Six junior riders recently earned their Moore County Hound Hunt colors.

Laura and Nicole Lindamood, Kayela Smith, Sarah Brown, Bernadine Dembosky and Sarah Stark were awarded the privilege to wear the red and blue colors of the Moore County Hounds on their hunt coat collars along with MCH buttons on their coats.

Junior colors have been awarded since the early 1950s when Ginnie and Pappy Moss started the tradition.

The first recipients to be awarded junior colors were Pinky and William Doyle, according to Richard Webb, one of the current Masters of the Moore County Hounds.

"In order for juniors to earn their colors they must have hunted with the Moore County Hounds for two seasons and demonstrate a love for foxhunting," said Webb.

The colors are traditionally awarded after a series of junior foxhunts that take place over the holiday season when juniors are on school break.

Juniors are invited to ride up front with the Masters of Foxhounds. The Masters determine which juniors receive their colors.

"The Masters are interested in recognizing juniors because they are the future of the sport," said Webb.

"Down through the years it has meant a great deal to the juniors who have earned their colors. They always look forward to the junior hunts. We are very fortunate to have a number of adults who hunted as juniors."

The Moore County Hounds is one of the oldest hunts in North Carolina.

It was recognized in 1920 and taken over in 1942 by Pappy and Ginnie Moss.

Today it is a private pack, and hunting is by invitation only. Richard Webb, Cameron Slade and David Dillard serve as Joint Masters of Foxhounds, and Jody Murtagh serves as huntsman.