As a kid, Shanna was bird hunting off horseback when she witnessed a foxhunt hacking by in formation, and at that moment, she knew it was something she wanted to do someday. Years later, Shanna was eventing on a hot off the track thoroughbred that wasn't working for her. She met a couple whose wife was eventing and also fox hunted. The husband, Darren Haeusler, was from Australia and turned out to be the Huntsman for Whiskey Road Fox Hounds in Aiken, SC. He liked what he saw in Shanna's OTTB and offered to give her a mentorship and membership with Whiskey Road Fox Hounds in exchange for her horse. She took the deal.

The couple took Shanna under their wing.  Shanna had never fox hunted before and was thrilled to finally have the opportunity. They taught her about turnout and the etiquette of foxhunting. Darren rode her horse like the wind - a perfect match and a good deal for all.

"I learned so much from them," Shanna said. "There was no such thing as a blank day. We were always on game, we did not know that it was any other way. We were all in our late 20's, having a blast."  At this time, Shanna lived in the coastal area of SC so the drive to Aiken every weekend was long "but so worth it!" Later on, was approached to help start a hunt closer to home. While she hated leaving Whiskey Road, it was an opportunity she could not pass up. In 2006 she became a founding member and staff for the Lowcountry Hunt.  “It was a painful time,” she admits. “We had to get the territory, build a pack of fox hounds, find sponsors, build kennels ---it was exhausting. But we got it done! "

In 2010 she was blessed with having a daughter, Sophie Martin.  When Sophie was several months old, Sophie in her car seat, was a regular passenger in the hound truck. A young lady that rode Shanna's horse and when without a horse, would truck whip and keep an eye on Sophie. One time Shanna got an urgent call from her on the radio, "You need to get back to the truck right now. Bad diaper! Bad diaper!”

When Sophie was 5 she got a pony of her own and began hunting off a lead line with Lowcountry Hunt and Middleton Place Hounds. "I no longer had a name," Shanna quipped. "I was simply 'Sophie's mom'." Sophie grew up learning to crack her whip, blow a hunt horn, and ride her pony to the hounds. "And outfitting her was the best, with all the tiniest hunt habits," remembers Shanna. "We maneuvered through quite a few ponies, each one teaching her more about hunting."

One fond memory was when Shanna brought a new hunt horse home. Six year old Sophie ran out of the house full of eager excitement to meet the new gelding. As Shanna was taking the him off the trailer, Sophie said, “Oh mommy, you have a beautiful new horse. What’s its name?” Shanna replied, "Hudson." Sophie grinned and said, “Husband? What a cool name!”

In 2020, Shanna and Sophie moved to a farm in Tryon and the Tryon Hounds became their new family. They were so happy and welcoming, especially Beth Blackwell, who took Sophie under her wing, making Sophie into a Junior Huntsman."

Shanna's favorite memory with Tryon Hounds the opening hunt in 2023. "The Mercer line of hounds were screaming," Shanna exclaimed. "My horse, Hudson, was bearing down when suddenly he stopped and planted his feet. "I was trying to see what he saw. Then I saw something sitting at the base of a tree. It looked like --a cat?...Then I realized it was a bobcat. It took my breath away." Still engrossed in this private viewing, Beth Blackwell  called in on the radio wanting to know where Shanna was. Shanna whispered back, " Tally Ho...bobcat...and he is heading straight for the pack!"