Although my family were land owners and farmers in Iowa, I was not raised in the tradition of fox hunting. I discovered the sport in the 1980s, when I had the extraordinary good luck to be introduced to Benjamin H. Hardaway III of Columbus, GA., a man who has been living and breathing hounds for more than 60 years. I will never forget that first morning with the Midland Hounds — the crispness in the air, the beauty of the land, the hounds, the scarlet coats.

I didn’t know anything about hounds and hound work, but riding in Ben’s back pocket, I now realize that I had experienced a lifetime opportunity that left me hopelessly addicted to the cry of the hounds and the sound of the huntsman’s horn.

These memories fuel my desire to create the best pack of foxhounds in the United States. My greatest thanks are to my lovely wife, Linda, and my children, who encouraged me to pursue my dream.

Harold “Hal” V. Barry
Master of Foxhounds
Bear Creek Hounds