By Mary Hendricks:
he Hunt Challenge 2003 was a festive weekend in Flagstaff, Arizona. C. and John Rodgers hosted a get-together on Friday night featuring a much- touted lasagna dinner which was really delicious. About forty people enjoyed the good food and company, the last part-goers leaving about 10 PM to be at the High Country Hounds meet the next morning.
High Country hunted the North Hutton Ranch Fixture with five couple of hounds and a field of thirty five riders. Hounds were drawn at 8:30 AM with cool, dry conditions. Hounds industriously worked a line for a mile and three quarters through the black cinder hills. The quarry was viewed by Mr. Noel Ryan as the pack went in full cry and a fierce chase ensued. Only Mr. Ryan and outside whipper-in Colleen Auberle were able to keep hounds in sight for a couple of miles as the hounds ran, close on the heels of their coyote. Colleen reported that brother and sister, Shonto and Snowflake led the pack, his booming voice and her shrieking cries added to the hound chorus as the pack raced through the Ponderosa forest.
The field and huntsman galloped on behind the pack for about fifteen minutes but the hounds were gone away with the quarry. Two and a half couple of hounds had drifted back by lunch time and the remaining hounds were recovered by 4:30 PM as they walked in, sore -footed and tired from their run in the cinders.
Lunch was set out by Rachael Fisher and everyone sat down to enjoy the cold cuts, cheese, fruit and croissants laid out for the hungry hunters. Paul and Joann Delaney provided plenty of refreshments to accompany the lunch. High Country Hounds, the hounds, staff and members, all had a grand time and look forward to next year's Western Hunt Challenge.
Bijou Springs Hounds
Bijou Springs Hunt WCT MeetAfter a great dinner party the night before, 12-1/2 couple of English, American and Crossbred hounds moved off under sunny skies and a strong breeze with the temperature in the high 40's. Shortly after hounds were released, they hit a line and we were off on a nice run through the scrub oak-covered hills. As the line led to higher ground out of the covert, the line was foiled by the wind. The pack cast themselves until the line was recovered and ran it until reaching high ground again. This was repeated numerous times with the pack always regaining the line and running it short distances. A Whipper-in had viewed the coyote on a hilltop near a boundary fence but hounds were encouraged to work the line instead of being lifted to the view. After a few more minutes, the scent vanished and the line was lost.
After a brief rest, hounds began working a second coyote that tested their skills at holding the line constantly disturbed by the wind in a very wide gulch. Finally, the scent was strong enough to hold and hounds were off on their second run. This coyote was finally viewed going over the top of a steep rocky hill and it was noted that he only had three legs. The Huntsman elected to call off the run since the coyote didn't seem to be very fast with his handicap.
After taking hounds to water for another rest, the pack was released and immediately hit a third line. The ensuing run again wound around the scrub oak and hills until the line led out of the brush and it was lost to the wind. The pack was collected and taken to draw a nearby gulch. It wasn't very long before they found their fourth line, which was run for several minutes until it too was obliterated by the increasing wind and rate of rise.
A few more gulches were hunted testing the ability of the young pack to puzzle-out cold lines. Finally, they hit and began their fifth run, winding through interconnecting shallow gulches until the line led out of the scrub oak once again into the wind, which by now was even stronger. About this time, the ground went extremely soft due to the rising temperature and wind, causing horses to sink four to six inches in slimy clay mud. (The hunt country had been under four feet of snow for the past two weeks.) The Huntsman searched for drier areas to hunt but found conditions worsening everywhere he went, so in the interest of safety for horses and riders, the pack was roaded back to the trailers. In summary, the hounds achieved some eleven good finds that resulted in five decent runs and two views in difficult and deteriorating scenting conditions.
Despite the effort get out of the hunt country before conditions became even worse, the mud claimed at least eight shoes. After horses were attended to, the Field of some 44 riders enjoyed an outstanding breakfast provided by BSH members Nancy and Paul King.
Burwell, Nebraska - Saturday April 5, 2003.
The ten and a half couple of mainly crossbred hounds were cast across the open Sandhills, drawing up to a large cedar clad ravine. Feathering a line at first, then disapering into the depths of the ravine and started to speak well, running the length of the cover and then breaking into the open, running well with great drive leading us on a fast two mile point across some challenging country of Sandhills and coops. Loosing the line at some steep canyons, and being at the extent of the hunt country, called hounds up together. Casting back but the line was lost. Scenting was poor due to the inconsistent temperatures through out the day, hounds worked very hard on some lines but could not work them to any extent. A steady hound working day, feathering lines but hounds were never able to honor them.
Matthew Cook, Huntsman, NHH.
Thursday and Friday were spent traveling to Flagstaff with an overnight in Tonopah- loose convoy consisting of the judges, myself, Lynn Lloyd, Gail Horn and Judy Vose of Red Rock, plus Jane Murphy of the Paradise Valley Beagles who is doing the entire rest of the tour with the Red Rock contingent, plus Betty Hollendorfer of Bijou Springs.
On Saturday, the High Country Hounds met at their North Hutton Ranch fixture. Six and a half couple moved off at 8:30, and soon found a somewhat cold line which they worked diligently until they got close enough to take off on the viewed coyote- had a nice run. This morning, the Paradise Valley Beagles met at High Country's North Walking Cane Ranch fixture. Nine and a half couple moved off at 8:30 and spent the next three hours producing a number of nice runs- they worked pretty well despite MB and huntsman Susie Stevenson's protestations that they are a young pack this year. When the beagles came in, there was a brief pause for water and the shedding of coats, and then there was an hour or so of coursing with two lurchers belong to identical twins Brian and David Horn (we made them keep their jackets on at the parties so we could tell them apart). I can't give you the details of the coursing as I got a care package from the breakfast chef and hit the road to get back home (alas). It is possible to hunt in the morning and drive home 520 miles from the meet, but I don't recommend it as a habit. Tomorrow, the Tour heads to Albuquerque for hunting with Juan Tomas on Tuesday. Let us all hope for warm weather in Colorado to melt All That Snow for Bijou Springs' meet.
Beverley
The Santa Fe Hunt kicked of the 2003 Western Hunt Challenge Tour on Wednesday, March 19. Fifteen couple of English and Crossbred hounds moved off with huntsman and MFH Terry Paine from the Costo Ranch fixture at 8 am. Weather in the 50's. I'm told it was a pretty good day, hounds steady despite numerous jackrabbits, and they had a couple of runs.
Next meet is Red Rock Hounds on Friday, March 21. All is well with judges Noel Ryan and Arie Rijke, who were driving through scenic Death Valley this morning (Thursday) and expected to arrive in Reno around 4 pm.