July, 2023
PC Bill Sigafoos: DRHC Hounds
President's Report
By Richard Michael
As summer finally arrives, it is a busy time for all…Deep Run Hunt Club is no exception. The passing spring witnessed the retirement of Ginny Perrin, MFH, after more than 20 years as Master. She was graciously honored during a celebration at the Kennels, along with husband, Coleman, former MFH. Their collective experience as Masters of Fox Hounds, hound judges, and hound breeders, is widely recognized, staggering in the cumulative number of years they have dedicated to the sport. Ginny was presented with a silver hunt horn. Coleman and Ginny received a slate plaque that will be placed on the walls of the Kennels. Spring also brought new beginnings. Caroline Eichler and Dr. Steve Thurston joined the hunt staff as MFH. Micah Lisi will be our new professional whip. We welcome them to their new positions. The highlights of other events include a very successful “A” Show. Although they were abused by frequent heavy rain, participants braved the weather. (“The show must go on”.) The show is a labor of love by Pam Johnson and her staff of volunteers, led by Allison Whittemore, showgrounds supervisor Johnny Tuck, assistant Dean Waldrop, and a cast of thousands, including participants, horses, and spectators. Kudos to all! In other news, the club has hired a lifeguard, Brooklyn, referred by Hillary Keller. Also, enhanced safety equipment for the pool has been purchased, including an AED for the clubhouse and pool. Well done, Elissa.
A Special thanks to Mark Boyer.
Mark is the landscape custodian for the club. He is a conscientious and tireless worker, tending to the grounds on a weekly basis. I would also like to thank the past leadership, Wendy Woods and Randy Hagan, with a combined membership approaching a century. I’ve drawn on their wisdom and invaluable experience in schooling for this position. I am deeply honored for this privilege and grateful to them both, along with the board members and masters. I will close with a short, historic vignette. Two years ago, during a club cleanup day, I noticed a picture of one of our past presidents. The frame and the glass were broken, the portrait was in disarray, and it was hanging in the women’s dressing room of the pool house! This to me was unacceptable, so I took it down with thoughts of having it repaired. Upon close inspection, I realized that it was a picture of J. Clifford Miller, President of DRHC, 1950-51. Beyond the fact that he was a past president, this is probably of little significance to others. However, for me, he is more than just another past president. When I was about 10 years old, I lived in Culpeper, VA. One Sunday, my parents took our family on a road trip to Brandy Station to visit a man with whom my father did business. During the visit, I noticed a large portrait of the man in a red coat on a large horse. It made quite an impression on me. It turned out that the man we visited who was in the portrait was J. Clifford Miller. What a coincidence! Now, some 60 years later, I find myself serving this hunt club as president. I suppose many years hence I may end up hanging in the women’s dressing room with J. Clifford.
Our Masters
By Marshie Davis
Hanging up some Hats! How many hats has Angie Pell worn for our club? Too many to mention! Angie will be hanging up a few hats, but she will continue to be wearing her most important Hunting Helmet at age 84 years young! We want to thank Angie for her well over 10 years of producing the wonderful and educational Deep Run Hunt Club Hound Books. These have been enjoyed by many members and coveted and copied by other hunts. Angie has passed her organizing and heading up Trail Ride Hat over to Ursel Huber, who has graciously taken on this mission. Ursel will continue to set up fun places for us to ride and enjoy the Deep Run Camaraderie! Being our dedicated Field Secretary and setting up many tailgates over the years are two other hats Angie will be taking off. This will free up much of Angie’s time and lighten the load she has carried for us. Many Thanks to Angie Pell for all you have done for the love of our fine club! Hip Hip Hooray to Angie!!!!
Let’s Host a DRHC Tailgate
Tailgates are designed to refresh after a day’s hunting, chat about our wonderful hounds and general socializing! Hosting a tailgate can be fun and loads of comradery! You don’t have to be a riding member to host a tailgate. Set up 2 tables, decorate if you would like, provide utensils, platers and trash can. Members bring a shared dish and beverages. Help clean up and pack up. We call this a “Pop Up Party”!
