HARRISBURG, Pa.--For the first time since 2019, the Bull Run Hunt l won the Hunt Night Championship on Monday, Oct. 13 at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show,
Cheshire won the Hunt Team classEighteen hunt teams, made up from riders from across 11 different hunt clubs in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and New Jersey participated in Monday’s Hunt Night competition.
Throughout the evening, riders participated in Field Hunter, Hunter Under Saddle and Hunt Team classes in order to earn individual ribbons and points towards the team championship.
Bull Run Hunt traveled up from Mitchells, Va., with the goal of having a good time and enjoying their horses.
“We have fun,” said Becca Pizmoht, who serves as a board member for the hunt and coordinated their trip to Pennsylvania. “We like to compete, but we also have fun. We don’t take ourselves all that seriously. Our hunt motto is, before we all go off every time is to say, ‘What are we going to do today?’ and we all cheer, ‘Have fun and kick on!’”
Three time reigning champions Keswick Hunt Club was reserve, while Mr. Stewart's Cheshire Foxhounds team won the featured Hunt Team class.
Dr. Anne Renzetti, Julia Marinan and Kelsie Haverlock were on Cheshire;s winning team, while Cheshirse team 2 of Skylar McKenna, BuzzFisher and Christina Jerell placed fourth.
McKenna on Sovereign Fund also placed second in Field Hunters Under 35.
RADNOR HUNT'S Debra Taylor on HSH Dom Perignon won the Field Hunters, 36 and over, with Lauren Newmeyer on Fine Date was third, and Newmeyer was also fourth in Ladies Hunter Under Saddle.
Lance Taylor on Vroom was third in Gentleman's Hunter Under Saddle.
Representing the Bull Run Hunt were riders Sarah Good, Camryn Nixon, Amelia Thornton, Hazel Nash, Lucy Rabb, Suzanne Chapman and Becca Pizmoht.
“It’s an honor to be at one of the big indoor horse shows, and fox hunting is such a tradition; it’s the root of the sport,” said Pizmoht. “It’s special to go in this ring, and all of the people that have competed here, all the USET members and all of the successful hunter/jumper riders. It’s special to ride in the ring, and it’s special to be a part of it for our hunt.”
One of the Bull Run Hunt riders, Suzanne Chapman tied with Missy Luczak-Smith of New Market-Middletown Valley Hounds for Hunt Night Leading Lady Rider.
Chapman won the Ladies Hunter Under Saddle and was fourth in the Field Hunters 36 & Over with Argos, while Luczak-Smith was second in both classes on FVF Just Watch.
“It’s pretty special,” Chapman said of winning at the Pennsylvania National, which she’s been coming to for 20 years. “It’s a great feeling for sure.”
Luczak-Smith was similarly emotional about winning the Leading Lady Rider title.
“It makes me teary,” she said. “It’s really special. This is a really special show. It means a lot to me. It’s really fun to be able to do something with my horse and to enjoy a different discipline. I’ve shown hunters for a long time, and it’s great that this horse show supports and recognizes the fox hunting industry.”
The win in the Field Hunter, Riders 35 and Under was Sarah Good of Bull Run Hunt on Two, Too, To.
Kristin Schlachter and Como MBF won the Ladies Side Saddle Championship. Photo by Andrew Ryback Photography
Debra Taylor of Radnor Hunt in Pennsylvania rode HSH Dom Perignon to win the Field Hunter, 36 and Over
In the Gentleman’s Hunter Under Saddle, Sandy Rives and Charm won for Keswick Hunt Club of Virginia.
“We had a great night,” said Rives, who has now won the Gentleman’s Hunter Under Saddle five times. “I’m very proud of our team this year because we brought up a whole group of horses and riders, and we were able to be reserve champions against a really, really good team of Bull Run. I’m quite pleased to have won the under saddle on an aging Thoroughbred horse that really went very well. He’s over 20, and he really pulled himself together and really, really hacked well.”
Topping the Hunt Team class for the Potomac Hunt Challenge Trophy was Mr. Stewart’s Cheshire Foxhounts Team 1.
The evening also hosted the Ladies Side Saddle Championship, which was won by Kristin Schlachter riding Como MBF. while Jennifer Cassidy and Bogart were reserve.
