Rockbridge Hunt Newsletter September 1998

Blair and Erica Jones - Editors
September 16, 1998


The Rockbridge Hunt General Meeting

The Rockbridge Hunt held a general meeting at the Tex Tilson Lodge on Wednesday, September 16, 1998. Frank Farmer, President, called the meeting to order. He welcomed everyone attending. Frank asked for a reading of the minutes from the last executive meeting. Jeanne Jeffer, secretary read the minutes. Frank then asked for any corrections to the minutes. Frank Bierman stated that he did not say that he disliked having tourists hiking over his property with the llamas. This was in reference to the Applewood Inn advertising llama trekking over Hunt, Inc. property. Frank said he was upset by the llamas, but did not indicate to Bud and Peg Russell that he did not want tourists on his property. This correction is noted. Frank Farmer asked for any more corrections to the minutes, there were none. There was a motion to accept the minutes with the correction; it was seconded and passed.

Frank then asked for the treasurer’s report. Jay Moore, treasurer was not present. Frank asked Brenda and Kevin Baird to give and approximation of the amount of money the Endurance Ride grossed. They reported $8,500.00 gross and $4,000.00 - $5,000.00 net. No one knew how much money was grossed on the Rockbridge Hunt Horse Show. Frank Farmer said he would contact Joan Alberti, Horse Show Coordinator, to find this out.

The Rockbridge Hunt Labor Day Endurance Ride: Kathy Eichelberger, co-chair of the ride, thanked everyone for their support and participation. Kathy noted that there was a total of 104 horses entered in the ride. Brenda and Kevin Baird stated that the turn-out of riders for this event was phenomenal. That weekend there were two other main endurance rides that were also going on, one was in Ohio and another in Pennsylvania. Many of our entries drove past those rides to join us. We had many international riders who attended. It was a big event. The Bairds have received many thank-you notes from participants , complementing everything from the location of the event to the food and the friendliness of the folks who put it on, which is quite unique. Many thanks went out to David Bolen, who marked trails and assisted in trail clearing. Special thanks was made to Joe Allen Conner and Gary Ruley, who spent many hours, throughout the summer, clearing and maintaining the trails not only for the Endurance Ride, but also for the upcoming Hunt Season. Kathy thanked David Conner for being the farrier at this event. Jeanne Jeffer thanked Pete Whitlock, Nancy Conner, Judy and Popeye Mundy, Frank Hartis, Joe Allen Conner, and Lauren Keating for helping with the preparation of the meals for the ride. Everyone agreed that the Rockbridge Hunt needs to continue putting on this ride.

Frank Farmer asked for information concerning the Llama Trekking and Hunt, Inc. David Bolen indicated that he had spoken with the Bests (owners of Applewood Inn) and the matter was handled satisfactorily for all parties concerned.

The Rockbridge Hunt Horse Show: As stated before, we need to speak with Joan Alberti to find out the specifics of the event. Nancy Conner complemented Fancy Hill Farm as a great location to hold this annual event. The show ran almost 12 hours, had two rings going at on time and weather did not cause any slow-down. It was agreed to hold next year’s show at Fancy Hill Farm.

The Rockbridge Hunt Membership Drive: Erica and Blair Jones distributed copies of a brochure on "Hunting with Rockbridge Hunt." This is an informational brochure, describing the Hunt. Blair and Erica want to make these available to all groups that would be a source of potential membership. The Rockbridge Hunt is celebrating its 50th anniversary. A proposal was made to waive the initiation fee to new members who join the Rockbridge Hunt prior to January 1, 1999. There was a second. The vote was unanimous in favor of waiving the initiation fee of new members to the Rockbridge Hunt prior to January 1, 1999.

New Members: Gene Clapsaddle proposed Pam Moskal as a new member. David Bolen proposed Louise Dooley as a new member, Lucy Turner proposed Bill and Susan Streaker as new members and Kevin Baird proposed Lynn Gilbert as a new member. Although the two written letters of recommendation had not been completed, a motion was made to accept all the proposed new members. It was seconded and passed unanimously. The letters of recommendation need to be addressed to David Bolen, Master of Foxhounds.

Hunt Ball: Buster Lewis and Frank Hartis said that everything is set up with Washington and Lee’s Evans Dining hall for the 1999 Hunt Ball. Frank stated that The Gene Thomas Band promised that a trumpet player will be a part of the band this time. Lucy Turner stated that there were complaints about the type of band that we had at the ball. We could possibly get more local people to attend if the band was better. Lucy suggested Donnie Cash and The Flames. Brenda Baird said she would also check into the availability and types of bands.

