Blessing of the Hounds Stirrup Cups & St. Hubert Medals By Nancy Brannon Why say a Blessing over Hounds? What’s a stirrup cup? What does a Saint have to do with hunting animals? A sampling of several resources found answers to these curious questions. Description & History The sport of Foxhunting, aka Riding to Hounds, consists of using a pack of hounds trained to follow fox scent, finding a fox, and hunting it on horseback. The use of scent hounds to track prey dates back to Assyrian, Babylonian, and ancient Egyptian times. Foxhunting began in England in the 16th century as a means of controlling fox populations, which were a threat to poultry farmers. The earliest known hunt of a fox with hounds was in Norfolk, England in 1534. Foxes, along with the red deer (hart & hind), martens, and roes, were considered beasts of the chase in medieval times. The first use of packs specifically trained to hunt foxes was in the late 1600s, with the oldest foxhunt likely being the Bilsdale in Yorkshire. With the Inclosure Acts (mostly passed between 1750 and 1860), fences separated open land into fields, deer forests were being cut down, so arable land increased. With the Industrial Revolution, people moved out of the country into towns and cities to find work. Roads, rail, and canals split hunting countries, but also made hunting accessible to more people. Fox hunting developed further in the 18th century when Hugo Meynell developed breeds of hound and horse to traverse the new geography of rural England. He pioneered an extended chase at high speeds through open grassland, and bred a new form of hound with greater pace and stamina and a better sense of scent. Meynell became Master of Fox Hounds for the Quorn Hunt in Leicestershire in 1753, and is credited with developing modern fox hunting. By the early 19th century the sport had evolved into a ritual for the British gentry with a season running from the first Monday in November until the following April. Masters of Foxhounds Association of America found the earliest record of hounds imported to North America was on June 30, 1650, when Robert Brooke arrived in Maryland with his family and hounds. By the early 1700's, foxhunting was increasing rapidly in Maryland and Virginia. The earliest surviving record of American foxhunting by an organized hunt is the pack instituted by Thomas, Sixth Lord Fairfax in 1747 in northern Virginia. Records about early hunting come from letters written by Lord Fairfax and the diaries of George Washington. Washington was an ardent foxhunter who owned his own pack of hounds, and his diaries are laced with references to foxhunts near the nation’s capital. North American foxhunting has evolved into a sport noticeably different from the British tradition, while still maintaining many of the accoutrements.Here the emphasis is on the chase rather than the kill. The coyote, in addition to the fox, is hunted by a large number of Hunts. The coyote has increased by large numbers throughout the United States and Canada, and is bigger, stronger and faster than a fox. A successful hunt ends when the fox is accounted for by entering a hole in the ground, called an earth. Once there, hounds are rewarded by their huntsman. The fox gets away and is chased another day. When hounds do not chase the fox to an earth, the vast majority of times hounds lose the scent and that ends the hunt. Traditions and Ceremony The Blessing of the Hounds is performed at the Opening Meet, the first foxhunt of the formal season. Clergy or priests are invited to ask the Blessing. With huntsmen, hounds, horses and riders all gathered around, they ask for blessings for all animals and humans involved in the hunt. The practice dates to the 8th century to celebrations associated with St. Hubert, the Patron Saint of Hunting. At the blessing, a medallion bearing the image of St. Hubert is placed around the neck of each rider. Saint Hubertus, a Christian saint born around 656, is the patron saint of hunters. He was the eldest son of Bertrand, Duke of Aquitaine. As a youth, he was sent to the Neusrian Court of Theuderic III in Paris. Like many nobles of the time, Hubert was addicted to the chase. When his wife died in childbirth, Hubert withdrew into the forested Ardennes and gave himself entirely to hunting. One Good Friday morning, as Hubert was pursuing a magnificent stag, the animal turned and Hubert perceived a crucifix between its antlers. He heard a voice telling him to turn to God. Astounded, Hubert dismounted and humbly asked what God would have him do. He was told to seek Lambert, who would instruct him. Hubert immediately set out for Maastricht, where Saint Lambert was bishop. Lambert became his spiritual director, and Hubert pursued in vigor studies for the priesthood. He was ordained, and became Saint Hubertus of Liège, patron of archer, dogs, forest workers, hunting, and huntsmen. A Stirrup Cup is a convivial drink shared among the riders before the start of the foxhunt. The ceremony originated from the English royalty tradition of offering a "parting cup" or a drink when departure for their travels was imminent and their feet were in the stirrups. The traditional Stirrup Cup is usually port or sherry. More information about foxhunting in America, including attire and etiquette, can be found at http://www.mfha.org/.