Miami Valley Hunt
Founded 1960 Recognized 1966
History of the Miami Valley Hunt
Riding Crops, Jumpers & Jodhpurs - Back in the 1940's and 50's, the King Tullis Riding School offered local youth the opportunity to learn the fine art of horsemanship.
Hunter Trials – P.F. Heck on Grey March
Hunter Trials – MFH (Indiana), P.F. Heck, Honey Hammer
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Hunter Trials – P.F. Heck on Grey March
Hunter Trials – Locust Wood Farm - 1969 P.F/ Heck on Grey March
Blessing – Locust Wood Farm: Jack Heck, ?, Bill Whalen, Brad Comisar, Cathy Striley, Freddy Klefeker, Phyll Heck
P.F. Heck leaping a fence
Bellbrook covered bridge – 1980 L. Dave Striley, Huntsman, Herb Whalen, Phyllis Hull, Patty Miller, Jack Reeder, Jill Reeder, Joe Miller, Ginny Whalen
Blessing of Hounds – Locust Wood – Heck, Jack Reeder, Bill & Whalen
Hunter Trials – P.F. Heck on Grey March
Jack Reeder’s porch – Dayton Daily News photo: 1959 Helen Sproat, Ginny Whalen, Phyll Hull, Dave Striley, Catherine Hosea (Hilker). Herb Whalen.
History of Miami Valley Hunt
In August, 1959, Dr. Peter R. Coggins, a Virginia native who was temporarily assigned to the WPAFB
Hospital, approached Phyllis F. (Hull) Heck and Jack D. Reeder and asked why there wasn’t a hunt in the
Dayton, Ohio area. Heck and Reeder called a meeting at Honey Hill, the Hull farm, and invited local
residents Helen Sproat, Catherine Hosea (Hiker), Ginny and Herb Whalen, David Striley, Chester
Nungaster, and Peter Coggins and Miami Valley Hunt was established in 1960. Miami
Valley Hunt applied for recognized status to the Masters of Foxhounds Association and recognition was
granted on October 24, 1966.
Founding Officers:
Phyllis Heck, Sr. MVH
Jack Reeder, MFH
Peter Coggins, MFH
Herb Whalen, Chair of Board of Governors
Ginny Whalen, Secretary/Treasurer
Helen Sproat, Whipper-In
Dave Spriley, Honorary Huntsman
Core Landowners:
Jack Reeder
Herby and Ginny Whalen
Oscar Schmidt
Dr. John Geiger
Jim Losh and Family
Benefactors:
Elsie Mead
Max Comisar
The area SE of Dayton (Bellbrook and Spring Valley area) was established as the hunt’s fixture and later
the Caesar Creek Reserve area and fixtures in Licking, Greene, Delaware, Preble and Ross counties were used over the years.
Red fox, gray fox and coyote abound in the hunt country, which includes several 700 - 1,350 acre
parcels of woods, meadows, flat agricultural fields, rolling hills and streams dotted with coops and
natural fences.
The original kennel was in Bellbrook, moved to the Whalen’s farm on Penewit Rd., then to Houston Rd in Roxanna and finally moved to its current location at Diedre & Erik Koik’s farm in Champaign County. Miami Valley keeps 12
½ crossbred couples of foxhounds.
Current Staff
MFH(s)
(1960) Mrs. Jack H. Heck
(1995) LTC (Ret.) Carolyn Uecker
(1993) Mrs. Erik Koik (Diedre)
(2015) Mr. William H. Dreger
(2015) Mr. Timothy Miller
Hon. Sec
LTC (Ret.) Carolyn, Uecker, MFH
(Field Seceratary) Amy Miller
Field Masters
Amy Miller, Tim Miller, Carolyn Uecker
Whippers-in
(Honorary): LtC (Ret) Mike Uecker, William Dreger, Cynthia Bowers, Devon Jacobs, Jane Jacobs,
Thomas Baumann, Donna Masters, Mark Masters, Carrie Hill
Former Masters
Jack Reeder, Tracy Bieser, Mike Hax, Roseanne Allen, Ruth Hax,
LTC (Ret.) Michael Uecker, Jim Stainbrook
Former Whippers-in
Ms. Helen Sproat, Ms. Sally Cox, Ms. Allyson Louthan, Mr. Mike Hax,
Ms. Bonnie Geiger, Mrs. Mike Terry (Samantha), Jim Stainbrook