St. Jude Hospital Fund Raiser: Jeanne Jeffer asked if the Rockbridge Hunt was willing to put on a fund-raiser for this charity. She had been receiving phone calls from this group, wanting the Rockbridge Hunt to commit to item. It is the opinion of the Hunt membership not to support this charity. The membership would rather support a local charity instead. Jeanne said she would contact St. Jude fund-raising group and decline for the Rockbridge Hunt.

Hunt Breakfasts: Judy Mundy proposed a sign-up sheet to get more members to assist in the preparation of the Hunt breakfasts. It is too large a burden for one person to be totally responsible. Judy thanked Viola Wise, who carried this task for many years. It was decided to create a committee to coordinate the breakfast. The committee members are: Lois Farmer, chair, Viola Wise, Lauren Keating, Judy Mundy, Jeanne Jeffer and Carol Atwood. It was recommended that scheduled hunt breakfasts be potluck during the months of January, February and March, due to the uncertainty of the weather.

Newsletter: A Rockbridge Hunt newsletter is a must. Dick Ford recommended, as a basis of the newsletter, that a copy of the minutes of the general meeting be provided. Blair Jones agreed to chair the newsletter committee. Sharon Ford and Cindy Morton will assist. This will provide the members with information of highlights of past events and things to come.

Landowners Luncheon: Sunday, November 1998 at the Tex Tilson Lodge at 12:30 PM. Carol Atwood stated that she would like to invite not only the landowners, but all of the member of the Rockbridge Hunt. It would be a good way for everyone to meet each other. No motion was made on this suggestion.

David Bolen will provide the bar, Carol Atwood will provide invitations, Kathy Eichelberger will provide bread and salad, Viola Wise will provide the dessert, Jeanne Jeffer and Blair Jones will provide the vegetables, Jay Moore will provide the flowers, Lauren Keating and Frank Farmer will provide the meat.

The Hunt Barn: The barn is in desperate need of new gutters. There are no available horse stalls due to this condition. Carol Atwood will get an estimate and present it to the membership.

Bath County Joint Hunt: October 30 and 31st, Rockbridge Hunt will have a joint meet with Bath County. It was agreed that Rockbridge provide the breakfast for Friday. David Bolen will take care of arranging this. If anyone wants to stay at the Homestead, contact Lois Farmer by October 1, 1998.

Summer Trail Rides: David Bolen stated that the summer trail rides were a great success. Dick Ford stated that we should extend the rides through hunt season. David Bolen stated that with Hunting season in full swing, extending the trail rides would be too much. Everyone agreed.

Noel Johnson complimented the membership for holding the general meeting after a function. She said we needed to have more of these general meetings. It is a positive way to encourage participation in the Rockbridge Hunt.

Frank Farmer thanked everyone for coming.

The Next General Meeting is scheduled for November 4, 1998 at Broadview. The meeting will be held in the old Hunt Lodge at the Tilson farm. A potluck supper will accompany this meeting. Please mark your calendars for this event.

Respectfully submitted,
Jeanne Jeffer,
Honorable Secretary


News Clips and Calendar of Events
Celebrating 50 Years of Hunting

This fall RH is celebrating 50 years of chasing fox and hound. In honor of the occasion, the initiation fee will be waived for new members. This is your chance to draft a new member at a reduced rate! Hurry, offer good only through January 1 1999. Note that new members will still have to pay dues like the rest of us.

A breakfast committee has been formed to try to spread out this rewarding but not low effort job amongst hunt members. Lois Farmer is heading it up.

Thank you for volunteer work!


Labor Day Trail Ride

For those folks who have not heard, the Labor Day trail ride was a smashing success. The newsletter will print results next time, but in this issue we'd like to thank the mountain of folks that helped out. If we missed any bodies, please consider yourself also thanked and our humble apologies for missing your contribution. Kevin and Brenda Baird, Kathy and Stan Eichelberger, and Betty Baird appeared to take the brunt of the organizing part - drafting folks to take equine pulses and gate sit, taking entries, cook and serve and clean up, clear and mark trails, and of course, doing the vetting. A bundle of Rockbridge Hunt members helped in all sorts of capacities. Jeannie Jeffer organized and did a good proportion of the cooking and shopping with lots of help from Pete Whitlock, Frank Hartis, Nancy Conner, Cindy Morton, Viola Wise, Judy Mundy, and don't forget Jeannie's spouse Don. Lots of folks were spotted clearing trails and marking trails for the ride including David Bolen, Gary Ruley and Joe Allen Conner. David Conner served as official ride farrier and saw pretty brisk business on Sunday after the ride although he refused to accept a retainer. David was even handed a check by world champion Valerie Kanavy but seemed determined to cash the thing. Even champions lose shoes it seems. My poor farrier should take note.

