Brightwells is resurrecting the traditional end of season hunter sales.
The first sale of hunters and hunt horses will be held as part of the sport and riding horse sale on 23 March in Malvern.
Hunts from Cornwall, Essex and Hampshire have entered horses and more are expected from others across the country before the entries close on 11 March.
“Historically there were specific sales of hunters as well as hounds conducted at Leicester sales at the end of each season,” said Brightwells horse auctioneer Andrew Elliott, who was a professional huntsman before he became an auctioneer.
“Unfortunately these have long ceased to exist, and as I felt this was a niche market that should be rejuvenated,” he added.
The sale is “perfectly timed” said Elliott as most hunts will have finished the season.
Lots range from hunt staff horses to horses belonging to members of the field.
Princes are expected to be between £2,000-£7,000 with all horses sold fully warranted and subject to an independent five-star vetting on the day.
The entry fee is £90 including VAT to include all cataloguing, administration, overnight and sale day stabling and use of the trial and show facilities. A 6% + VAT commission fee is charged on sold lots.
Their annual licence to hunt on the 12,000 acre Holnicote Estate on Exmoor was suspended on 28 January following alleged breaches of the terms of contract. The two parties have now mutually agreed a “code of conduct” that has been made available to the hunt’s members and followers.
“We are pleased that the National Trust and the Minehead Harriers have reached a sensible agreement,” Tim Bonner, chief executive of the Countryside Alliance told H&H.
“Hunting is an important part of the culture of the countryside and its conservation is every bit as important as that of buildings and estates. Dozens of hunts operate on National Trust land up and down the countryside and it is a credit to all parties that their activity is largely trouble free.”
A spokesperson for the National Trust said: “The hunt have taken the steps we requested at that meeting to reassure us that they can operate within the terms of the license agreement in the future.”
“The Minehead Harriers have worked closely with the National Trust to sort out some minor administrative issues,” explained Tim Easby, director of the Hunting Office. “This is not unusual when hunt regimes change and I am delighted that common sense has prevailed.
“The National Trust issues licences for hunting throughout the country as do other organisations such as the Forestry Commission and we work very closely with them all to ensure that there is compliance, but also continuation of the current arrangements.”
The Minehead Harriers are based in Somerset and hunt two days per week. Their code of conduct states that the hunt recognises the importance of keeping strictly to all licence conditions when lawfully trail hunting on National Trust property.
You visualise Britain as hunt countries rather than counties, dream of holidaying in Ireland and have a chronic fear of blackthorns. Sound familiar? You may well be addicted to hunting...
1. In autumn you buy a mass of gin and pick as many sloes as you can.
2. You are hacking but you still shout ‘gate please!’ when walking through a gateway.
3. Never mind Chanel, Gucci or Louboutin it’s all about Patey and Bernard Weatherill.
4. Your natural riding seat is feet forward and body slightly behind the vertical.
5. Your breeches are a lot more baggy than any competition breeches.
6. Any sight of diamante or patent leather brings you out in a cold sweat.
7. You don’t care whether your horse is on the bit or what leg it’s on, but it is important that it is still underneath you and enjoying it as much as you are.
A rider has stressed the importance of replacing your hat after a fall, even if it appear undamaged, following a serious hunting accident.
Vicky Smith was recently out with the Cheshire Drag Hunt when her horse had a crashing fall after leaving a leg in a hedge.
Vicky was knocked unconscious for a few minutes before being taken to hospital. Her horse was not injured in the fall.
“I have no memory of the accident or the week leading up to it. I’m sure without the protection of my hat I would have had more than concussion and bruising.”
Vicky was wearing a Champion Ventair deluxe jockey skull PAS 015 which she had fitted last year at a Mole Valley Farmers store.
Following the accident, Vicky sent her hat to Champion to see the damage the fall had caused.
“Upon first inspection there were no obvious signs of impact apart from a slight scuff and stain on the left side,” said a Champion spokesman.
“However after removing the shock absorbing polystyrene liner from the outer shell and stripped the soft lining away it became quite evident that the hat has been involved in a high energy impact to the lower left side and lower rear centre where the polystyrene has been crushed.
“The polystyrene at the left side has been crushed to 16mm from its original thickness of 21mm and has is also slightly thinner at the rear.”
The spokesman added that Champion do not offer a hat checking service, but are always keen and interested to examine hats that have been involved in a fall and have suffered an impact.
“Unfortunately ‘checking’ a hat on the outside only for damage to evaluate whether it can continue to be used is not best practice,” she added.
“As this incident clearly demonstrates, even though a hat that has been involved in an impact may look perfectly fine from the outside, the internal protective liner that absorbs the impact of a fall may have been damaged. The only way this can be determined is by taking the hat apart to examine the internal structures and obviously the hat must be destroyed afterwards.”
