More than 100  attend weekend’s open house

GREEN CREEK — Four long-eared, bright-eyed hounds eagerly gazed out from the gate of the new Green Creek Hounds kennels.

These are new hounds — most have never hunted the surrounding countryside. The hounds are part of the big changes happening for the Green Creek Hunt.

With the retirement of former Huntsman Tot Goodwin, Master of Foxhounds, and the sale of the property where the old kennels were located, it was time to take a new direction. Goodwin had hunted mostly American and English Crossbred Hounds.

Green Creek’s new huntsman, David Raley, brought with him a pack of 19 couple Penn-Marydel hounds, along with four couple puppies. The hounds are mostly tri-color, are more slender than crossbreds and have beautiful, musical voices. They are sweet, friendly and love affection.

“I’m from Maryland,” Raley said. “That’s what we have in Maryland. These are the hounds I’m familiar with.”

Raley raved about the new kennel facility, saying it was bright, airy and well-designed.

“It’s a pleasure to be working in a kennel that’s built appropriately for the climate,” he said. “It doesn’t get cold and doesn’t get hot.”

Raley said the kennel is also well insolated for sound in order to cut down on noise for the surrounding neighborhood. The new kennel includes six runs with indoor lodges and outdoor runs, an office, a feed storage area, a walking and isolation room, and a veterinary room.

There are also three large outdoor yards for the hounds.

Joint Master of Foxhounds Christi Fowler said the property, located on Poors Ford Road in Green Creek, is owned by Roger Smith and Kim Ketchum. It includes a home for the huntsman, a five-stall barn, paddocks, a large pasture a riding area where they hold hunter trials and, of course, the new kennel building.

The hunt celebrated its new facility with an open house Saturday evening. Approximately 100 members of the community and nearby neighbors dropped in to meet the hounds, the new huntsman and members of the hunt.

“This is such a great community,” Fowler said. “We want to be the best neighbors the community ever had.”

Fowler said the members of the hunt are looking forward to working with the new hounds and huntsman.

Raley began serving as a huntsman in 1994, and has hunted for the De La Brooke Hounds in Maryland, the Red Mountain Hounds in Rougemont and The Moore County Hounds in Southern Pines. 

“We’ve heard rave reviews about his hunting,” Fowler said. “He takes great care of the hounds and the kennel.”

Green Creek Hounds Joint Master of Foxhounds Deborah Bundy said members really enjoyed meeting many of their new neighbors Saturday evening. Jane Lynch organized the food effort, and the hunt members contributed dishes and helped with set up and cleanup.

“We love our sport and want to share it with the community at large,” Fowler said.

She added that members were very grateful for the new facility and for the community that supports foxhunting.

Bundy said the open house included individual and group tours of the kennels and barn. Raley brought the hounds out for a few photo-ops.

Peg Secor founded the Green Creek Hounds in 1988. The hunt offers both hunting and social memberships, and includes many social activities, along with a two-day-a-week fixture card.

For more information about the Green Creek Hounds, visit greencreekhounds.com.