Other hunt members helping were Amy Guthrie, Carol Atwood, Beverly Bowring Lorna, Lauren Keating, Blair and Erica Jones, Randy Darton, and Wilson Shepard and wife Lola.

We also had some non hunting members helping: Dana Reeder, Clancy Moore, Todd Burdick, and Andy Watkins. And certainly the hunt could not have put the trail ride on without the cooperation of various landowners, especially the Zollmans.

Again, if we missed anyone in all the shuffle, please accept our thanks (and feel free to let us know!). We could not have done this without such a great volunteer effort.

Late summer trail clearing days.

Although we did not have a terribly large turn out; folks showing up to clear trails, repair jumps and KP duty had a fun time socializing while getting some vital work done. The first date was Sept 6th. Gary Ruley, Wilson and Lola Shepard, David Bolen, Cindy Morton, Blair Jones and Lauren Keating split into two groups and attacked trails on hunt turf and across Plank road. While some members were roving the woods, a gathering of 'hens' mounted an assault on the kitchen grease & grime in the hunt lodge. Carol Atwood, Jeannie Jeffer, Judy Mundy and Erica Jones gossiped furiously while cleaning in and out of cabinets, the refrigerators, oven and range top. That range top was something else, let me tell you. There were enough chemicals in evidence to choke a horse, but the job got done (along with help from an open window).

The second trail clearing day may have suffered from lack of good publicity but David Bolen, David Conner, Lauren Keating and Blair and Erica Jones met at the lodge at 1pm last weekend to convene up the road on the west Airslie property. The two groups patched up some coops damaged during last year's hunting season, added wings and cleared a healthy section of trail. At least one hunt member was spotted tickling a resident black rat snake, and admiring a fine gathering of red-backed and slimy salamanders.


June Hunter Show

Again this year Joan Alberti was head honcho and organizer of the June Hunter Show which was held at Fancy Hill farm. I do not have at this time an even remotely complete list of folks helping Joan out. Look again for this in the next issue.


Other Volunteer Efforts

The 'Galloping Trail' and other trails in that area were in desperate need of attack all last year and Jay Landman and Carol Gerhardt took this on as their personal effort. This area suffers from falling pine trees and erosion and is a high maintenance section of our hunt territory.


Volunteers still needed!!!

The hunt still has some openings for volunteer help. The coop fairy has been building us new coops which need to be installed at the West Airslie property. And the guest stalls in the hunt barn could really use some carpentry work. And of course, there is always more trail clearing if you are carpentry-challenged or you like checking out the native flora and fauna. If you are interested in getting in some volunteer hours, please contact David Bolen.


Summer Trail Ride Series

Last spring the executive committee decided to try to bridge the big summer dry spell and schedule some trail ride/pot luck days. The seven rides put on the calendar were scheduled to meet at the hunt, West Airslie, Broadview, the Jeffer's estate in Natural Bridge Station, and the Jones' estate in Craig County.

The rides turned out to be a great way to keep up on the doings of other hunt members, meet some non- members who came to ride (we could have used more of these folks!) and partake in some really great food afterwards. Thanks to folks hosting the rides and thanks to David Bolen for making his cooler magically appear at strategic locations. We had some members turn out with new, young horses, and other members were mounted on their old trusties in order to exercise hoofs and posteriors. Members particularly enjoyed seeing parts of the territory up at West Airslie which they had never toured before (or at least toured at a nice leisurely pace), and swimming (equine and human) at Broadview and the Jeffer's.


Glenmore Hound Show held at Wheatlands on May 2, 1998

Submitted by our roving reporter, Carol Atwood.

A fun hound show was held for Glenmore, Rockbridge, and Farmington Hunt clubs to aid preparation for the big Virginia hound show held at the end of May. A total of eleven Rockbridge Hunt hounds were ably shown by David Conner, Nancy Conner, Joe Allen Conner, and Lauren Keating. Also attending as hound holders from Rockbridge were David Bolen, Katharine Sanford, and Carol Atwood. Lazer and Minute shown by Lauren placed second in the class: "Couple of Dogs, Entered". Bitches Cloud and Cricket shown by Lauren with Nancy assisting, and placed second in the class "Couple of Bitches, Entered." Our hounds gave a beautiful performance in the pack demonstration. Following the canine part of the show, David Conner and the other huntsmen gave an excellent horn blowing demonstration with great food at the Kentucky Derby party that followed. The Rockbridge Hunt will host the fun show next year on Kentucky Derby Day.


