BY KRISTY LATHROP AND DIANA SADLER
More Than an Anniversary
For those who love Fort Leavenworth Hunt, the 100th anniversary weekend was more than a milestone. It was a homecoming.
Former members returned, stories were retold, horses were tacked up in familiar places, and friendships, old and new, were renewed in the field and around the table. Across the weekend’s events, from the museum reception to the trail ride, wreath-laying, Closing Hunt, and Hunt Ball, the heart of FLH was easy to recognize. It lives not only in the hunt’s long history, but in the people who have continued to carry it forward and in the community that still calls it home.
The Legacy of Fort Leavenworth Hunt
Founded in 1926, Fort Leavenworth Hunt has been closely tied to military life from the beginning. In the 1930s, troopers at Fort Leavenworth helped care for and train the hounds, operate the kennels, and serve as hunt staff. For decades, many meets were held on the historic Fort Leavenworth installation. As military operations expanded and territory on post became more limited, much of the sport moved to country near Easton, Kansas, thanks to generous landowners.
Even so, FLH has maintained its military connection. The kennels remain on post, the Army-owned pack is cared for under the supervision of the post veterinarian, and longtime traditions such as fun shows, hunter paces, and 8 EZ lessons continue there. Today, Fort Leavenworth Hunt is the last remaining military foxhunt in North America, and that heritage continues to define the club and the people who call it home.
Why FLH Feels Like Home
FLH has always been more than its history. Like military life itself, it is built on community, welcome, and the ability to form deep bonds in a short time. Military families do not always choose where they go. They are assigned to a duty station and asked to build a life there, sometimes for only a few months before moving on. Because of that, they learn quickly how much community matters.
That spirit has always been part of the culture of Fort Leavenworth Hunt. Many members arrive at Fort Leavenworth to attend the Command and General Staff College, often knowing their time there will be brief. Over the years, that has included not only American military families, but also officers and families from allied nations who joined and hunted during their time at the post.
Still, the hunt has a remarkable way of drawing people in. Kits, tack, and even horses are loaned to help new members get started, and friendships form quickly. Many leave Fort Leavenworth carrying not only memories of time in the field, but lasting connections to the people and traditions they found there.
That is what made the Centennial feel so much like a homecoming. Former members came back not simply because they had once ridden with the hunt, but because FLH had remained part of them.
Growing Up in FLH
For both of us, Fort Leavenworth Hunt was not simply something we did. It helped shape who we became.
Kristy Lathrop’s connection to FLH began in 1989, when her family came to Fort Leavenworth for her father to attend the Command and General Staff College. They arrived with a horse from West Point and quickly joined the hunt. Her parents became avid foxhunters and earned their colors, while Kristy joined in hilltopping, hunter trials, and Christmas caroling on horseback across post.
When the family returned to Fort Leavenworth in 1993, FLH again became central to their lives. Kristy began whipping-in at fifteen, and her mother, Gayle Rue, later served as Hunt Secretary, whipper-in, and Master of Foxhounds. Over time, the members of FLH became a second family, helping shape Kristy into a more confident young woman through their trust, encouragement, and belief in her abilities.
Diana Sadler’s path into foxhunting unfolded more gradually. She was first introduced to FLH through a Junior Hunt weekend as a guest with her local United States Pony Club. From there, she began participating in the Collin Writesman Memorial Clinic and watching as her mother, Lucy Hirsch, and sister, Melinda Mueller, became increasingly involved. Encouragement from former Master of Foxhounds Cathie Kornacki eventually drew her in, though not always willingly, thanks to a spirited mount and a few memorable “wild rodeos” across the fields.
Over time, foxhunting became woven into Diana’s family life. Each family member found a role, from landowners and whippers-in to field members and road whips. Her father, Mel Sadler, made a lasting mark as a trail creator, shaping the landscape of Easton Hunt Country and making it more accessible for all. Dianaʻs mom, Lucy, now carries the horn for FLH as the Honorary Huntsman. For Diana, foxhunting taught her to face her fears, respect tradition and etiquette, and care deeply for the land, the hounds, and the horses. Perhaps most importantly, it taught her that in the field, someone was always looking out for you.
The Centennial Weekend
The 100th-anniversary weekend began Thursday evening with a reception at the Frontier Army Museum. Current and former members gathered to toast the hunt, explore the museum, and hear stories about the Buffalo Soldiers, the beginnings of Fort Leavenworth, and foxhunting’s connection to the Army. Trooper JR Bruce and Trooper George Pettigrew of the Alexander/Madison chapter of the Kansas City Area Buffalo Soldiers helped set the tone for a weekend honoring both the hunt’s history and the broader history of the post.
Friday morning brought rain, trailers, wet tack, and the familiar hope that the weather might break just in time. Thankfully, it did. Beginning and ending at the Hunt Lodge, the trail ride offered a rare chance to experience the post as generations of FLH members had known it. Riders followed trails long used for following hounds and passed some of the post’s most meaningful landmarks, including the National Cemetery, the Missouri River bluffs, remnants of the Santa Fe and Oregon Trails, Grant Hall, the generals’ quarters, and the kennels.
One of the most moving moments came at the Buffalo Soldiers Monument, where the group paused for a wreath-laying ceremony honoring the legacy of the 10th Cavalry Regiment. The Buffalo Soldiers were integral to the earliest days of FLH, caring for the hounds and riding on staff. That moment of remembrance underscored how closely the history of the hunt has always been tied to the history of the post itself.
Saturday’s Closing Hunt at Lucy Hirsch’s Foxhunt Country was a fitting sporting highlight of the centennial celebration. After the recent loss of a large piece of the Easton fixture, FLH has adapted by drag hunting on smaller fixtures, and the day was a reminder of the club’s resilience and determination to keep the sport thriving.
With all the recent moisture, scenting was fabulous, and the hounds were keen from the start. They followed the drag scent eagerly, and the fields had a blast following hounds through trails, mowed paths, and open fields. It was a classic FLH hunt: full of energy, beauty, and fun, and a clear demonstration that the sport is alive and well.
At the edge of Little Green Valley, riders were met by another favorite FLH tradition: the Whoopee Wagon, waiting with refreshments and hospitality. It was a perfect reminder that the care shown after the hunt is part of the tradition too, and part of what makes FLH feel so much like home.
The weekend closed with the annual Hunt Ball at the Frontier Conference Center on Fort Leavenworth. Members and guests gathered to eat, drink, laugh, remember, and honor generations past, present, and future. The evening included moments of celebration and reflection, spirited bidding during the live auction to support the hounds and the hunt, and the awarding of colors earned throughout the year.
Looking Back, Looking Ahead
In the end, the Centennial was not only a celebration of history. It was a reminder of where FLH’s true legacy lives. It lives in the hounds, the horses, the landowners, the riders, the staff, and the families who continue to make the hunt possible.
A hundredth anniversary is a moment to look back with pride, but also to look ahead with renewed purpose. If Fort Leavenworth Hunt can continue to preserve both its sport and its sense of community, then its legacy will remain alive for generations still to come.
