Historic Rose Hill Farm, located in the shadows of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Culpeper, Virginia, has been owned by the Ashby/Covington Family since the 1800’s and is currently owned by John Covington.
In 2013 Covington learned that one of his neighbors Don Haight Jr. was experienced in raising a variety of upland game birds and asked if he would assist him in starting a game preserve. Haight, always looking for a challenge and the next adventure, agreed. John and Don wasted no time and soon thereafter Rose Hill Game Preserve had its first hunt. The rest is history as this venue has become one of Virginia’s busiest shooting preserves.
This is the story of a special event that is held each year at Rose Hill.
An Unlikely Meeting Sparks a Tradition
On a crisp February afternoon in 2024, Haight returned to familiar hunting grounds at Rose Hill Game Preserve with his Brittany spaniel Blaze heeled at his side. For Don, Rose Hill was more than just a hunting property, it was his home field for upland bird hunting as the preserve’s inaugural manager.
That same day, at the check-in counter, Sid Ford was wrapping up after a hunt with his son, Talon, and lifelong friend, Wardell Brown. A casual introduction quickly blossomed into animated conversation.
Haight was intrigued to learn that Sid hunted over a pair of Braque Francais, steady cousins to the German shorthaired pointer. The real surprise came when Sid discovered that Don had not only hunted here but helped launch Rose Hill’s modern operations.
For both men, the connection ran deeper than shared bird dogs. It was the rare joy of meeting another Black sportsman in the field—each deeply rooted in a tradition not often reflected in the hunting community. Before long, phone numbers were exchanged and plans for something bigger were already taking shape.
The Birth of the BrotherHood Hunt
What began as a conversation quickly grew into a vision: a hunt that wasn’t just about birds in the bag, but about fellowship, representation and carrying forward a heritage. Time was short—season’s end was fast approaching—but Don wasted no time. Calls were made, and within a week a date was set, March 10, 2024. Sixteen hunters signed on, including Jeff Ford Sr. and his pair of German Shorthairs. For many, it was their first upland bird hunt.
Yet the day’s memories weren’t measured in covey rises or tailgates lined with game. They were etched in banter over missed shots, the laughter echoing across the fields, and Don’s quote that “we always remember the shots we miss more than the ones we make.” By day’s end, one thing was certain: this needed to be more than a one-time gathering.
When the second BrotherHood Hunt convened on December 14, 2024, the ranks had already grown. Twenty hunters showed up, some traveling from Maryland, Georgia, and Washington, D.C. What started as a spark had become a cherished gathering.
A Field Steeped in History
Rose Hill itself sets a powerful stage. Nestled in the foothills of Virginia’s Blue Ridge, the estate has stood since before 1820. Its brick walls have seen the march of Union and Confederate soldiers, the lean years of the Depression, and the passing of American generations. Stevensburg, the small crossroads town that surrounds it, once hosted the likes of Thomas Jefferson in its taverns.
Today, Rose Hill Game Preserve under the guidance of Matt Hawkins, Kathy Theis, and their team of seasoned guides, remains a living link to both history and heritage—providing wing shooting experiences in fields where American history was written.
Brotherhood in the Field
A BrotherHood Hunt begins not in the field, but around a fire in a Civil War-era summer kitchen. Coffee and pastries warm cold fingers as hunters gather for the safety briefing. Then it’s on to sporting clays, to loosen shoulders, sharpen reflexes and warm the gun barrels before guides, dogs, and groups are set for the morning hunt. The day flows as much on fellowship as it does on bird flushes. Between raffles and a home cooked feast prepared by Mary Yates and Peggy Jackson, hunters swap stories, rib each other over missed shots, complement each other on spectacular shots and share in a sense of belonging that transcends the quarry.
Growing a Legacy
The BrotherHood Hunt is more than just an event—it’s a statement. It shines a light on the growing presence of minority hunters in field sports and extends an invitation to newcomers and youth to experience the outdoors first-hand. Plans are already in place for a Youth Outdoors Day at Rose Hill, ensuring that tomorrow’s sportsmen and sportswomen can discover the same camaraderie and joy that sparked the first gathering.
Under Virginia’s wide skies, the BrotherHood Hunt has grown into more than a hunt. It is a living tradition—one built on heritage, fellowship and the shared pursuit of adventure.
For more information on the Rose Hill Farm and upland hunting visit the website https://www.rosehillgamepreserve.com/
