Foxes Win Spirited Fox/Hound Riding Competition
From Director of Riding Kate Worsham
In an afternoon that showcased team spirit, competitive and thoughtful riding, greatly appreciated horses, very tight margins between the winning and losing time, and a foot race around the flagpole to serve as a tiebreaker, the Foxes emerged victorious on Wednesday when the final Fox/Hound competition of the year was held at the Jean DuPont McConnell Stables and Riding Arena.
In an afternoon that showcased team spirit, competitive and thoughtful riding, greatly appreciated horses, very tight margins between the winning and losing time, and a foot race around the flagpole to serve as a tiebreaker, the Foxes emerged victorious on Wednesday when the final Fox/Hound competition of the year was held at the Jean DuPont McConnell Stables and Riding Arena.
The Foxes started with some winning momentum by mounting their well-dressed Lead Line riders who embraced this unique experience. With smiles on every face, ribbons in their hair, heels pressed down, and shoulders pulled back to look poised in the saddle, all the Lead Line riders made a good showing for this competition. For their overall win in this class, the Foxes earned a one-second advantage for their best Big Team rider's score. This advantage was secured by Fox seniors Ashleigh H., along with Heidi D. and Cate W., who were awarded 1st, 3rd, and 4th places by judge E. Robyn Anderson, of Unison, VA.
The format and course for Fox/Hound Riding are based on the showjumping style of riding. There is a single round over a course consisting of verticals and oxers with areas where riders have inside turn options which can be used to create an efficient line between jumps. The course is timed, and an Optimum Time, which rewards a tidy track, a quick but safe pace, and an accurate plan, is posted for each competition. The winner of each group is the rider who gets closest to the Optimum Time without exceeding it. This format encourages safe and effective riding and good horsemanship.
As the riders warmed up for the jumping rounds, the spectators watched with rapt attention to see who might prevail as the winning team. The riding phase of the competition began with a victory for the Hound Little Team riders, supported by the many Houndy students and faculty. After a close head-to-head competition on three of Foxcroft’s finest horses, the Foxes won the Big Team competition and were celebrated by their Foxy peers and faculty. In these riding classes, Anderson gave a Style Award (also worth a one-second time advantage) to the rider who best demonstrated a correct position, safe and smart decision-making skills, and proper technique. Hounds Aradeal H. ’26 and Irene B. ’24 won the honors for the Little and Big Team competitions, respectively, which ended the riding competitions in a tie with a win for each team.
With the riding portion a dead heat, the pressure was on for the runners for each team to grab their inflatable hobby horses and race for victory to determine the overall winner of this year’s Fox/Hound riding activities. Congratulations to Sage W. ‘23, whose fast feet bested the other runners to bring the Fox/Hound title to her team!
Complete results follow:
Lead Line Team
Winner: Foxes
Winner: Foxes
Little Team
Winning Team Time: Hounds 39.01 with the Optimum Time being 40 seconds
Style Award: Aradeal H. ’26
Winning Team Time: Hounds 39.01 with the Optimum Time being 40 seconds
Style Award: Aradeal H. ’26
Big Team
Winning Team Time: Foxes 39.38 seconds with the Optimum Time being 39 seconds
Style Award: Irene B. ’24
Winning Team Time: Foxes 39.38 seconds with the Optimum Time being 39 seconds
Style Award: Irene B. ’24
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An all-girls boarding and day school in Northern Virginia, Foxcroft prepares young women in grades 9-12 for success in college and in life. Our outstanding academic program offers challenging courses, including Advanced Placement classes and an innovative STEM program. Our premiere equestrian program is nationally recognized, and our athletic teams have won conference and state championships. Experience the best in girls' boarding schools: visit Foxcroft.
