Area residents still miss the thrill of 'the hunt'
For decades, crowds gathered at twp. estate for horse racing
BY JESSICA SMITH
Correspondent

MIDDLETOWN - Long before the Haskell Invitational Handicap drew tens of thousands to Monmouth Park each year, the place to be for horse racing fans and socialites alike was "the hunt."

The annual Haskell Hunt, started in 1932, drew thousands to Amory L. Haskell's Middletown estate. The October day consisted of a fox hunt, five or six horse races, and one big party.

"It was a society event. Some people didn't know which end of the horse to feed and which end to shovel. A lot of them came for the tailgate party," said Fred Buonanno, of Red Bank, who attended the hunt in the 1950s.

Attendees paid for a spot on the farm for the day, with the proceeds going to charity. The crowd was so large that it became necessary to hire people to direct traffic.

It took at least a month to get the mile-long track ready each year, not to mention the other necessary details that made the hunt what it was. Right down to the white-gloved waiters and baskets of flowers on linen-clothed tables, the Haskell family and their staff made the day one to remember.

"It was funny in the beginning, because we'd all wear new boots and tweeds, and there were lots of candelabra brunches set up on tables with china, and as we got older, it was more sandwiches and wine instead of champagne," said Jody Calendar, of Tinton Falls, who attended for years.

The Haskell family would invite 250-300 friends and neighbors for a sit-down meal. Neighbors were invited partly to make amends for foxhounds and horses trampling their gardens and landscapes during fox hunts throughout the year, said Bill Welsh, of Middletown, who worked on the farm along with his family and attended the hunt for many years.

Barney Welsh, Bill's brother, remembers the very first hunt in 1932. He has lived on the Haskell farm since 1910, when his father began working for the family, and since Anne Haskell-Ellis died, he is the only one left on the parcel of land still owned by them. He worked there for 30 years, along with his brother and uncles, and every year they prepared for and attended the hunt.

"Everybody and their brother would come," Barney Welsh said. "It was more of a home event in those days, because the first race was the farmers' race, where the farmers would bring all their horses."

The hunt continued each year until a hiatus between 1942 and 1944 during World War II. Gas rationing made it difficult for people to travel to such outings.

In later years, horse owners and riders would come from around the country to take part in the steeplechase and flat races. Events like the hunt took place in various states, and equestrians would make the circuit. What made the Haskells' farm special was the amphitheater-like lay of the land.

As any fan knows, horse racing is not purely a spectator sport. Whether among friends or with a bookmaker, there were always bets being made on favorite horses.

"There were bookies around to make bets with, but if your horse won, you better stick near him, because he might disappear on you," said Buonanno.

The hunt became such a popular event in the area that local car dealers would set up tents and give out T-shirts and hats to advertise their companies. Merchants from the area and as far away as New York would buy advertisements in the program.

In 1996 the hunt's final race was run, and many of those involved were sorry to see it go.

"It was fantastic. I wish they were doing it still," said Arthur Fama, of Middletown, who attended in the late 1970s.

Bill Welsh said his family treated it like a holiday. His children and other family members would come each year as if it were Thanksgiving.

"When it ended, my wife said, 'Now what will we do?' And I said 'Ye, of little faith,' and since then, on that third Saturday every October, we have no-race race day," Bill said.

Bill Welsh's family and friends who once gathered for a lasagna dinner after a day at the hunt now gather at his home to uphold the tradition. After about 50 years, the group is still about 50 strong.

Amory Haskell was an accomplished rider and served as president and chairman of the Monmouth Park Jockey Club for 21 years. Monmouth Park's featured race was named for him in 1968, two years after his death. The Haskell Invitational Handicap's million-dollar purse makes it the richest invitational event in North America.

Now there is a similar event held in Far Hills each year on the same day that the Haskell Hunt was held. But for those who knew and loved the hunt, there will never be a replacement.

"It was kind of an old-time Monmouth County ritual, and that's what made it so special," Calendar said.