Rates for Junior type membership to hunt in Virginia

[Newmarket]

Hi Everyone,

I’m wondering if anyone has any idea which hunts in Virginia offer a junior membership similar to the type Cheshire hunt and several other hunts do? I have hunted with a junior membership to Cheshire in the past which was reasonably affordable. I’m in my last year of being a ‘junior’ as considered by Cheshire, 25, and since I’m now living in VA I’d like to hunt as much this upcoming fall as possible. As a young person working in the horse industry, I simply cannot afford the full membership fees to hunt with Piedmont, Orange, Middleburg etc, so I’m wondering if any of those hunts offer a more affordable membership for a person my age. Thanks in advance.

[Hunter_s_Rest]

I think ODH does a young adult thing, about 1/2 price (about $1k, I think) for up to 30.

[jawa]

http://www.farmingtonhunt.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4:membership-fees-a-dues&catid=2&Itemid=15

http://www.bullrunhuntclub.com/membership/

http://www.stonewallhounds.com/fox-hunting-stonewall/membership-information

I know Deep Run has a young adult membership, but I can’t remember what it is and they don’t make that information available on their web site.

I think most have some sort of young adult membership. You would need to cap a few times with the hunt in which you are the most interested and then the info will surely become available. Maybe your Master at Cheshire would be able to give you a contact with the Master of your favorite hunt in order to find out the specifics of membership.

Best of luck.

[Martha_Drum]

Hi there,

I’ve just become the Membership Chair at Farmington, so please PM me, and I’ll give you a detailed breakdown of our young adult and other categories of membership. We are a really fun group (I’ve just joined myself fairly recently) and are looking forward to our upcoming season with our new huntsman.

Martha

[SidesaddleRider]

I hunt with Middleburg, and yes, we do offer a discounted young adult membership, but I can’t remember what the price of it is (I think around $1k though) nor what the age limit is. Please call or email one of the MFHs and ask, they will be happy to answer your question. If you are over the age limit, the other option is to hook up with a member, and be their “groom,” and pay the groom’s fee (around $1,100). You would just be limited to only hunting when the member is out, unless you were hunting one of their horses for them in abstentia, and you would be called on to do things like open gates, drop jump riders, etc., if necessary, and ride towards the back of the adult field.

Piedmont also has a discounted rate, about half of the regular membership, up to age 30, so around $3k? Again, best to contact one of the MFHs and inquire.

Orange requires 50 acres minimum within their territory to join (or $5k/acre you are short), not counting the membership fee, so unless you can swing the $ price of the land + the membership fee…