History of LAH

[Excerpt from article written by Dr. Tom H Jr, Honorary Master of Foxhounds, for the LAH 50th anniversary book]  

Men and hounds have been companions in hunting game since prehistoric times, but fox hunting did not become a sport until it was developed in England in the 18th century.  The sport reached its zenith in the English midlands in the 19th century and has been popularized in sporting art and hunt prints that are widely seen.

Fox hunting is thought of as an elitist sport because of the special equipment, attire, horses, and hounds used in riding to hounds, but actually, it is the most democratic of field sports because it is enjoyed by children on ponies, foot followers, and even those in automobiles.  All three groups view the hounds hunting, and often see more than the riders who follow the hounds and are busy controlling their horses.

The Los Altos Hounds, called for many years the Los Altos Hunt, has evolved from humble beginnings to its present high standards.  It was founded in Los Altos, Calfornia, in 1953, hence its name, by the two original masters, Dr. Robert L and Mr. Wall N.  They kept three or four couple of beagles in their homes as pets, and decided it would be fun to follow them on horseback, as in fox hunting, but to lay a drag scent for the beagles to follow.  About a dozen riders followed them in the field, and hunts were conducted in Woodside and Portola Valley.

In 1956 the newly formed hunt moved to the "Play Pen," a thirty-acre facility in the heart of Woodside.  This facility made it possible to acquire foxhounds instead of beagles, and greatly improved the sport.  Hounds were obtained from various American packs, and required considerable training and weeding-out to get biddable, reliable hounds.  The foxhounds also required more room to hunt, and the Hunt began to use ranches in Marin County, Stockton, and San Benito County, as well as the Woodside area and Stanford.  The hounds were hunted by several professional huntsmen, as well as two of the Joint Masters.

Los Altos Hunt was registered with the Masters of Foxhounds Association of America on September 4, 1958.

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