EMCEE BLESSING SCRIPT – November 1, 2014 – modified by Kate 11/2/2014

Periodically, announce refreshments are available and location of Port o john.

Guests should be offered programs, (people are assigned to this.) hot chocolate,
coffee, cider and muffins. (The whiskey sours are reserved for the riders of the day.)

The bagpiper (Brian Batty, to be greeted by the grounds coordinator (Kate), will begin
playing on the east side of the Blessing Meadow. If we have trompe players, they may
begin warming up in the same area, and may begin playing in the area where the trailers
are parked.

Before 10:45, bagpiper Brian will move to the bridge.

Just before 10:45, announce to the spectators that the bagpiper and procession will
be starting shortly. Draw their attention to the country club drive. You should be
hearing the bagpiper by then.

At 10:45, the riders will arrive, led by Bob Lindemann, who is preceded by bagpiper
Brian. They will form a semi-circle on the outside of the mums, with the help of
volunteers, if needed. Riders should be offered programs. (People are assigned to this).

You will have a radio to keep in contact with Kate or Kathy Smith re: the huntsman’s
preparedness to enter with the hounds. As soon as Kate/Kathy indicates that Sharon is
ready, announce:

“Our sonneurs will now play a short fanfare for us. Keep your eyes on the driveway
to your left, where our Huntsman and Master xxxxxxxxxx will be entering with the
hounds.”

Note – The trompe players should play from outside the circle; someone can stand in
front of them to signal when to stop playing, which is when the huntsman arrives with the
hounds.

Once the Huntsman and hounds have arrived, say “All riders please dismount”.

“Welcome to all from the Masters of Rocky Fork Headley Hunt. In case you don’t
already know them, they are Robert Lindemann (ask him to raise his hand), Sharon
Chappelear , (ask her to raise her hand), Sally Crane Cox , who is hunting our
hounds today, and Dave Straub (ask him to raise his hand) and. The staff is
assisted today by our kennelmen, Leonard Burgess (normally referred to as Junior)
and Jake Moore.

“And I am Rick Wayman, husband of Mary, who is riding somewhere in this crowd
of foxhunters today.
“We would like to thank the Rocky Fork Hunt and Country Club for the use of this
beautiful Blessing Meadow and also of their wonderful Country Club where we will
be having lunch later on after the hunt.

“I would also like to thank our bagpiper, Mr. Brian Batty” and the Reverend Dr.
Susan Marie Smith, who will be officiating in the Blessing of the Hounds today,
assisted by and The Rev. Tim Iseringhausen (EYE-zer-ing-how-zen). We are also
pleased to have a group of sonneurs from as far away as France and Belgium join us
today.

“Brian Batty is the Pipe Major of the Capital City Pipe & Drum Corps, has been
playing bagpipes since 1984 and has played with award winning bands in New York,
New Jersey, North Dakota, and Ohio. He has competed with bands and solo. In his
spare time he is a pilot.

“The Reverend Dr. Susan Marie Smith is the Rector of St. Albans Episcopal Church
in Bexley. She received her PhD in liturgy and ritual and is author of two books:
Christian Ritualizing and the Baptismal Process and Caring Liturgies. The Rev. Dr.
Smith is being graciously assisted today by the Reverend Tim Iseringhausen (EYE-
zer-ing-how-zen), of Christ Lutheran Church of Bexley.

“The trompe players (sonneurs) who are going to play for us today have impressive
accreditations too numerous to list here, but they have played in France for very
large hunts with as many as a hundred hounds , so we think you’ll be very
impressed with their talents.

“We are truly honored to have these exemplary representatives of their chosen fields
to join us today and to play such an important role in our ceremony.

“And now we are ready to begin the blessing of the hounds and riders. For those of
you riders who already have several medals from previous years and choose not to
receive another one, you can still be blessed. Just let the Reverend know that you
don’t need a medal and she or he will bless you but not put a medal around your
neck. Also, please tell her or him your first name when she or he gets to you.

“All gentlemen wishing to be blessed please remove your helmets. All riders wishing
to be blessed please kneel when the Reverend reaches you.
“Riders, please remember to tuck the medal inside your shirt or vest after the
Blessing as they have a tendency to fall off during the hunt.

“As is customary, the Masters and kennelmen will be blessed first.

“For safety reasons, this year we are ONLY allowing our official photographers, to
take photographs of the riders being blessed.
“Now I will ask the Reverend Dr. Smith to begin the blessing. We request that
attendees be silent during the blessing with the exception of joining her in the
reading of the bolded responses in your program.”

Give wireless mic to rev.

The Reverends will read the blessing in the program. At the end of the blessing she will
bless the masters and kennelmen. Both Reverends will begin blessing the individual
riders, each beginning at one end of the semi-circle.

