Rockbridge Hunt News -- March, 2000

2000 Hunt Ball

The 2000 version of the Rockbridge Hunt hunt ball seemed to be a big success. Before we get into thanking those businesses, groups and individuals who helped out in lots of ways, we need to announce a mix-up on a silent auction item. It seems that one cotton ladies sweater was taken mistakenly by the wrong person. The actual purchaser was refunded her money but would still be glad to get the sweater. Double check your memories and see if you might have picked up the wrong garment.

Now to thanking folks.

For running the show AND decorating the room: Buster and Signe Lewis

For helping round up donations for silent auction: Carol Atwood, Mary Lynn Camper, Nancy Conner, Laura Jarvis, Susan Streaker.

For helping set up on Saturday morning (and missing out on hunting): Carol Atwood, Bev Bowring, Laura Jarvis, Signe Lewis, Susan Streaker.

For running the silent auction: Bev Bowring, Lorna Bowring and Cindy Morton.

For printing and mailing invitations and thank you notes (and putting up with frantic last minute additions to the mailing list): Carol Atwood, Laura Jarvis, Lauren Keating, Pam Moskal.

Businesses and groups that donated:
All That Glitters, Lexington
Andre Studio, Lexington
Animal Medical Associates, Drs. Stan and Kathy Eichelberger, Roanoke
BeautiControl, Nancy H. Conner, Glasgow
The Best Seller, Lexington
Cabin Creek, Lisa Farmer, Troutville
Cocoa Mill Chocolates, Lexington
College Town Shop, Lexington
David Conner, Horseshoeing, Glasgow
Domino Ltd, Lee and Laura Jarvis, Natural Bridge
Dondero, Pete and Sue Hecht, Fairfield
Fitzgerald Lumber & Log Co., Fairfield
Four Winds Farm, Sarah Irvine, Raphine
Grand Piano and Furniture, Lexington
Hamilton Robbins, Lexington
Hidden Acre Greenhouses, Cathy Comer, Weyers Cave
Ladies Habit, Lexington
Ladles and Linens, Lexington
Lexington Horse and Country, Lexington
Lincoln Hill Florist, Lexington
Lincoln Hill Saddlery, Dorsey Davis, Lexington
MD Barns, Bill and Susan Streaker, Brownsburg
McCorkles Hallmark Shop, Lexington
Merle Norman , Lexington
Natural Bridge Hospital for Animals, Dr. Lauren Keating, Natural Bridge
Oak Manor Farm, Weyers Cave
Oil Exchange and Lube, Lexington
Pink Cadillac, Natural Bridge
Rockbridge Auto Parts, Lexington
Rockbridge Farmers Co-op, Lexington
Rockbridge Hunt Pony Club, Lexington
Rockbridge Interiors, Merrie Gayle McNemar, Lexington
Saddles 'N Stuff, Daleville
Second Story Bookshop, Lexington
Southern Inn, George Huger, Lexington
Stone Tavern Stable, Terry Whitmore, Natural Bridge
Sunrise Stables, Gammon Castellvi-Nuckols, Lexington
Jan Sweet, Tack Repair, Bent Mountain
The Tack Room, Roanoke
Travel Unlimited, Lexington
Virginia Born & Bred, Julie Lindsey, Lexington
VA Horse Center, Frank Bierman, Lexington
Virginia Tack, Blacksburg
Frances Yeardley, riding instruction, Lexington

And these individuals donated items/services:

Michael Beda
Chris Bowring
Mary Lynn Camper
Gene Clapsaddle
Joe Conner
Lois Farmer
Richard and Sharon Ford
Lisa Frederick
Frank Hartis
Anne Hartung
Marsha Heatwole
Bernard Hylton
John Jessee
Blair and Erica Jones
Diane Long
Pam Moskal
Judy and Popeye Mundy
Nancy Peterson
Terry Poff
Mc and Louise Sterrett
Kitty Tilson
Andy and Joy Watkins
Viola Wise
Janet Wynot
Helen Young

Receipts from the silent auction were $3517.50.

Our treasurer reports that she does not have all the expenses turned in yet but anticipates outstanding bills to total about $5,500. The band cost (for those who asked me) $1250. Receipts from subscriptions came to $6905.

I'll refrain from any attire reviews other to say that it seemed like there were a lot of new frocks out there on the dance floor. Dancing was enthused with a variety of skill levels. There was general suspicion that some couples actually take ball room dancing lessons? What fun to watch!

Hope to see everyone next year.

