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A flash of red, yellow, black and white darts across a rolling green lawn. The fox doesn’t pause as he deftly dives under a split-rail fence. He zigs and zags as he makes his haste. Now increasingly audible are the many voices of hounds. Joyously raw is the noise. These are finely bred creatures. The culmination of centuries of genetic matching, they are in ‘full cry’. The horn sounds and the handsome figure atop a large bay colored thoroughbred urges his hounds onward. The turf trembles with the collective hoof-beats of this wild pageant’s 50 mounted followers. Running his usual large circle, the fox leads the throng over rolling hills, pastures, gullies, and walls. The essence of this sport is in the roles the players are playing. The pursued and the pursuers engaged in an ancient act. This is foxhunting.
Founded in 1883, Radnor Hunt is the oldest continuously active foxhunt in the United States, recognized by the Master of Foxhounds Association of America. From September through March, three days a week, the Radnor Hounds and their disciples are united in their purpose. The chase has been a staple of country life in and around Philadelphia for generations.
Once dispatched as a pest and varmint, the fox is now revered and preserved. His willingness to lead this sporting parade continues to fascinate both the devotees and the casual observer. Seemingly like a Currier and Ives print come to life, the fox hunt today is a living tie to our forebears. Countless hunting diaries, toasts, poems, and novels, songs and scientific journals exist as testimony. The chase reminds us, even in an increasingly complex world, that nature continues to offer many opportunities to celebrate its wonder.
A cohesive community devoted to the hunt includes horses and riders, landowners, car followers, veterinarians, stable hands, blacksmiths, and saddlers, all working together in devotion.
If you want to learn more about Radnor, the Hunt’s 125th anniversary was commemorated in a beautiful book, “Bright Hunting Morn: The 125th Anniversary of the Radnor Hunt”, written by member Collin McNeil.
Click here to visit our Facebook page "Friends of Radnor Hunt"
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