The Fairfax Hunt: A Brief Overview
The Fairfax Hunt, founded in 1928, was recognized by the Master of Foxhounds Association in 1933. The driving force behind the creation of the club was the Bowman family, and the focal point was their 6,000-acre Sunset Hills Farm. From the late 1920s to the early 1960s, members hunted across Fairfax County, including land once traversed by George Washington's personal pack.
The Fairfax Hunt now enjoys sport in neighboring Loudoun County. Most of the country is centered around the small village of Philomont, Virginia, north of Middleburg and south of Leesburg. The land is a mixture of open, rolling fields and moderate to heavy woods, both pine and hardwood. Jumps are of average height, mostly coops, stone walls, and rail fences.
Hounds are kenneled at Red Hill, near Arcola, Virginia, and are hunted by professional Huntsman Kevin Palmer, whose grandfather was a founding member of the hunt. Palmer maintains a pack of American-English crossbred hounds. Although they have been frequently reported nearby, coyotes have not yet appeared in the Fairfax territory in any appreciable numbers. As such, the primary quarry continues to be the red fox.
Members of The Fairfax Hunt are proud of both the club's history and its centuries-old tradition of sport. They are honored to continue this practice over land that has hosted some of foxhunting's most notable figures, going all the way back to colonial times.