Book Review (for reading when hunting season ends in March)

Kathleen Nowacki-Correia submitted this book review. She reports that Dr. Rita Mae Brown, MFH of Oak Ridge Fox Hunt, and award-winning author, has just released as of January 2000 a novel that is chock full of fascinating (and accurate) facts about foxhunting in Virginia. This well-written tale, called OUTFOXED, is an exciting and educational adventure into the world of modern foxhunting, based on the revered traditions of the past. Published by the Ballantine Publishing Co., the book is available through www.randomhouse.com/BB/ and through Amazon.com (and through most bookstores, I'm sure). OUTFOXED goes beyond entertaining; it is truly enchanting!

Landowner Etiquette

The promise of spring is in the air and we all enjoy getting out for a quiet hack through the awakening countryside. Please remember that Rockbridge Hunt lives by the grace of people whose land we hunt. This private land is closed to general trail riding. Only when we are engaged as members of a hunt field following the hounds are we invited onto this land. When hacking to or from a meet or when just trail riding all of us need explicit permission from property owners to be on private land. We offer the same respect to landowners of Hunt, Inc. as with others in our hunt territory and should stay off their land unless permission has been obtained. Members of the Hunt have riding privilege on the corporate owned portion of Hunt, Incorporated. Please ask David Bolen to show you the boundaries and trails within the corporate owned area and the Rockbridge Hunt owned parcels open to members and their guests for trail riding. And, please don't ride through an area that will be! hunted later the same day. Blair Jones

An Invitation to all Rockbridge Hunt members

Our fabulous sport could not exist without our horses. Rockbridge Hunt announces the opportunity to honor exemplary hunt horses we have known. A plaque will be displayed in the Hunt Lodge with engraved plates to honor horses that have been special to their owners and hunting partners, as well as being recognized by other members of the Hunt. Nominations for the Honor Roll Field Hunters of the Rockbridge Hunt are currently being accepted - the form is on the next page. Nominated horses must be retired or deceased, must have hunted regularly with Rockbridge Hunt. They do not have to have been actually owned by the person nominating. The selection committee will interview hunt members (former and current) to find people that can remember the horse in the case of horses hunting in the more distant past. Otherwise the horse must be remembered by the committee members. Please include a photograph which will be displayed in an album to be kept at the Hunt Lodge. Also, the! information you provide about the horse on the nominating form will also go into the album. A nominating fee of $100.00 should also be included. We will continue this program as long as the demand exists - hopefully for as long as Rockbridge Hunt continues to hunt.

The plaque was formally presented at the hunt ball and currently there are six horses in the honor roll.

Members may also contribute to the Memorial Fund in a different manner. Any member wishing to recognize other member's horse that they have particularly enjoyed seeing in the hunt field may do so by making a donation (of any amount) in that horse's honor. This horse does not have to meet any of the criteria above (retired and remembered by a committee member.) The horse's owner will be formally notified that a donation has been made in his or her horse's honor. A list of all horses will be included in the album of Honor Roll Field Hunters on display in the Lodge.

Proceeds from this project will go to the Memorial Fund of the Hunt, thereby providing additional financial security for the Hunt. Please contact Kathy Eichelberger or Carol Atwood for further information.

Nomination for Honor Roll Field Hunters of the Rockbridge Hunt

Name of horse:

Name of owner and/or farm:

Name of person(s) regularly hunting with the horse, if different from above:

Years of birth and death (or retirement):

Years hunting with Rockbridge Hunt:

Physical description of horse:

Brief biography or interesting information about the horse and his or her special attributes as a memorable field hunter:

Please enclose a photograph suitable for display in an album, and any comments you would like included in the album.

Please enclose the nomination fee of $100.00. Make checks payable to Rockbridge Hunt and mark check 'Honor Roll Nomination'.

Please indicate whether you prefer the years of birth and death/retirement, or years hunted listed on the brass plate.

Mail to: Kathy Eichelberger, DVM, PO Box 524, Montvale, VA 24122

Thank you for your participation in honoring our outstanding hunt horses.

Bits and Pieces

Rockbridge Hunt Pony Club would like to extend (once again!) a very special thank you to long time hunt member Janet Wynot for her generous donation.

Next Junior Hunt: March 11th (Hunt Inc. 2:30 pm).

Glenmore Hunt is having their spring hunter pace April 2nd, 2000. The rain (snow, hail sleet) date will be April 9th.

The Derby day (local) hound show will be held May 5, 2000. Glenmore Hunt is hosting this year.

Annual meeting (Rockbridge Hunt) is the second Wednesday of May at 7:30 pm. This year that's May 10th.

The Virginia Hound show will be Sunday May 28th. A group from Rockbridge Hunt has rented a van and attended in the past.

