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The Radnor Hunt Celebrates Its 142nd Season

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Photos by Jim Graham

The Radnor Hunt enters a new season with its hounds and its history on full display.

On the hunt in the hills and fields of Granogue in New Castle County.

On the hunt in the hills and fields of Granogue in New Castle County.

 
fox hunting

Just off Providence Road near Newtown Square, the Radnor Hunt traces its history to a group of hunters and farm packs led by Thomas Mather. In December 1883, that group established the Hunt, with James Rawle as president and Horace B. Montgomery as master of foxhounds. Recognized by the Master of Foxhounds Association of North America, it’s now the oldest continuously active foxhunt in the United States.

Michael Tillson, a Radnor hunt master.

Michael Tillson, a Radnor hunt master.

The Hunt’s 142nd season began this past July with hound walking. Horse and rider get some exercise, and it’s an opportunity to bring younger hounds into the pack. From September to the beginning of April for three days a week, the hounds—guided by their huntsman, James Dean—gather with staff, field members and followers at different fixtures throughout hunt country. The chase has been a staple of country life in and around the region for generations.

foxhunting

Fox hunting was first formalized in 16th-century England as both a sport and a way to control predators. When colonists came to the New World, they brought the red fox with them. Today, it continues to evolve. “It really shouldn’t even be called ‘fox hunting.’ Instead, it should be called ‘fox chasing,’” Samuel Griffin, the club’s past president, told the Robb Report in 2004. “By the time the hounds get onto a scent, the fox has laid down a trail across the countryside and he’s back in his lair, laughing at us.”

The huntsman’s horn.

The huntsman’s horn.

Huntsman James Dean leads the way.

Huntsman James Dean leads the way.

Tight-knit communities of like-minded people have gathered to ensure the hunt’s continuation. Many focus on equestrian disciplines. Others focus on hound training. For veterinarians, farriers, farmers and preservation groups, it’s about the beautiful open space so vital to the sport.

foxhounds

horse

Meanwhile, the red fox—once seen as a pest—has persevered and is now revered. “There’s a symbiotic quality in the way they do their thing and the way we do our thing,” says Collin McNeil, one of Radnor’s co-masters. “What goes hand-in-hand with foxhunting is conservation. We’re respecting, preserving and celebrating the fox.”

Visit radnorhunt.org.

Related: Remembering Equestrian Icon F. Bruce Miller