Champion advises riders to always replace their hat in the event of a fall in which the hat has sustained an impact.
The Times published an investigation into the charity’s spending yesterday (March 29).
It accused the organisation of “squandering cash on a failed prosecution, foreign travel, hotel bills and pay rises” — which the charity denies.
The League responded to the article, saying the claims are “malicious nonsense”.
The Times has reported the charity went on a “spending spree” after being left £3.5m in a will from supporter Stan Hales — an industrialist who died in 2013.
The charity then allegedly gave its entire staff a 10% pay rise.
But LACS said that 2014 marked the first pay rise for staff in three years, which it added was justified and overdue, and denied it has spent any of the £3.5m.
“The suggestion that we were ‘saved’ by the legacy is completely unfounded,” said a LACS spokesman.
“It has arrived in instalments, the last of which arrived in January 2016, so we are now deciding how to spend the money.”
Devon and Cornwall Police had decided the hunt members had no case to answer 18 months previously.
The paper also reported that members of the charity has made repeated trips to Malta to campaign against the shooting of wild birds as well as a trip to America to discuss welfare in greyhound racing with charity Grey2K USA Worldwide.
This is despite claims on the Charity Commission’s website that the League’s areas of operation are England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland.
In its 1,500-word response, the organisation said and the overseas visits were “totally justifiable”.
“While we focus our work on the UK and only have staff in the UK we also campaign on other international issues that are important to our supporters,” said LACS.
It also said that Grey2K contributed “significant research” to a joint report regarding greyhound cruelty in the UK, which wouldn’t have been possible without a face-to-face meeting.
The Times said “whistleblowers” were allegedly dismissed, which LACS contests.
“It is absolutely wrong to suggest that any individual has been dismissed or faced detrimental treatment for whistleblowing. This is categorically untrue,” said the League’s statement.
One of the “whistleblowers” is reported to have volunteered to hand over evidence to the Charity Commission, but the regulator declined to get involved.
“The issue is why the Charity Commission did not take more seriously complaints about the League that were brought to its attention by a whistleblower,” reads The Times’ leading article.
“It was not as if they were starved of detail. The whistleblower offered chapter and verse on what they believed were failings and misgovernance.”
A spokesman for the Charity Commission said it did receive complaints regarding the use of LACS funds.
“These were matters within the administration of the charity and therefore a decision for the trustees,” he said.
“Although the Commission’s functions include encouraging and facilitating the better administration of charities, and taking remedial action to tackle misconduct or mismanagement, the law prohibits the Commission from acting directly in the administration of a charity.
“The decision-making process of how to apply the charity’s funds rests directly with the trustees of the charity.”
He added that after further concerns were raised, the Commission has contacted the charity and will be meeting its trustees to “clarify these claims” and find out if there are any regulatory issues.
A nine-year-old girl, Bonamie (Bonnie) Armitage, was fatally injured when she was kicked by another horse while out with a hunt.
It is thought Bonnie was riding behind a bigger horse that lashed out at her pony, at a farm in Miserden, Gloucestershire, while out with the Cotswold Hunt on Saturday morning (2 April).
Paramedics were called at about 11.25am and the child was airlifted to the Gloucestershire Royal Hospital, where she later died.
A spokesman for Gloucestershire Police said: “A nine-year-old girl was taking part in an organised event when she was involved in an incident involving a horse.
“The girl suffered serious injuries and was taken to Gloucestershire Royal Hospital by air ambulance where she sadly died.
“The coroner and the child’s family have been informed. Police are not treating the death as suspicious.”
In a statement released online today, the joint masters of the Cotswold said: “As I am sure most of you will be aware, last Saturday’s meet was overshadowed by the tragic death of a nine year old child who sustained what proved to be fatal injuries in an accident in the hunting field, and slipped away after strenuous efforts by the air ambulance team and paramedics.
“As soon as it was realised that a child was fighting for their life, hounds were taken home immediately and trail hunting cancelled.
“A sense of shock and sadness is with us all as we try to come to terms with the family’s overwhelming loss and grief, and we hope that the strength of our community together with the power of our prayers and the sincerity of our condolences will be of some comfort to the family.
“In truth we find it hard to write this, as a young life lost is very very hard to bear.
“We would also like to thank the emergency services, who did their very best, and all who did what they could.”
A resident of Miserden, who did not want to be named, told the Western Daily Press: “The hunt is very well known and established in the area. The feeling around the village is that it is just a terribly, terribly tragic, sad event.
“They meet in the village and then they go off riding around the fields in the area. They left the village and it was in one of the nearby fields.
“It is a tragic, unfortunate accident. It is just awful when somebody so young is involved.”
The woman added: “The little girl’s grandparents are well known in the area and they are well respected. It is such a tragedy for the family.
