Tally Ho!

The pageantry, hospitality, and thrill of Chula Homa Hunt Club's opening meet is as much for spectators as it is for riders.

- Kelli Bozeman

Give to them grateful hearts for the privilege of enjoying the bounties of the world.” So prays the white-robed priest as he stands before a hushed crowd of riders preparing to partake in the centuries-old tradition of fox hunting. This is one line of the “Blessing of the Hounds,” one of many memorable moments during the annual Chula Homa Opening Hunt.

“The Blessing of the Hounds is one of my favorite parts of the day,” says Ginna McGowan, a Chula Homa Hunt member who along with her husband David hosted the Opening Hunt festivities on the grounds of their Brandon home last November. “It’s just so beautiful and reverent, and a wonderful way to kick off the hunt.”

Chula Homa—the word means “red fox” in Choctaw—began in 1980 as the private pack of Mrs. Alex S. Payne Jr., who was known to say that when friends gathered for the hunts, “a good time is had by all.” Now a subscription hunt, the organization still places a great emphasis on hospitality and conviviality. That’s why it’s not only the riders themselves who “enjoy the bounties” on the day of the Opening Hunt, which marks the beginning of the club’s formal hunting season. In fact, more than 300 spectators from multiple states joined in the merriment last year.