2023 Tryon Hounds Barn Tour

Come spend the afternoon in the splendor of the Carolina Foothills countryside during the peak fall foliage touring five unique horse barns. The Fifth Annual Tryon Hounds Barn Tour is a one-day, self-guided driving tour on Saturday, November 4 from 10-4 (rain date November 11). Each barn has its own story to tell along with the talented horses that live there. Local artists will be displaying and selling their work at each barn, and new to the tour this year we will have five chefs from local restaurants competing in a chili cookoff. Barn visitors get to vote for their favorite chili!

General admission tickets ($45 plus processing fee) are available for purchase online here. If you prefer, you may purchase general admission tickets in person at the Mill Spring Farm Store, Tim Edwards Farm and Landscaping Supply, Landrum Hardware, or The Farm House. Tickets will also be available for purchase on the day of the event at each barn location. Junior tickets (for 12 and under) will be available on the day of the barn tour at every location for $22. All proceeds benefit the Tryon Hounds.

Upon checking in at their first barn, participants will receive a wristband, a map and a handout containing barn descriptions. Participants may drive to each location in any order for a tour of the barns. Please be aware that this is an outdoor activity that may involve walking on uneven ground. No dogs allowed please.

Click here for more information.

Get Your PaperWork In!

All riders participating in a Tryon Hounds' activity must submit an up to date (within 1 year) Coggins for any horse ridden in the activity, and must sign all the applicable waivers. 

Are you a Tryon Hounds Riding Member submitting paperwork for the season?  Click here.

Are you a Tryon Hounds Social Member or Guest, submitting paperwork for capping, a clinic, or for a hunterpace?  Click here.

News from the Board

At the Annual Meeting of Certificate Holders, it was announced that Dr. Dean McKinney has decided to step down from his role as MFH of Tryon Hounds. Dean has served Tryon Hounds for 16 years as Master and many more before that as president, officer, director, field master, trail clearer and jack of all trades. We will miss his leadership and years of experience, but don’t count him out. He will still work with THs as whipper-in, occasional field master, trail clearer and jack of all trades - and we will still have the pleasure of watching him gallop across the countryside!

Thank you Dean for your many years of great service to Tryon Hounds!

Additionally, we said thank you to Karen Graham for her 3 years of service on the Board, and we welcomed Piper Close and Jon Napper to the board for new 3 year terms!

At the Board meeting immediately following the Annual Meeting, the Board unanimously voted to appoint Mr. Jim Ritchie as the newest MFH of Tryon Hounds. Jim has been a member of Tryon Hounds since 2019, was awarded colors and came on the board in 2020, and served as Vice President in 2021 and 2022. He and his Cleveland Bay, Statesman, ride in first flight (which Jim has led from time to time.) He grew up showing hunters in Virginia and rode with the Greenville Hounds prior to joining Tryon Hounds. Please join us in congratulating Jim on this honor!

The Board looks forward to working with Masters Bonnie Lingerfelt, Nelson Minnick and Jim Ritchie for the 2023-2024 season and beyond.

Tentative 2023-2024 Schedule of Events

Our Social Committee has been hard at work, and is pleased to announce the following schedule of events for the 2023/2024 Season.

September 9 – First day of Cub Hunting
Setptember 9 - Kick Off Party at Thanksgiving Farm
October 8 – Fall Hunter Pace (RD October 15)
November 4 (RD November 11)  – Barn & Art Tour
November 23 – Opening Hunt & Blessing of the Hounds
November 23 - Thanksgiving Pitchin at the Clubhouse
December 17 – Holiday Party & Gift Auction
March 17 – Last day of Hunting
March 23 – Hunt Ball at The Piedmont Club
April 7  – Spring Hunter Pace (RD April 14)
Late April - Spring Fling
               

Tryon Hounds Board of Directors' Report on Membership Survey

SUMMARY

The Membership Committee conducted a survey of the Tryon Hounds’ current, past and prospective members in August of last year to gather insights and information on topics the Board identified as strategically important to the organization. The survey initiative was based on the tenet that membership-driven organizations are most successful when their members’ input is valued, and the leadership takes effective action to build on successes and address challenges. The survey established significant data and comment on those subjects and many others.

The Membership Committee prepared its formal report on the survey results to the Board in October. Due to Covid restrictions and scheduling challenges, the Board and the Masters were not able to meet until earlier this spring.  On March 28th, the Board and the Masters met for several hours to review the findings and identify action plans on several key topics including Membership Growth, The Foxhunting Experience, Membership Engagement and Social Events, and Financial Matters.  You may view the full report to the membership here.

The Board thanks the Membership Committee for its hard work to develop and produce the survey. We appreciate the members’ participation to voice their concerns and aspirations about their hunt and we look forward to improving the Tryon Hounds experience for all of our members, staff and volunteers. 

Read more ...

Time to Schedule Your Hunt Breakfast!

The Tryon Hounds hunt schedule is set to be a big fun one - Click here to view available dates and schedule your breakfast!

• Please limit your group to 4 couples (singles can pair up with a buddy to make a "couple".) The September dates are limited to 2 couples or two singles as they are simple to do.
• The early September dates can be a light breakfast in the field after the hunt. These will start usually by 9-9:30 as the hounds don't stay out long in the cubbing season in the heat.
• You may host your breakfast in the field after the hunt or at a location (home, farm, clubhouse  or other location) 
• You may make the food yourselves or hire a caterer. There are probably other caterers  -  some of the regulars in the past are in alphabetical order tbelow.

Read more ...

Tryon Hounds and Foothills Humane Society Announce Partnership to Rehome Retired Foxhounds

Tryon Hounds is proud to announce the formation of a new and unique partnership with Foothills Humane Society to work together on the important mission of rehoming retired hounds. (Please see our new website, www.homewardhounds.org)

Through Tryon Hounds' Homeward Hounds training and socialization program, our retired hounds will be prepared for the transition from pack life to family life.  

As graduates of the Homeward Hounds program, our hounds will be offered for adoption through Foothills Humane Society. Look for them on the FHS website and during the popular Sunday Stroll feature of the FHS Facebook page.  

We are grateful for the opportunity to benefit from the experience and social reach of FHS for the management of the adoption process.  

Together we are working to find wonderful forever homes for these special animals. 

Please read the full joint press release here.