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Kenada Foxhunts – Starting 2010 with Foxhunting the Texas way to keep a century old tradition alive
Sunday, 03 January 2010 20:05 | Author: Iliane Borge |
  
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Fox hunting is a sport with a long tradition. Originating in the 16th century in the UK it is now practiced around the world. Fox hunting traditionally involves the tracking, chase and sometimes killing of red foxes by trained fox hounds, followed by a group on foot or horseback. The Master of Foxhounds Association of North America (MFHA) http://www.mfha.com/ listed 171 registered packs, one of them Kenada Foxhounds , just outside of Rockdale, TX, who hosted the hunt this sunny January weekend. Amy Adams Strunk founded Kenada Foxhounds in 1984. Since 1987 the hunts are recognized by MFHA. Amy (on the grey horse in the photo above) is currently the Master of Foxhounds (MFH). This means she is responsible for the hunt and controls the hounds. The hounds are trained to listen to her horn. The Master of Foxhounds is also supported by a few more riders called the whippers or whipper-ins. The whippers make sure that the dogs get back with pack. Linda Ray Meyers (after a run-away dog in the photo above) of Post Oak Creek Ranch in San Antonio (http://www.postoakcreekranch.com) and some other riders, like Polly Powell, have been with Kenada Foxhounds from just about as long as they have been hunting. Kenada has access to the about 8,000 acre large Bud Adams Ranch. The ranch is about 6 miles long and has 14 miles of river frontage butting the San Gabriel River and Little River. Bud Adams Ranch raises cattle, has about 1700 crop acres and produces pecans. In good years the pecan crop can be as large as 650,000lbs of pecans. Can you imagine? I have no idea how 650,000 lbs of pecans look like! In between the cattle pastures, hay fields and crop fields Kenada Foxhounds has set up 2.5 to 3 foot coop style jumps for jumping the fields. Kenada Foxhounds organizes hunts just about every other weekend through the season from October to March.
Their pack of 65 hounds knows exactly when they are getting ready to be taken out, and compete for attention to get a spot in the weekends hunt pack of about 20 – 30 hounds. Oh by the way, they are hounds and not “dogs”. If you call them dogs, you need to bring a case of beer next time you come out. I think I owe them at least a dozen cases. All hunters arrive sometime the week before the hunt. They trailer in their horses from all over Texas. Many people are coming from the Houston area, a few other from Austin and San Antonio, like Linda Ray Meyers and her husband Kurt. Linda a veterinarian and Kurt a Dentist breed Pecheron, Thoroughbred crosses for the hunts. Linda has experienced many riders of other disciplines that had difficulties with their horses during the hunt. This made her research what type of horse would be ideal for the hunt (good natured but fast) and her research showed that a ¼ draft, ¾ Thoroughbred will be the ideal cross. Linda started with a Percheron stud and now stands Razuli a ½ Percheron, ½ Thoroughbred stallion that they bred. The ranch only has a few cow ponies to work the cattle. All horses for the hunt are trailered in by their owner for a weekend of hunting and trail riding. To keep their horses fit the foxhunters work them a lot on cross country courses and trail rides.
Before the hunt starts all riders are sorted into groups called fields. Each field has a field master to lead the group. The first field contains the more experienced riders and foxhunters, in red coats. The first field typically jumps fences between the pastures, while the second and third field (in black coats) often rides a little slower and crosses through gates instead of jumping fences. This way the hunt can be enjoyed by advanced and beginner riders and the whole family. Dedicated husbands, kids and friends follow the hunt field in their trucks and offer welcome pit stops for the riders. With lots of drinks and snacks riders and hounds get a break and some special love. The pit stop crew also includes a trailer to pick up hounds that can’t continue the hunt. Some are just tired of the last days hunt and others are the young puppies out for the first time. For this hunt 2 pups were picked up fairly early. But this guy kept everybody, and especially Linda, the whipper, busy. It was his first time on a hunt and he just seemed super excited, running all over following his nose wherever it lead him. … and there he is running again…. All the puppies had the hounds really rallied up, and while no coyote in site, the hounds took off running and the hunt turned into a hunt for the hounds. Polly following some run-away hounds. Ashley coming back from returning some more hounds. Johan having fun hanging out on the farm. And even I got the chance to hop on a horse and hack him back home. This one is Murphy, Linda’s mount. The hunt was a fabulous experience on this beautiful ranch. But the thrill of the hunt, the hounds and the beautiful horses were topped by the warm and welcoming people participating. Everybody was so nice and open to the visitors. The hunts are by invitation only. If you would like to participate, you can find more information on Linda Ray Myers’ website: http://www.postoakcreekranch.com/hunt.html (More photos in our photo gallery. Click here) Iliane
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My name is Briana, I’m training a 2 year old mare and she does not know her ground manners what do I do and how do I train her to learn ground manners?
Thank you for asking these questions; this is a very widely researched topic. There are many books, videos, DVDs, and other educational products that focus on ground manners.
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In October 2009 the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) announced a Dressage Youth/Pony Pilot Program with Lendon Gray. The program is designed for young riders 20 years and younger with an emphasis on 10-15 year old riders. The goal is to develop correct riding skills from an early age rather than changing bad habits later on.Read more...
All participants had to go through an application process and submit resumes, and goals together with test scores to prove their riding level. All riders 15 and younger had to have at least 62% from two different FEI judges at First Level or higher. Requirements for 16-17 year old riders were at least 62% at Third Level or higher.
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Fox hunting is a sport with a long tradition. Originating in the 16th century in the UK it is now practiced around the world.
Fox hunting traditionally involves the tracking, chase and sometimes killing of red foxes by trained fox hounds, followed by a group on foot or horseback.
The Master of Foxhounds Association of North America (MFHA) http://www.mfha.com/ listed 171 registered packs, one of them Kenada Foxhounds , just outside of Rockdale, TX, who hosted the hunt this sunny January weekend.
Amy Adams Strunk founded Kenada Foxhounds in 1984. Since 1987 the hunts are recognized by MFHA.
Amy (on the grey horse in the photo above) is currently the Master of Foxhounds (MFH). This means she is responsible for the hunt and controls the hounds. The hounds are trained to listen to her horn.
The Master of Foxhounds is also supported by a few more riders called the whippers or whipper-ins. The whippers make sure that the dogs get back with pack. Linda Ray Meyers (after a run-away dog in the photo above) of Post Oak Creek Ranch in San Antonio (http://www.postoakcreekranch.com) and some other riders, like Polly Powell, have been with Kenada Foxhounds from just about as long as they have been hunting.
Kenada has access to the about 8,000 acre large Bud Adams Ranch. The ranch is about 6 miles long and has 14 miles of river frontage butting the San Gabriel River and Little River.
Bud Adams Ranch raises cattle, has about 1700 crop acres and produces pecans. In good years the pecan crop can be as large as 650,000lbs of pecans. Can you imagine? I have no idea how 650,000 lbs of pecans look like!
In between the cattle pastures, hay fields and crop fields Kenada Foxhounds has set up 2.5 to 3 foot coop style jumps for jumping the fields.
Kenada Foxhounds organizes…
