2012 HOUND SHOW SCHEDULE    

Any hunt that wishes to exhibit hounds in a sanctioned hound show must pay the annual hound show and performance trial (HSPT) fee to the MFHA.

Click here to pay dues 

Click here to view full show schedule  

BIENNIAL STAFF SEMINAR: Not just for staff! 

Register Today!! 

To be held at the Westfields Marriott in Chantilly, Virginia, the Biennial Staff Seminar has something for everyone: A master-only nuts and bolts workshop, tips on hunting the fox, a discussion of the optimum care of the foxhunting horse, a photography workshop, and more! Only 15 minutes from Dulles Airport, this prime location is nestled in the middle of beautiful hunt country and less than 30 minutes from historic Middleburg, Virginia. In addition to outstanding educational opportunities, kennel tours are available and spring racing season is in full swing. Come early and stay late! You will have a ball! 

First Ever Shop-and-Foxhunt-Expo Breaks Covert

Where: Chantilly, Va. Westfields Marriott

For the first time, Covertside, The Magazine of Mounted Foxhunting, and the Masters of Foxhounds Association are launching a shopping extravaganza devoted ONLY to items of interest to foxhunters.

Located at the Chantilly, Va., Westfields Marriott, the exhibition begins on April 21 at 1:00 pm and continues through 6:00 pm Sunday, April 22.  The exhibition accompanies the MFHA Biennial Staff Seminar (not just for staff!) that takes place Saturday and Sunday at the same venue.  The staff seminar features tips on hunting the red fox, managing a hunt horse barn, the characteristics of the foxhound, and much more.

You do not have to register for the seminar to visit the vendors.

They are:

Linda Reynolds Jewelry

Bosley Branier Custom Apparel:

http://www.bosleyapparel.com

Bosom Buddy Bags

www.BosomBuddyBags.com

Centaur Fencing: http://www.centaurhtp.com/

Foxmask Art: www.foxmask.us

Frederique's Studio: www.treasureyourhorse.com

Friday's Horse: http://www.fridayshorse.com

Middy and Me: http://www.middynme.com/

Millwood House: www.millwoodhouse.com

Pegasus Helmets: http://www.pegasushelmets.com

Point Two Air Vests: http://www.point-two.co.uk/us/

Rebecca Ray Designs:http://rebeccaraydesign.com/about/

Tennessee Pewter Company:http://www.tnpewter.com

The Vintage Fox:  http://www.thevintagefoxonline.com/

Vogel Boots: http://vogelboots.com/

From 3:30 to 5:30 on Saturday, Point Two Air Vests will be demonstrating their product, the newest innovation in equestrian safety. Pegasus Helmets will be offering a free helmet fitting workshop.

For information on the seminar-all Subscribing Members welcome-go to http://mfha.org/shop-seminar.html, or call 540-955-5680, or emailoffice@mfha.org

For information on the expo (open to the public) contact publisher@covertside.net or sales@covertside.net;

call 505-553-2671

Click Here For More Information  

MFHA Seeks Corporate Sponsors

The MFHA has recently launched its first ever association sponsorship program.

Ritchie Waterers and Merck Animal Health were the first companies to sign up to be affiliated with MFHA. These partners provide a greater visibility for the MFHA and the sport of foxhunting, and allow MFHA subscribing members access to benefits such as exclusive coupons on products they need for the care of their animals.  

Sponsors receive priority advertising positions and co-branding with the MFHA. For more information, contact publisher@covertside.net

Equine Land Conservation Resource Elects Director Emeritus & New Members to Board of Directors & Advisory Council

Half Price! 

All 2012 MFHA Calendars are now $11 + $7 shipping 

Click on the image to order your calendar.

 ORDER NOW! (or call 505-553-2671 to place a phone order)

Have you visited Covertside's Facebook page? We've got news, photos, gossip, and more. We'd love to meet you on Facebook. Become a Covertside friend today. 

