Harry Worcester-Smith and the Westmeath Foxhounds

Details: Hounds; By Noel Mullins

The Westmeath Foxhounds based in the midlands of Ireland was founded in 1854 and is one of the most popular

Harry-Worcester-Smith-master-of-the-Westmeath-Foxhounds-1912

Grafton Staff in Ireland: Tom Jenner on Sir Ritchie, Harry Worcester-Smith on Success, Jackie Brown on The Cad

foxhunting packs in Ireland. They have had a distinguished succession of Joint-Masters over the years, but one of the most flamboyant arrived at the Irish kennels from the USA in 1912 with a retinue that caused quite a stir in the neighbourhood.

The new Master’s entourage included sixteen Thoroughbred horses, a pack of American hounds, five African-American grooms, a yellow open-top sports car, a yellow sulky, and three fighting cocks. His name was Harry Worcester-Smith, MFH of the Grafton Hounds in Massachusetts. He was even better known for the 1905 Great Foxhound Match in the Piedmont Valley with Mr. Alexander Henry Higginson’s English hounds, mainly of Fernie origin.

National Sporting Library Presents Symposium on Hunting Dogs

Details: Hounds; By Elizabeth Tobey

John Emms, oil on canvas, collection National Sporting Library and Museum

The National Sporting Library & Museum in Middleburg, Virginia, will host a full-day symposium "Lives of Dogs: Origins & Evolution of Hunting & Sporting Breeds" from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, October 23, 2010. An international panel of six speakers, moderated by Timothy J. Greenan, M.D., will trace the history of hunting with dogs from prehistory through the present day. The symposium, made possible by the gift of an anonymous donor, is part of the Library’s Public Lecture Series, and coincides with the exhibition "Lives of Dogs, Viewed through Literature, Art, & Ephemera" on view through December 11, 2010.

Full Cry Largo Wins Top Honors at Belle Meade

Details: Hounds; By Norman Fine

full_cry_largo Full Cry Largo, hunting back home, just after being judged top hound at the Belle Meade Foxhound Performance Trials. She still carries her number 17, which was painted on her for the competition. Adrian Jennings photoFull Cry Largo was judged top hound at the Belle Meade Foxhound Performance Trials held in Thomson, Georgia on February 25 and 26. Belle Meade Lifeguard was runner-up to Largo, and, with three hounds in the top ten, Belle Meade took top honors among the hunts. For complete results, click here.

“Largo's story is a great testament to how hunts and huntsman can work together to help each other out and find the right fit for hounds,” says David Hyman, MFH and huntsman of the Full Cry Hounds (AL). “It's truly a unique fraternity.”

Rockbridge Lawyer and Lead: A One-Two Punch at Carolinas

Details: Hounds; By Norman Fine

conner_and_lawyer Huntsman David Conner and Rockbridge Lawyer 2008. Jan Sorrells photo

Rockbridge Lawyer 2008 and his littermate Lead scored a one-two punch at the Carolinas Foxhound Performance Trials on March 26 and 27 in Hoffman, North Carolina. Competing against hounds from twelve other hunts, the Rockbridge pair finished first and second respectively after two days of hunting. We talked to Conner about his handsome and talented hound.

Trial organizer Fred Berry, MFH of the Sedgefield Hunt, has been actively involved in foxhound performance trials for years—first judging, then organizing. As a result of Berry’s considerable experience, he has introduced some interesting new wrinkles into the management of his trials to improve both the hunting and the experience for the field.