November 3 is the feast day of St.
Hubertus, or Hubert, patron saint of hunters and ethical hunting behavior. And
what better way to mark the occasion than by watching the Hubertusjakt (St. Hubert’s Day Hunt) held this
past weekend in Stockholm?
Saint Hubertus was born in Toulouse
in about 656. As a noble and hunter, he became the Grand Master of the
household for Pippin of Heristal in Metz. When his wife died in childbirth, he
retreated from the court and gave himself entirely up to hunting.
According to legend, while out
hunting one Good Friday, Hubertus had a revelation where the deer he was pursuing turned
and showed him a crucifix between its antlers. At the same time, he heard a
voice telling him to lead a holy life or quickly go to hell.
The Vision of Saint Hubert (ca 1617) by J. Breughel and P.P. Rubens. Prado, Madrid.
As a result, Hubertus gave up
hunting altogether and became a priest. He was eventually ordained Bishop of
Maastricht in 708.
Hubertus died on May 30, 727 or 728
near Liège, where he was buried in the collegiate church of St. Peter.
His bones were later exhumed and
translated to the Benedictine Abbey of Amdain in present-day Saint-Hubert, Belgium on November 3, 825. The abbey became a focus
for pilgrimages until St. Hubertus’ coffin disappeared during the Reformation.
St. Hubertus and the hunt
Because it was believed that St.
Hubertus was lectured on compassionate hunting by the deer he was after, he
became known as the patron of hunting and hunters. He is also the namesake of
the Hubertusjakt foxhunt held
every year in Stockholm on or around November 3.
Fox hunting involves tracking,
chasing and sometimes killing a fox using trained foxhounds or other scent hounds and a group
of unarmed followers on foot or horseback.
Traditional fox hunting still exists in many countries, but the
sport is controversial. In the US, where it is called “fox chasing”, the fox is
normally not killed. In the UK, the hounds normally kill the fox, though hunting
with a pack of dogs has been banned since the Hunting Act was introduced in
2004.
Fox hunting on horseback or with packs is also banned in Sweden.
However, for the last 118 years, the Stockholm Fältrittsklubb has been carrying
on the tradition of the Hubertusjakt
established by the Swedish princes Carl, Eugen
and Oscar in 1886.
The Hubertusjakt involves
riding on tracks prepared with a variety of obstacles that the riders must pass.
To win the competition, the riders race the final 300 meters over several obstacles
to secure the foxtail dangling on a rope at the finish line.
Riders striking a nice pose.
Homemade split-pea soup and Swedish punch to keep us warm.
Off they go!
"Hunting pink," not red, is the name of the red jackets
worn by riders at a foxhunt.
Other cool things to know about St. Hubertus and hunting
The more formal English word for hunting wild or game animals is
venery.
“Tally-ho!” is a largely British
phrase that comes from when a rider sees the fox (or other quarry), as in “There
he is! Coming out of that coppice! Tally-ho! Today, it is also used as a greeting (though only if you’re a character from a P.G. Wodehouse novel) or to confirm that a target
has been spotted, as in air traffic control.
Hubertus also inspired the
name of a metal charm in the form of a nail, cross, or cone that was used in
Europe up to the early 20th century as a “cure” for rabies. Known as the St.
Hubertus Key, it was heated and the head was pressed to bites from dogs believed
to have the disease.
Finally, if you need a digéstif after all of this fascinating
information, why not enjoy the 50+ herbs in a shot of Jägermeister? While you’re
at it, look at the label, which shows a glowing cross between the
antlers of a stag. The image is a reference to St. Hubertus (as well as St.
Eustache) and the name is German for “Master of Hunters.”
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