Hunting
About Hunting
A long time ago someone lent me a horse and took me on a hunt. “It’s a five year old green thoroughbred and jumps really well, have fun!”
I’d never done anything like this in my life but being young and brave I decided to give it a go.
We pulled up in the car park outside the Hagen Arms at Echunga and a large group of people were getting their horses ready for this hunt. Red coats, black coats, white breeches and tan topped boots, clean and well presented horses and plenty of smiles.
While I don’t remember every minute detail about this particular day, likely over 15 years ago, I do remember that the two friends I went with decided to retire their horses before the end of the hunt. But most importantly I remember the hedges.
It was on this day I learnt to fly. I saw these hedges, probably well over 1.1m and everyone else barreling towards them. “What the hell, they told me he jumps, I may as well give it a go!” So with my heart in my mouth we soared over these hedges.
I knew it. This is the adrenaline rush I wanted from my life. To Hunt.
These days I’m now the convener (organiser) of this particular run, Echunga Hunt. With a great group of land owners it’s a fantastic run to work on. Sadly the hedges are now gone after 35 years of the Strathalbyn Hunt Club jumping them, but we have built new jumps and changed the course of the run so that we can continue to hunt each year.
When and where we hunt
Hunt season is held from end of April til the end of August while the ground is softer. We have hunts almost every Sunday during that time.
Strathalbyn Hunt Club have a wonderfully supportive crew of private land owners who allow us to hunt over their properties. Many of these land owners take great pride in assisting us with jump building. Each week we ride over multiple properties where coordination is done by the Convener of the run to make sure we have a safe ride. Without the land owners and Conveners we would not have a sport!
Our club has neither hounds or foxes and is purely a social event.
More information about hunting with Strathalbyn Hunt Club can be found directly on their Facebook page or feel free to send me an enquiry and I’d be more than happy to chat about it with you.
Programs for next season will be released at the start of next year.
Hunt season is held from the end of April to end of August each year while the ground is softer.
Our club has neither hounds or foxes and is purely a social sport.
More information about hunting with Strathalbyn Hunt Club can be found directly on their Facebook page or feel free to send me an enquiry and I’d be more than happy to chat about it with you.
Programs for next year will be released at the start of next year.
Join Our Hunt
Why not come along and have the most fun you’ve had in years!