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Bv LOU HATTER
Rappahannock News Staff Writer
The Rappahannock Hunt refused to let threatening skies postpone the season’s first foxhunt for the second time on Saturday. The traditional blessing of the hounds was held on the lawn of Hawthorn, home of Mr. and Mrs. Nelson Lane, who hosted the opening meet. Old Rag Moun-, tain, which dominates the vista, was the only onlooker missing the ceremony, its craggy summit obscured by low-hanging clouds.
But the members of the hunt, which is renowned for its competitive enthusiasm, refused to let the weather dampen their spirits and several participants reported a satistying hunt through the pastures and woods of the F. T. Valley. Larry Lehew, Master of the Foxhounds, said that the riders enjoyed three good runs, and viewed four different foxes during the three-hour hunt.
“We ran like the devil all day,” Mr. Lehew said. “It was one of the best opening meets - as far as sport - that we’ve had in years.”
Huntsman Oliver Brown reported that the damp weather did not make for ideal conditions. “You could smell the scent (of the fox) on the horses,” he said, explaining that the scent was rising instead of clinging to the ground, making it difficult for the hounds to hold the trail.
The sport of foxhunting, which originated in medieval Europe, has changed little since it began. The blessing of the hounds, a tradition at the season’s first meet, is also steeped in history.
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