Thrill of the Hunt
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Experienced equestrian team member Ainsley Hanson follows the hounds in MSA’s upper meadows with bell tower and Blue Ridge Mountains in background.
Farmington Hunt Club hosted its weekly hunt on MSA's elaborate network of trails. Equestrians on the MSA team participated in the hunt as a culmination of their season. For some, it was their first time riding in a hunt. For other more experienced equestrians, the hunt was an added value to their season of practicing English-style riding.
In what has become a regular event at MSA, the Farmington Hunt Club brought their fox hounds and staff to the MSA campus to conduct a fox hunt. While the FHC hunts multiple times on the campus, this hunt is a special hunt as it concludes the season for the MSA equestrian program.
For the students, it was a great experience to see the hounds in action, to hear their voices as they chased the fox and to experience some high speed riding through the extensive MSA trail system. For the day, the hunt covered almost eight miles of the MSA campus and bordering properties.
The Farmington Hunt kennels and clubhouse are located in northwestern Albemarle County near Free Union. Its territory encompasses the rolling hills and fields at the base of the Blue Ridge Mountains, where it has followed hounds since 1929, and reaches into historic southern Albemarle along the Hardware and James rivers.
MSA’s campus trails provide excellent terrain for students to experience fox hunting. The trails are maintained by students during Service and by the Land Management class.
It was a beautiful day for a hunt. Equestrians will certainly remember the thrill of riding through the woods with the Farming Hunt Club and Huntsman, Matthew Cook.
