Newsletter

TPH Newsletter “Movin’ On”

Summer 2009

 

The Traders Point Hunt Celebrates its 75th Anniversary!

 

This year has already become a banner year for the Hunt—see all the great things yet in store:

 

Calendar of Events

 

July 25, Summer Ride

The ride will be at our new territory, the Brown’s, on Saturday July 25 at 9:00 AM.

 

August 4th – August 9th—Traders Point Hunt Charity Horse Show

Please note the change in dates from the last newsletter.  Please call Mr. Tom Santelli, 733-3721, to volunteer to award ribbons.  The charitable recipient is Riley Children’s Hospital.  Plan to attend and support this worthy event.  For information, please contact Mrs. Sylvester Johnson, Jr., Jt. MFH, 317-873-2537.

 

August 29Cubbing Season Begins! 

            We leave from the Kennels at 8:00 AM sharp before it gets to hot.

 

September 7Labor Day Ride 

The ride will again hosted by Carol Lowe and Missy Roetter.  We will have another Mystery Ride where the winning teams will have to follow the clues to determine the murderer.  The event will be followed by a picnic.

 

September 1275th Anniversary Invitational Cubbing Hunt 

This will be a new event for new “cub” hunters as well as everyone else.  Joint Master Pat Righter will give a brief clinic on hunting.  The clinic will be followed by an opportunity to put the lessons to work with a cubbing hunt led by Honorary Huntsman Lu Hamilton.  More details will follow.

 

October 3—The Hunter Trials

Contact Tom Santelli, 733-3721.  More details to follow.

 

October 11—Blessing of the Hounds

 

November 14—75th Anniversary Traders Point Hunt Ball

This is a special year for Traders Point Hunt!  This year we will celebrate our 75th anniversary.  As a result we are planning a few more events and an even more “over the top” 75th Anniversary Hunt Club Ball, November 14, 2009 at the Meridian Hills Country Club. Like last year, the Ball will also be a charity event with Ovar’Coming Together, a truly worthwhile organization helping women diagnosed with ovarian cancer.  Mark your calendars now!

 

Hunt News

 

May 1

At the Annual Meeting, Charlie Culp, Chris Davis, and Lu Hamilton were reelected for additional terms to your Board of Governors.

 

May 16

This spring we held a new event: the Spring Pace and Chase.  It could not have been more successful. This is sure to become an annual event.  Even though Mother Nature soaked the course with inches of rain the week before and during the event, we still had close to 30 riders. All of the horses could be called “mudders” given the amount of water in the fields and their riders proved to be mildew resistant as well. The creeks were passable even for the smallest pony:  Pam Faerber ’s granddaughter, Greta, on her intrepid little pony plunged into the swirling abyss nearly having to swim to cross—but no problem for this diminutive Fox Hunter in training.  I suspect many of the adults and their seasoned steeds, may have taken a little more pause than Miss Greta. 

A huge thank you is extended to our 18 volunteers, one of whom is shown here, who tried to stay dry despite the downpour of water. Thank you to our 12 sponsors whose financial support enabled us to provide a lovely lunch and ribbons and awards. Rain notwithstanding, it was a blast!

The winners of the 2009 Pace were Pam Faerber and her Granddaughter Greta—Yea!

The 2009 Chase winners were Lizzie Roetter, Kirsten Wiley, Shannon Helspur and Connor Geiselman—Well done!

May 23

We held our first “Summer Ride” leaving from Lamberjack’s.  There was a nice field of 18 riders, some of whom were trying out new horses, and some horses trying out new riders.  While there were a couple of horses demonstrating “airs above the ground” and a near runaway (make that going forward with alacrity), fortunately, there was little air between knees and saddles.  All were safe and sound.  All had a wonderful time on a beautiful late spring day. 

June 20

As reported earlier, Joint Master Pat Righter and Whipper-in Cindy Lamberjack met with Wendy Brown and her sisters to discuss hunting on their property. They have agreed and we scheduled our first summer ride on their property. However, the gods were not with us.  We had a severe thunderstorm the night before dumping over an inch of rain, knocking out power for ten hours and dropping a few large tree limbs, not least of which, on Pat’s truck and trailer.  With all the wet weather, it was probably just as well as the footing would have been sloppy and thus probably not a good thing to cut up the Brown property first time out.

June 27

The Clubhouse has needed a coat of paint, which sounded like an excuse for a party as well. We had a gang of about a dozen hardy souls who scrapped and painted like manic minions on a mission.  It was an all day job led by Kris Crossley with his wide ranging construction skills and demonic energy.  Tom Sentelli and Kris also power washed the stone work, which made it look like new.  Gloria Barger provided a great lunch.  The end result is a great looking clubhouse!  

July 4

The ride began at the clubhouse with 17 hardy souls who were not intimidated by the prospect of rain.  Indeed, the rain held off long enough for a great ride to Joint Master Liz Johnson’s north farm.  We had several guests for the ride: Molly Weiler, Caroline Johnson, Leslie Holloran, and Christine Merkel.  Following the ride, we met for a pitch-in at the Hunt House.  The Clubhouse looked great with its new coat of paint and Fourth of July decorations by Barb Gresham and Susie Fairchild.  The burgers and brats were great thanks to “guest chef” Jim LeGrand, who pitched in at the last minute to help with the grilling, and the able help of Jim Gresham, who tirelessly shuttled the meat from refrigerator to grill to table.  The grills were generously provided by Kris Crossley.  And, the various side dishes complimented the meal to a tee.  Thanks, to one and all that brought something and/or contributed to the “Donation Trailer.”  

Other notes:

Since cub season is only a month away, the hounds are now being exercised on horseback instead of afoot: Mondays and Thursdays at 6:30am. This is a great time to introduce new horses or foxhunters to the hounds and a great time for old foxhunters, equine and human, to loosen up before the season. Well done, Lu, and his loyal band “walkers”!

Lu reports that the pack has absorbed our new hounds from Wayne-DuPage very nicely. We are patiently waiting for our new bitches to come into season and anxiously awaiting our bred bitch from the Cromwell Hunt. Our own new puppies (Happy’s litter) are up and full of voice. Please plan to attend the Labor Day Party with your checkbook for the puppy naming auction. This litter needs all "J" names so start thinking about names your Hunstman can pronounce.  We have four dog hounds and one bitch that need names. Bidding will start at $100 with no limit.

Finally, we all mourn the passing of Barb Munson’s mother Martha Burns and Barb Gresham’s brother Gary Lentz .  Please remember them in your thoughts and prayers as we go forward.