Hillsboro Hounds History

 

Mason Houghland

1932 - Mason Houghland, MFH of the Harpeth Hills Hunt Club, left that hunt to establish the Hillsboro Hounds, so named by John Sloan, Sr., Honorary Secretary and Whipper-In. The country was near Leipers Fork, Tennessee. Hounds of predominantly Trigg antecedents were from Joe Thomas's famous Grasslands Hunt which had headquartered in Gallatin, Tennessee until that same year when it folded. The rest of the superb Grasslands pack was bought by Will DuPont and became the celebrated Foxcatcher Hounds.

 

1934 - The hunt country moved from Williamson to Robertson County. Felix Peach began a long career as Kennelman and then Huntsman.

 

Dr. John Youman

1935 - The Hillsboro Hounds relocated in Brentwood at Mason Houghland's Green Pastures on what was once The Harpeth Hills Hunt's country. Dr. John Youmans, MFH of the Harpeth Hills, leased its hunt country to the Hillsboro Hounds for $1.00 a year. As a result of the Hillsboro Hounds' success, Harpeth Hills disbanded. Mason Houghland was very interested in field trialing and hound breeding. He established great friendships among the noted hound men and night hunters of the day, including Sam Wooldridge, from whom he got Walker hounds for the pack.

 

1939 - A draft of hounds, the so-called refugee pack, was brought over from the North Cotswold in England and split with Vicmead.

 

John Sloan Sr.

1941 - The Iroquois Memorial Steeplechase was inaugurated by Mason Houghland and John Sloan, Sr. The course was designed by Will DuPont. It has been carefully developed through the years by Calvin Houghland into the leading three mile weight for age steeplechase in America. One of its keenest competitors, George Sloan, went on in separate subsequent seasons to be the only person to be the leading amateur steeplechase rider in both the United States and England, and to become the all time leading amateur winner in the United States.

John Sloan Sr. on Bank Robber

 

1949 - Mason Houghland’s classic book Gone Away was published by the Blue Ridge Press. It has been recently republished by the Derrydale Press.

 

1954 - Brocklesby Hounds were imported from England and introduced into the pack. Wartrace was hunted occasionally until the early 1960's.

 

George Sloan on Spin the Top

1958 - George Sloan replaced Felix Peach for one year as Huntsman.

 

1959 - Upon the death of Mason Houghland, Vernon Sharp and John Sloan, Sr. took over as Jt. MFHs. Kennels were moved to Sharp's Inglehame which, along with Sloan's Maple Grove, were favored countries.

 
Vernon Sharp and Henry Hooker

1962 - Under the auspices of Robert Harwell, Sr. the Cornersville country was inaugurated. At the urging of Henry Hooker it was made the main country of the Hillsboro Hounds. Many members bought farms there and the country was extensively paneled and gated.

 

1963 - Henry Hooker, Bill Brown & Ned Bonnie started a pack of Trigg hounds called the Brown, Hooker, and Bonnie Hounds.

 

Henry Hooker on Our Big Girl

 

1966 - Henry Hooker became First Whip.

 

1969 - Under the initiative of Buck Allison, West Waterford hounds were imported from Ireland. These hounds, the result of Isaac Bell's selection and breeding, were of English Fell-type, white and very tractable.

 

1971 - Buck Allison as MFH and Honorary Huntsman formed the Cedar Knob Hounds in a country near Fayetteville, Tennessee. Hounds were predominantly Fell from the West Waterford. Bob Gray came from England to assist as Kennelman and Professional Whip of Hillsboro.

 
Felix Peach

1973 - Walker hounds were infused into the Hillsboro to provide striking power on the poor scenting soil of the Cornersville country. Huntsman. A group of English Fell hounds from the Milvain was imported. These hounds were very successful but were not bred soon enough to make a long term contribution. George Sloan became Jt. MFH of the Hillsboro, replacing his father who continued to hunt and to take a very active part in the Iroquois Steeplechase. George Sloan’s Panorama country south of Franklin was opened.

Bill Carter

1975 - Bill Carter became Jt. MFH of Cedar Knob and Henry Hooker became Jt. MFH and Honorary Huntsman of Cedar Knob. The Brown, Hooker, Bonnie Hounds were merged with the Cedar Knob. Hard scuffle disbanded and sent a draft of the Hardaway breeding to be split between Hillsboro and Cedar Knob. These hounds have made effective additions to the pack.

 
Bill Carter and Henry Hooker

1977 - Henry Hooker became Jt. MFH of Hillsboro as well as Cedar Knob. John Gray became Huntsman and Karen Gray became Professional Whip of the Cedar Knob. Coyotes migrated into the countries providing excellent sport. Hounds captured a golden eagle in the Cornersville country. The eagle was saved by Tom Kenny who nurtured the bird and released tin its home country.

 
Henry Hooker and Calvin Houghland

1980 - The Hillsboro and Cedar Knob merged becoming the Hillsboro Cedar Knob Hounds. Vernon Sharp, George Sloan, Bill Carter, Sr. and Henry Hooker became Jt. MFHs of the newly styled Hillsboro Cedar Knob Hounds. John Gray became Huntsman and Bob Gray retired. Karen Gray became Professional Whip. The Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt became involved in the Iroquois Steeplechase weekend for the upcoming 40th Anniversary of the race. The hunt has since foregone its Calcutta party proceeds, thus allowing significant annual contributions to the Children's Hospital.

