July 22, 2007

Dear Landowners, Subscribers and Friends,

As we begin another year and write this report of the last season and our hopes for the next, we are always reminded of the single most important ingredient that allows us to enjoy the beautiful traditional sport of foxhunting. That ingredient is “open space” which is not a regenerating commodity. We must protect the land we have. Our countryside has brought many people to the area and kept others here for generations. We cannot say thank you enough to our landowners for their generosity and hospitality.

The ability to hunt our territory of beautiful woodlands and farm land continuously for the last 100 years is the reason the Middleburg Hunt was able to achieve the landmark of its Centennial. We owe a debt of gratitude to our past and present landowners. We encourage all foxhunters to recognize our hosts and show their appreciation whenever possible.

Our Centennial is behind us now. Much to our pleasure, all of the celebrations have been completed, and we survived. No doubt, after seeing what a good job the Middleburg Hunt did recognizing our 2006 Centennial, the Masters of Foxhounds Association (the national organization for foxhunting) decided to recognize their 2007 Centennial as well!

The Middleburg Hunt strongly supported the MFHA in its Centennial efforts. We were well represented at the MFHA Centennial Ball in New York city. In addition, we went above and beyond the call of duty when many of our subscribers worked tirelessly as volunteers and showed great support for the year-long Centennial Field Hunter Championship. Our own Tracey Cover ended up sixth overall at the Finals, where 60 top field hunters, selected out of a total of more than 400 competitors, from across the US and Canada, competed. Congratulations to Tracey and Clementine!

As we look forward to this coming season and beginning our second hundred years, we are pleased to welcome our new huntsman, John Tabachka, his wife Emily, and their two children, Patrick and Caitlin. John brings to us his considerable experience; he has spent most of his adult life hunting hounds. After whipping-in at Green Spring Valley for 6 seasons, he hunted the American pack of the Farmington Hunt for 5 seasons. He then returned to Green Spring Valley to hunt the hounds at the request of their huntsman who was retiring after 20 seasons of hunting the pack. John has an incredible amount of knowledge and skill for his young age. It is exciting to see John, Emily and the two children so enthusiastic about their new pack of American hounds. John, Fred, and Emilio make a great team. They are working hard to get the kennel property and our hunting country in tip top shape in anticipation of the upcoming season.

For our full schedule, please check the calendar.

If you are interested in subscribing to the 2007-2008 season, please contact one of the Masters. We remind you of our growing category of subscriber, called “Social Subscriber.” These individuals are invited to all hunt functions and are afforded the privileges of all other subscribers, with the exception of riding to hounds. These non-hunting supporters are some of our most enthusiastic. We are grateful that they are a  part of foxhunting and the Middleburg Hunt.

Concerning subscriptions, all foxhunting enthusiasts, who are interested in preserving the sport, whether you ride or spectate, should become Subscribing Members of the Masters of Foxhounds Association. The more foxhunters shown on the MFHA roster means the more voices to be heard at the State Capitals where legislation detrimental to our sport continues to appear. Now is the time to be counted among those who love the sport. Your subscription includes the MFHA’s national publication, Covertside, and a handsome bumper sticker that will identify you as a foxhunting enthusiast. See our Field Secretary, Ms. Carey Shefte, for an application. Or visit the MFHA website www.mfha.org. We encourage all to join.

As we have said, landowners and farm managers make foxhunting possible. Each piece of land, large or small, is key to the sport for which the Middleburg countryside is known. We are hopeful that the Middleburg Hunt will be able to celebrate hunting in its bicentennial year. We are thankful that each year additional acres in the Middleburg Hunt territory are put into conservation easement. Many landowners are joining in this concerted effort to put land in permanent easement and are taking advantage of significant savings on their federal, state, and local tax bills. We would like the opportunity to discuss and to assist our landowners in any way to preserve our hunting country. Please feel free to contact us at any time.

Please remember that hunting is a special privilege we enjoy thanks to the generosity of our landowners. When not hunting, you must obtain specific permission from landowners for cross-country riding privileges. These are our neighbors and should be treated with due respect.

We look forward to sharing the upcoming foxhunting season with all of you. We remind you that for updates, photographs, information, and to contact the Masters by e-mail, you may log on to our website www.middleburghunt.com.

Please e-mail your name, address, phone number and e-mail address to info@middleburghunt.com so that we may communicate with you about changes in hunt meets, upcoming events and last-minute information. Our phone numbers are listed below. We always enjoy hearing from you. Hope to see you soon.

Mr. Jeffrey Blue, MFH  (540-687-5446) and Mrs. John Denegre, MFH (540-687-6069)