Legacy of William Almy

Details: Picture of the Week; By Norman Fine

nina and lilly McKee.lees.crop Nina McKee and daughter Lily McKee at the Warrenton Hunt Junior Meet in December, 2017. Lily is the great-great-granddaughter of William Almy. / Douglas Lees photo

Ninety-nine years ago, William Almy, twenty-two, was Master of the Quansett Hounds in South Westport, Massachusetts. Almy and his hounds hunted the fox from Quansett Farm, in the possession of the Almy family since 1700. The farm was situated on the northern shore of Buzzards Bay where the bay meets Rhode Island Sound. At the time of his death in 1979, he’d been a member of the Masters of Foxhounds Association for nearly fifty-six years.

In his time, Almy was recognized as the leading amateur huntsman in North America. He hunted English, American, and Crossbred hounds through his career as Master and huntsman of Quansett and Groton Hunts in Massachusetts, and Culpeper and Warrenton Hunts in Virginia. Almy was constantly in demand as a judge at horse shows and hound shows.

Vixen and Cubs

Details: Picture of the Week; By Norman Fine

Click on image for large format.

Theresa Ball’s photograph of vixen and cubs was the winning entry in the eighth Annual P.E.C. Photo Contest, Native Plants and Wildlife category, 2017. The Piedmont Environmental Council is renowned for its ardent preservation of the natural resources, history, and beauty of Virginia’s Piedmont.

Posted December 31, 2017

Didn’t Know Old Ariat Could Run That Fast!

Details: Picture of the Week; By Gretchen Pelham, MFH, Tennessee Valley Hunt

Photographer Gretchen Pelham was simply photographing a beautiful scene of huntsman Ryan Johnsey standing by the cornfield with the Smoky Mountains in the background. She had no idea she had caught a hunting drama!

coyote, foxhound and huntsman in the shadow of the Smoky Mountains

Limestone, Tennessee, on the banks of the Nolichucky River (translation: “the River of Death”) under the shadow of the Smoky Mountains. It was the first staff hunt of the season. I had picked up a few puppies and our ancient hound Ariat hanging out at the trailers and put them in a section of corn that I knew was close to the pack, still searching for game. Both puppies came right back out of the corn but Ariat started boo-hooing on a line. The pack soon joined her and off they went.

About an hour later I was sitting on a hill on my horse, listening to the pack circle and roar by me again, and all I did was take a burst of photos of Ryan Johnsey, MFH, our huntsman, with the Smoky Mountains in the background. That’s it. I saw Ryan and the mountains through the lens. Nothing else.

Innocence and Expectation

Details: Picture of the Week; By Lucy Clarke

monmouthshire nextgen.lucy clarke

Innocence and expectation, tenderly captured by Lucy Clarke, is what your editor sees in the expressions of these Monmouthshire foxhound puppies in southeastern Wales.

Baily’s tells us, “In 1695, Mr. Powell kept a pack of hounds that hunted anything. Mr. John “Squire” Lewis, Master from 1738–88, married Miss Powell, kept hounds at Llantilio, and hunted fox, hare, and otter. From 1788–1832, hounds hunted fox and hare. In 1832, Mr/ Lewis wished to give up keeping hounds, and Captain Stretton, then quartered at Brecon, volunteered to take them. Mr. Lewis presented him with the pack, which was installed in kennels near Abergavenny. Captain Stretton hunted hounds from 1832 to 1835. The Monmouthshire Hunt Club was established about 1835. The Hunt Club ceased to run the Hunt in 1945, since which time control has been vested in a Committee of farmers and representatives of the Hunt Club.”

The pack composed of English and English-Welsh crosses is the property of the Committee.