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Of the 24 springs belonging
to the Ross Creek Ranch, 3 large ones are on separate properties.
As with land owners of the hunt, Lynn has been successful in
negotiating agreements with these property owners whereby they
will enjoy use of their spring’s overflow in the form of a pond
and riparian area, when the water from the developed spring is
diverted through their property onto the ranch for irrigation.
Unfortunately, for the 15
years prior to Lynn and Gayle’s ownership, Ross Creek Ranch had
been seriously neglected. The dams creating three holding ponds
above the main pasture area had been destroyed, and erosion by the
primary stream flowing through the ranch had created a miniature
Grand Canyon, resulting in pasture dessication with subsequent
invasion of noxious weeds (thistle and white top) and loss of
pasture grasses. Willows, the major herbivorous water thief in our
area, had choked the canyon and the sources of many of the springs
feeding the ranch, resulting in significant water loss as well.
Lynn and Gayle have spent the past 8 years re-establishing the
responsible stewardship of the Ross Creek Ranch. It is long,
arduous and expensive work, and it is ongoing. As of October,
2003, the three dams are back in and their ponds are stocked with
game fish. Lynn’s ranch manager and truly right hand man Dean
Greenhill has worked feverishly reconstructing the pasture
irrigation system and reversing the erosion damage, as well
putting in miles of pasture and kennel fence (when he isn’t busy
spraying thistle or mowing or repairing equipment or welding
gates...).
The first of the large springs on adjacent landowner’s property
was developed this year. The result is impressive: the spring
filled a 10,000 gallon holding tank in 3 days, which now supplies
water to the barn by gravity flow with a pressure of 75 psi.
Remember, the entire kennel of 130 hounds, barn of 50 horses,
housing of 5 people in 3 homes, all is supplied with gravity fed
spring water - there is not a well on the property! The current
big project is the Willow War - the fight to open up the green
belt and recreate pasture and increase water flow where the
willows have invaded.
Finally, why the name Ross Creek? In their ongoing concern to
continue the legacy of this beautiful Nevada oasis, and to ensure
its future as open land, Lynn and Gayle looked back in time to
follow the ranching tradition of maintaining the original ranch
name. Accordingly, the name of O.C. Ross, who filed the original
water rights claim with the Office of State Engineer in Carson
City, Nevada on September 7th, 1914, comes home to Red
Rock. According to Mr. Ross’s claim, surveyed by C.C. Smith, the
water
source for the ranch is Ross or Lee Creek & Springs,
tributaries of Long Valley Creek in Washoe County.
Please come and visit our new home. Join us in the enjoyment of
this pastoral environment. The peace and space will nourish you as
it does us every day. |
Pacific Coast Performance Trial
February saw us in LA for the first
Pacific Coast Performance Trial. For a detailed account, see MFH
Cindy Martin’s article in the July 2003 Covertside.
Hosted by West Hills Hunt, we heartily thank the members and staff
of West Hills for their gracious and generous hospitality. Hats
off to the judges for simply surviving the scope and speed of the
fixtures we hunted. Our everlasting respect and appreciation to
judges Max Naegler, MFH and trial president, Dennis Foster,
Exec. Dir. MFHA, Natasha Hunt, Mason Lampton, MFH, Tony Leahy MFH,
and Barbara Naegler, MFH,
We have a very short list of Red Rock Heroes sequestered in
Lynn’s office. Usually their names are kept secret lest someone’s
ego outgrow their own hat size, but we all decided to make an
exception and shout out the name of Tony Leahy MHF who
boldly went where no huntsman has gone before by agreeing to hunt
the challenging West Hills country with hounds from seven packs of
distinctly different personality. Thank you, Tony, for keeping
hounds safe and giving all followers great sport.
A brief explanation of a Performance Trial: five hounds from
each of the seven participating hunts (Hillsboro Hounds (TN),
Juan Tomas Hounds (NM), Los Altos Hounds (CA), Red Rock Hounds
(NV), Santa Fe Hunt (CA), Santa Ynez Valley Hunt (CA), and West
Hills Hunt (CA), are hunted together as a pack by a huntsman
unknown to the hounds. Each hound is marked with a number. The
judges carry recorders into which they enter scores as they ride
with hounds throughout the hunt. As the Performance Trial concept
with foxhounds continues to evolve, there have been adjustments to
the judging rules and criteria. The goal of the judges is to
establish the most consistent judging system that gives every
hound equal opportunity to demonstrate their ability. Clearly this
is no easy job when you are looking at 17 ½ couple of hounds
hunting some pretty big California country.
Take the time to read "A Foxhound for All Seasons" in the
September 19th Chronicle of the Horse
(p.26). Through interviews with huntsmen across the country,
author Donna Ross explores how packs have been developed to suit
the game and terrain they hunt. She points out that the hound that
hunts successfully in rolling grasslands, that which excels in
wooded cover, and the one who leads in open desert are three very
different customers. This subject is particularly germaine to the
judging of Performance Trials in the west where hunts are so
geographically disparate that each has developed hounds with
characteristics specifically suited to their individual territory. |
