Albertson ready for annual Fox Hunt
By Matthew Whittle
Published in News on February 13, 2011 1:50 AM
Good weather -- that's all Willie Rouse and the organizers of the 26th annual Washington's Day Fox Hunt in Albertson are hoping for. If the weather's good, Rouse said, then the crowds will usually follow.
"We are looking forward to it," he said. "We are hoping and praying for good weather. We've been blessed with good weather in the past. That's one thing we ask the good Lord for."
The day, Saturday, Feb. 19, will include breakfast from 5 a.m. to 8 a.m., a memorial service at 8 a.m., the annual field trials for fox and deer, and a barbecue chicken and pork and fish stew dinner from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Tickets are $5 for the breakfast and $6 for the dinner. Dogs can be registered for $20 each.
Last year's crowd was one of the event's biggest, attended by about 2,000 people with 250 dogs participating in the trials. Rouse said they're expecting a crowd of around 1,000 and about the same number of dogs this year. Thirty trophies will be awarded to the dogs
"They're awarded points based on their speed and drive," Rouse said.
But most of the people there go for the food -- specifically the competing fish stews prepared by Rouse and Braxton Grady.
"We do the best job we can," Rouse said. "A right many people come for the hunt, but a lot of people come for eating and socializing."
The funds raised from the event are split between the Albertson Fire Department, the Albertson Recreation Center and the Albertson Ruritan Club.
"We split it evenly. We all work together on this," Rouse said. "We have to have these funds to support our clubs and to do the things we do for the community."
The event will be held at the Albertson Ruritan Community Building on N.C. 111 in Albertson.