As the hunt season draws near, the West Hills Hounds readies for the adventure by opening its membership with the West Hills Hounds Open Invitational, hosted by Hunt Masters Mitchell Jacobs, Scott Tepper, Michael Zacha and Robert Feinberg. This open hunt is an exciting way for horsemen and women to experience the thrill of the hunt, skill of the sport, excitement of the hounds and the beauty of the open fields at the Tejon Ranch and Chatsworth.
WHH meets twice a week during the California hunt season from November through March on Saturdays and Wednesdays. West Hills country includes large cattle and sheep ranches in Los Angeles, Ventura and Kern counties. Tradition is maintained through centuries-old protocol, safety and dress, which adds to the thrill of the sport.
The West Hills Hunt was founded in 1947 with an official name change in July 2006 to West Hills Hounds. It was originally the idea of several mustered-out infantry officers from Fort Riley, KS, just after the end of World War II. Membership included the renowned comedian, George Burns, and famous MGM song and dance man, Dan Dailey. Burns was the club’s first president and Dailey served as Master of the Foxhounds from 1952 to 1960. The club boasted such luminary members as Ronald Reagan, Randolph Scott, John Huston, Spencer Tracy, Walt Disney, George Raft and Burgess Meredith. Today the playing field is leveled between the sexes and the membership includes some very skilled horsewomen and notable female equestrians.
Opening the membership doors was the idea of the WHH Masters as they wanted to make riders of all disciplines aware of the sport, the skill involved and the camaraderie between human, horse and hound but, more importantly, to disabuse any misinformation in the field concerning the hunt itself and the safety of the animals both domestic and wild.
“People are concerned about the welfare of the fox and coyote, which I can understand completely. But it is infrequent and rare that a fox or coyote is ever caught,” says Hunt Master Mitchell Jacobs. “We consider ourselves to be quite clever but find that we are ‘out-foxed’ regularly by these animals as they are on their own terrain and know where to take refuge from the hounds. What the WHH does is ride cross country, on horseback, behind the hounds, with our friends. That’s the beauty of the sport!”
For more details about the West Hills Hounds, riding in the Open Invitation Hunts, membership requirements/applications, and general information visit the website, www.westhillshounds.com, or call Hunt Master Mitchell 310-717-1447.