“When you take into account the amount of horse riding events happen in the area and how few accidents there are this is just a tragic, tragic event.”
Another local, who did not want to be named, told the Press Association: “She is believed to have been kicked off her horse by another horse. It is an extremely sad incident.”
Collect photo from the family of Bonnie Armitage aged 9 who died following a riding accident on Saturday 2nd April near Stroud in Gloucestershire (pony pictured is Lindsay the Shetland pony, that Bonnie was riding when a larger horse in front kicked her). See SWNS story SWHUNT; Vile online trolls have targeted the tragic nine-year-old girl killed when she was kicked by a horse as she rode with a hunt. Bonnie Armitage fell from the saddle of her Shetland pony Lindsay after she was struck in the chest in the "freak accident". Bonnie, who was a pupil at St Hugh's preparatory school in Faringdon, Oxon. where her father Nick Armitage, 40, is deputy head, sustained fatal injuries and died in hospital. Her parents, Nick and Polly, a professional flute player, paid tribute to their "beautiful little girl" and said no-one was to blame for their daughter's death.
The nine-year-old girl who suffered fatal injuries while out with the Cotswold Hunt was a “beautiful, vivacious and compassionate girl who touched the hearts of everyone who knew her”.
The family of Bonamie Armitage, who was known as Bonnie, released a statement last night.
Bonnie was kicked by another horse while she was out on her beloved Shetland Lindsay on Saturday, the last meet of the season. She was airlifted to hospital, where she died the same day.
Her family’s statement read: “Our daughter, Bonnie, was a wonderful person. She was a beautiful, vivacious and compassionate girl, who touched the hearts of everyone who knew her.
“She loved riding, and was never happier than when with her Shetland pony, Lindsay.
“We will miss her more than we can say, and we greatly value the prayers of so many of our friends.”
Bonnie’s mother Polly said she did not want anyone blamed for the accident, adding: “It was no one’s fault. It was just a tragic accident.”
In an online statement yesterday, the joint-masters of the Cotswold said: “As I am sure most of you will be aware, last Saturday’s meet was overshadowed by the tragic death of a nine-year-old child who sustained what proved to be fatal injuries in an accident in the hunting field, and slipped away after strenuous efforts by the air ambulance team and paramedics.
“As soon as it was realised that a child was fighting for their life, hounds were taken home immediately and trail-hunting cancelled.
“A sense of shock and sadness is with us all as we try to come to terms with the family’s overwhelming loss and grief, and we hope that the strength of our community together with the power of our prayers and the sincerity of our condolences will be of some comfort to the family.
“In truth we find it hard to write this, as a young life lost is very very hard to bear.
We would also like to thank the emergency services, who did their very best, and all who did what they could.”
Andrew Nott, headmaster of Bonnie’s school St Hugh’s in Oxfordshire, said she was a “truly lovely, talented girl“.
“The entire school community was devastated to learn of the tragic death of one of our pupils, Bonnie Armitage, following a riding accident on Saturday,” he said.
“Bonnie, the daughter of a member of our staff, was a truly lovely, talented girl who was bright, kind, compassionate, gentle and full of joy.
“Our love, thoughts and prayers are with her parents, Nick and Polly, and siblings, Zach and Mamie, at this profoundly difficult time.”
Maeve Carty cuts a dash across the Blazers country in Co Galway
Side-saddle has enjoyed a revival over recent years with more and more ladies (and the occasional man) daring to take to the hunting field. However elegant and stylish they may look, it is not all about appearances or posing for the cameras though… many can be seen crossing the wildest of country. We take a look at some images of those riding to hounds this season
Simon Hart, chief executive of the Countryside Alliance has spoken out against online trolls
The chairman of the Countryside Alliance has denounced the “vile abuse” posted online in response to a nine-year-old girl’s death.
Simon Hart MP condemned the “disgusting” trolls who made comments on social media about Bonamie Armitage, known as Bonnie, the young girl who died while following the Cotswold Hunt on 2 April.
Bonnie was kicked by another horse while riding her Shetland pony Lindsay and although she was airlifted to hospital, she died later that day.
Mr Hart wrote: “Despite wearing all the right kit, and the strenuous efforts of the emergency services, the kick she received from another horse proved fatal. The incredible bravery and good grace of her family have been the warmest tribute she could have ever wished for.
“Why am I repeating this? It seems that the media coverage of this tragic accident has triggered something which should concern us all. The social media reaction to the incident has included a steady stream of vile online bullying and abuse – too disgusting to repeat here – directed at Bonnie, her parents and pretty well anyone associated with her.
“The heartless trolls responsible for this abuse do so because Bonnie was following a hunt – it’s as simple as that.”
