Meet the Masters Reception

Masters and participants of the 2021 Theodora A. Randolph Field Hunter Championship week gathered at the MFHA headquarters for a “Meet the Masters” reception on Oct. 4. Founded in 1984, the 37th Annual Field Hunter Championship Finals was held Saturday, Oct. 9, in the race infield at Glenwood Park in Middleburg before the Virginia Fall Races.

Left: The beautiful MFHA Headquarters in Middleburg, Virginia. Right: Dining, mingling and meeting the masters. Photos by Liz Callar

Left: Billie-Jo Pearl with John Denegre and MFHA Vice President Priscilla Rogers Denegre, MFH. Right: MFHA informational display. Photos by Liz Callar

The Theodora A. Randolph Field Hunter Championship brought together enthusiasts representing 25 clubs from eight states and Canada to participate in the weeklong trial. Bull Run Hunt, Blue Ridge Hunt, Orange County Hounds and Old Dominion Hunt all participated. Riders were invited to hunt for four days. Judges rode alongside the numbered contestants. At the end of each hunting day, the qualifying horse-and-rider combinations were announced. 

During the Saturday morning finals, competitors participated in a mock hunt and were asked to ride a course. After the riders demonstrated each horse’s skills and the individual rides completed, the awards were presented. 

Lindsay Williamson and her hunter Gabrina Von Schweetz, from Thornton Hill Hounds, were awarded the championship honors. The reserve championship and winner of Dr. Matthew MacKay-Smith Top Placing Thoroughbred Award went to Forever Bernardini, ridden by Mary Crane from the Norfolk Hunt.

The event is named in honor of Theodora Ayer Randolph, Master of the Piedmont Fox Hounds, from 1954 until she died in 1996. She also served as the Chairman of the Virginia Fall Races for many years.

When Mrs. Randolph became Master of Piedmont, she hunted seven days a week. Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, she led the field at Piedmont. On the other days, she hunted in the field at Middleburg, Blue Ridge or Rappahannock. Horses and horse sports were the most important part of her life and mounted hunting with hounds was the sport she loved the most.

On the left, the reserve championship and winner of Dr. Matthew MacKay-Smith Top Placing Thoroughbred Award went to Forever Bernardini, ridden by Mary Crane from the Norfolk Hunt. On the right, Lindsay Williamson and her hunter Gabrina Von Schweetz, from Thornton Hill Hounds, were awarded the championship honors.
Photos by Liz Callar