Get to Know Us
OUR HISTORY
Founded in September 2025 by twenty passionate fox hunters, Fort Defiance Hounds began with a singular vision: to create a welcoming community centered on the sport we love. Our Founders set out to build a group where the pursuit of hounds is a shared celebration among friends, horses, and hounds.
During our inaugural season, we have dedicated ourselves to creating an infrastructure that will support future growth.
As one of our Founders aptly says…
“We take our hunting quite seriously, but not ourselves.”
OUR PURPOSE
Our purpose is to foster a community of horse and hound enthusiasts dedicated to the preservation of the Penn-Mary-Del foxhound and the tradition of mounted fox chasing in the Shenandoah Valley.
OUR VISION
We envision a thriving Shenandoah Valley where open spaces are protected, wildlife habitats flourish, and the legacy of mounted fox chasing is celebrated as a vibrant, community-supported tradition. Through conservation partnerships, responsible land use, and broad educational outreach, we strive to ensure that riders, hounds, and future generations can continue to enjoy this historic sport amid the Valley’s natural beauty.
OUR MISSION
The mission of the Fort Defiance Hounds is to help preserve the sport of mounted fox chasing with hounds for future generations with a particular focus on the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.
OUR CORE VALUES
We advocate for the protection of wide open spaces and wildlife habitats in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.
CONSERVATION
The well-being of our riders, our horses, and especially our hounds is our highest priority. We hold ourselves to rigorous standards and utilize modern technology to keep our hounds safe.
SAFETY
We treat the land we traverse with the utmost respect, acting as vigilant guardians of the private properties entrusted to us.
STEWARDSHIP
We believe the best hunt is one shared with friends. We cultivate an environment that is inclusive, helpful, and free of pretension.
COMMUNITY
We are committed to teaching the history, etiquette, and skills of mounted hunting to ensure the tradition is approachable and open to our community.
EDUCATION
LEGACY
We honor the bloodlines of the Penn-Mary-Del foxhound and the centuries-old traditions of our sport with the goal of preserving them for future generations to enjoy.
OUR TERRITORY
Our hunts take place in the heart of the Shenandoah Valley, nestled between the Blue Ridge and Allegheny Mountains. The terrain is a mix of rolling farmland, open pastures, and gently sloping hills, interspersed with forested ridges, streams, and creek bottoms.
This patchwork of open ground and wooded cover provides both scenic beauty and an ideal terrain for mounted hunting. There’s a mix of open ground for galloping and wooded areas for cover, with occasional streams or small hills adding challenge and variety.