Richelle was honored to receive an invitation to present at the MFWC/GFWC Annual Luncheon at Eagle Ridge Conference Center in beautiful historic Raymond, Mississippi, along with Mississippi Poet of the Year Wynne Huddleston. Richelle presented her latest book, A Guide to Mississippi Museums, co-authored with prolific storyteller and writer, Diane Williams.

What a pleasure it was talking to these gals about our exceptional Mississippi museums. https://youtu.be/LJk-DMh8J_8?si=Tmz5LnV4qIt_ExqW

To the full cry of the howls and the echo of the horn, a team of riders and hounds chase wild quarry through woodlands and fields, across streams, and over hills. Known mostly as the English sport, foxhunting in North America has existed since Colonial days with the earliest record of hound importation being as early as 1650. Born and raised in England, Stephen Portch started fox hunting at the age of 13. After moving to the United States at the age of 24, he built a career in Wisconsin as a faculty member and a university administrator. He then relocated to Georgia, where for over seven years he served as chancellor of the 35 Georgia universities and colleges. However, one main reason Stephen relocated to Georgia was because it was home to Ben Hardaway III, a foxhunting legend over the world. After Stephen spent time foxhunting with Mr. Hardaway, in 2001 Mr. Hardaway helped Stephen get his start at Hard Away Hounds in Greensboro, Ala. Hard Away Hounds, named in honor of Ben Hardaway, merged in 2004 with Whitworth Hunt, a long time hunt in Mississippi since 1973. According to Stephen, there is an expression in foxhunting when the hounds go “hard away” on a scent. Therefore, he said, the name fits in more ways than one. “Now, we are a Mississippi and Alabama hunt,” said Stephen, “spending about half the time in each state.” The main goal of the hunt is to experience the hounds in full cry and to view a coyote, fox, or bobcat in his natural habitat.  But there are other reasons to join the hunt. “There are people who ride to hunt and there are people who hunt to ride,” said Stephen. Some following the hunt are there primarily for the excitement of horseback riding over all sorts of terrain, which can be very fast and include lots of jumping. “They simply can’t match this horse experience anywhere else.” The other group enjoys witnessing the hounds and their skills. Of course, there are those interested in both. According to Stephen, there is an expression in foxhunting when the hounds go “hard away” on a scent. Therefore, he said, the name fits in more ways than one. “Now, we are a Mississippi and Alabama hunt,” said Stephen, “spending about half the time in each state.” The main goal of the hunt is to experience the hounds in full cry and to view a coyote, fox, or bobcat in his natural habitat.  But there are other reasons to join the hunt. “There are people who ride to hunt and there are people who hunt to ride,” said Stephen. Some following the hunt are there primarily for the excitement of horseback riding over all sorts of terrain, which can be very fast and include lots of jumping. “They simply can’t match this horse experience anywhere else.” The other group enjoys witnessing the hounds and their skills. Of course, there are those interested in both. Members travel from five different states, with some driving over three hours, which will therefore benefit the local economy, said Stephen. “Because we usually hunt both days of the weekend, people stay in motels, eat in restaurants, and buy gas.” After the hunt is a breakfast consisting of dishes people brought to pass while everyone tells lies like every other hunter. A regular-season hunt lasts about four hours with approximately 35 hounds being out at any one time. Today, primarily, coyotes are hunted, but it’s mostly about the chase and hearing the hounds when they’re on a scent. “It’s an amazing sound when you have 35 hounds speaking at once,” said Stephen.  Thanks to GPS and radio tracking collars on all the hounds, statistics show that the average hunt covers about 22 miles. “That’s a lot of distance, a lot of chasing, and a lot of riding. On a faster day it would be a little more than that, and on a slower day it might be a little less than that.” One of the first lessons in foxhunting is to never, ever call a “hound” a “dog.” To do so is to create one of the greatest errors of foxhunting and to risk being sentenced for doing so. The sentence usually entails something like buying a bottle of champagne. “We have a lot of traditions and silly things like that which have been passed down through the years,” said Stephen. Even falling off your horse can earn you a sentence. There is also specific language to use, such as calling out, “Tally Ho!” when you see a coyote. This expression dates back to the 18th Century, though nobody is quite sure where it came from. Riders should wear a certain outfit and not mix and match outfits. Horses should be very clean and properly turned out.  All equipment should be very clean, which has to do with safety as well as appearance. Riders should not to go off on their own and never ride up on the hounds. Hounds are trained to a hunting horn, which has about six to eight different calls. Hounds may be drafted from other hunts, but no money ever bought a hound. “We exchange hounds from our fellow hunts,” explained Stephen. One hunt may have a certain player that isn’t fitting their system and that might best fit another system. “So we’ll take it or swap them one. That’s one thing I find fascinating.” The genealogy of the hounds probably goes back further than any human beings and this is how Ben Hardaway became world famous. “They’re called crossbred fox hounds and they’re crossbred between different nationalities of fox hounds. Some are American crossbred with English, some are English crossbred with Welsh, some are Welsh crossed with French,” said Stephen. “We’re constantly experimenting with different types of breeding to try and find the perfect hound, which has yet to be born.”  With reference to the training, a great deal has to do with the genealogy and