"White Marsh Valley Hunt Club Members Annual" 1915
$250
Officers Members Charter And By-Laws
Flourtown Montgomery County Penna.
[30] pp.
Privately Printed WMVHC
1915
6 3/4" x 4 7/8"
VG
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Although the White Marsh Valley Hunt was not founded until 1903, by the Messrs. Edward D. Toland, Thomas Stokes, James G. Leiper, Jr., R.H. Johnson, Jr., and Welsh Strawbridge, the fathers of several of these gentlemen had run paper-chases in that part of the country for some years, and the interest in cross-country riding, having been handed down to the present generation, had never entirely died out, so that as these gentlemen grew up and began to ride, they in their turn kept up the paper-chases in a desultory sort of way. The runs became more frequent and their devotees increased; until presently, as is often the case, came the taste for hounds, and in 1903 a few couples were bought. The natural advantages of the country, which is level and largely used for grazing purposes, were all favorable, and as soon as the residents of the White Marsh Valley found how much pleasure could be derived from riding to hounds, they all joined in with a will and the Club was soon formed.
In the second season, Mr. Welsh Strawbridge, who had been elected Master at the start, bought a small draft of English hounds, but found that these ran almost mute on the drag, as they often do. Accordingly, he began to cross them with the native hounds, and found that the animals so produced were, on the whole, more satisfactory for the purpose for which they were needed. At present, Mr. Strawbridge has twelve couples of hounds in his kennels, most of them bred along the lines indicated above, some few drafted from the neighboring Hunts and a few from Dr. A. C. Heffenger’s pack, — the Portsmouth.
The White Marsh Valley Hunt developed slowly, in this manner, up to the season of 1907; when, its Fields having grown in numbers and enthu-siasm, the members began to yearn for the “real thing.” The Master was only too ready, and during the autumn of 1907 a small pack was kept exclusively for fox-hunting. The country is nearly perfect for the sport, the coverts being small and scattered widely, and the open country between quite ideal for riding purposes, being mainly a grazing country, and the land-owners, a very good class and fond of sport, keeping their farms and fences in the best of condition. Wire has not, as yet, crept into the country at all and the fences are almost entirely old post-and-rails, large and stiff, but with clean take-off and landing.
Foxes are none too plentiful, but many have been planted and as they have thriven well, there seems to be no reason why fox-hunting should not be firmly established and excellent sport obtained in a short time. The huntsman, Mr. James G. Leiper, Jr., is a keen sportsman and may be depended upon to do all he can toward attaining the best results.
The Hunt now has a commodious clubhouse, stables and kennels, and visitors are always most welcome. Most of the members have a strong lean-ing toward the thoroughbred when it comes to a question of mounts, although there is a small percentage of cocktails generally to be seen.