Hunting Saturday October 18th, 2008 – 9:00AM
Valley Green Farm (Bridlespur Kennels) Blessing of the Hounds
Opening Hunt

Huntsman: Eleanor Hartwell (Seamus)

Whips: Jill Wagenknecht (Camo), Gene Deutsch (Waffles), Lee Deutsch (Belle), John Korenak (Rocky), Abby Mutrux (Hoppy)

First Field: Mary Hensel (fieldmaster)(on Lark), Eddie Beyers (Padi), Maria Brazil (Gadget), Ron Ausman (Toby), Leslie Granger (Maurice) Deborah Daugherty, Patty Blackmore DVM (Guest on Deb Daugherty’s horse), Sarah Zenisek (Kate), Jane Lieseman (Rodney), Heidi Fox (Chance).

Second Field: Jean Mutrux (fieldmaster on Pee Wee), Deb Hogan, Sue Marshall (Stretch), Mackenzie Bussard (Bert), Joy Yates (Smoky), Kristin Herbst, Michael Murphy (Fred), Roger Smith (Rusty), Kaylan Herbst.

Junior Field: Lei Ruckle (fieldmaster, Mo) Young Foxhunters: Amanda Torrini (Okie), Whitney Amalong (Majic), Shelby O’Leary, Ronie (Veronica) Jones (Mescal),. Young at Heart: Fran Krame (Poco), Florence Shinkle (Taffy), Geri Washausen (Floyd), Elise Vandover (Poppy),

16 couple hounds

GPS readings 12.6 miles - 2hrs 09 minutes moving, 1 hr 3 minutes stopped. Moving average 5.8 mph. Max speed 23.4 mph. Total time 3 hrs 12 minutes.

Lunch/Brunch – Catered, organization provided by Marilyn Carney.

The weather was absolutely beautiful. Deacon Lonnie Weishaar conducted the blessing while St. Hubert medals were distributed. The temperature was 49 when we started and 59 when we finished. The barometric pressure was rising and the wind was from the North. You couldn’t ask for a better day.

We headed down the hill and toward the road to the creek crossing. We came across the creek and Eleanor drew to the south, down the creek and then crossed it again. She worked the edge of the field and along the bluffs and across the little dry creek. We crossed the creek again, went past the Natural Bridge and crossed again and headed Northwest. The hounds started to speak. This was 9:35AM. We went along the top of the bluff and then circled back through the woods. It sounded like the quarry made a circle in the woods. We made a serpentine in the woods and came out near the driveway. By this time we were at a full gallop and headed down the driveway and past the kennels. We saw the Basset pack working the draw next to the driveway. We galloped on past the clubhouse and continued heading North and East. We jumped a large coop into the neighboring property and then checked as the hounds had turned and were now running the opposite direction. We jumped back over the coop and headed back the way we came until we got near the clubhouse. We stayed north of the clubhouse and jumped the log jump and then another coop. We jumped the coop into the horse pasture and then opened the gate at the bottom to go back on up the hill toward HH. When we got to HH the whips had stopped the hounds because they were headed out of the territory. It was now 10:15 AM. The run had lasted 40 minutes and covered 4.4 miles. The run is shown in turquoise on the one topograph. On that topograph you can actually get an idea of relative speed by how far apart the dots are.

We followed along HH to the south east back to the driveway and headed back across the creek. This time Eleanor took the hounds due East where we picked up the pipeline. The hounds started speaking again and we had another short run down the pipeline and then due north back up the Welch’s road. We then headed west down Welch’s Road where Eleanor called the hounds back. We then headed toward home.

The brunch was fabulous with Marilyn’s famous salmon and a lovely catered brunch with egg dishes as well as biscuits and gravy, salad and many other good things. The bacon was especially good.