- Hunt Line: 434-978-1107
- info@farmingtonhunt.org
- Charlottesville, VA
The future of foxhunting is dependent upon the continued involvement and passion of our junior members! As such, we continually seek to find ways to support and encourage their commitment to the sport of fox hunting.
While the initial lure may be a day spent galloping through the countryside with friends on horseback, over the years the avid junior foxhunter will gain a broad awareness about conservation, land preservation and environmentalism while learning the manners of etiquette and sportsmanship that come along with becoming a junior member of Farmington Hunt Club.
Junior members are often engaged by our field masters to join them at the front of the hunt field. This offers our juniors the opportunity to see all of the action up-close and learn directly from the masters about all things foxhunting (horn calls, hound behaviors/sounds, staff roles, etc.).
When a junior member has distinguished themselves by consistent participation in the hunt, they may be offered the chance to ride with a whipper-in which allows a completely different experience by leaving the field and traversing the countryside to keep the hounds in check. These opportunities are available mainly during a hunt that has been designated a “junior hunt.”
At the end of the hunt season, juniors that have distinguished themselves in the hunt field will receive special recognition at the closing hunt.
For those juniors that are members of the Masters of Foxhounds Association of North America (MFHA) and have reached certain requirements, may be eligible to receive their Fairly Hunted Award.
Throughout the hunting season, FHC organizes monthly junior hunts which are open to all members but during which juniors are offered the opportunity to ride up front or assist a whipper-in.
During a junior hunt, older junior members, masters, and members with colors will be on hand as additional support for those who may be just learning. The duration of a junior hunt may be slightly shorter than usual to make it more suitable for our younger members.
Each year, the club hosts several family-friendly horse shows and events that are quite popular with the 18 and under crowd including two Gymkhanas (mounted games) in the summer and the field hunter trials during spring break.
Along with the mounted activities, our newly formed junior committee is working hard to put together more “juniors only” social outings (both mounted and unmounted) including trail rides, movie nights, dance/karaoke parties, and community service days.
FHC Juniors Instagram Account
