A tradition returns

Back to normal, and it feels so good. Seeing the hundreds of people who came out this morning to watch the Essex Foxhounds gather for their annual Thanksgiving meet was quite a contrast to the scene in 2020.

Last year, the front field of the Ellistan estate in Peapack was empty, with a sign on the fence saying spectators would not be allowed because of Covid.

The hunt happened, but it took off unobtrusively from the back of Ellistan and no one was there to cheer on the riders.

The mood in the sunshine today was such a welcome contrast; all smiles, people happy to be out, greeting friends and enjoying the magic of the countryside en masse.

“It’s really nice to be able to gather again,” Karen Murphy, who is the joint master of Essex, told the crowd.

“Thank you so much to all of our landowners for allowing us to celebrate this great sport. We couldn’t do it without you,” added Jazz Merton, the other joint master.

“Saving traditions like this is so much fun and important to all of us.”

“This is a tradition we must continue,” agreed Pia Hamlin, a hairdresser in Peapack, who comes every year.

“We need to be outdoors with friends and family and then go eat a good turkey later on.”

“Todo hermosa, beautiful,” said her friend Guido Enrique, a visitor from South America who was seeing the Thanksgiving meet for the first time.

Pia introduced him to another tradition, the hot toddy, served graciously by the Slack family, Ellistan’s owners, who provide it for those 21 and over. The younger set, on horseback and on foot wasn’t forgotten; they enjoyed hot cocoa.

For those who wanted something more substantial, the occasion offered an opportunity for tailgating, reminiscent of the scene at the Far Hills Race Meeting that was held down the road from Ellistan last month. Indeed, Lexi and Dana Sendro of Pittstown set out a candelabra and tablecloths they used to display at the races for their spread, complete with sparkling wines.

How did it happen that so many people, even those without an equestrian connection, make the meet a must stop on Thanksgiving? It goes back to Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, who was a member of Essex and often rode with her daughter, Caroline and son John. They always drew a crowd, and even after the family no longer came out on the holiday, people who had learned to enjoy watching horses and hounds continued coming out.

I was reminded of the day I met Mrs. Onassis at the Essex Foxhounds hunter pace in 1984. My editor at The Star-Ledger, where I was the equestrian columnist, read somewhere that the former First Lady would be riding in the pace and wanted a story. I happened to be riding in it as well, so I nervously juggled the two priorities.

Knowing Mrs. Onassis didn’t give interviews, I approached her somewhat hesitantly and told her I was from the newspaper.

“Oh, am I in trouble?” she asked me with a charming smile.

I said no, we were just going to take some photos of her riding. She was very nice about it and we got a lot of good shots of her galloping along with Emil Spadone. I can’t find a copy of the story (I have literally thousands of clippings scattered hither and yon), but I did find a letter she wrote me very graciously after I mailed her the photos taken by the paper’s photographer (Sorry, I don’t remember who it was.)

And as you can see, she wished me a happy Thanksgiving, and I also wish all of my readers the same.

Enjoy some other photos from today.