The Orange County Hounds, The Plains, Virginia: A History

About R. A. Pearson

Established in Goshen New York in 1900 the Orange County Hunt of New York consisted of English hounds in order to hunt a drag in lower New York state. A 1902 hound list recorded 25 couples of hounds imported from England in 1901. The organizing patriarchs were Messrs. Edward H. Harriman F. Gray Griswold John R. Townsend and Dr. J. O. Green. Seeking new country to hunt after winter set in at Goshen hounds were taken by invitation to hunt the country of the Warrenton Hunt in Virginia in 1902. They hunted also around The Plains where William Skinker had been hunting his own uniquely American-bred hounds since 1896. In 1903 John R. Townsend was elected MFH and the OCH bought Mr. Skinkers pack to be regularly hunted by him. This quickly led to the purchase of Mr. Skinkers kennels stables and 70-acre Windy Knoll farm south of The Plains the current and only site of the OCH kennels. The official incorporation of the Orange County Hunt pack of American hounds in Virginia occurred in 1905. Three seminal figures have been instrumental in the success of the Orange County hound pack during its nearly 120-year history MFH Fletcher Harper (1920-1953) and Huntsmen Sterling Duke Leach (1924-1964) and Melvin Poe (1964-1991). Without debate these three men are credited with the singular successes of breeding and training the famous pack of red ring-necked hounds which has resulted in worldwide recognition for the pack both in the hunt field and at the hound shows. Today the Orange County Hounds are still showing brilliant sport in the countryside around The Plains Virginia under the talented guidance of Huntsman Stephen Reg Spreadborough.