Our annual horse show will be June 10, 2000 at Fancy Hill Farm. Contact is Joan Alberti.

Labor day endurance ride will be September 2 and 3, 2000 at Zollmans' Pavilion. Contact is Brenda Baird.

Don't forget about the Southern States label program. You can leave your labels at the Tex Tilson Lodge, or mail them to Cindy Morton. Cindy collects and tidies them up and mails them to Southern States.

Financial Facts

A few financial facts you may not have known about Rockbridge Hunt.

The Rockbridge Hunt fiscal year runs from June 1 to May 31. The annual budget presented at the annual meeting never shows actual expenditures for the entire, current fiscal year because the fiscal year isn't over at the time (early May).

Riding members are required to pay an initiation fee at the time of joining. This is primarily justified because they are being given voting privileges in a corporate entity, Rockbridge Hunt, Inc., which owns substantial assets (land, buildings, hounds, etc.). Social and student memberships do not carry voting privileges so an initiation fee is not required.

If someone is invited to join the Rockbridge Hunt, as a riding member, after January 1, he or she will be required to pay the full initiation fee but only half of the appropriate dues for the year.

Any member of the Rockbridge Hunt may use the Tex Tilson Lodge for private functions. Reservations must be made for this use and Rockbridge Hunt functions have priority. Inquiries should be made to Carol Atwood.

More money is raised through dues payments than through all other fund-raising activities combined.

Rockbridge Hunt is a member of, and pays annual dues to, the Masters of Foxhounds Association (MFHA), the Virginia Foxhound Club (VFC), and the Foxhound Club of North America (FCNA). The hunt also pays a fee to register each litter of hounds when they are entered into the pack.

Rockbridge Hunt makes annual donations to appropriate local rescue and fire organizations. Cindy Morton

Minutes from Executive Committee Meeting Feb 9th, 2000

Meeting called to order 6:15 pm by president Frank Farmer.
Minutes accepted as printed in the January newsletter.
Discussion of the notion of a "Seasonal Capping Fee". Graham Pitzenberger (from Glenmore) faxed David (Bolen) a copy of their proposal, with the comment that Oak Ridge is also starting a similar policy. Glenmore's policy includes:
Glenmore offers a seasons worth of cappings to a member of any other MFHA recognized hunt, with prior approval of the MFH. This automatically waives the "three hunts per season" restriction in their bylaws.
Capping privileges are limited to one hunt per week.
Capping privileges do not include cubbing without a specific invitation from Glenmore.
The fee will not be pro-rated.
The fee is non-refundable, non-transferable, and can not be credited towards dues or any other fee.
Price would be $350 per person per season.
The executive committee tabled discussion on this matter until next meeting.
David Bolen received a proposal from Wilson Shepard concerning more scheduled trail rides. Some discussion of liabilities ensued. David reported that some landowners have been having problems with mounted trespassers. Rockbridge Hunt members are reminded to get permission before riding on any private property, irregardless if it is in Rockbridge Hunt territory. David agreed to talk to Wilson about organizing the trail rides during the 'off' (non fox hunting) season.
Member Fred Burks is investigating expanding our territory onto the east side of Rt 81 in the area between Rt 679 and Tinkerville road. This territory would consist of approximately 2,000 acres. Fred has offered to oversee paneling and promises to enlist Rockbridge Hunt members for some trail clearing duties this summer.
The committee voted to pay for guttering on the north side of the kennels.
Frank Farmer declared barn guttering and the boggy barn problem to be 'routine maintenance' and the Exec. Com. should not have to vote on such matters individually. David Bolen promised to pursue the well installation fellow for digging up water lines around the barn to check for leaks.
Carol Atwood promised to look into barn guttering and had the go ahead to authorize it if the estimate is within 150% of the last years estimate she got before that contractor hurt his back.
Carol Atwood proposed that Rockbridge Hunt send David Conner to the bi-annual staff MFHA staff seminar being held in April in Georgia. The Exec Com voted to pay for all of David's expenses. Frank Farmer offered to pay for Nancy Conners fees if she can attend.
There was some discussion of the one time Rockbridge Hunt initiation fee.
Carol Atwood reports that 23 juniors have hunted with Rockbridge Hunt this year so far. She checked with the MFHA to compare to what other hunts have done and this record is pretty good. Her unmounted clinic in January was attended by 14 juniors and 10 adults from five counties. They discussed attire, hounds, and took a kennel tour.
The next Junior hunt will be March 11th.

Meeting adjourned 7:00 pm.

Respectfully submitted,
Erica Jones, Secretary

Rockbridge Hunt
Home | Newsletters | 2000