2026 SESSION
ENROLLED
HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 31
Commending the Rappahannock Hunt.
Agreed to by the House of Delegates, February 2, 2026
WHEREAS, the Rappahannock Hunt, a hunting club located among the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, has provided opportunities for fox hunts, trail rides, races, social events, and other activities to members of the community throughout the region for 100 years; and
WHEREAS, foxhunting has deep roots in the Rappahannock region, and the area has been referred to as the “cradle of the American Foxhound”; George Washington was known as an avid foxhunter, along with many other prominent Virginians who have practiced the sport throughout the years; and
WHEREAS, the Rappahannock Hunt was established in 1926 by Hugh Bywaters and Joseph B. Johnson of Sperryville, who served as joint masters of foxhounds for nine years; the pair were supported by Burrell Frank Bywaters of Olive, a respected breeder whose hounds served as foundation stock for generations to come; and
WHEREAS, the Rappahannock Hunt was first recognized by the Masters of Foxhounds Association of North America (MFHA) in 1939; the club was inactive during World War II, but ultimately regained its recognized status after the war and continues to be affiliated with the MFHA; and
WHEREAS, the Rappahannock Hunt began holding popular point-to-point races at Leon R. Greenaway's Leeway Farm in 1951 and opened its first kennel at J.W. Fletcher's Thornton Hill in 1952 to house a gift of several hounds from the Orange County Hunt; and
WHEREAS, the current territory of the Rappahannock Hunt extends from the Blue Ridge Mountains to the plains south and west of Fredericksburg through parts of the Counties of Culpeper, Madison, Orange, Rappahannock, and Spotsylvania; and