Annual Blessing of the Hounds on Saturday

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ) – Now in it’s the 135^th year, the Iroquois Hunt will hold its annual Blessing of the Hounds on Saturday.

The event will take place at the Iroquois Hunt Club on Grimes Mill Road on Saturday, November 7th at 11:30 a.m.

Reverend Dr. Duane Smith will give a brief sermon on the front lawn of the old mill that is now the Iroquois Hunt Club, and then bless the hounds, horses and, lastly, the riders dressed in formal hunting attire, the hunt club says.

This picturesque ceremony follows the tradition of honoring St. Hubert, the patron saint of hunting. The Iroquois Hunt serves to assist local farmers in protecting their house pets, cattle and crops from a growing population of coyotes.

The ceremony lasts approximately 30 minutes and ends as the riders mount their horses and move off with the hounds to begin the hunt. French horns provide entertainment before and after the ceremony for the many farmers, neighbors and members of the public who attend each year.