Gully Ridge Hounds
36585 Hunter Camp Rd.,
Lisbon, Ohio 44432.
Established 1994.
Registered 1995.
Recognized 1997.

The staff and members of the Grand River Hunt made the trek south from Parkman, Ohio, to join the Gully Ridge Hounds for a joint blessing of the hounds and opening meet on Oct. 2. The two packs met at Gully Ridge Farm, home of Jt.-MFH Robert Hunker and site of the Gully Ridge kennels.

Hounds from both packs led the procession down the driveway to the house as French horns played traditional hunting songs. Three horse-drawn carriages especially delighted the more than 150 spectators, as they listened to Mr. Hunker’s welcome and his words on the importance of land conservation.

A stirrup cup and hors d’oeurves quieted the rumbling stomachs and sustained the courage as hounds moved off under the guidance of Heidi van de Motter, Grand River’s huntsman and jt.-MFH, and Judith Bush, Gully Ridge’s huntsman and jt.-MFH.

Fortunately, the “kennel fox” was about that morning, as the joint pack opened and worked beautifully as one, up the pipeline and along the ridge over the brickyard. The field of 60 was sweating and steaming when the hounds lost in the woods, but they were certainly smiling!

The huntsmen cast the hounds again across Citrus Rd. and worked diligently for a few short bursts in the damper, lower woods along Knight Rd. Scenting conditions were rapidly worsening when the car and carriage followers appeared on the horizon with much-needed refreshments.

Hounds were roaded back to the kennels, with a brief stop at the pond as their reward for a job well-done. With horses and hounds cared for, all retired to the house for breakfast and talk of more days of good friends, great sport, and the importance of working together to preserve it.