Here are some available dates to sign up for:
Saturday, November 4- Hosted by Robert /Marshie Davis and Grace Culley
Saturday, November 11
Saturday, November 18
Sunday, November 26
Sunday, December 3
Sunday, December 10
Sunday, December 17th
To make it fun, we will have an award for the “Best Tailgate” at the end of the season! So “Bring It On” and let’s have some fun! More dates will be posted in the next Tally Ho!
Fox Hunting Camp
Fox Hunting Camp will take place August 19 & 20, 2023.
8/19 - Camp will be held at the club Cross country field and clubhouse in Goochland
8/20 - Camp will be at the kennels with roading and lectures and Super Fun Dog Days Afternoon!
$150 for the full weekend or $100 for 1 day
We encourage all new members, guests, new horses or as a refresher for anyone to sign up!
All enquirers call Marshie Davis, MFH. 804-240-7400
August 20, Fun Dog Days Afternoon!
Pack up the kids and bring your family dogs out to the Deep Run Hunt Club Kennels for some fun times with our K9 pets.
We will have an Agility course set up and demonstrations, Barn Hunt course, Bassett Hounds, terrier races and Non Terrier races !
Keep an eye out for more details to come in an email!
Anyone wanting to volunteer please contact Marshie Davis , MFH (804) 240-7400
How do you say Thank You to someone so special as Ginny Perrin?
Well we tried to Thank Ginny for her 21 years of dedication, labor and love for being one of our Master of Fox Hounds with a party! It was a grand gesture given by the “Friends of Ginny Perrin” and open to all members. We had well over 100 people brave the torrential rains that brought our spring outdoor planned party into the hunt club horse barn! It was so festive and fun all because of those who came to share their love and gratitude to Ginny and Coleman! A lovely slate plaque was dedicated to Ginny and Coleman for their combined efforts for 41 years as MFH to Deep Run! Rod Smyth serenaded us with a wonderful song and Tom Mackell was our outstanding MC! I would like to thank all the many people who helped to pull off this amazing event! And now I will have to address my dear friend Ginny as Ex-MFH………
Ginny: A Master’s Life
By Rod Smith, Ex-MFH
It’s only Monday morning and Richard’s on the phone
He wants a brand-new Tractor ’cus he’s working all alone
Ginny takes a deep breath; says she’ll see what she can do
And soon a Tractor’s in the barn, a brand new bush hog too!
On any given Tuesday the hounds are in full chase
They say that Deep Run’s hounds are now the best one in the States
The Masters are delighted, and for pace they can’t be beat
The problem is it’s nearly dark, six hours since the meet.
One Wednesday in the autumn and John has come to say
He’s found an Irish horse and it will be here right away
It’s 19 hands and big enough to carry him around
The problem’s getting through the trees when the fox has gone to ground.
It’s a summer Thursday morning, Ginny’s up before the lark
The pups are learning how to hunt, to speak but not to bark
Those mornings are so special, it makes it all worthwhile
Until they chase a farmer’s cat and run a country mile.
One Friday she and Polly B are meeting to discuss
The farmer in Fluvanna who is causing all the fuss
They’ve worked so well together; they know just what to do
The duel charm offensive, sure he’s smiling when you’re through.
It’s Saturday and Colemans back, the meet’s at Dover Green
The Middleburg hunt’s arriving, John and Richard are a team
The hounds are going to fly today, the sport should be great fun
So thank you Ginny Perrin from all of us at Deep Run.
Sunday is a day of rest, a time to stay at home…
To prepare for Monday Morning, when the huntsman’s on the phone.
