The Cape Hunt follows a long tradition of riding to hounds in the Cape, going back over a 195 years. The Cape Hunt holds the distinction of being the oldest of the ‘new world’ hunts dating back to 1822. The first Cape Hunt foxhounds originated from the English Beaufort Hunt and were imported into South Africa by the then Cape Governor, Lord Charles Somerset. They were originally kept in kennels at Lord Charles Somerset’s Hunting Lodge. This Lodge is now the Somerset House Primary School.
Drag Hunting is an exciting, non-competitive, cross-country, equestrian sport in which riders follow foxhounds that are trained to follow the trail of scent. The hunt season is between May and September. the scent is collected from World of Birds, in Hout Bay, for which we are grateful. https://worldofbirds.co.za/ They used to have Jackal, they kept the excrement for us, & we seep it all summer. Now no more Jackals ,so Civit ( or whatever they have….with a strong smell. It goes into 20 litre container water is added & left to ferment.
The exciting courses are ridden at a canter or a gallop and usually includes numerous (optional) jumps and some natural hazards such as river crossings.
The Bye Day hunt is the very First Hunt where riders can come along and try out the Hunt as well as the new hound entries to the Hunt.
Venues are amazing as you will see below.