 
Bruce P'Pool

1981 - The Pytchley sent a pair of bred bitches to the pack. The Foxcatcher disbanded and sent the bulk of their pack to Hillsboro Cedar Knob thus returning to Tennessee the breeding which began both the Foxcatcher and Hillsboro packs. The Vicmead also disbanded and sent their pack to Hillsboro Cedar Knob. Vernon Sharp retired as Jt. MFH. During his illustrious career as a foxhunter he was the only man to be President of the Masters of Foxhounds Association, The National Foxhunters Association and the American Foxhound Club, the main bodies covering all facets of foxhunting in America.

 

Johnny Gray and Karen Gray

1982 - The breeding was concentrated on the Foxcatcher and Trigg lines with some Hardaway and Vicmead, so as to produce a crossbred pack suited to the country.

 

1984 - Sidney McAlister, Sr., a subscriber for 37 years, became Jt. MFH.

Sidney McAlister

1986 - Hounds were invited to participate in Tennessee Homecoming '86 as part of the Cornersville Froggy Bottom Festival and Parade. In spite of first contacts with steam engines, over-flying airplanes, sirens, brass bands, and fancy mule teams, all hounds were eventually recovered.

 
 

1987 - George Sloan organized and became Chairman of the International Steeplechase Group which held its inaugural Royal Chase in Nashville. The Princess Royal attended and rode in one of the races. The lines of Milvain Swimmer, an English hound, and Foxcatcher Pastor, an American hound, were crossed, becoming the dominant Hillsboro line.

 

Buck Allison, Sidney McAlister , Vernon Sharp, Sarah Sharp

1988 - The Hillsboro Cedar Knob became a sponsor and beneficiary of the Royal Chase, as was commemorated on its scarf. The Princess Royal rode a winner to the delight of the crowd and the Princess.

 

1990 - Bill Carter, Sr. retired as Jt. MFH. Dr. Bruce P'Pool succeeded as Jt. MFH.

 

1991 - George Sloan retired as Jt. MFH. Among his many contributions to the hunt was the stream of visitors from steeplechasing and foxhunting who came to hunt or race because of George. The kennels were moved to the farm where Robert E. Harwell, Sr. first took the hunt to the Cornersville country and were named for Vernon Sharp. Henry Hooker became the Chairman of the Iroquois Steeplechase Race Committee.

 

Sidney McAlister, Henry Hooker, George Sloan

1993 - Albert Menefee, III became Jt. MFH. The Hunt became a Tennessee not for Profit Corporation under its original name, Hillsboro Hounds. The Iroquois Steeplechase went to national fences and any rider licensed by the National Steeplechase Association acceptable to the Committee.

 
Alex Wade, Bruce P'Pool, Albert Menefee III and Henry Hooker

1995 - Dabney Sloan and Ted Thompson were married at Opening Hunt.

 

1996 - Sidney McAlister, Sr. retired as Jt. MFH.

 

1997 - Alex Wade became Jt. MFH. Henry Hooker became a director of the National Steeplechase Association.Mason Houghland was posthumously inducted into the Hall of Fame of the Museum of Hounds and Hunting.

 

1999 - Henry Hooker became a director of the Masters of Foxhounds Association of America. The Hillsboro Hounds hosted the first Performance Trial run under the Foxhound Club of North America-Masters of Foxhounds Association of America Rules. The trial was won by Hillsboro Swift.

 

2001 - Calvin Houghland’s horse, All Gong, won the Steeplechase Eclipse Award. Calvin was inducted into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame in honor of his career and accomplishments in steeplechasing as a rider, owner, and race meet chairman. Stephen Heard became Jt. MFH.

 

2002 - Long Run Flute, a gift to the Hillsboro, won the Belle Meade Invitational Field Trial. Calvin Houghland’s All Gong won the Iroquois. Henry Hooker, MFH, was guest of honor at the Ontario Festival of Hunting in celebration of the hound, and the Hillsboro pack hunted jointly with the Toronto & North York. George Sloan was posthumously awarded the Ambrose Clark Award for his service to steeplechasing. He was also inducted into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame. The Derrydale Press published Henry Hooker’s book Fox, Fin, & Feather, which treats the history and the characters of the Hillsboro Hounds. Alice and Henry Hooker were added to the MFHA Wall of Recognition at Morven Park.

 

2003 - Henry Hooker became Chairman of the National Steeplechase Association.

 

2008 - Henry Hooker, MFH retired as Chairman of the Iroquois Steeplechase Race Committee. He is succeeded by Dwight Hall. Albert Menefee, III, Alex Wade, and Stephen K. Heard resigned as Jt. MFH’s. H. Hill McAlister and Orrin Ingram became Jt. MFH’s.

 
Photo By Bill Kenner
Hill McAlister                              Orin Ingram

• • •

Whilst I was courting her in 1955, Alice took me hunting for the first time. Mason Houghland and John Sloan, Sr. made me very welcome. Vernon Sharp lent me a horse. The sky was a luminous blue, the grass was emerald green, the horse’s full of run, hounds gaily and keen. I viewed a fox which I still see in my fancy. That romance endures. The longer I hunt the more I understand Mason Houghland's advice: "The time to be happy is now, the place to be happy is here, the way to be happy is to hunt the fox." Good hunting and keep a tight seat.

Henry Hooker