MASSBACH HOUNDS
Board of Directors
Kevin Keesee, President
Jim Powers, Honorary Secretary
Carla Whitebread, Treasurer
John Greene
Christy Cressey
Tony Leahy
John Novak
John Yavari
Masters
John Greene, MFH
Christy Cressey, Joint MFH
Tony Leahy, Joint MFH
John Novak, Joint MFH
John Yavari, Joint MFH
Hunt Staff
Huntsman: Tony Leahy
Kennel Huntsman: Mark Murphy
Kennelman: Luis Perez
Honorary Whippers-in
Kevin Ward, ex-MFH
Marilyn Heaton
Heidi Schaefer
Kevin Keesee
Catherine Hanlon
FOX RIVER VALLEY HOUNDS
Board of Directors
Robert Heaton, President
Susan Schacht, Secretary
Tony Leahy
Heidi Shaefer
Masters
Marilyn Heaton, MFH
Tony Leahy, Joint MFH
Garrick Steele, Joint MFH
Hunt Staff
Huntsman: Tony Leahy
Kennel Huntsman: Mark Murphy
Kennelman: Luis Perez
Huntsman:
Tony Leahy MFH
“When Tony Leahy rides by in the hunting field, we watch in awe. Only in our dreams do we ride like that,” says Norman Fine, editor of Foxhunting Life Magazine.
Tony grew up in Ireland, hunting and show jumping. The jumper shows took him through Europe and finally to the United States. Since virtually all Irish horsemen have their riding roots in the hunting field, it wasn’t long before Tony connected with the foxhunting community here. When he wasn’t show jumping or racing over fences, he was whipping-in—first at the Rolling Rock Hunt in Pennsylvania and later at the Deep Run Hunt in Virginia. In 1990 Tony became huntsman of the Fox River Valley Hounds, and was named MFH six years later. In 2002 he also became MFH and huntsman of the Massbach Hounds in Illinois. Two packs of hounds weren’t quite enough to keep him busy, so in 2003 he also took on the mastership of the Spring Creek Bassets, a foot pack. Tony’s horsemanship, knowledge of hounds, and quiet leadership abilities were noticed at the highest levels of American sport, and soon he was contributing in a substantial way to the Masters of Foxhound Association, the umbrella organization for organized foxhunting in North America. He served the MFHA both in the field and in the boardroom. During the MFHA’s Centennial year, having been selected as guest huntsman for all but two of the Centennial Foxhound Performance Trials, Tony hunted packs of hounds across the length and breadth of North America. He served the MFHA as Director of the Midwest District from 2002 to 2008, after which he was appointed Treasurer of the Association’s Educational Foundation. He is frequently sought out to judge hound shows throughout the U.S. and Canada. Being an exceptional breeder of hounds, his combined pack has won the grand championship at all major hound shows in North America. His pack would be considered “one of the best” both in hunting and confirmation. While director of the MFHA, Tony was asked to develop a structured program and curriculum for the development of young aspiring huntsmen. The program he developed has been a major success, and he has continued as Director of the MFHA’s Professional Development Program. He was elected second vice president to the MFHA in 2012. He became president of the organization in January of 2017. Always ready to contribute where needed, Tony also served on the board of the Equestrian Land Conservation Resource based in Lexington, Kentucky. He is currently an active board member of the International Union of Hunting Hounds based in Europe.
Kennel Huntsman:
Mark Murphy
Mark is originally from Ireland, north of Dublin (and not so far away from where Tony is from!) He grew up riding, and one of his earliest memories is being in a saddle. He started showing ponies around the age of five. He comes from a family of horse trainers. During his teen years he won the Royal Dublin Horse Show as a show jumper. He rode internationally as a representative of Ireland’s “Junior and Young Riders” and rode in the Nations Cup representing Ireland. Mark earned his degree in agricultural science at Valley Hayes Agricultural College in Cavan, Ireland. After college he was drawn to the United States by the culture and the way of life of “those Yankees across the pond.” He was introduced to the Massbach Hounds and the Fox River Valley Hounds by Bob and Marilyn Heaton. He found himself loving working with these communities and Tony, so he has turned his commitment into a long term tenure. Because he came from a hunting family, and grew up hunting, he feels that coming back to fox hunting is almost second nature. He always strives to be the best at what he puts his mind to. He appreciates the opportunities offered by fox hunting.