Deep Run Hounds at Virginia and Bryn Mawr Hound Shows
By Caroline Eichler
Hound show season finished up in early June and the Deep Run Hounds had success at both the Virginia Foxhound Show and the Bryn Mawr Hound Show. The Bryn Mawr Hound Show is held at the Radnor Hunt near Philadelphia and is the oldest hound show in the country, having been started in 1914 by Plunkett Stewart. The same Mr. Stewart that is known as the founder of the now famous Mr. Stewart's Cheshire Foxhounds.
The Virginia Hound Show, which DRHC participated in over Memorial Day weekend in Leesburg, VA, is the largest foxhound show in the country and was started in 1934 by William DuPont.
Deep Run hounds did well at both prestigious shows. Results can be found at the links below but we are particularly proud of the strong showing at Bryn Mawr of Deep Run’s quality dog hound, Fireman – who was Crossbred Dog Champion. The quality of our hounds - and the quality work of our staff - was recognized by many.
At the Virginia Hound show we were pleased to have two of our members - Adair Frayser and Kas Wohlschlegel - qualified to participate in the MFHA Field Hunter Championships. Congrats to Adair Frayser for her fourth-place finish in an impressive group of the top field hunters and riders from across the country.
Virginia Foxhound Show Results: https://virginiafoxhoundclub.org/2023-results
Bryn Mawr Hound Show Results: https://www.bmhoundshow.org/Results%202023%20All%20Info%20&%20Contests.pdf
Meet our new Whipper-In – Micah Lisi
Where are you from?
I'm from Southwestern Pennsylvania. I grew up in a tiny town about an hour outside of Pittsburgh, right by Rolling Rock Hunt.
When did you start hunting?
Just shortly after I started riding. I learned to ride around 15. The barn I was volunteering, taught me to ride then took me hunting in both PA and VA. Eventually I met the right people to bring me up into staff when I was around 19.
What made you want to be a professional?
I'm not totally sure. Hunting was just the only thing that really made me happy. I have degrees in way too many things that just never really caught my interest-- I always came back to hunting.
What's the best part of the job?
Watching the hounds (and horses) succeed at their job. Year to year I get to watch and play a small part in pups growing and improving into productive members of their pack.
What's the toughest part of your job?
Learning every day - even after you learn the hounds, the huntsman's methods, and the country, no day is the same. You have challenges every day out hunting and in the kennels that you don't always have the answer to... but that’s also the reason I do it. Nothing would be rewarding if it were easy.
Describe the most memorable day hunting.
I have so many... the day I was allowed to hunt Rolling Rock for a day was bittersweet. My very last day hunting with that pack and only 2 people and my mum came out to support me (all of which were car following). We had a tough start that REALLY challenged me. We bumped up a fox that neither the hounds nor myself could figure out…but then settled into another fox and rattled that around for 2 and a half hours before putting it up in a log pile-- then it bolted -- and hounds finally put it in an earth not too far away. Hounds did an absolutely stellar job. 4 1/2 hours of a day and I even retired one of the hounds that I hunted onto my couch.
Join Us for Happy Hour with the Hounds!
Where: The DRHC Kennels
When: June 27, July 11, July 25 from 5p.m. to 7 p.m.
What: The hounds are the beating heart of our sport and club (well...65 some odd beating hearts) - and we'd love for any members interested to join us for evening hound exercise followed by Happy Hour at Jack's Shack. No RSVP necessary and all ages welcome. For any questions, please call or text Caroline Eichler, 703-4752238. Evening exercise is limited walking. We'll take hounds to the pasture next to Jack's Shack where you can spend time meeting the pack, learning names, and simply enjoying our fabulous hounds. Beer/Wine/Soft Drinks provided. If you fancy something more refined, BYOB.
