THANK YOU!
There is no hunt that can go without recognizing the generous support first and foremost from its landowners. Not a hunt out there can be successful with out this support by the ability to 'get out and hunt'! Great hounds, a great huntsman, and fast horse's are nothing without the rolling hills of farm lands like that at Wiles and the Tree Farm, the deep ravines of the River Hills at Ankrum's and Down Patrick, the thick coverts at Herr's Stone Lane and Mt. Rocky, the healthy fox population growing at Red Pump, and relationships with farmers like that at Funnel Lake.
Our hunting country stretches over thousands acres of landowner permitted hunting ground. Some of our meets individually having over 200 landowners to visit yearly, along with keeping track of farming, livestock and construction being done at farms proves to be an on going, daily job to making sure we respect and keep good connections with the very people who make hunting possible. There should be no greater voice than that of a happy landowner who gives permission to 50 or more hounds hunting through their woods and over their fields! To that we are extremely grateful.
A special thanks to the Gibson Family for so graciously opening up their property as a meeting place for us throughout the Cubbing Season, Opening Day, Children's Hunt, Joint Meets, Blessing Of The Hounds, New Years and including many, many other days of great hunting. In addition the Gibson's hospitality spills over by their opening up the 'Pigery' to us at anytime. This has become a place where we have enjoyed many after hunting lunches with all of our hunting friends.
Along with the Gibson's we would like to thank Tim Hanks for allowing us to hunt through his property which is better known to as the Ankrum's Dog Box. Tim also hunts with us regularly and has become very active in keep trails clear, at helping to keep hunting land open for fox hunting.In addition a big thank you to Jim and Louis Herr and Herr Foods Inc. for all of their support with opening up the Red Pump and Holy View Meets, as well as Herr's Stone Lane. Their support has been tremendous throughout the years. Jim who also hunts with us has been out many other occasions to help improve the trails, adding new jumps, and giving us full access to hunting through out the Cubbing and Regular Season.
Another Thank you to Wilson and Vikki King as well as John and Lea Reynolds for opening and maintaining the Fox Mill and Mt. Rocky Meets. Both adjoining meets are comprised of hundreds of acres, lots of trails, and many great jumps.
Lastly a thank you to our Amish farmers and friends, too many to list, but all of their support and kindness cannot go without mention. To the Amish, land and livestock, and way of life is everything. They farm, hunt, and fish off the land to help keep and feed their families, so, understanding the Amish way of life and respecting their traditions has helped River Hills to grow great relationships and respect from our Amish landowners.
Amish landowners have educated themselves over that last 10 years to fox hunting through the efforts of our masters. Because fox hunting is seen by some Amish as a 'worldly' past time it is very important to us that we have been given the support from our Amish landowners in keeping the Southern Lancaster County and parts of Chest County open to fox hunting. Many of our Amish landowners can be seen on Saturdays and holidays enjoying the hunting day with us and their families by watching the hunt off and enjoying the hounds work.
Because of our landowners support and interest in what we do, they have helped to educate their neighbors, friends and family about American Fox Hunting.
In addition to thanking our landowners a very special thank you goes out to our members. It is rare to find so many people who are truly passionate about hounds, and horses. On a slow day when the scenting is not there you can always look and no matter what see that we are surrounded and supported by fox hunters.
It also, cannot go without saying, a great BIG thank you to our River Hills Staff. Our staff has become like family, and we embrace them under our wings. The tireless commitment to hunting four days a week, along with keeping 'real' jobs, waking up to go Cubbing at 3:30am to hunt at 5:30 in the mornings of August or what seems like negative temperatures of January, no matter what they are always there. This particular thank you goes out to James Paxson, Fred VonCzoering, Duncan Patterson, Leo & Flora Erb, Gregory & Winter Paxson, Gary, Karen, & Alyse Kennedy, Dott Cochran, Dr. Carl Mease, Hoppy Stearns, and Priscilla Godsoe.
We would not be where we are without you!
SEASON OF ADVENTURES
For the River Hills Foxhounds the Cubbing Season started August 9th, 2010 with the addition of 14 puppies, and last years 5 new entries. Although the Cubbing Season started in August we had been out hound walking, and leash training the puppies throughout the month of July. 'Pre- Season' is always a lot of fun around the River Hills Kennels as we try to include as many children, parents, and members to get out with us, learn the hounds names, socialize with the puppies, walk the hounds on the loop around Funnel Lake, take the hounds for a swim in the creeks and pond near the kennels and just plan have fun!