Mr Hart describes as “ironic” the fact that traditional hunting was banned before the nine-year-old was born, but that this appears “lost on” those making the negative comments, which H&H will not repeat.
He added: “The fact that they never miss a chance to lecture the rest of the nation on its lack of ‘compassion’ when it comes to animals does not seem to them remotely hypocritical as they pen their abuse of a mourning family.
“Presumably these people have sons or daughters, cousins, friends and relations, some of whom may ride a bike, get on a surf board, dive into the sea, or even ride a horse.
“Presumably they protect them as best as they can, but recognise that whilst risk can be managed it cannot be removed.
“So how would they react to bullying of this nature should a similar tragedy visit them?
“Twenty years ago the views of these revolting animal rights trolls would never have been heard, but social media has provided a platform and outlet for their extraordinary assertion that those who have died whilst partaking in a legal activity (however distasteful some may find that) somehow deserved it.
“Perhaps we should be thankful though to be reminded what the nastier end of the animal rights community is really like, that it doesn’t care a jot about animals but is driven by a perverse hatred of fellow citizens which knows no bounds.”
The end of season blues may be kicking in, but even for the most hardened hunting fanatic, there are some things that won’t be missed over the summer months
While you’re gazing at your horses getting fat on the spring grass and reminiscing every time you see a hunt jump, a gate off the road or a neatly trimmed hedge that is calling out to be jumped, just think about a few of these irritations — some more major than others — that you won’t have to do deal with again until the autumn.
1.Getting up early every day — almost certainly in the dark and most likely in the cold and wet — to muck out your hunter before work.
2. Going out late at night, often when in clean, non-horsey clothes, to change rugs and check your horse hasn’t broken out. However hard you try, even with a big coat and a hat on, you still end up smelling of horse.
3. Cleaning out the filter on the washing machine and getting water all over the floor might not be such a regular occurrence now there isn’t so much muddy equipment and rugs going through it.
4. The endless tack cleaning after hunting that has to be done — and if you decide to leave it overnight, scraping dried crusty mud off girths just isn’t a fun way to spend your time.
5. Trying to get the stains in your stock out. However much you soak your white stock and use stain remover, nothing can quite lift the shadow left by splashes of mud.
6. Those little dregs that sometimes get left around your lips when you drink out of a hip flask that is verging on empty.
7. Going to polish your boots before hunting to find out you forgot to buy more black polish, then trying to make do with saddle-soap.
8. Spending what seems like an eternity cleaning dried mud off your hunt coat the night before hunting, only to take it outside in daylight to see you’ve missed bits, or there are dust patches where the mud hasn’t lifted properly. Tip: clean with cold water and a clean dandy brush as soon as you have finished doing horse off after hunting and allow it to drip dry.
9. Finding your hat has become too tight because it got wet the last time you used it and you either dried it too quickly or forgot to put the hat stretcher inside it.
10. Endlessly studying weather forecasts to decide how many rugs to put on your horse or whether to put your waistcoat on under your hunt coat. Then invariably finding out too late that you are too hot or too cold.
11. Leaving ridiculously early for meets at venues you don’t know, to ensure you can turn the lorry/trailer around, to find you are parking in a field and have all the space in the world so needn’t have rushed and then leave your gloves behind.
The hunting season may be over but for some hunt followers and their horses it brings on the start of a whole new set of challenges when the summer inter-hunt relay competitions get underway. These adrenalin-fuelled team events usually involve two teams of four members going head-to-head against the clock over a mirror image course.
The winner of each heat then gets to go forward into the next round of these knock-out competitions where sometimes the fences go up and the course might even change. Things usually start to get really exciting when the semi-finals start though.
As well as a variety of jumps — including both knock-down and solid fences — course designers occasionally mix things up by including gates to open and close, bending poles to negotiate or even giving competitors a glass of port to carry with penalties for those who spill any.
Accuracy is the key as well as speed because knockdowns usually incur time penalties — meaning the first across the line isn’t necessarily the winner.
All across the country practices are taking place ahead of team selection, with hunts vying to line up to land the spoils at some prestigious venues, often taking home a healthy cheque to help boost hunt funds. The competitive side of even the most relaxed hunt subscriber can suddenly get stirred up when they enter the ring as a member of an inter-hunt relay team.
Hotly contested, these competitions can appear in a variety of settings. Some are stand-alone events while others are crowd-pleasers as part of other major shows and events. The highlights for many include riding in the Castle Arena at Windsor Horse Show, racing against teams of jockeys and event riders at Barbury Castle Horse Trials and competing at the Festival of Hunting at the East of England Showground at Peterborough.
We take a look at some of the forthcoming competitions in the summer calendar and provide some dates for your diary where you might be able to see your local hunt in action.
