When the late James E. Wilson envisioned what he wanted Belle Meade Fox Hunt to become, one word came to mind: family.
Mr. Wilson, a Thomson businessman and co-founder of the fox hunt, which is now the biggest fox hunt in the United States, wanted the sport to be family-oriented.
And family-oriented it is within the family of Dr. Gary Wilkes and his wife, Margaret.
"This is truly what Mr. Wilson wanted the Belle Meade Fox Hunt to be all about -- family and enjoyment with one another," said Dr. Wilkes, a veterinarian and owner of Westside Animal Hospital in West Augusta. "Several members of my family are involved in the Belle Meade Fox Hunt. It's something that's real special to my family. It's something we enjoy and love doing together."
Dr. Wilkes should know. For he and Mr. Wilson were close friends and enjoyed talking about the Civil War era.
Before Mr. Wilson died, he named Dr. Wilkes, who lives on a small farm just outside of Harlem, a joint master of the Belle Meade Fox Hunt. Today, Dr. Wilkes says it's an honor to serve in that position with one of Mr. Wilson's sons, Epp, and Charlie Lewis, both of whom live in McDuffie County.
Dr. Wilkes has a framed letter that the elder Mr. Wilson wrote when he surrendered his position as joint master. The letter is dated March 3, 2002.
"Today, it is my decision to surrender my position as joint master of Foxhounds of Belle Meade Hunt. All of you have been dedicated and supportive and I am grateful to each of you for your loyalty these past 36 years. Belle Meade Hunt is now second to none in the United States.
"It is my desire to have Gary Wilkes take my place, knowing that I will be leaving in capable hands along with Charlie and Epp. Belle Meade Hunt's future will be assured."
Dr. Wilkes, a graduate of Auburn University, said it has been an honor and privilege serving in such a capacity.
The Wilkes family actually got introduced to the Belle Meade Fox Hunt through Dr. Wilkes' wife, Margaret, who several years ago began taking riding lessons at Foxborough.
"That's where I found out about the Belle Meade Fox Hunt," said Mrs. Wilkes, who is retired from the Richmond County Tax Commissioner's Office after 22 years. "It's all my fault."
It wasn't long before the family was in attendance to witness their first Blessing of the Hounds ceremony in 1980.
Mrs. Wilkes said she never thought the family would grow to love the sport as much as they do.
She explained that the family had purchased a home off Bel Air Road in Evans in October 1978 and was merely interested in learning how to ride a horse. She and her husband later bought one for $500.
"We named him Chester," said Mrs. Wilkes with a big smile.
After learning how to ride pretty good, Mrs. Wilkes took her youngest two children, Chad and Tara to school on horseback. That was something that was talked about a lot around Bel Air Elementary School -- way before the area got as congested as it is today.
Her daughter, Tara Cooper, remembers those days well.
"I didn't like it," said Mrs. Cooper. "It drew too much attention."
During that time, the Wilkes' two youngest children, Tara and Chad, had learned how to ride a horse and had begun riding at the Belle Meade Fox Hunt for fun.
"They enjoyed themselves so much out there," recalled Mrs. Wilkes.
Soon the family became more involved in the Belle Meade Fox Hunt.
Today, Chad is a professional huntsman in Camden, S.C. Chad's wife, Melissa, is a lawyer and they have two daughters, Ana Belle, 2 and Lillian, 6 months.
"We're very proud of him, just like our other two children," said Dr. Wilkes, speaking of Tara and his oldest son, Scott Wilkes, who is deputy warden at Augusta State Medical Prison and associate pastor of Fireside Baptist Church in Augusta.
Scott's wife, Susan, is the bookkeeper at her father-in-law's veterinarian business. The couple has two children: Stephanie, 12, a seventh-grader at Columbia Middle School and Garrett, 8, a third-grader at Lewiston Elementary School.
Mrs. Cooper and her husband, Terry, owner of Select Cars & Trucks in Thomson, shared their love story about Belle Meade: It's where the two met and fell in love.
Today, they are happily married and have two children, Wilkes, 6 and Emalaine, who will celebrate her fourth birthday Sunday.
"We love the sport; it's a lot of fun," said Mr. Cooper.
Mrs. Wilkes' mother and father, Elaine and Gatha Owens, who live beside their daughter and son-in-law, love the sport, too. The couple has been married 65 years.
"I think I'm blessed with the greatest family in the world," said Mr. Owens.