Not an ecovertisde subscriber? Sign up today:

Subscribe today 

Is this book in your hunt's library?    

http://www.mfha.org/shop-centennial.html

A Centennial View: Foxhunting in North America Today is a one-of-a-kind collector's item that should be in every foxhunters' library. With award winning art and the finest writing about the sport today, A Centennial View is a timeless masterpiece. Purchase yours today. Click on the image to order. Proceeds benefit the Masters of Foxhounds Association.

 

Save the Date!

The Third Maury River Hunter Trials

April 7, 2012 

Virginia Horse Center, Lexington, VA

 

To be held at the beautiful Virginia Horse Center in Lexington, VA on its world class cross-country course coordinated by Penny & Brian Ross, organizers of the Virginia Horse Trials in association with and for the benefit of local hunt clubs. 

A Hunter Trial is a great way to introduce your horse to foxhunting conditions, school for hunter derbies, or show off your seasoned field hunter! Foxhunters and non-Foxhunters welcome! Hunt membership not required!

Details Here! 

News Release: Former Head of UK  

Land Army Appointed to Lead  

Countryside Alliance

Former head of the UK Land Army Lieutenant General Sir Barney White-Spunner KCB CBE has been appointed Executive Chairman of the Countryside Alliance and Director of the Countryside Alliance Foundation . He took the post on 9th February, taking on all the responsibilities of current Chief Executive,

Alice Barnard, who left in early February. Barney is based in the Alliance's London Headquarters. Kate Hoey MP, will remain Chairman of the Board of the Countryside Alliance.

Barney is a writer and countryman with first-hand knowledge of farming and wide countryside interests. He lives in Dorset with his wife and three children, and is a long term supporter of all country sports. As well as being a regular contributor to The Field magazine he was a former editor of Bailey's Hunting Directory and President of the Association of Masters of Harriers and Beagles.

Read More... 

Read the Official Release Here 

A History of the English Foxhound

By Baron Jean Christophe von Pfetten & Baroness Monique de Rothschild 

Translated by Clare Poole  

Edward II, the Duke of York wrote in his book "The Master of the Game", when he was in jail following the defeat of Agincourt:

Baron Jean Christophe von Pfetten & Baroness Monique de Rothschild

"The hound is a creature of reasoning and the best of all divine creatures."

In 1937, Sir John Buchanan-Jardine published the book Hounds of the World which still constitutes the best study of the French origins of the foxhound. Before hunting the fox, England used to hunt hare and stag in the traditional French style, but with two different types of hound:

The first type was the Southern Hound which was mainly black and white with blue mottle and four eyes (meaning prominently marked round eyebrows above its eyes), and its origin comes back effectively to the gift of Gascon hounds from Henry IV of France to James I of England at the beginning of the 17th Century. Gascon hounds were slow of pace, with an excellent nose and had a passion for hunting hare. The descendants of this breed can still be found in kennels such as the Duke of Beaufort's at Badminton in Gloucestershire.

Read More... 

Winter's Gin

By Brandy Greenwell  

Photos by Nick Greenwell 

Nearing the end of a very mild and highly hunted season, Old Man Winter finally decided to show his face the night before members of Middleburg Hunt were to travel for a joint meet with Keswick Hunt Club on February 11, 2012. There were a few inches of freshly fallen snow at home, but as we started on our trek, the accumulation seemed to deepen the farther south we drove. In a single moment right around Opel, all the snow vanished leaving a crisp blanket of frozen grass on which to have an amazing day hunting hounds.

The View From Down Here: Road Trip!!

This past February Gretchen and I went on a road trip to Camden, SC with another hunt member Judith Craw and her Anglo-Arab, Ricky. We went down to see MY huntsman, Kurt Krucke, who is now the huntsman for the Camden Hunt. Rick and I spent 5 hours in the back of the trailer telling stories on our riders. Needless to say, by our count, Gretchen has fallen off many more times than Judith has! LOL! [Gretchen's Note: Watch I, Lard Butt, or I will cancel your massage for next week.]

