Well Boys it has finally come Friday 04/13/2012 and we have been planning a BIG SHOW DOWN on Red Ridge for several weeks.

This hunt will take place in NE, AL TONIGHT, between Big AL Hansell of Lawerencville, IN, Wallace Shipley of Sale Creek, TN; Big Kyle Blakeley of Gallant, AL; and myself.

Last fall Mr. Shipley and I went up to Dry Ridge, KY to run with Big Al, and we strongly suggested that he come south come spring, well Spring has come and he is coming south. We will do our best to show him some wonderful southern hospitality.

I am very sure that I am out matched before I ever load a hound, but I must go simply because we all said we would get together, I am hoping Big Kyle can represent True Grit kennels, with Ole Max, Little Annie and others.

I am sure Big Al is bringing the best hounds from South, IN and I know Mr. Shipley will be bringing some real power. Big Kyle should have the advantage since it is his home ground.

I can tell you now I will not be taking my best hounds, I am going to take the B team not the A team.

Cast time should be around 7:30 central time, catch time will be when daylight comes and the dust has settled. Should be a dog culling race and I may have to cull after the hunt, but we are trying to improve the walker hounds as a whole, not an individual.

It should be interesting to see just how things go, but the main thing is I am looking to hear some good hounds run and fellowship with some good hunters.

Praying for everyones safty while traveling and trusting His Spirit to be among us while we fellowship with each other.

Big Kyle or I will report back Monday, on just how things go tonight, good or bad.

Sure Hope we have a good hunt.

LOrd Bless and Happy Hunting to all,

True Grit,
Elmore Co., AL
Jonathan Blakeley

Well boys the big show has come and went and is now nothing but a memory, but what a memory. We gathered at Red Ridge around 7:30pm and turned the hounds out and it wasn't long till we had one jumped. The majority of the running early in the night was up and over Red Ridge. Around 9:30 we decided to cook some spam and eat a good ol spam sandwich. After we eat it seems like the hounds would not ever come down and I was debating on riding up top but they finally got after another and man did they start pouring the coals to him. It was now about 11:30 and we could hear and see all we wanted. We had 20 hounds turned out and as the ol saying goes it was pretty much Dog eat dog and come on and get some if you can. We watched some crossings and there was no real dominate hound but I did notice my brothers Big Mouth hound was starting to pull towards the Front. I don't normally brag on my ol plugs but I did have 2 hounds that was really doing some good running I thought. Mr. Wallace Shipley had a hound there he calls bump that could really run and Mr. Al Hansell had couple tenor mouth gyps that was doing some real running.

Morning finally come and we were having some of the best pack running I have heard in awhile. We had all 20 out but about 7 was doing the running. Those 7 were Jon D's Big Mouth and ol bird, Big Al still had 1 Tenor mouth gyp and Wallace had 2 ol bump and his young Raider hound, I had my little annie and little Dude. We cooked the regular pound of sausage and dozen yard eggs we also had some salt cured ham, all on light bread with some fresh coffee. To quote Mr. Floyd Summey " Ain't Nothing Like Cooking Breakfast Outside After A All Night Foxhunt".

Hope everyone else had good running and good fellowship. We did and I thank the Good Master For It!

True Grit Kennel,
Etowah Co.
Kyle Blakeley

I could not add anything to what Big Kyle has reported, other than, I will tell you all his Little Annie gyp was really doing good at daylight, yeah she ran good all night, but man she is really tough as hours go by.

I also thought Big Mouth was really doing a good job trying to mix it up with Little Annie.

We were blessed with a good night to hunt, and I am thankful, Big Al Hannsell and Mr. Wallace Shipley was able to come down and gather up with us one more time on Red Ridge.

Good Hunt, Good Fellowship, Good Food what else could a poor ole Fox hunter ask for in this life. The Lord has truely been good to me.

Thank you Lord for all your blessings towards me and mine in this life.

Good Hunting and Lord Bless,
True Grit,
Elmore Co.,AL
Jonathan Blakeley

WHATS BREEDING ON LITTLE ANNIE.