On Sunday, October 9th, the Fairfield County Hunt Club will return to their foxhunting roots when they host the Fairfield Bridle Trails Association’s annual fundraiser, the FBTA Hunter Trials. The polo field will be transformed into a hunt field with a course of natural style fences enticing riders young and old to navigate across the open field as their foxhunting predecessors would have done. The FCHC and its members have long been supporters of this annual event, and they are joined by FBTA members, pony club riders, and other riding associations that come to partake in this cherished tradition.
Some of the many highlights include the Hunt Pairs and Hunt Team classes, where riders compete over hunt-jumps at a “fair pace,” changing leaders mid-way through the course, and attempting to jump the last fence abreast! There are under saddle classes and family classes too. Junior classes begin at 8 am and adult classes follow after 12 pm.
Spectators are welcome to watch the festivities from the shaded porch of the clubhouse, where there will be a cash snack bar open throughout the day. A full breakfast buffet is also offered in the dining room for a fixed price, from 11:30 am to 3 pm.
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A non-profit organization founded in 1938, the FBTA partners with private landowners, the Town of Fairfield, the Aspetuck Land Trust, and the CT Audubon Society to preserve one of the last surviving bridle trail networks in Fairfield County. Proceeds from the Hunter Trials are utilized to maintain the trails and provide educational programs related to equine care and practices.
Information for the Fairfield Bridle Trails Association, and an entry prize list for the Hunter Trials, can be found on the FBTA website: www.fairfieldbridletrails.org.