Royal Artillery at Larkhill, Wilts – 23 April
This is usually the first competition on the inter-hunt relay circuit with up to 32 teams competing against each other. Some of the more-seasoned combinations often fill some of the team slots alongside newer combinations of horse and rider making their debut. Competitors can be forgiven for being a little ring-rusty after a season hunting however it’s usually the team that can be consistently quick and clear that secures the top spot! For further details contact rarelay@gmail.com
Royal Windsor Horse Show, Berks – 12 May
With Windsor Castle in the background, this is one of the most prestigious venues for an inter-hunt relay competition. With a considerable cheque for the winning team it isn’t surprising that entries are often over-subscribed with hunts coming from all across the country to try to land the spoils.
Festival of Hunting, Peterborough – 20 July
A fiercely contested competition vying for the first prize of £1,000 takes place throughout the morning for the senior hunt teams — where one member of the team has to be over 45 years of age — followed by a very competitive junior inter-hunt relay in the same ring in the afternoon. As part of the Festival of Hunting, this is not only a great competition, but also a day out to see all types of hound and do some shopping in the trade stand area.
From walls to ditches and banks to rivers, we take a look back at some of the different hunt countries covered during the H&H hunting correspondents' visits to different packs in England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland during the 2015/16 season
A Brecon and Talybont hound gets blasted by the windFrom walls to ditches and banks to rivers, we take a look back at some of the different hunt countries covered during the H&H hunting correspondents' visits to different packs during the 2015/16 season
A hunter that was “assumed stolen” after going missing for 10 days and sparking a nationwide search last year, has died after contracting strangles.
Josh, a 17.2hh 29-year-old bay gelding who was enjoying semi-retirement when he shot to fame last May, started showing signs of the disease on Friday, 1 April. He had to be put down on Monday (18 April).
Lottie Bostock, who has been looking after Josh since he stopped hunting regularly, said: “It is unbelievably sad, he was such a tough horse, but this just got the better of him in the end.
“He managed to survive 10 days in a thicket, but he couldn’t fight his way out of this. It was such a cruel end to what has been a wonderful life.
“We have no idea how he contracted the disease. He is in a field with three others and there isn’t a footpath in their field and they haven’t been off our land.”
Lottie believes that if strangles was notifiable to Defra, it would be easier to track where outbreaks are, enabling owners to protect their horses more effectively.
“The problem with this disease is that it isn’t notifiable,” she said. “It’s terrible for the horses and horrible to deal with on a daily basis so if more information about its whereabouts was shared, then this could perhaps be avoided in the future.”
There was no sign of Josh for 10 days after he went missing from his field in Sherston, near Malmesbury, Wilts on Wednesday, 20 May 2015.
News of Josh’s disappearance went viral on social media websites across the country, amid fears he had been stolen and may be offered for sale.
Despite endless searches by people in the local area and beyond — including members of the Duke of Beaufort’s Hunt where Josh had enjoyed his hunting career with his owner Nigel Maidment — the chances of his recovery were beginning to look slim.
However he was found with barely a mark on him on Saturday, 30 May in a steep, almost-impossible-to-access and thickly overgrown area on the side of a bank by local farmer’s wife Hayley Godwin.
Despite the constraints of the Hunting Act I believe it is important to keep the rich “language of the chase” alive. It would be shameful to lose it. Like any other lexicon, it is constantly developing as it reflects the changing environment and laws.
Hunting’s language has influenced domains too. After all, members of both Houses in Westminster — the mother of Parliaments — are kept in order by the “whips”. At times, they may feel that handling a biddable pack of hounds would be an easier challenge than herding some of their disloyal, empire-building MPs.
The last meet of the season always has a heady end-of-term feel. It was hosted by our senior joint-master in a popular piece of country and enjoyed by a large field, swelled by visitors. Hounds soon had a sharp couple of miles before checking in woodland. I swear I heard a shrill “Tally ho”, so quickly summoned my 17½ couple of hounds.
We arrived at the point of exclamation to find a former lady master of an adjacent hunt off her horse, crouching in a bush. She maintains she cried: “Oh, no”, on stragglers approaching, not “Tally ho”, on spying the trail-layer. Off the hunting field it is at times hard to explain why, but huntsmen are known for their emotional vulnerability, particularly when things don’t go quite right, but this was not one of those moments.
With my thoughts gathered I reverted to Plan A, a forward cast, and the hunt resumed. There followed a high-octane day with hounds hunting almost continuously, hedge hopping a-plenty for those who wished, while others cannily plotted their course across country, all in pursuit of hounds.
When my field master rejoined hounds on his third horse, the remaining field of two plucky children — who had clearly conserved their ponies wisely — looked excited at the prospect of a private hunt until dawn. However, we were eight miles from the meet and had covered all of the country (and more besides) so it was time to conclude a brilliant day to end a challenging season.
