93) & Rapidan ’99 (Rombout Ranger ’94–Potomac Waxbill ’96); 2. Potomac Jacoby ’02 & Jarvis ’02 (Potomac Wangler ’96–their Jamboree ’94); 3. Orange County Bravo ’97 (Orange County Cecil ’95–their Brenda ’90) & Climber ’99 (Orange County Blackwell ’91–their Cry ’94). sStallion Hound – 1. Potomac Rapidan ’99; 2. Orange County Orion ’01; 3. Mission Valley Dragon ’00 (Mission Valley Drum ’95–their Rita ’96). sStallion Hound with 3 of His Get – 1. Rombout Partner ’03 (Rombout Ranger ’94–Potomac Tippet ’93); 2. Orange County Forger ’00 (Orange County Winston ’94–their Frantic ’96); 3. Potomac Wangler ’96 (Piedmont Watchman ’89–Potomac Tingle ’93). AMERICAN DOG HOUND CH: Potomac Tenor ’03. RES: Brazos Valley Elliot ’01. sSingle Bitch, Unentered, Less Than 20 Couple – 1. Warrenton’s Fable (Warrenton Jarvis ’99–their Fancy ’00); 2. Casanova’s Posey (Orange County Orion ’01–Casanova Iris ’97); 3. Brazos Valley’s Hillary (Brazis Valley Echo ’01–their Jackie ’01). sSingle Bitch, Unentered – 1. Orange County’s Bristol (Orange County Forger ’00–their Brandy ’96); 2. Potomac’s Rally (Potomac Brimstone ’98–their Rachel ’99); 3. Essex’s Tempest (Middleburg Trojan ’00–Essex Apple ’00). sCouple of Bitches, Unentered – 1. Potomac’s Billie & Biscuit (Lewisville Bingo ’00–Potomac Jipsy ’01); 2. Orange County’s Bramble & Brazen (Orange County Forger ’00–their Brandy ’96); 3. Essex’s Tempest & Trinket (Middleburg Trojan ’00–Essex Apple ’00). sSingle Bitch, Entered, Less Than 20 Couple – 1. Casanova Oakley ’03 (Casanova Friar ’94–A. Poe’s Tracey ’96); 2. Goshen Walnut ’03 (Potomac Wangler ’96–Goshen Tearful ’98); 3. Brazos Valley Easter ’01 (Brazos Valley Duster ’94–their Jazzy ’97). sSingle Bitch, Entered – 1. Keswick Rustic ’01 (Keswick Rowdy ’98–their Racket ’99); 2. Potomac Teacup ’00 (Middleburg Texas TNT ’96–Potomac Brightness ’94); 3. Rombout Saucy ’00 (Rombout Traveller ’93–their Singer ’96). sCouple of Bitches, Entered – 1. Potomac Jipsy ’01 & Jitney ’01 (Potomac Warcloud ’96–their Jodi ’97); 2. Orange County Melody ’99 & Modest ’99 (Potomac Monocacy ’95–Orange County Witness ’96); 3. Rombout Accent ’99 (Rombout Ranger ’94–Potomac Waxbill ’96 & Spirit ’00 (Rombout Traveller ’93–their Singer ’96). sBrood Bitch