— Arundel Newspapers Staff Photo/Clive Camie

Arundel Newspapers Staff Photo/Clive Camie Dawn Dugan on her way to victory

A field of 10 started in the race. The course, near the hunt’s old kennels, required the riders to go around Mason Mountain, through the Thornton River and on to the hunt’s point-to-point race course at James W. Fletcher’s Thornton Farm.

After the start each rider was free to pick his or her route around the approximately four-mile course. The only requirement for the riders was that they ride around four flags on the route, but they could approach these markers from any direction.

Mike Brown, a member of the host hunt, finished third on his LiF and Bold. For his performance Mr. Brown received the opposite sex trophy for being the first member of the opposite sex to the winner to finish. Mr. Brown also received the heavyweight prize as the first rider weighing over 190 pounds with tack to finish.

“I didn’t take much time to walk the course,” Mr. Brown admitted afterwards. “But that’s what oldfashioned racing is, knowing the short cuts.”

Following the Rappahannock race there is now a three-way tie for the Ruhsam Challenge Plate for the season’s old-fashioned point-to-point champion.

At the Warrenton Hunt’s race on March 9, the winner was Greg Bodoh on Chatex, earning five points. Miss Simmons finished third, earning two points, which, added to her three points for second in the Rappahannock race, ties her with Mr. Bodoh and Miss Dugan. Miss Dugan’s luck wasn’t so good at Warrenton as her horse slipped on the muddy course and the young rider fell. Despite the setback, Miss Dugan managed to finish seventh out of a field of 10.

The 1986 winner of the Ruhsam challenge plate will be decided on April 12 at the Orange County Hunt’s old-fashioned which will be held somewhere in the hunt’s territory around The Plains.