Much to my mother’s annoyance I rarely blow for home and once again I forgot, perhaps secretly wishing that hounds may encounter a late trail while I wasn’t concentrating on the way back to the lorry. No such luck this time, on their part.
Looking back, the sport has been good, particularly since Christmas, if hard won. Only two days were lost and those farmers who said “No”, usually on account of the wet, numbered fewer than half a dozen. It is hard to believe that huntsmen throughout the country were cursing the balmy, arid conditions until mid-November. And then the rains and wind came.
After the struggles of the past few seasons most masters and huntsmen appear to have moved on from believing “the wetter, the better’” necessarily provides the best sport when vast swathes of their country have been actually underwater.
Barbados? I wish…
It is important not to lose momentum once the season ends. Even experienced hunting folk wonder what a master or huntsman does once home is blown for the season. I’d love to sit at a bar in Barbados for the next four months and return for Peterborough and a little hound exercise before autumn hunting; but the so-called “off season” gets busier and busier in order to round off last season and prepare for the new.
A tidal wave of hunt events now throws us towards 1 May when the merry dance begins all over again. Hark! for’ard away!
Dom Gwyn-Jones won the inaugural running of the Ivan The Terrible Silver Spur Challenge on Saturday 23 April at Marston Doles, Warks.
Riding the former racehorse Another Puzzle — a 12-year-old gelding that evented with Nick Gauntlet — Dom beat Ollie Finnegan and Harry Wallace into second and third places respectively, coming home five lengths in front.
“It’s brilliant to be back,” said Dom who broke his fibia and tibia when kicked out hunting in October. “I wasn’t fully back in action until mid January so I’m just delighted.”
There were 20 starters taking part in the open class that was run over 2 ½ miles of grassland with 20 hedges to jump across the Bicester Hunt with Whaddon Chase country.
Organiser Lucy Holland was “delighted” with the way the new event had gone. “It’s been a super day and we are so grateful to the landowners, sponsors and all those who gave up their time to help make this work so well,” said Lucy.
“We are already planning to run it again next year in order that we make it an annual event, so hopefully we can continue to build on the success of today,” she continued.
Winner Dom Gwyn-Jones, who is a former victor of the Golden Button and been placed twice behind renowned hunt race specialist Zoe Gibson in the Melton and Harborough rides, was quick to praise the organisers of the new course.
“The hunt ride fraternity massively welcomes new events and full credit to Lucy Holland and her team for getting it off the ground and also for encouraging new people to take part — for many this would have been their first ever hunt ride.”
In addition to the open event, there was also a Foxhunters class run over the same course but set on a bogey time.
The winner of the Foxhunters was Hannah Fitzpatrick, with Tamara Fox and Peter Matthews taking the next two places. Peter Matthews who hunts with the Hursley Hambledon, was competing in his first hunt ride.
“It was absolutely fantastic,” said Pete. “The whole day was brilliant, the course rode really well and if I could do it all again tomorrow I would.”
Police powers to unmask violent hunt saboteurs have been used just once in the past three years, according to research by the Countryside Alliance (CA).
The organisation sent Freedom of Information (FOI) requests to all police forces in England and Wales.
It asked how many authorisations under Section 60AA of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act — which requires suspects of law breaking to remove disguises — were granted in each of the past three years.
Only 11 out of the 43 police forces were able to confirm they had used these powers in the last three years.
Out of these, only one force —Derbyshire Police — used the powers to police a hunt meeting where protesters wearing face coverings and balaclavas were present.
“In the past three years there have been a number of cases where hunt staff and supporters have been viciously attacked by animal rights activists wearing balaclavas, but no-one has ever been brought to justice for these crimes,” said the CA’s chief executive, Tim Bonner.
“Extremists know that wearing face coverings masks their identities and makes prosecution unlikely, and also that it intimidates those who they are protesting against.”
MPs are now pushing for the law to be made simpler to use.
An amendment to the Policing and Crime Bill, which is currently going through parliament, would make it easier for any police constable to require those they suspect of unlawful behaviour to remove items “concealing his identity”.
It has been tabled by Sir Edward Garnier, Tory MP for Hardborough, Oadby and Wigston.
“Individual police officers on the ground must have the authority to order the removal of face coverings exactly as they have the power of arrest,” added Mr Bonner.
“The government has an opportunity to address this anomaly in the Policing and Crime Bill and we hope that it addresses this blight on so many rural communities.”
The VWH won the WHMG inter-hunt knockout competition in a hotly contested final against last year’s winners the Bicester with Whaddon Chase at Royal Windsor Horse Show yesterday (Thursday 12 May).
