Farmington Hunt hosts Potomac at Hidden Fox farm, Saturday March 4, 2017
event report by Beth Sutton, FHC communications committee
From left:
FHC Hunt staff members Matthew Cook,Carolyn Chapman with visiting huntsman Larry Kiely and whip Catherine Hanagan, with Deborah Wray FHC honorary whip, with Potomac pack at Hidden Fox
First flight riders (from left) Jennifer Nesbit, Charlotte Delany, Emma Bittle, former FHC President R.R.Cowles, Joy Crompton, MFH, Jeanette Fellows, Priscilla Friedberg, Liz Reese, Skip Crawford MFH in front with Beverley Bosselmann, MFH, John Kean, Mark Thompson, FHC President.
We welcomed a great group of over sixteen enthusiastic Potomac Hunt members,riders and guests along with staff and 17 couple of their beautiful bi-colored american hounds who traveled down from Boyds, Maryland three hours north,to hunt one of our favorite fixtures, Hidden Fox, home of Melissa and Philip Johnson, Saturday March 4th, as the end of our 2017 season approached.Weather that day was sunny and bright but breezy, chilly and dry, proving to be challenging for the hard working hounds who nonetheless worked tirelessly tracking the line of at least a few foxes throughout the extent of the territory, covering over ten miles in almost four hours. The large field of riders-forty in all- of first flight led by MFH Joy Crompton, second flight led by FHC vice president Kip Holloway and hilltoppers with Liz King, MFH enjoyed a fabulous ride over rolling fields and multiple coops that took them through the land behind Hidden Fox, over to Catterton Road as far as Buck Mountain Ford and back again. PH Huntsman Brian Kiely carried the horn, assisted by FHC Huntsman Matthew Cook and former huntsman Larry Pitts who drove up from his retirement home in Bedford, VA to join daughter Laura, honorary PHC whipper-in and 13 staff members, as well as our hard working road whips and foot followers. Following the hunt, Shelly Thompson coordinated a host of FHC cooks for a delicious feast of hot soup, sandwiches and sweets that satisfied a hungry crowd of friends and foxhunters who by all accounts had a fun time before they headed back home in mid afternoon. Here in this report are a few highlights from the day, and a complete album of photos have been generously shared by the following PH photographers Pat Michaels and Larry Schaudies, as well as FHC contributors Chris Middleton,Liz KIng and Martha Drum. To see the entire albums( over 100 pictures!) please visit the following links:
