The Hounds of the Rolex Kentucky 3-Day Event

Scout the American foxhound attended North America's only 4-star event wearing a sporty jacket that said ADOPT ME! He's available at the Lexington Humane Society at (859) 233-0044. Please consider adopting him! The houndbloggers ran into him several times on Saturday, and he's got a great personality!

THE annual Rolex Kentucky 3-Day Event at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington always brings out the dogs. Cross-country day, which always takes place on Saturday, is as good for dog-watching as it is for keeping an eye on the world-class equine athletes that are competing.

So this year the houndbloggers, aided by their trusty iPhone, took some snapshots of every hound we passed. We start with Scout, a lovely American foxhound currently up for adoption at the Lexington Humane Society (telephone number 859-233-0044). We ran into Scout everywhere we went, and we stopped to say hello each time. We’d have adopted him ourselves except that we already have three hounds and have committed to adopt a fourth if she needs a home within the next year, and that puts us at capacity. Our favorite thing about Scout: he’s a leaner. If you’ll stand there talking to him, patting him, or scratching his ears, he’ll lean gently against your shins. It’s a wonderful, trusting gesture that is also very pleasant for the leanee! Please consider adopting Scout if you have the room and inclination. He’s been at the Lexington Humane Society since October.

Chillin: Faith the six-month-old bloodhound found a comfy spot to nap.

When the weather looked threatening, we did what anyone would do: we headed for the trade fair! The first dog we bumped into in the indoor arena where the trade stands were was Faith, a six-month-old bloodhound who was napping at the Bluegrass Search and Rescue stand. Between calls to go find people, she sure is laid back. She happily allowed all and sundry to pat and scratch and fondle her enormous jowls and giant-sized puppy feet, and she only opened her her eyes once.

Cyril, the happy shopper.

Nearby, but at the opposite end of the age spectrum, was Cyril, who was accompanying his human companion around the trade fair booths and wearing a big smile. Take a picture? No problem! Cyril was happy to pose before heading off into the merchandise again.

A basset hound who thought we looked more interesting than the popular Head of the Lake water jump.

Fortunately, Saturday’s stormy weather held off for the cross-country portion of the event, so the houndbloggers got to spend a lot of time walking from jump to jump and watching some truly outstanding horses and riders. At the Head of the Lake (see eventual Rolex Kentucky 3-Day winner Cool Mountain and William Fox-Pitt jump this complex in the video below), we found a basset watching us instead of the course. You can see why: if you’re a basset, it’s not that easy to see through the forest of human legs.

Cody and dad.

Nearby, Cody and his people also were enjoying the action at the Head of the Lake. Cody, they informed us, is a coonhound. he reminded us of Driver, and not just because of the color: he was massive! His owner told us both Cody’s parents were about 100 pounds, and he’s even heavier. But he’s still got some height to gain to catch up to Driver.

Avalanche, a former racing greyhound, enjoyed pats at The Hollow.

We came across two greyhounds on opposite ends of the cross-country course. This gratified our guest for the day, Robin Foster, one of our favorite people and the devoted owner (with her husband Steve) of several greyhounds: Badge, who died in 2009, and now Popeye and Donny, all former racing greyhounds.

Robin, if you’re reading this, congratulations! We’re giving you the coveted Game As Grundy Award for completing almost the entire cross-country course on foot, as well as a round of the extensive indoor AND outdoor trade fair, all with a broken toe!

The first greyhound we met was Cleo (short for Cleopatra), who was more than happy to pose for a photo, which was messed up slightly by my fame-seeking finger peeking in on one side of the lens (continuing the houndblogger tradition of photographic mishaps).

The lovely Cleo on a brief stop between fences on the cross-country course.

The second greyhound we met was Avalanche, who was allowing charmed passersby to give him as much petting as they wished. That was a lot of petting, including from us. Avalanche was stationed at The Hollow, where rider Oliver Townend and his mount Ashdale Cruise Master had a scary fall that knocked them from the competition. Both horse and rider are okay. Here’s a more successful ride through The Hollow: Townend last year on Carousel Quest. Note that this year, the path through The Hollow ran the opposite way; in other words, horse and rider jumped a fence, then jumped down the two steps into the  grass bowl, then galloped up to an exit fence on the opposite end. In 2009, the took the two steps and fence combination on exit.

Do you know someone who has room for Scout?

Those of us who have bought Lexington Humane  Society t-shirts will recognize that Avalanche’s owner, holding the leash, is wearing one. Which brings us back to Scout. Here’s another view of this nice hound, who is currently at the Lexington Humane Society and needs a good home soon!  Please consider adopting him.

Cold day, warm hearts: the kennel open house (with video!)

Undaunted by bitter cold, more than 30 people attended the Iroquois kennel open house Sunday to meet the puppies, hunting pack, and retirees

IT was so cold the cream for our coffee froze in its pitcher. But it didn’t matter a bit. The brave souls who arrived Sunday for the Iroquois Hunt kennel’s open house at Miller Trust Farm were in excellent spirits. Then again, it’s pretty hard to be in a bad mood while snuggling a hound!

Still, I think the crowd that attended the open house deserve the second Game as Grundy Award for showing up on a day when the high temperature was about 25 degrees.

Driver, one of the puppies born back in the spring of 2009 and easily the biggest pup of the bunch, figured he was the host of the whole deal and was really, really pleased to see this interesting crowd at his house! When someone went out to visit the puppies in their turnout field, Driver wormed through the gate and made a beeline for the guests. And, like any good host, he mingled, but at high speed, bounding around until kennelman Alan Foy reminded him that it was time to leave the grownups. Driver is expected to join the hunting pack next season, if all goes according to plan.

