Blessing of the Hounds

Each year on the first Saturday in November, the Iroquois Hunt gathers on the lawn of the historic Mill at Grimes Mill for the Blessing of the Hounds, one of foxhunting’s most enduring customs. Officiated by Episcopal clergy, the ceremony marks the formal opening of the hunting season with a blessing upon the hounds, the horses, and the riders.

The Blessing is open to the public and offers a genuine glimpse into the pageantry of the sport — hunt staff in formal livery, the field assembled, and the hounds gathered around the huntsman.