Huntsman’s Report
By John Harrison
Following on from my last report the hounds selected for breeding this year produced 3 litters of puppies between mid February and June 1st. Melody and Tomahawk produced a litter of one, Ragtime and Bingo produced a litter of seven and Kindley and Raglan also produced a litter of seven. Molly is 5 months old and already walking out with the pack and as with most hounds walked at the kennels has never seen a lead or a coupling! Bacchus, Bailiff, Banjo and Baffle are keeping Julie Muniz and family busy whilst Margaret Dickerson has Barman and Barmaid to keep her out of trouble! Absolutely thrilled to have puppies walked out in the old hunt country around River Rd and Rockcastle Rd with the Camp family who walk Ballad and Tantrum. The litter produced by Kindley and Raglan, who are walked at Dungeness, are now 6 weeks old and will be ready to go out to walk in a couple of weeks time if anyone would like to join the list of puppy walkers? The Carolinas Hound Show was canceled because of kennel cough doing the rounds which was a shame as it would have been a fitting final show for Kasandra as she had decided to move on to pastures new come May 1st. I owe her a debt of gratitude for the way she uncomplainingly stepped up to the mark when we lost Cody in May 2022. This season Eva has become a more permanent employee and from May 1st which is when every hunting season starts we welcomed Micah Lisi who joins us as Whipper-in and barn manager. By today’s standards Micah is a seasoned Professional Hunt Servant having seen service with Rolling Rock Hunt in Pa for 3 seasons and Blue Ridge Hunt in Va for 2 seasons under two of the top huntsmen in the States.. One of her 1st tasks was to show hounds at Virginia with me where we had a quiet day in the rings not troubling the judge greatly. The following week we took hounds to Bryn Mawr Hound Show in Malvern Pa where we managed to secure the Champion Crossbred Doghound with Fireman '19 The horses are up from grass and in work for the upcoming season and hound exercise will be ramping up very shortly to match the horse fitness levels. After the carnage on the trails last year an extremely generous person who had recognized what I was up against asked if there was anything they could do to help anonymously and after some discussion just in time for the start of trail clearing this summer a brand spanking new piece of kit arrived for the tractor in the shape of a Lane Shark! This machine takes the place of 20,000 sets of loppers and I call it Mary!
Pups with Muniz Family
“Mary”
Entertainment Committee
By Carter Iseman
We would like to thank our members who sign up timely for our DRHC events. It is so important we know how many of our members will be attending to ensure we have an accurate count of attendees to give to our caterers. We look forward to seeing you at our next event. New Member Report By Jane Whittemore Luanne and Mike Johnson Willow Springs Equestrian, we are a full-service training facility specializing in Hunters and Jumpers in Powhatan VA.
Transitioning into something Magical
By Courtenay Baber, MS, LPC Gray Horse Counseling
It is summertime, and with all the excitement and transitions that come with this busy time of year. With those transitions come excitement and potentially some disappointment or sadness. I know you are thinking, how can anyone be sad about summer and the anticipation of vacations and fun summer activities? Transitions are another word for change, and as the saying goes, the more things change, the more they stay the same, and the other one, Change is hard. While summer is a time of growing and moving, that growth and movement can also affect how we feel. Summer marks a lot of changes and transitions. If you ride horses, this is a time of more shows and activities; trail rides getting together with friends. It is also a time of moving and changing for parents and children as kids graduate from different schools’ elementary schools to middle or high school to college or trade school. This change, while exciting, can also be scary and cause anxiety or depression. So how do we manage the anxiety or fear that can come from all the changes that come with life? If you ride, you know that doing transition work is very helpful for your riding and your horse, and it can create a sense of calm and control for the rider and horse. So when anxiety and fear show up simultaneously as the excitement for the change, here are some simple tricks to help get the excitement back for the new adventure.
A Question the fear
1 Identify the fear. It is likely something you have been saying to yourself about yourself that others may not agree with you. “I am not smart enough even though I have good grades.” “I cannot ride because I do not jump 3ft.”
2 Divide the page into two columns, then write down a reason for this belief on one side and then write the evidence that this belief is not valid.
3 Then review the statements and create a picture of the scene “How could my mind have distorted changed my self-belief?
4 Then repeat this same thing, however, add some distance to the picture. Imagine watching the scene as a bird or something asks the same questions. How could their mind have changed their self-belief so much?