Iroquois joint-Masters Jerry Miller and Jack van Nagell were on hand, as was huntsman Lilla Mason, who talked about some of the things that make the Iroquois kennel special. Two especially interesting features are the 15-acre fenced turnout field and multiple indoor-outdoor runs that allow hounds to live among smaller groups that they are comfortable with (this differs from the traditional set-up, in which the hounds are kept in two large runs, one for doghounds and one for bitches).

The hounds were as interested in the visitors as the visitors were in them.

Another kennel feature worth noting: the warm room, where older, ill, or injured hounds can keep out of the cold. The warm room has a television, too, where some of the Iroquois retirees–whose care is supported by the all-volunteer 501(c)(3) charity Hound Welfare Fund–were listening to a game show while visitors recalled their exploits on the hunt field.

The retired hounds enjoyed the extra pats, and the puppies were delighted to meet some kids their own age for playtime in the turnout field. We were most impressed with one of the parents on hand, who managed to negotiate all the puppies–including Driver!–without spilling his hot chocolate.

Thanks to everyone who came, and to all who helped prepare the smorgasbord of edible treats: hot coffee, hot chocolate, and three kinds of Liquid Warming Additives to put in said beverages, plus warm little quiches, chips and dip, cookies, and more.

Thanks also to the Masters, Susan Miller, and kennel staff Michael Edwards and Alan Foy for making the day so much fun and for making the cold day seem a whole lot warmer.

Want to see who came? Check out our group photo, and try to identify your friends under all their winter woollies:

Unfortunately, the weather forecast has only gotten worse since the weekend. Now they’re talking about things like single-digit lows and accumulating snow.

*sigh*

Well, if you’re stuck inside this weekend and need a pick-me-up, please consider making a donation to the Hound Welfare Fund. Your donations are tax-deductible, and 100 percent of your donation goes directly to the retired hounds.

Snow hounds, a hunt country panorama, and some random jottings

THE YEAR is winding down, it’s the holiday season, there’s a little Bailey’s in my glass, and it’s getting on toward bedtime–a potent mixture for inducing nostalgia in the sleepy houndblogger. Out with the hounds this afternoon, it occurred to me how lucky we are to have use of the beautiful land in the Iroquois hunt country. Landowners and farmers really are the backbone of foxhunting–along with the hounds and the game–and we should appreciate them every chance we get. Standing atop a breezy hill this afternoon on Boone Valley Farm, the thought occurred to me that those of you who aren’t familiar with Iroquois might like a quick peek at some of our hunt country. This view rpresents one of the most beautiful panoramas in the hunt country and takes in a few places very fsamiliar to those who regularly follow hounds over it, such as Boone Valley Farm and Wee Young’s Covert. I’m still learning the names and locations of some of the coverts, which turns out to be a good deal more complicated than you might think. To give you some idea, here’s a rough map that Steve Snyder sketched out for us this afternoon while we were following the hunt in the four-wheeler: Try keeping all THAT in your head! The hunt staff do, which strikes me as a minor miracle. Steve’s map helped keep me oriented properly as we buzzed along the roads around Boone Valley, Foxtrot, and other notable landmarks in the country. But it was no match for the sheer beauty of the land, even on a cloudy afternoon with a chilly wind blowing in. This brief video panorama hardly does it justice but gives you some idea: We were in the middle of a lovely piece of land watching one of man’s ancient pastimes, but it is striking to note how much modern technology now contributes to our ability to protect the hounds and to carry on hunting even as development encroaches–in fact, the gradual incursion of roads and subdivisions is one of the reasons technology has become a feature of many hunt fields. Back in the 1800s, huntsmen and Masters bemoaned the coming of railway lines. And well they might: the railway lines didn’t just cause a nuisance in bisecting the hunt country and making it more difficult to cross, they also endangered hounds. Reading periodicals of the era when railways were relatively new, it is sad how often notices appeared reporting the death of hounds on railroad lines. Today, the car is the biggest risk to hounds in many hunt countries. The hunt staff at Iroquois carry radios, the hounds wear tracking collars, and the kennel staff work the roads in their hound trucks, cell phones and radios on, all part of maximizing safety. Foxhunting equipment today includes radios and cell phones for the humans, and tracking collars for the hounds Even so, as we scanned the countryside and watched the horses and hounds from our vantage point on Boone Valley Farm’s highest hill, we were reminded that even with modern technology now on the hunt field, huntsman and hounds are part of an old, old ritual, and no technology can replace the hounds’ instincts and training or the close bond they have with the people who hunt them. And thank heavens for that! You can’t manufacture a hound’s sagacity or bravery. Speaking of bravery … something we saw today has inspired us to inaugurate a Game as Grundy Award, named for the late great Iroquois hunting and stallion hound. Huntsman Lilla Mason, leg still in a cast, returned to the saddle for an hour today to accompany the hounds with joint-Master Jerry Miller, who has been carrying the horn while Lilla is recovering from a broken ankle. It was great to see her out again, and we wish her a speedy full recovery! And now the houndbloggers will have to hie off to bed to dream of hounds. It’s just a few minutes now until Christmas Eve! We hope you all have a happy and peaceful Christmas! A Christmas fox wishes you a happy holiday season! Doing your end-of-year tax planning? Don’t forget to consider a donation to the Hound Welfare Fund! Donations are tax-deductible, and 100 percent of your donation goes directly to the care of the retired hounds.