Through the Cubbing season we had a lot of terrific hunting. The puppies were brought out slowly and worked into the pack really swell. In the midst of Cubbing season we were able to attend the Kimberton Hound Show on September 19th, 2010. We had three 2nd place finishers and a 4th.The ending of October was the finishing up of the Cubbing season and start to the Opening Season. In the middle of October two teams represented the River Hills Foxhounds at the Pennsylvania National Horse Shows Hunt Night. Gregory Paxson MFH, placed 6th, Kelly Conner placed 6th, and Wilson King placed 7th.
Also, our very own Master & Huntsman was featured in an article about his 'Heart to jump 7'3" walls' on his thoroughbred horse Ilion. Lastly, our Opening Day Meet, October 30th, 2010 held at the Gibson's Down Patrick which was a great success.
November's Hunting was just a blast and filled with probably the most fun tails! November 13th we had a Joint Meet with the Warwick Village Hounds at Gibson's Down Patrick. 22 1/2 Couples of fast hounds and foxes that just ran everywhere from all different directions. It was a great day, with great people!
Hounds were prime this season, and as hard as it is to admit but we have a great story about loosing the hounds on a fantastic run at the Ankrum's Dog Box Meet November 22, 2010. The saying of that day was, 'The hunting gods were with us!'.
In addition to some great hunting we had a very memorable Children's Hunt that was coupled with the Huntsman For The Day. The Children's Hunt included two Pony Clubs, and the Work To Ride program out of Philadelphia.Also in November the River Hills Staff could be seen out riding at the Pennsylvania Hunt Cup on our fleet of greys.
December hunting was a bit shorter with only 9 hunts,the time off from the Deer Hunting season slowed us down a little but we went out of 2010 with some good times on December 31st New Years Eve Hunt. December also included the addition of Gregory and Winter's healthy baby boy Clayton.
January, March and February were the hardest months on all of us as fox hunters. We were plagued with two good snow storms and lots and lots of ice! The Blessing Of The Hounds on New Years Day at the Gibson's Down Patrick meet was just wonderful. Reverend Jo-an Glass blessed the hounds, horses, riders, and the hunting land. The day of hunting was fast, and we enjoyed a great lunch afterward at the Gibson's 'Pigery'.
January 24th, 2011 we hunted on a day with the temperature well below freezing, more like the single digits, we had just enough snow to ride around, but boy was it cold. The going joke that day was that we were hunting with Arctic Hounds, no longer Penn Marydels!
February hit us the hardest in two ways: we only hunted twice because of the crazy ice and snow that we got, and our hardest hit was the loss of our dear Beazie. She was a wonderful hound, and she will be missed terribly.March weather cleared up a little, we went from ice - to mud - to rain!
We finished March by getting out 9 times. The hunting was good when we did get out. Funnel Lake, Herr's Stone Lane, and Red Pump were pretty much thrillers!To highlight a couple, there was a hunt March 2nd, 2011 at Herr's Stone Lane, the fox was very fun, he would go in and out of different holes, and just a pleasure to watch and enjoy with the hounds. That day left us jumping in and out of more pastures, over logs and coops than any other day this whole season.
One particular hunt at Funnel Lake, March 4th 2011, we ran out of horses just keeping up with the hounds. It was a fast day and we covered A LOT of country. We cannot forget to add the March 19th Hunt at Red Pump and the hunt over the 'extended' Red Pump hunting country through the Barrens! Not many pictures were taken that day due to the sheer amount of galloping to keep up with the blistering speed of the hounds into country we are not overly familiar with. Perhaps this summer we can open up new trails in this section of our country? Hint - hint!
In the closing of our season we were very thankful to Alex Brown in benefiting $5.00 from each book sold at the 1st Barbaro Book Signing held at the Kennedy's Puddle Duck Creek Tack Shop in Quarryville, PA. Alex was very generous in supporting River Hills in our efforts to saving and re-started off the track thoroughbreds into new careers as fox hunters, and show horses.
In the middle of writing his book Greatness and Goodness: Barbaro and his Legacy, Alex was out hound walking, cubbing, and hunting on many occasions (as long as it wasn't too cold) as a bit of a mental break. We were very pleased to be a part of the journey and watching the book unfold!
Our very last day of hunting was March 30th, 2011, at Herr's Stone Lane. We had planned three more hunts but the weather and farmers planting and proved to get the better of us. We were able to finish out strong, safe, and healthy with no bumps or bruises along the way we enjoyed a terrific season of hunting!
Tally ho!
Just a reminder...
You will see us at:
Plumsted Races Out Riding - April 24th
Winterthur Point to Point Out Riding along with the Parade of the River Hills Foxhounds - May 8th
Willowdale Races Out Riding - May 15th
Radnor Races Out Riding - May 21st
Fairhill Races Out Riding - May 28th
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