I think everyone will enjoy this hunt report with perspectives from Jennifer Fuller and Suzanne Adams. This is a hunt that sounds like it would have been a great ride. I wish I’d been able to participate but someone had to cook the flank steak for the tea!
Jennifer Fuller starts “Another great hunt! I think this week’s report will be best told by those in the field, because by all accounts it was the best so far this season! The hounds were great, particularly on the second piece where they really showed that they can hunt as a pack! We had 5 couple again, with Charger making his fall debut. We had all of the hounds at the check — 8 came in early and went back to the Huntsman when she called with the horn — then all 10 came in together with her. At the finish, Cameo was a little late and Ms. Dandy has decided that perhaps she’d rather ride in the truck, and we picked her up at the grassy knoll (the first check) where we thought she’d be waiting for us. The tea was graciously hosted by the Johnson’s, a new location for us. And the tea was hosted by Liz, Carolyn, Noel and Meta who did a fabulous job! As always we all enjoyed great food, great company and the Johnsons’ beautiful home. I’m feeling a bit like a broken record these days, but it’s the good kind of broken record — yet another great day with ONBH!”
Suzanne Adams, who rode first flight added “It was going to be a beautiful day for hunting… The rain the evening before and the morning’s heavy mist laid the backdrop on the most beautiful setting for the first Hunt of the formal season. I still gasp in the beauty of a field lined up waiting for the cast… red coats brilliant against the thick green grass and the black costs giving the sharp contrast needed to bring out the soft reds, oranges and yellows of early fall nestled amongst the deep green woods.
I rode in the First Flight – the jumping field… the galloping group. And it was one of the best hunting experiences of my life. When the hounds were cast, it was an amazing sound of hound tonguing and galloping horses whose hoof beats were muffled by wet leaves carpeting the ground. We were off!
And what a run we had… Marjorie Franko expertly led us galloping after the speeding pack. It felt like we were flying until the call “Hold Hard” brought us to a thundering halt. The pack before us milled around the Huntsman and her staff. A few of our team took a long drink at the pond stopping instantly when a sister found the drag and sounded the alert. In an instant, the hounds packed in and charged back into the woods baying after the scent. We went from a moment’s rest to a full charge into the woods following the screaming hounds.
You know? Hollywood could not have painted a more beautiful scene than the one that morning. The muted light only sharpened the color of the Field, the beauty of the hounds and majesty of the Huntsman and Staff. The woods were darkened by the wet earth and trees. Fall colors just sprinkled liberally against the green.
I was not disappointed. Each piece proved to be as good as the one before. Ok, I love the gallop and the jumping. This hunt gave me all of that. It was an absolutely amazing scene and I was grateful that I braved what promised to be a cold wet morning to hunt with Old North Bridge Hounds. We are lucky indeed!”
Old North Bridge Hounds 