Western Event Challenge 2005

Red Rock wins challenge again !

The judges made the following placings under their criteria for which of the 12 competing packs showed the best day's sport:

1) Red Rock Hounds (Designated charity, Nevada Women's Fund)
2) Waldingfield Beagles
3) Los Altos Hunt
4) Moingona Hunt

Bijou Springs will hold the Western Challenger bronze for the year, having raised the most funds for the Hound Fund (collection to go to the winner's designated charity) this year.

Red Rock also wins the 'Hunt for the Future' award from Sue Slocum, for having the most juniors in attendance.

Von Lennox of the Woodbrook Hunt won the 'Stalwart Award' for most meets attended.

Background

The 7th Annual Western Hunt Challenge Tour, a friendly hunting competition in support of charity, will take place in March and April 2005. Our judges for 2005 are Betsy Park, retired huntsman of the Millbrook, and Eleanor Hartwell, huntsman of the Bridlespur. Their job will be to determine which pack shows the best day’s sport, with that pack’s charity receiving the prize fund consisting of contributions at the meets, and donations from other interested individuals and businesses.

The schedule was as follows: 

Wednesday, March 16, 2005: Waldingfield Beagles at Red Rock Hounds
Thursday, March 17, 2005:  Woodbrook Hunt of Washington State at Red Rock Hounds
Friday, March 18, 2005:  Red Rock Hounds, Reno, NV
Sunday, March 20, 2005:  Los Altos Hunt, near Sacramento, CA
Tuesday, March 22, 2005:  Kingsbury Harriers, Inyokern, CA
Wednesday, March 23, 2005:  Santa Ynez Valley Hunt, Santa Barbara, CA
Saturday, March 26, 2005:  High Country Hounds, Flagstaff, AZ
Sunday, March 27, 2005:  Grand Canyon Hounds, Flagstaff, AZ
Monday, March 28, 2005:  Paradise Valley Beagles at High Country Hounds
Wednesday, March 30, 2005:  Bijou Springs Hunt, Parker, CO
Thursday, March 31, 2005:  Arapahoe Hunt, Denver, CO
Saturday, April 2, 2005:  North Hills Hunt, Burwell, NE
Sunday, April 3, 2005: Bye Day North Hills Hunt
Monday, April 4, 2005:  Moingona Hunt, Adel, Iowa

Pictures and Hunt reports from 2005

Thanks to all that sent in pictures and reports and to all those that attended this years rides and contributed to this fine event.


Waldingfield Beagles

Woodbrook Hunt at Red Rock

Red Rock Hounds

Los Altos Hunt

Kingsbury Harriers

Santa Ynez Valley Hunt

High Country Hounds

Grand Canyon Hounds

Paradise Valley Beagles at High Country

Bijou Springs Hunt

Arapahoe Hunt

North Hills Hunt

Moingona Hunt

Tour Map

Tour information

In addition to the scheduled meets, the Waldingfield Beagles are planning to hunt on every non-travel day at 4 pm, on foot in country with cottontails, and mounted in country with jackrabbits.

Individual participants are welcome to join all or part of the Tour, but need to obtain permission from the specific hunts and arrange for their own lodging, stabling, and/or horse rental. Please refer to each hunt's information sheet for details. Please keep in contact with the respective hunts during the Tour as meet times, fixtures, and other details are subject to change depending on the weather. The participating hunts will be collecting donations in lieu of cap fees to go into the charity prize fund. Checks made payable to “The Hound Fund, Inc.” are tax deductible and may be paid for each hunt. Contributions over and above donations for hunting are welcome also, by anyone interested, please contact Beverley Heffernan as indicated below for further details. New in 2005, special Tour pins will be given to each participant who contributes at least $50 to the Hound Fund; non-participants may receive a pin as well with a $50 donation.

Participants who are hauling horses across state lines should contact their veterinarians to ensure that they have the appropriate documentation for the states to which they will be traveling. At a minimum, this will include a health certificate (usually required to have been issued within 30 days of travel) including proof of negative EIA; some states also require a brand card. All horses, even traveling intrastate, must have proof of negative EIA testing within the past year. Human participants must be sure to sign a liability release for each hunt before mounting.

Mileage / distances

Approximate mileage and driving time between hunting areas (note: this list is not all-inclusive but is meant to provide a general guideline for travel planning. Accuracy not guaranteed as the Internet software used for this exercise doesn't necessarily know all the shortcuts or fastest routes.): 

Reno, NV to Rancho Murieta, CA:  140 miles, 3 hours
Rancho Murieta to Ridgecrest, CA:  400 miles, 8 hours
Ridgecrest to Los Alamos, CA:  276 miles, 5 hours
Los Alamos, CA to Flagstaff, AZ:  611 miles, 10 hours
Flagstaff, AZ to Castle Rock CO:  747 mi/14 hrs (2 days w/stop in Albuquerque recommended)
Castle Rock, CO to Burwell, NE:  443 mi/8 hrs
Burwell, NE to Osceola, IA:  350 miles, 7 hours
Osceola, IA to St. Louis, MO:  390 miles, 6 hours
Osceola, IA to Omaha, NE:  166 miles, 2.5 hours

If you are interested in joining all or part of the 2005 Western Challenge, please contact me via any of the above means, and I will either mail you (early in 2005) an information package with complete meet, lodging, hireling and stabling details, or provide you with the private web page which will also have those details.

Beverley C. Heffernan

WHCT Organizer

For more information please contact Beverley Heffernan

WCT questions E-mail address for more information

This years tour sponsors

WebsiteThanks to GlenCarry Stables home of fine sport horses for again hosting this page, the next time you are looking for fine hunter, jumper or stallion services consider Glencarry and the Cudmore family.

GlenCarry website

Full Cry Cards - High Quality Equestrian stationery products

Click here for the Full Cry Cards website


Our WHCT pins will be available at all of the meets, a $50 or more donation to the Hound Fund, Inc. will get you a pin as a token of our gratitude (and you can claim a pin for each $50 donated if you like).


Results and pictures from the 2004 hunts !

Here are some pictures from the 2003 hunts !

Written Hunt reports from the 2003 hunts !

Important Reminders for participants

Individual participants are welcome to join all or part of the Tour, but need to obtain permission from the specific hunts and arrange for their own lodging, stabling, and/or horse rental.

Please contact the individual hunt or the listed email contact for details ( much of this information is the same as last year ) Please refer to each hunt's information sheet for details.

Please keep in mind that during the Tour as meet times, fixtures, and other details are subject to change depending on the weather.

Participants who are hauling horses across state lines should contact their veterinarians to ensure that they have the appropriate documentation for the states to which they will be traveling. At a minimum, this will include a health certificate (usually required to have been issued within 30 days of travel) including proof of negative EIA ( coggins ) some states also require a brand card. All horses, even traveling intrastate, must have proof of negative EIA testing within the past year.

Some states may require participants to obtain a hunting license - please verify with the host hunt if this is necessary. ( Not required in Nebraska, Iowa )

Participants must be sure to sign a liability release for each hunt before mounting.

Capping fees vary by each hunt, each hunt donates money for the prize pool, the winning hunt gets to designate the charity where the prize is sent.

Western Event Challenge - Archives

Results and pictures from the 2004 hunts !

Details of the WCT 2003 hunts

Details of the WCT 2002 hunts

A brief summary of the WCT 2001 hunts

North Hills Hunt WCT 2001 in Burwell pictures

Western Event Challenge 1999 -TV special by Nebraska Public TV

Western Challenge Tour 2001 Map

Western Challenge Tour 2000 website with results

Any questions about this page? Click here to Email the WCT webmaster