photos courtesy: Katherine Taylor, Jennifer Jordan and Stephanie Holland

The YVH flag hangs at Shoaf's barn Saturday morning/photo: Jen Jordan

Jen Jordan demonstrates the proper way to drink a stirrup cup without stirrups/photo: Jen Jordan

Mitzi and Jerry Davis were early arrivals at the Stirrup Cup/photo: KatherineTaylor © 2011

Hounds watch the humans from their trailer/photo: KatherineTaylor © 2011

Jen Jordan and Lisa Millican are ready to bless the hounds/photo: Jen Jordan

MFH and Huntsman Kim Sigmon with Timmy lead the pack to the Blessing/ photo: KatherineTaylor © 2011

John Erickson, Bill Pfefferkorn and Evie Good on the way to the Blessing/ photo: Jen Jordan

Whipper-in Sunni Ball and Huntsman Kim arrive with hounds at the Blessing/ photo: KatherineTaylor © 2011

Rev. Marion Swann begins the Blessing of the Hounds service/photo: Stephanie Holland

Staff keeps an eye on the pack during the Blessing/photo: Stephanie Holland

Taylorsville was well represented by Aubrie Holland, her grandmother Sue Holland and Richard Roberson/photo: Stephanie Holland

Sunni Ball and Lexus watch over the hounds/photo: Stephanie Holland

Suzanne Johnson and Elvis (foreground) are among the field of riders at the Blessing/photo: Stephanie Holland

Nature called for quite a few animals during the Blessing. Rev. Swann was a handy target of hound Voodoo a few minutes later/photo: Jen Jordan

Between Josh Hood and Duke, nothing goes unnoticed/photo: Jen Jordan

John Erickson, Katrina Johnson and Cynthia Schafer at the Blessing/photo: Jen Jordan

Sunni Ball helps whip/photo: KatherineTaylor © 2011

Blessing concluded, the staff lead the pack to the first cast/photo: Jen Jordan