When the Masters of Foxhounds meet in NYC every winter some ‘Wag’ in the Pierre, or the Metropolitan Club, taxi driver, or…always asks: Is this a convention of doormen?” “No! It’s gentlemen members of the MFHA and they’re wearing their Pinque (scarlet) tails with their hunt ‘colors’ ... because that’s their ‘dress’ uniform.”

Saturday evening the Miami Valley Hunt held their ‘Black and White’ Ball  at Dayton Country Club.  It’s traditional for ladies to wear either black or white and gentlemen wear scarlet.  The valet parking boys had lots of fun guessing “… what was going on…we’ve never seen you dressed like this…” was said to one old ‘regular’ club member…

When Jim Stainbrook, MFH of Delaware, heard Rocky Fork-Headley Hunt of Columbus  was not having a Hunt Ball this spring he invited them to meet at his farm and hop a ride on a twelve passenger van he’d hired for the ride to Dayton
Country Club.  Jim Shaw, ex-MFH, Polly and Bob Lindemann, MFH of RF-H… were certainly a great addition to the ranks.

Carolyn Uecker, secretary-treasurer to end all, had ordered an ice sculpture bearing the MVH hunt ‘button’, as well as table favors that bore the MFHA Centennial logo on one side and the MVH logo on the reverse.

Col. Mike Carlson’s dress shirt was the fashion ‘hit’ of the night.  When wearing his Air Force dress coat – which was festooned with at least a dozen medals – his white dress shirt looked normal.  But, when he removed his jacket as the dancing got wild – every bit of the shirt that wasn’t visible had black sleeves, with a wide cartoon band, and the body of the shirt (up to the dress pleats) was a multicolored six color cartoon. “It’s an Air Force thing,” said Mike. “All the grade officers have these shirts customed – and they’re a great late-evening-hoot.”  

Mike also wore huge red-fox-hat that he’d bought in Afghanistan where he served most recently.

Pam Grusz was the chair of the Ball, John McKean official photographer.  He’s always got his camera handy when hunting and his pictures are fabulous – course his horses ears are in the foreground of every picture.

Linda McKean is chair of the ‘Croppers’ party.  “It’s to be the fourth of July…”  She read the list of ‘croppers’.  For the uninformed – ‘croppers’ are ‘them what bought sod’  during the season, and they’ve got to entertain ‘them what did’nt.’  

A special tribute was given to Herb Whalen, one of the founders of the MVH in 1959. A wonderful 1960’s DDN photo of Herb jumping his legendary horse ‘Bright Midas’ was on an easel.  “Chairman of the Board of Governors’ was Herb’s title.  Mike Uecker suggested Herb’s title be ‘retired’  for…”His like shall never be seen again.”