When I first arrived at the Tryon Hounds, I was quite skeptical about this man that kept pointing his camera at me and asking a lot of questions. Little did I know that it would not be long before the thought of him not being out when we were hunting would give me eye spasms!
Don West is not only usually the first one to the meets but also the last to leave. There has never been a time that he stopped tracking hounds before the last one was in the trailer. He does a fabulous job guiding us in the hunt country where hounds have gone even though he has never actually been in the woods.
Don and the other road whips Anita, and Roanne, are critical to my peace of mind while hunting. I can focus on my hounds and enjoy watching them work. Don still points his camera at me and asks a lot of questions but I kind of look forward to that now :)
Your huntsman,
Beth
The Awarding of Colors
Master Bonnie hands Jim Ritchie his colors at the 2020 Opening Meet
The award of colors is made by the Masters at their sole discretion to hunting members who have made an ongoing significant contribution to the continuation of the hunt’s tradition of sportsmanship.
Those considered are typically members who have hunted regularly; who have been exemplary, well turned-out and on a groomed horse; who have participated in and contributed to the success of the hunt’s activities; and who are a credit to the hunt’s reputation.
The Masters of The Tryon Hounds congratulates Jon Napper, Lisa Trojan, Will McIntyre, Shanna Mauldin and Jim Ritchie for receiving their colors on Opening Meet 2020
Upcoming Events
Hunt Ball On-line Auction
starts on Monday!
The auction will be open from Monday, February 22nd at noon and will remain open through Sunday, February 28th at 8pm. Link to be provided on Monday morning.
Please support our Hounds!
Tryon Hounds Spring Hunter Pace is scheduled for Sunday, April 11 at Long Shadows Farm. The rain date will be Sunday, April 18. Volunteers are needed! Please contact Nelson 704-560-0429
Foothills Field Hunter Trials at FENCE to benefit Sporting Hounds Foundation of Tryon
Saturday, March 20th with rain date of the following Saturday, March 28.
Cash prizesall levels welcome. You do not have to be a hunt member to participate; there are separate classes for fox hunt club members to choose from. Fox hunt member classes include the Carolina Hunter Performance Series.
Sponsors:Lisa Seger Insurance - Markel, Tryon Builders and Devine Equine and we expect several more.
Classes:Future Field Hunter, Field Hunter in Training (Juniors), Ratcatcher (Amateurs) and Tally Ho (Professionals). There will also be a Pairs class, as well as a Handy class that will include only one or two very small log jumps (walkover).
More details and entry information will be available on the Sporting Hounds Foundation website very soon!
Member Spotlight
Don West, official Tryon Hounds Photographer and Road Whip
Don receives his honorary colors from Master Becky and Master Dean at the 2020 Hunt Ball
After retiring, Don pursued photography as a hobby. As he was selecting a variety of subjects and activities to photograph, he remembered taking a photograph of the Tryon Hounds at the 2010 Block House Steeplechase. Always intrigued by the sport of fox hunting and its beauty, Don thought it would be fun to photograph the live action.
He was invited as a guest on March 2, 2011 where he enjoyed an exciting morning in the beautiful countryside listening to the music of the hounds. As a bonus he also met a lot of nice people and took a few photographs.
Tryon Reboot (aka “Booty”) was born April 23, 2015 at the De La Brooke Foxhound kennels in Mount Victoria, Maryland. She is one of seven puppies born to Craisan (Red Mountain Raisan 2012).
This was Craisan’s first litter and Beth bred her to a sweet, big voiced hound named Hooligan (Millbrook Hooligan 2009). Hooligan was a steady, fantastic hunting hound and Beth felt his temperament was a perfect match for “Crazy Raisan”.
Punchy, my equine partner of 11 years, died this morning at 8:20 am while cantering down a sun-dappled path with me in the saddle.
Punchy was 17 years old, a thoroughbred who had been raced in his youth but was then made into an event horse by the daughter of a veterinarian in Lexington, NC. Deni and I bought him in March 2010 for $4500. He was a superb partner and being able to work out on the mountain hills and trails where we live had kept him in shape. He had whipped-in with me at Yadkin Valley Hounds and had run with several hunts in Virginia. He loved fox hunting. He wasn’t a flashy horse; he wouldn’t have won much in the show ring but put him behind a pack of good hounds and he would keep you safe while flying over fences.
Online Auction..starts Monday, February 22nd. Watch your in-box for the link. It will be our only big fundraiser this year. Please support your hounds!
Pictured right: Antique Hall Tree - the perfect piece for your front or back hall