5 Finally, ask yourself what is a positive to learn from this experience. This technique is from NLP and can help allow our mind to help us see how we are creating thoughts about ourselves.
B Changing expectations
This one may take more practice as this is a more subtle change. We often create expectations for how things are going to go and happen. We decide on something and then start filling in the blanks about how this will happen. Say you are going to start a new school or new job. We may begin to tell ourselves that everyone there is a specific way (smart, wears certain clothes, and does things precisely), and we need to act, be or feel a specific way to be able to be accepted. If we remember that the first day is a time of learning or getting to know things, and we are not expected to know something about a place we have never been. We may also say to ourselves that instead of things having to be perfect, we have to get there. This changes the focus from being able to keep up to just being there. In managing grief, everyone stopped crying by the third week. What is wrong with me? Changing the expectation about when and how something is okay. I will know what is good for me. I do not have to jump all the jumps today I can jump some of the jumps. Changing our expectations from a perfectionistic view of ourselves to a more realistic perspective will reduce anxiety and allow us to 11 enjoy things more. Perfectionism does not let you see all things as they are happening; instead, it focuses on worrying about things that may or may not be able to happen.
C Change the calm
The difference between anxiety and excitement is perception. Excitement produces many of the same emotions and feelings that fear has. Excitement, heart pounding, tingling sensations, heart racing, inability to sit still, butterflies in your stomach. Fear creates heart-pounding, tingling sensations, butterflies in the stomach, and lots of energy. So what is the difference between these two? Yes, perception of the situation. So you are going hunting or showing and are nervous or anxious about these events. Hunting could be jumping a big coop, galloping across the field, or crossing a creek. When you imagine this, if you are nervous, you will likely imagine it is going badly—you stop at the jump or stream crossing or go bucking across the field. You can create this scene quickly and easily. What would you need to change in the background to change nervousness to excitement? It can be straightforward: changing the sky's color, adding balloons, or imagining this event with any change that allows you to see it positively. This can be fun as you genuinely can imagine or change anything. This is your imagination, and so anything is possible. As you change the picture, you may be surprised at how you feel about galloping across the field, jumping the coop, or crossing the creek. You may start to see yourself with a smile and the energy level shifting from feeling uncomfortable to helpful, as now you have the energy needed to keep galloping, jumping, and having fun.
So instead of thinking to calm down, you may start thinking about calm differently. Changing the scene and perspective of the event can change your feeling about the event. You may find yourself looking forward to the big coop and good gallop.
If you are interested in learning more about ways to change how you can feel better about riding better or any other life challenges, please visit the website at grayhorsecounseling.com and you can schedule a time to learn how you can create the magic in your life. Happy galloping.
The love of Pickleball arrives at Deep Run Hunt Club.
By Jane Henderson
The second year of Deep Run Hunt Club pickleball clinics finished up on Wed evening, July 19th. This game is growing quickly in the US and is played on a smaller court than tennis. We missed the rainstorms and had a delightful evening, learning strategy and strokes from two wonderful instructors. This year, 21 people signed up for the clinics. A last-minute instructor change forced the cancellation of some of the clinics, however. Two clinics did proceed, and Jane Henderson will be working to schedule more clinics in August for those who still wish for instruction on the game. In total, we now have 42 people on the club “TeamReach” app. This phone app is used to schedule pick-up games and communicate plans about playing. Anyone interested in joining the TeamReach app should reach out to Mitchell Reese or Jane Henderson. Many thanks to Mitchell for getting this group started and spreading the word about the game.
left to right: Chris (instructor), Mitchell Reese, Sue Storbeck, Art Bowen, Jerry Barber, Catherine Stark, and Robert (instructor)
If you would like to contribute to our next newsletter please email me, kjbarlowbinner@yahoo.com by October 30 and include “Tally Ho” in the subject line. Thank you, Kim