2001 WHCT Tour
WESTERN HUNT CHALLENGE TOUR 2001
By Beverley C. Heffernan
Neither rain nor snow nor wide temperature fluctuations could keep dedicated sportsmen and women from hunting their way across the western United States from April 4 to 21, 2001. The third annual Western Hunt Challenge Tour attracted foxhunters from across the U.S. as well as the U.K., and they enjoyed the variety of packs, hunt country, and quarry hunted by the thirteen participating packs from Kansas to Nevada.
Initiated in 1999 by John Jeffords, MFH of Mr. Jeffords’ Hounds in Wyoming, the Western Hunt Challenge Tour has three judges determining which pack, hunting their own country (unless they opt to hunt another Tour participant’s country), has shown the best day’s sport. The winning hunt’s designated charity receives a cash prize comprised of donations made throughout the Tour.
In 2001, the Gamble Hill Hounds of Imogene, Iowa were declared the winners, with the Paradise Valley Beagles of Phoenix, Arizona, named as reserve.
The judges for this year’s Challenge Tour were John Gray, huntsman of the Hillsboro Hounds (TN), Jim Nance, joint-MFH and huntsman of the Juan Tomas Hounds (NM), and Larry Pitts, huntsman of the Potomac Hunt (MD).
Western Weybright Beagles of Longmont, CO provided a day of foot following in Wyoming, and the Arapahoe Hunt of Denver, CO hosted a day of hunting to benefit the Hunt Staff Benefit Foundation.
- Bijou Springs Hunt, Parker, CO
- High Country Hounds, Flagstaff, AZ
- Mr. Jeffords’ Hounds, Iron Mountain, WY
- Mission Valley Hunt, Stilwell, KS
- North Hills Hunt, Omaha, NE
- Red Rock Hounds, Reno, NV
- Mrs. Shoemaker’s Weybright Hounds, Bosler, WY
- Switchmoor Hounds, Persia, IA
- Kingsbury Harriers, Inyokern, CA
- Paradise Valley Beagles, Phoenix, AZ
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Nine packs of foxhounds, one harrier pack, and one beagle pack were judged during the 2001 Tour.
These were:
Historical Note: gleaned from http://nhh.glencarry.com/wct2001.htm
