Toward the Stirrup Cup

Once the railroad cleared Army Trail Road, the riders continued on back toward the stables and then on to the party, the Stirrup Cup.

With the weather so perfect and with the help of my new acquaintances pointing directions for me, my first Fox Hunt was a complete success . . . for me, at least!

Hold On There

With a chance to move more than once, I saw a good portion of the Fox Hunt. Just as the group approached the east side of town on the return route, a freight train pounding down the Canadian National line caused a short holdup.

To a train buff such as myself, the delay only allowed some closeup rail photography.

Hounds Finally in Action

Directly on the trail of the scent, set by the riders we saw in the previous post, the hounds were a big success in the hunt. Active and interested, following the clues just as planned, they looked competent and effective, great representatives of the long history of fox hunts.

The riders following the pack were no doubt grateful!

On the Trail

As the Blessing of the Hounds was completed, the hounds and the riders embarked on the trail of the scent. I had spent time well during the morning, making a few new acquaintances, and I was given a suggestion of where I might have a good chance to see the group pass. The tip was perfect as the entire group came through a straight and narrow pass, right to my camera. Here we see the group marking the trail with fox scent, and then the hounds directly on the trail.

Riders of All Ages

Returning to the Wayne DuPage Fox Hunt, we see the wide age range represented in the hunt. From the Master of the Hounds sounding the call for some errant dogs to the smiling young boy on his pony, the hunt is a true family event.

The Magnificent Hounds

The hounds look wonderful when you look at them in action as a pack, but as they paused outside the church in Wayne for the Blessing of the Hounds, I had the chance to see them in ones and twos.

Magnificent.

Hounds

Before long, the pack of hounds approached the church, following a collection of the younger riders. Just before reaching the stopping point, one of the hounds turned south, ran up a driveway, and disappeared. A good number of the hounds followed, and the blessing was delayed by a few minutes.

Center of Town

The small town of Wayne is the first destination for the fox hunters on the season opening hunt. The hunt is timed with the local church service and the reverend comes out to a service right on Army Trail Road, the Blessing of the Hounds. Having been given a couple of clues, I knew enough to leave the staging area, drive into town, and prepare for the event.

This first image is a reminder of the Horse Show I attended a few weeks earlier, where the star of the tailgate party was a wonderful post-war Bentley. Here the car is simply parked near the church, the owner among the crowd ready for the big event. And then the first riders began to arrive outside the church, walking right up the street.

Heading Out After the Fox

Watching the gathering for the Fox Hunt was quite interesting. Riders of all ages, males and females, come into the staging area in small groups. Hellos are said to old friends and newcomers, smiles are everywhere. Each horse has had a traditional braid done to the mane which will be taken out that afternoon.

And so off we go.

Fox Hunt

For two years we have driven through the picturesque tiny town of Wayne on the way to and from Church in St. Charles. Several times we have seen portions of the Wayne-DuPage Fox Hunt, and I tried several times to find out where and when I could see (and photograph) a hunt. My visit to the Dunham Woods Horse Show gave the chance to get some information, which I used early in October to attend the big hunt of the year.

In the next several posts we will look at some images of the tradition and pageantry of the hunt. By the way, most hunts do not involve a live fox anymore. Rather, they are called "drag hunts," with a small contingent of hunt organizers marking the trail by placing the scent to be followed by the hounds.

Jumpers

One of the things I found out was that the large group of riders in a fox hunt is made up of hunt teams, groups of three who join together. At times, the teams will leave from a riding ring, taking a loop around the ring and jumping a hedge arrangement to join the hounds. Here we see two of the horses clearing the jump and leaving the ring.

The Hunt Moves On

The unhorsed photographer is in position to shoot one pass of the line of fox hunters and then move on. As we were on the way to Church, we moved on in our own direction. Some year I will be in position to move in in following the hunt. The event is so classic, so traditional, that it is a treat to watch in person or through the images.
Next post is out looking for fall color.

On the Hunt

After the dogs and the red-clad leaders go by, a long line of fox hunters follows the trail of the scent. Moving slowly, it is an impressive display. More than one style and color of dress can be seen, but all are formal and traditional. The entire group stays on the path, so any photographer can watch and collect the images that capture this great tradition.
More fox hunt photos in the next post.

Where's the Fox?

Every time we drive to our Church in St. Charles, we drive through a small town called Wayne. North and east of St. Charles, south and east of Elgin, Wayne straddles Army Trail Road west of Rt. 59. As you slow for the no-stoplight main section of town, there is exactly one auto repair shop and one retail store. The store, once a General Store and more recently a Tack Shop, has been closed for some years. The houses are quaint but aging and small along this stretch.
Looks are deceiving, though, as the area away from the enclave is a wealthy area with large plots of land, mansions, and many stables for the owners of horses. And the main claim to fame of Wayne, at the far western edge of DuPage County, is the Wayne-DuPage Fox Hunt.
A year ago, we happened upon the hunt by accident, with no camera and no way to capture the event. This year we were ready, and stopped on the way to Church to watch the traditional event pass us. We will look at some of the images in the next few posts.
So where is the fox? To truly hunt a live fox is not considered humane anymore, so the Wayne-Dupage Hunt is a drag hunt. Before the event, a marker is dragged to drop fox urine along the trail, giving the dogs a true and effective scent. Therefore, no foxes are injured in the event.