AFTER the masters and kennelmen are blessed and the reverends move to the semi-
circle, then announce:

“Our photographers’ photographs will be available through the Rocky Fork

Headley Hunt Facebook page soon after this hunt. There will also be time allotted
after the Blessing for the many photographers in the audience to take personal
photographs of their friends and relatives, should they choose to do so.

“After the ceremony, if anyone in the audience would like to be blessed, please stay
around and the reverends will be glad to do so.

“Once the riders are blessed, they will be served a stirrup cup, which will be either a
whiskey sour (graciously provided by Bob Lindemann and Dave Straub, using Bob’s
highly-guarded secret recipe), or cider.

HISTORY OF THE BLESSING (to be read as the riders are being blessed).

“Today you will see that as each rider is blessed they will receive a St. Hubert’s
medal.

“St. Hubert is the patron saint of the Chase and of the Hounds and a short history of
his life and of this ceremony is in your program, so I won’t repeat it here.

“As you may already know, bagpipes have long been used to indicate the various
activities of the fox hunt while in progress, and the French trompe is used similarly,
mostly in England and France. At this time I’d like to introduce Dr. Gerber, who
has driven from Lake Chautauqua NY to be with us today, who in turn will
introduce the other esteemed members of the group who will play a short fanfare for
us. This will be followed by Brian Batty playing his bagpipes for the duration of the
blessing.

THEN turn the mic over to John, who can introduce the others in his group and then the
trompe players can play a fanfare or two.

When they finish, Brian will play softly in the background..

After everyone is blessed, announce: “The Reverend Dr. Smith will read the “Blessing
of the Chase” from the program. ”

After she is finished, she may or may not sing the National Anthem.

“Thank you, Reverend Dr. Smith”.

Now the tromp players will play “Benedictus”.

“As promised earlier, we will now provide a few more minutes for photographs, and
then will proceed with the hunt. (how much time? 10-15 min? Ten minutes, or when
people appear to just be mingling and NOT taking photographs.)

“While we’re waiting for riders to remount, I’d like to thank all of the volunteers
who have assisted us today. It takes several to put this on, and they’ve been quite
busy. So in recognition, they are: Kate Rigg, our grounds coordinator and
volunteers Carrie Goss, Julie Walters, Bill Dreger and Cindy Bowers, Teresa Kerr,
Dick and Linda Anderson, Ellen Walker, Sarah Kinninger, Kathy Smith, Desiree
Blankship, Connie Coultrap, Deb Hoy, Polly Lindemann and Anne-Claire Christiaen
and a few others who stepped up at the last minute. Additionally I’d also like to
recognize Linda Bering who did all of the prep work for the registration desks; and last
but not least, a special thanks to Melissa Pippin, our social committee chairperson,
who planned the breakfast, arranged for the coffee and hot chocolate here in the
Blessing Meadow and took all of the reservations for the luncheon..

“As you’ve noticed, Chuck Miele and Doug Feller have graciously been taking
photographs and will continue to do so during the chase. The link to their websites
will go out in our next newsletter and will also be posted on the Rocky Fork Hunt
Facebook page.

After a while, when most people appear mounted and ready to go, say

“It’s time to begin the hunt, so if you haven’t already, please mount your horses.
And remember to tuck your medals in your vest or put them in your pockets.”

When most people are mounted, say:

“Riders, please listen to the order of the field.

“Riders in the first field are jumpers who will keep up with the huntsman and
hounds.
“Second field riders are non-jumpers who will ride at the end of the first flight but
at a somewhat slower pace but will also keep up with the hunting.

“Third field riders are hilltoppers who will view the hunting activities at a slower
walk/trot pace, often taking a different path from the other fields.

“Our first fieldmaster today is Susan Straub (ask Susan to raise her hand) and first
field riders should meet Susan near the center of the Blessing Meadow.

“Our second fieldmaster is Bill Bering (ask him to raise his hand) and second field
riders should meet Bill in the area closer to the tennis courts.

“Our third fieldmaster is Master Bob Lindemann (ask him to raise his hand) and
third field riders should meet Bob in the area closer to the country club driveway.

“Riders, please join your appropriate fieldmaster in the designated area.

“Once the chase begins, any spectators wishing to do so can drive to the picnic
shelter to view the chase. If you don’t know where that is, let me know and I’ll give
you directions. Or, you may go to the kennel house at the top of the hill to wait until
the hunt is over. The coffee and hot chocolate, cider and muffins will be transported
up to the kennel house for your continued enjoyment Also, if any spectators wish to
be blessed, please stick around and Reverends will be glad to do so.

“The bar at the Country Club will be open at 11:30 and lunch will be served at
approximately 1:30, depending on how the hunting goes.

“Master Sharon Chappelear will now begin the hunt and following that, our
sonneurs will play fanfares appropriate to the release of the hounds and the start of
the chase! If you’d like to hear more, or talk with them, please feel free to ask them
and I’m sure they’d love to accommodate you.

Thank you for coming and we hope to see you next year.”