2018-2019
Masters’ Report
O To Our Fellow Foxhunters,
ur 2018 season can only be described as extremely wet. Rains began during the summer,
preventing our farmers from getting in a second or third cutting of hay. We actually had
to cancel several July roading exercise dates since the ground was too wet to allow trailer
parking. This excessive dampness continued into our formal season. WHH was not alone in
having to cancel hunts; our surrounding hunts and landowners had paces and hunts canceled
as well.
We did not hunt in our Sussex territory this fall, due to ongoing landowner transitions. We are
hopeful that we will be able to utilize Sussex this fall, to take the pressure off our Vernon and
Florida territories. Several away joint meets were scheduled in October at Essex and in November
at Genesee Valley and Goldens Bridge during NYS deer season. Unfortunately, an early
snowfall in mid-November prevented us from traveling to GVH.
We were saddened to lose our great friend and Sussex landowner, Doug Ricker, in late September.
We came in early from hunting that Saturday so that members could attend his memorial
service.
W e have bred Pippah to Roland and are expecting a litter of puppies to be arriving in
early June, 2019 which will help us continue growing our pack with younger hounds.
Our previous two litters, the R’s- Rhapsody and Riley and the P’s- Pilot, Piper, Pippah, Pipsqueak,
Pinwheel and Pistol, who were whelped in 2017, were entered this season and proved
to be excellent hunters. Be sure to join in on the fun of playing and working with the new pups
when they arrive. They grow up quickly!
Many of us start hunting, due to our love of riding and jumping cross -country. Our hounds,
however, are essential to our club members’ sport and working with them will increase your
enjoyment of fox hunting. We welcome your visits to the kennels any morning at 9 am to help
walk the hounds. There are two puppy shows that we participate in for the NY and NJ hunts.
Please come to watch, help hold or show hounds. It is a great learning experience to find out
I what attributes a judge looks for in a winning hound.
n March 2019, a work party was held at the kennels to paint lodges and fix chain link
fence in the runs. More of this work will be continuing over the summer and your assistance
would be greatly appreciated. Many thanks to Joann Burrowswood, Julia and Zachary
Doyle, Dave McEachern, Dale Roberts and Chris Burrowswood for their hard work on this
project.
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