About the Santa Fe Hunt

Out of an eastern-bred love of foxhunting, the Santa Fe Hunt was first conceived and founded in 1969 as a "paper chase." The founders were a small group of San Diego residents led by Dr. Sol Roy Rosenthal of Rancho Santa Fe and including Augie and Ruth Handley, Tom Slattery, Tom Krai, Dennis Dale, and Santa Fe's first Master of Foxhounds, Hugh Dale. Following the acquisition of four "foundation" hounds, Mr. James Norment became the first professional huntsman. Growing participation in the hunt built to its Registration by the Masters of Foxhounds Association of America in 1973, and the first SFH Hunt Ball was held at the Westgate Hotel in San Diego that same year.

During the early years, SFH hunt country was located entirely within San Diego County and included much of the open areas of Rancho Santa Fe as well as Rancho Bernardo, Poway and Penasquitos Canyon. As encroaching development reduced open country in the early 1980s, there was a brief period of relative inactivity for the hunt, until its reorganization and incorporation in 1984. This rejuvenation, spearheaded by past Masters Alex Pisciotta and Augie Handley, resulted in the hunt's expansion into Riverside County and its Recognition by the Masters of Foxhounds Association in 1987. During this period, hunt country included Camp Pendleton and the Naval Weapons Station, as well as areas of Temecula, Rancho California and the Santa Rosa Plateau.

Today, the hunt kennels are located in Riverside County, managed by Honorary Huntsman Steven Thomas and overseen by MFH Terrel E. Paine. We hunt Crossbred hounds and English hounds.

In 2011, Santa Fe Hunt expanded its membership and territory by combining with the West Hills Hounds. As these two clubs combined to become the Santa Fe Hunt, its hunt territory spanned from San Diego County to Ventura and Inyo/Kern Counties. Today, Santa Fe Hunt primarily hunts in Riverside County.

West Hills Hounds was founded in 1947, initially the idea of several recently mustered-out infantry officers from Ft. Riley, Kansas, just after the end of World War II. Among them was George A. Burns and Dan Dailey, the famous MGM song and dance star. George was the club's first president and Dan served as Master of Foxhounds from 1952–1960. Registered with the MFHA in 1959, the club's membership included a large number of Hollywood luminaries, including Ronald Reagan, Randolph Scott, John Huston, Spencer Tracy, Walt Disney, George Raft and Burgess Meredith.

Our members are geographically dispersed and represent a cross-section of Southern California lifestyles and professions, including physicians, lawyers, teachers, artists, veterinarians, military officers, pilots, entrepreneurs, and individuals in the travel, entertainment, racehorse breeding-and-training professions, and amateur competitive riding.

Our formal hunt season begins in November and typically ends in April, with hounds going out twice a week on Tuesdays and Saturdays. Hound exercise or "roading" and autumn hunting or "cubbing" keep our hounds fit and ready in the off-season. Social gatherings, trail rides, and competitive riding events bring our members together throughout the year. These events include our Hunt Ball, Christmas Party, Puppy "Auction," riding clinics, hunter paces, and group outings to wineries, concerts, and other performance events.