Always the Bridesmaid...

 ...never the bride.  Does that apply to photographers too? Lol!  This seems to be the only angle from which Daatje ever gets her picture taken!

Standing at a check, Yorkfield Hunt 9/7/13

Last Saturday's hunt was awesome.  The weather, perfect.  The fixture, a classic.  Yorkfield Farm is traditionally where Wentworth holds the Blessing of the Hounds, or opening meet of the formal season, so to be able to ride the territory ahead of time was a treat.


Hounds just out of the truck, waiting for the hunt to begin





Daatje was a machine.  To say she was a little strong would be a vast understatement!  It's probably a combination of me losing 20 lbs, (5'9" and 137 lbs baby, finally!), her shoes on all four and dialed in nutrition, but she feels amazing.  It makes our job of "Mounted Photographer" a bit more difficult, but we're managing. :)  Hard to keep the locomotive behind the field master with one hand on the reins and one hand on the camera!  Lol.  We're known for our "action shots" while in "action", so I hope she settles in as the season progresses, so we can live up to our reputation.

A friend of mine who hunts with us, and has recently acquired a new TB that she's whipping-in with was dying to have a nice action shot of him, so she asked me to be on the lookout.  I had not yet had the opportunity but was definitely keeping an eye......picture this; we're in an open field, the hounds are in full cry, the field is in full gallop.  I hear hoofbeats galloping far faster than the field, look to my left and see my friend and her whip horse absolutely flying up the hill in order to catch up to where she needs to be.  Here's my chance, what a sight they were!  My camera was in it's case, horse was hauling and I was working to stay behind the field master but all else be damned I was going to try to get that shot!



No time to zoom in, but I got it!  They looked fantastic as they motored past us.  Excitement over, I looked back and realized I had committed the ultimate sin in the hunt field, and passed my field master.  She was very gracious and even waived the customary bottle of booze that I now owed her. :)  I'll most likely get her one anyway. :)  Here are some more shots from Yorkfield....

 

Second Field :)



Happy Hound!

 

Hacking down North Road, back to Yorkfield

 

Good hounds.

 

Field of Daisies

 

Such a wonderful sight

The next hunt for us will be at Branch Hill Farm in Milton Mills, NH and the weather is supposed to be excellent.  (unlike today, which is positively soupy!)  'till then!