COCKEYSVILLE, Md.--Elkridge-Harford Hunt swept the Fastest Time division of the Foxhall Farm Cup Team Chase on Sunday, March 19, taking first, second and third, with Blue Ridge Hunt fourth, while Green Spring Valley Hounds swept the Average Time division.
Teddy Davies, Theresa Dimpfel and Ashton Williams win the Foxhall Farm Cup Team ChaseThere were 10 teams in the Fastest division and 15 in the Average Time section.
The Elkridge-Harford team of Ashton Williams on Pocket Talk (Ire), Theresa Dimpfel on Blackhall (Ire), and Teddy Davies on Our Friend (Ire) won, finishing in 7 minutes, 24.9 seconds, a full minute faster than the second placed team of Graham Watters, Alex Leventhal and Taylor Kingsley.
"This is the same team that won last year," said Joe Davies."They were riding three of my horses, two of which are nominated for the Maryland Hunt Cup. All three are fox hunters and true amateurs."
The Team Chase was hosted this year by Green Spring Valley.
"It used to be that the hunt of the team that won hosted the Chase the next year," said Davies. "But if the same hunt kept winning, that made it hard on the hunt and landowners. So now the three hunts, Elkridge-Harford, Green Spring Valley and Cheshire, each have it for two years. Green Spring has it again next year and then it goes to Cheshire."
"It was a very challenging course," said Davies. "It was set by Green Spring Joint Master Sheila Fisher and Michael Wharton. There was one option, a straight up-and-down board fence, that if you took it you got 10 seconds off your time."
GREEN SPRING VALLEY teams placed first, second and third in Average Time, with Elkridge-Harford fourth.
Charles C Fenwick, Jr., on Espoir de Loire (Fr), Dave Wisner on Wicked Thunder and Rachel Lively on Should be Fine won the Average Time in 10:44.48.
"It was a treat," said Fenwick. "We got back from Cheletnham Saturday evening. We walked the course Sunday morning, and then we went to get the horses. It seemed like there was no break. I rode this wonderful hunter of Danielle Brewster's. He got lit up and pulled me forward. It couldn't have been more fun, but I though we were going way too fast."
"It was a nice course, up and down hills," said Fenwick. "We got back and loaded the horses up. We were driving home when Danielle called and said we'd won."