Anyone wanting to submit 'stuff' (articles, gossip, want ads or for sale ads) please contact your honorable newsletter editors Blair and Erica Jones at 544-7359 Blair( abjones@vt.edu) or Erica (emjones@vt.edu). We do NOT have an answering machine so best time to reach us is 7 am (!). Please don't call after 9:30 pm or we will be incoherent. Electronic submissions are best, but we will accept paper too.


The Calendar of Events and other late-breaking news items can now be viewed on our private web site.

The address is faerewynd.com/huntnews.htm. This site is not visible to the search engines and is intended to be only for the private use of members of the Rockbridge Hunt. To this end we request that you not give out this address to anyone who is not currently a member.

The "Hunting with Rockbridge Hunt" section, following, was developed with the idea of something to give to a prospective member, or even a horse person with lots of question about hunting. We have included it here for your use.


Hunting with Rockbridge Hunt

Hunting with Rockbridge Hunt is an experience in good horsemanship, good social gathering, and enjoyment of the outdoors. The activity with horse and hound is a chase sport, not an attempt to kill a fox.

Hunting occurs on Wednesday, Saturday, and occasional by-days at various locations in Rockbridge County. Generally hunt members are invited to hunt as guests of neighboring hunts several times a year.

Three fields (riding groups) will be organized and led by a field master for every hunt. The first field follows the staff and hounds over fences at a speed dictated by prevailing trail conditions. Gate-riders will ride at a pace to generally keep up with the first field but forego jumping. A hill-topping group is enjoyed by riders desiring a quiet peaceful pace without jumping.

Cubbing season is the early fall hunting season used to educate young hounds and horses. Attire is informal during the cubbing season.

Formal Hunting season starts with "Opening Hunt" near the first of November and continues through the end of March. Attire is formal for Saturday hunts and informal for Wednesday hunts.

The Master of Fox Hounds (MFH) appoints Field Masters and staff and is generally responsible for the conduct of a hunt.

The Master of Fox Hounds, Officers, and Stewards that make up the governing board are elected by those members with voting privileges at an annual meeting.

Only Single Hunting, Family Hunting, and Honorary Memberships have voting privileges.

Guests accompanying hunting members are invited to hunt. A capping fee (hunting fee for non-members) of $25.00 for each guest will be paid by the hunting member. Capping fees are paid during cubbing season and the formal season.

Visitors are invited to call the Honorable Secretary for an invitation to hunt and directions to the meet. Each visitor will pay capping fee of $25.00.

Pony Club members in good standing may hunt with permission of the Pony Club DC and when accompanied by an adult. Capping fee is waived for Pony Club members.

A statement acknowledging the dangers of fox hunting and waiving liability to the Hunt, members, and landowners is signed by each guest before a hunt begins.

A breakfast in the Tex Tilson Lodge may be scheduled after a hunt. Fee for breakfast is $5.00.

Members may make a reservation to use the Tex Tilson Lodge for a fee of $25.

Members may reserve by the day any available horse stalls in the Hunt barn with no fee. Stalls should be left clean.

Prior permission of a landowner is required to ride on private land. Members may enjoy riding and other recreational activities on Rockbridge Hunt owned land and, because Rockbridge Hunt is a member of Hunt, Incorporated, on common corporate land within Hunt, Incorporated.

Participation is expected in the club government by holding an office, serving on a committee, or at least voting at the annual membership meeting.

The privilege of membership in Rockbridge Hunt may be offered by the master after the following conditions have been met:

Two letters recommending membership must be received by the executive committee from current members.

Hunting membership requires prior participation in at least two days of guest hunting with Rockbridge Hunt.

The executive committee must vote favorably to offer membership.

*The initiation fee is waived through December 31, 1998 in celebration of Rockbridge Hunt's 50th year.


For more information please contact:

Dr. David W. Bolen, Jr.
(540) 463-7657
or
Mr. Frank A. Farmer, Jr.
(540) 473-2525

or write:

Rockbridge Hunt, Incorporated
61 Hark To Loop
Glasgow, VA 24555


Rockbridge Hunt
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