Colorado’s Arapahoe Hunt Club, the oldest recognized hunt in the Rocky Mountain region, hosted a two-day Hound Performance Trial on March 17-18. The event is a precursor to a series of North American Hound Performance Trials to be hosted later this year and in 2007 as part of the Masters of Foxhounds Association of America 100th anniversary celebration.

Six hunts–Arapahoe, Bijou Springs (Colo.), Caza Ladron (N.M.), Fort Carson (Colo.), Grand Canyon (Ariz.), and Knoxville (Wyo.)–each entered five of their best hounds to be hunted as one pack that totaled 15 couple under Arapahoe’s huntsman, Dr. Marvin Beeman.

And an all-star cast of experienced foxhunters from around the country served as the judges, observing the hounds in action from horseback.

The judges included Lt. Col. Dennis J. Foster (executive director of the MFHA and designated trial judge), Epp Wilson, (chairman of the Foxhound Performance Trials and master of the Belle Meade Hunt [Ga.]), Tony Leahy (MFH and huntsman of Cornwall and Fox River Valley Hunts [Ill.]), Mitch Jacobs (MFH of West Hills Hunt [Calif.]), and Laura Sloan [designated trial judge].

The first day is challenging, as the hounds must adapt to new surroundings and a new huntsman, while getting to know one another as a pack.

“Typically in the second day we see a more cohesive working team,” said Wilson. “But the scores on the first day are important if you hope to gain top combined scores for both days of the competition.”

The trials followed a splendid gathering at the Red Canyon Ranch–home of long-time Arapahoe members Herb and Deborah Lamee–to welcome out-of-town guests.

Day 1 was rather lackluster for the field of 80 riders. “The first day of the trial was complicated, difficult, hot and windy. The scent was terrible due to the conditions,” said Beeman.

Cooler weather moved in for day 2, with the hounds, staff, and field of now 100 riders more accustomed to one another. There were several cries of “tally-ho,” and each time, the hounds were quick to the line.

Arapahoe’s open country of prairie grasslands and cottonwood-lined creek beds pro-vided spectacular viewing of the hound work as the quarry ducked and dived to evade the pack. Hounds were often just 50 feet behind the coyote. The field was rewarded with spectacular viewing of the action and several raucous runs at breakneck speed over jumps, ditches and a few cacti.

The quarry narrowly escaped by leaving the hunt country or, on two occasions, going to ground. The Hound Performance Trial culminated deep into the southwest area of Arapahoe’s country at the Aurora Reservoir, some 7 miles from the clubhouse, with Mt. Evans, Long’s Peak and the Rocky Mountains towering on the horizon. It’s estimated that the field covered 20 miles.

No meet is above differing opinions and a comparison of what one member saw versus another. This resulted in a hot debate back at the clubhouse about how many coyotes were pursued from one covert to the next, but many agreed that it was one of Arapahoe’s best hunts this season.

“Everything went very well. We had some incredibly experienced huntsmen here from all over the country,” said Mike Wilfley, Arapahoe’s fieldmaster. “When you put people together with similar interests, the synergy is such that everyone has more fun.

“We had the best of the best in hounds, and when one gave tongue, the others would instantly honor it. At the end of day 2, after four hours of hunting, there was still a substantial field present of very good riders and keen hunters. The energy fed upon itself all day.”

In any sport, home court advantage is favored but not a given, and while the Arapahoe hounds dominated this regional competition, all of the participating hunts had hounds that placed and were recognized across the categories.

“It was a privilege for me to hunt these hounds,” said Beeman.

“I started to watch my dad hunt hounds about 68 years ago, and it remains absolutely fascinating to me every time I go foxhunting. Some days are good, and others are really good, and some days are excellent. It’s seldom you ever really have a bad day.

“It was very gratifying for me to serve as the huntsman, and to see how the staff and I were able to take the competing hounds and get them to gel like they did on the second day. It was really exciting.”

The top 10 hounds with the highest average scores belonged to the following packs: Arapahoe had four hounds recognized, receiving first, third, fifth and sixth places; Bijou Springs had three hounds place second, fourth and ninth; Grand Canyon had a hound place seventh; Caza Ladron had a hound place eighth; and Knoxville Hunt had a hound place 10th.

“If you have a hound in the top 10, you’ve got yourself a heck of hound,” said Foster.

Each pack was also awarded prizes for its overall performance, with Arapahoe winning. Bijou Springs was second, Caza Ladron was third, and Grand Canyon was fourth.

Most of the clubs entered some of their younger up-and-coming hounds in the hope of preparing them for the sanctioned trials to come later.