Lining up first for the victorious team – that secured a valuable £1,000 cheque for hunt funds – was eventer Tintin Belsham, who set a great pace on Billy. Scarlett Crew riding Valentino, her fiancé and former point-to-point rider Tim Howse (Pod) and farrier Simon Watkins on his cracking grey hunter Joey, completed the line-up that won in 108.31 seconds, the quickest round of the day.
The Bicester were favourites to retain their crown after securing the fastest times in each of the three previous rounds, however accuracy proved to be the key when it really mattered for the VWH. The two teams came across the line in almost an identical time, however the VWH had fewer fences down and incurred less time penalties so claimed the victory.
“The horses were all fantastic and did us proud,” explained VWH team stalwart Scarlett Crew, who was also a member of the winning team at Windsor in 2013. “This is probably my last relay competition this year though because I’m going to do some field mastering next season so want to give my horse a break now before we start hunting again.”
Steward’s enquiry
The result might have been different had the stewards’ enquiry in the first of the semi-finals not gone in the VWH’s favour. Following the first handover, the VWH’s Scarlett Crew was carried out at the first fence by a rider from the Cotswold and lost valuable time. However the Cotswold were awarded a time penalty by judge Nigel Peel MFH for this unintentional interference, leaving the VWH as the winners and securing their place in the final.
Third place went to the Kimblewick Hunt, who just missed out to their neighbours the Bicester in the semis, with the Cotswold taking fourth following their clash with the VWH. The Royal Artillery were awarded the prize for the best turned out team.
Ever the crowd pleaser, the competition was not without its thrills and spills. There were some dramatic rider falls – all without injury – for competitors from some of the 16 hunt teams that took part, competing head-to-head over a mirror-image course in the Castle Arena.
A hunting horn that was lost in a river over three months ago has been found after a long search.
Tom Roberts, master and huntsman of the Sinnington Hunt in Yorkshire was crossing a dyke in February when his horse fell as he was trying to clamber out over the banks. This resulted in Tom letting go of his much-treasured horn, which has a distinctive bend in it after being trodden on by one of Tom’s horses during his first season hunting hounds.
After spending “many hours” searching for the horn, and using a metal detector, the horn was found muddy but in tact on Wednesday, 18 May.
Horse & Hound hunting correspondent Frank Houghton Brown was with Tom when the incident occurred and referred to it in his report (18 February):
Tom pushed his fresh horse in to jump the ditch but it didn’t get the distance and fell back, plunging Tom into the water for a ducking. In the ensuing commotion his hunting horn, the same one used by his father since he hunted the Ampleforth Beagles 40 years previously, was lost in the muddy waters of the ditch.
In learning that Tom had tracked down the horn, Frank told H&H:
“When I saw Tom’s horn drop in the muddy beck I knew that he would be back to look for it because hunting horns — especially ones with as much history as this one — are such treasured possessions.
“I lost one once and had it posted back to me after being squashed flat in a vice, so I was thrilled when Tom texted me the photo of his horn — muddy but intact.”
This is not the first time the Swaine & Adeney Cotswold horn has gone missing. Bought for Tom’s father Simon by his mother when he was hunting the Ampleforth Beagles in 1974/5, Simon went on to hunt the Derwent. During a visit of the Derwent hounds to the Bedale country, it got lost but was relocated again the following day after a lengthy search.
Now is the season for packs of hounds to hold their annual puppy show.
For those who haven’t been to one before, the name perhaps conjures up an image of cute, fluffy hound puppies being lead around a ring for all to see. The reality however is quite different but for those who attend, it is one of the highlights of the summer and is not to be missed.
For anyone who has been invited for the first time, those who are just curious about what goes on or people who have perhaps been before but might even have been slightly confused at the goings-on, H&H answers some of the most frequently asked questions about this special event in each pack’s summer calendar.
What is a puppy show?
Traditionally puppy shows are held to thank those who have walked hound puppies and to show their progress since they came back into the kennels after being out at walk.
The puppy walkers have a big responsibility, giving each young hound their initial education following being weaned. This involves introducing them to the sights and smells of the countryside, ensuring they know right from wrong, and most importantly, making certain each individual hound knows its proper kennel name.
Who goes to the puppy show?
Apart from the puppy walkers who really are the guests of honour, the guest list can be made up of any number of people, depending on each pack’s own criteria.
There tends to be many more than just the puppy walkers on the guest list and these can include — although each pack varies — hunt committee members, those who organise functions and fundraising events, farmers, meet hosts, subscribers, joint-masters and members of hunt staff from surrounding packs, hunt supporters, members of the press and perhaps the local MP.
It is seen as an honour to be invited to attend the puppy show although quite often packs have theirs as part of their annual kennel open day where everybody is welcome.
If you haven’t been invited and wish to attend, it may be worth putting in a quick call to your local master.
What do you wear if you’ve been invited?
