Amateur horse-racing, tailgating, boutiques and demonstrations of field sports are part of the Essex Fox Hounds Masters’ Chase, a highlight of the Weekend in Gladstone festivities Oct. 4-6.
The Oct. 5 chase is held at Natirar, the county park on Main Street in Peapack. Gates open for activities at noon with post time at 2 p.m. In addition to races on horseback, there’s also stick pony racing for the kids. The atmosphere is old-fashioned fun.
Tailgating spaces are $500, but parking on the hill overlooking the activities is $40 per car. No alcohol is allowed outside of tailgating spaces, however. Those who park in Natirar’s regular public lots are admitted free to the Masters’ Chase.
The weekend kicks off Friday, Oct. 4, with a 6 p.m. cocktail party at the Fox’s Den at the Essex Stables, 48 Holland Road, Peapack. On Sunday, Oct. 6, the hunt gathers at 8:40 a.m. at Spook Hollow Farm, 461 Spook Hollow Road, Far Hills (the address for GPS). Hounds move off at 9 a.m. Those who wish to ride with the hunt should contact the hunt secretary at info@essexfoxhounds.org. The capping fee is $100 for juniors and $200 for adults.
The weekend benefits the Countryside Alliance of the Somerset Hills, with a mission “to perpetuate an understanding of the country way of life, maintaining and preserving the history and traditions of hunting with hounds and horses in the Somerset Hills of New Jersey, and to educate the public on proper care and breeding of hounds and horses.”
Reserve a spot at the party or a tailgating space by Sept. 25. The Countryside Alliance is at P.O. Box 314, Gladstone NJ 07934
$50 of each party ticket and $490 of the tailgate pass are tax deductible.