We arrived Friday night to a sandy barn yard. Kurt put me in the stall reserved for HIS hunt horse.   We passed his horse on the way in, and he did look so intimated that I almost felt sorry for him. Almost. On the wall in front of me was the map of Camden's territory with all of their jumps marked and named. Yep - after this trip, there will be a jumped named for me! [Gretchen's Note: Not a jump, little man, but maybe they will name a hound after you.   They were all amazed at my saddled hound.]

Read More... 

 

A Horse of a Different Color...or "Model"

In early January, Wayne Thrush, our family friend who takes me hunting, told me that his horse, Bailey, turned up lame, the result of a pulled hip muscle. The prescription: time off, then light work building up to a regular working schedule. I knew it might be a while until we were able to get back out hunting. Of course, road whipping was always an option, but who knew when Mr. Wayne's schedule would be open? That's okay...deep breath...I would find a way to survive. I asked Facebook friends for updates on hunts, added a few pictures of hounds to my dorm room wall, kept reviewing my hound list ... but one day, I found myself researching hound pedigrees in class. It was like one second I was taking notes on the rhetorical triangle, and the next I was immersed in the MFHA website! I don't even know how it happened! Something's got to give soon, I thought. Needless to say, when Mr. Wayne e-mailed me about road whipping at a fixture I've never been to, it took me all of three seconds to respond: "YES!"

Read More... 

Bull Run Hunt March Madness!

The week begins on Sunday, March 25, with the BRH  Point-to-Point Races followed by 6 consecutive days of hunting and ending with The Annual BRH Hunt Ball.  Hunting will be from a different Bull Run fixture everyday.

There will be a breakfast in the field following each hunt or a Cocktail Party in the evening.  Come for a day or the entire week!

Details Here! 

"The Sedgefield Cup"

Photo by Maggie O'Hare

Click Here for Details! 

By Courtney Carson

Photos by Lee Carson 

Journal Entry: Today marked the first of a two-day performance trials held here at Belle Meade. Guest huntsman, Joe Cassidy, came in from Pennsylvania to hunt the hounds from five different hunts; Belle Meade, Snickersville, Rappahannock, Hillsboro, and Metamora. He had never hunted any of these hounds before, they had never worked as a pack before, and Joe had never hunted coyote before. Needless to say, we were in for a heck of a day. Over the last two days the different hunts have moved in and worked on bleaching out their dark hounds, gotten horses settled, and been apart of the festivities going on here at Belle Meade.

Thursday evening was the Judge's Meeting, which I was lucky enough to sneak in on. They went over safety guidelines, about road whips picking up hounds and bringing them up to the pack if they get separated, guidelines for hounds who lag behind or run deer, if a hound gets hurt, etc. They went over what happens if a coyote is put to ground or killed, about where the huntsmen should ride, and stressed that only one horn would be used throughout the next two days. We had some rain that was supposed to move it, and the trials hunt needs to last at least three hours, so we were trying to find a good window to get out there.

Read More...  

EMPLOYMENT/POSITIONS

The Fraser Valley Hunt requires a Senior Master for their country in the beautiful Fraser Valley, close to Vancouver, BC Canada. Call 604-835-0845.

E-Covertside classifieds work. Reach 7000 dedicated foxhunters through this email and our website, www.ecovertside.net. 

Contact publisher@covertside.net

or submit and pay online at our website.    

EVENTS

MAURY RIVER HUNTER TRIALS, LEXINGTON, VA, APRIL 7, 2012:  held on the beautiful outdoor cross-country course at the Virginia Horse Center and open to foxhunters and non-foxhunters as well as spectators.  For more details, see www.vahorsetrials.com or facebook Maury River Hunter Trials

Did you know?

MFHA now has a Junior Subscribing Membership. For just $10, juniors can receive e-covertside, Covertside magazine, invitations to MFHA events, and more.

Click on the ad below to subscribe.

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