Sewickley Hunt Club opens 102nd formal season
The Sewickley Hunt Club opened its 102nd formal season on Oct. 26 on the grounds of the historic Wilpen Hall estate in Sewickley Heights.
The sport is an act of hunting a fox across the countryside with a pack of hounds by a group of people on foot and horseback.
The Sewickley Hunt Club was founded as a drag hunt, which means that the hounds chase the scent of the fox rather than the real thing.
Dr. Verna Corey, wife of the late W P Snyder, III, hosted the Wilpen Hall event on opening day.
“I really enjoy this event,” said Corey, a social member of the club who used to ride horses. “I love to see the horses. It’s a tradition and it’s so much fun and it was such a gorgeous day.”
The event began with a blessing of riders, hounds and attendees by Minister Lawrence Knotts. The Sewickley Hunt Club is the 36th oldest active hunt club in the U.S. Watching riders on horses across the field is breathtaking and showcases the beauty of this area, Corey said.
The Wilpen Hall estate – which at one time encompassed nearly 100 acres – is considered the last of the Gilded Age estates in the Sewickley Valley. Wilpen Hall used to be a working farm and employed more than 30 employees to care for the house and grounds. The home is registered with the Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation.
The carriage house is original and houses several horse-drawn carriages, some dating back to the 1890s.
Corey opened the carriage house a mid-1800s carriage that was donated to Wilpen Hall was the centerpiece for a Halloween display with life-size skeleton horses.
The Sewickley Hunt was founded in 1922 by Mr. and Mrs. J.O. Burgwin. The couple started with three foxhounds — Silence, Fanny and Comic — that they kenneled at their Sewickley Heights farm.
Fox hunting dates back to 16th-century England. The early fox hunters did so as a means of controlling the fox population that the farmers viewed as vermin, according to the club’s website.
It is important to support such events, said Corey, who helped offer sherry in fox head sterling cups, tea, sandwiches, cookies and hot cider to the 100 guests.
Hunts during the formal season take place at 2 p.m. on Wednesdays and 10 a.m. on Saturdays through Jan. 1.
“Fox hunting is steeped in history,” said Michele Miller, social chair for the Sewickley Hunt Club. “We are carrying on the tradition.”
JoAnne Klimovich Harrop is a TribLive reporter covering the region's diverse culinary scene and unique homes. She writes features about interesting people. The Edward R. Murrow award-winning journalist began her career as a sports reporter. She has been with the Trib for 26 years and is the author of "A Daughter's Promise." She can be reached at jharrop@triblive.com.
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