Being one of the most prestigious events on the summer hunting calendar, an effort is generally made by most guests to look smart.
Gentlemen generally wear a suit or jacket and tie with panama hats often worn if the weather is suitably mild. Members of hunt staff tend to be recognisable by their bowler hats and dark suits.
The attire worn by the ladies is usually dependant on the weather with waterproof coats and wellies often disguising even the best-planned summer outfit. Hats are encouraged, although on occasions those worn by some are perhaps more suitable on racegoers at Royal Ascot and would be better left at home.
With regards to footwear, remember you are likely to be standing on grass so flats, those with a slightly sturdy heel, or wedges, would be more advisable than stilettos. Dress for the weather and remember you will be standing around for much of the time and might need an extra layer.
What are the hounds judged on and by who?
There are usually two invited judges who come to assess the young hounds and give their verdict on their conformation and movement. The judges are often a Master of Foxhounds (MFH) and a professional huntsman, although this can vary. Similar to judging horses, they will look at the overall picture of each hound, check they have good feet, shoulders, backs and also see how freely they move.
How old are the hounds?
The hounds presented to the judges are those that will start their hunting careers in the autumn and tend to be about one-year-old (usually born sometime between January and July of the previous year). There may be up to six months difference in age between litters born early in January, and some that aren’t born until July. This is something that will be of particular note to the judges.
What is the format for the afternoon?
You will be given a “racecard” which explains the order in which the hounds will be shown. You will also find breeding details of each of the young hounds and sometimes details of who walked each one. The doghounds are judged first and are usually shown to the judges by the huntsman in couples, so there is time for them to assess them properly. After all of the doghounds have been reviewed by the judges, they will all come back into the ring and then the final assessment will take place. Once the judging of the doghounds has been completed and the results announced, the same procedure then happens with the bitches.
Who teaches the hounds to show?
There is quite an art to showing hounds and the hunt staff will have spent a lot of time over the weeks and months leading up to the big day to ensure the hounds show themselves off to their best advantage.
Don’t be surprised to see the huntsman using dog biscuits to encourage the hounds to stand properly and to get the most out of their movement.
What is the etiquette during judging?
Firstly, always arrive in good time. The puppy show is often a very social occasion where hunting people catch up with familiar faces for the first time since the season ended. However, it must be remembered that it is still a very important day, particularly for the puppy walkers, so do try to pay attention to the hounds and the judging. If you don’t understand something, there is usually somebody around keen to answer questions.
It is a good idea to get involved by trying to judge the hounds for yourself to see if you choose the one that wins.
One word of advice if you happen to be sitting close to the edge of the judging ring, always pay attention when the doghounds are near the railings, in case they decide to relieve themselves…a wet leg does not appeal to everyone!
After the judging has taken place, there are usually speeches and a prize-giving where prizes are awarded to the puppy walkers of the winning hounds. Most packs also give an engraved spoon to the puppy walker of each of the young hounds that went out to walk.
In addition, many packs lay on a generous spread of afternoon tea following the puppy show. This tends to take place in a barn at the kennels or perhaps a marquee if one has been laid on and you may well get asked to contribute a plate of sandwiches or bring a cake to add to the feast. Tea is the ideal time and place to catch up with all your hunting friends.
A pack of hounds has raised over £4,000 for charity while filming with reality TV star Katie Price.
The Cheshire Bloodhounds organised a days’ hunting to be shown as part of a new series called Katie Price’s Pony Club that will be aired over the summer.
The donations and day caps taken on the day were all put towards the fundraising effort and a cheque was recently presented to representatives from Cancer Research UK.
“We were approached by a production company to see if our pack would be interested in filming for this series,” explained joint-master Julie Finney, who with her husband Charles owns the pack’s 4½ couple of bloodhounds.
Stuart Parkin, Charles Finney MBH, Julie Finney MBH, Nigel Haddock MBH, Elaine and Jim Charters from Cancer Research UK
“We were delighted to be given this opportunity so made the decision to run the day as a charity fundraiser. There was a mounted field of approximately 50 riders at the meet which was held at Parkin Manor Estate by kind permission of Stuart and Shelly Parkin.”
“Katie Price and her children Junior and Princess were all at the meet and Ms Price stayed out until hounds went home.
“Riding her own horse she kept up and jumped all the fences on the route that the field master took but she was tired at the end.”
Ms Price was however given some advice prior to the meet.
“Katie was great fun and thoroughly enjoyed her day however she did arrive wearing rather a lot of bling so we had to advise her on hunting etiquette which she totally took on board,” revealed Julie.
“We found her a hunting tie and pin and gave her a hunt coat to wear.”
The tv series follows Ms Price as she creates a Pony Club team like no other with her closest friends and their children including her eight-year-old daughter Princess and 10-year-old son Junior.
