Despite a perilously large hedge with a drop that would give most riders a severe case of vertigo, tiny James Cleary and his pony Little Paddy Brown — who have a combined age of just 11 — are pictured soaring over in tremendous style.
The eight-year-old Irish rider’s antics on the hunting field with the South Westmeath Hunt were spotted by leading showjumper Cian O’Connor, who posted on social media: “An incredible photo of James Cleary, showing great braveness, position and balance over a massive hedge. This kind of horsemanship is perhaps one of the key factors why Ireland consistently produces so many good riders. If young James would ever like a bursary to come to train at Karlswood Stables, he has one waiting.”
James’s father Paul, himself a regular follower with the South Westmeath Hunt, was very flattered by Cian’s comments about his son.
“It was really lovely,” Paul told Horse & Hound. “James hunts with me a lot and as a family we’re involved in racing — James’s uncle Rory rides for trainer Jim Bolger — and James loves showjumping, too. He’s mad keen and just loves it all.
“When the picture was taken, he was following behind me and I jumped the hedge first. When I realised there was such a big drop behind it, I turned round hoping James wasn’t coming too — but it was too late, he was already in mid-air! And actually only three of us jumped that hedge that day. But that sums James up — he’s so brave. He’s a bit of a show-off shall we say!”
James has three ponies and straight after school he heads out to look after and ride them. Little Paddy Brown was bred by his late great-uncle Paddy Dunning and is only a three-year-old.
“James has looked after the pony from day one, since we broke him, so he’s done all the hard work himself,” said father Paul. “We’re hoping this pony will be a really good one so we took him hunting to do some groundwork — James is eight, but he’s quite small, so he’s done really well on such a novice pony.
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“I agree with Cian’s comments about producing such good riders in Ireland. James has always had a great seat, he’s tidy and has tremendous balance in the saddle. He just loves riding, so we’re encouraging him as best we can.”
Watch this space — eight-year-old James Cleary is clearly destined for the top, and with Cian O’Connor on his side, he’s sure to be a future star.
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John Holliday blows for hounds at Aswarby Park - The Belvoir Hunt meet at Burton Pedwardine on Tuesday the 25th of February 2014.
The hot gossip in the Shire counties is of nought but the imminent conclaves of the Quorn and Cottesmore hunts to decide the destiny of these two famous packs. The excitement is palpable, like anticipating smoke from the Sistine Chapel.
The advantages of unification are manifest and have already been observed in an earlier issue of H&H, but many of the old guard (and some new) are finding it hard to accept that things have changed so quickly in recent years that a merger is necessary. One thing is certain, Brexit negotiations will be, by comparison, a walk in the park.
I spent three happy years at the Quorn when they were still hunting four days a week. I have been astonished when I’ve been through areas where once we enjoyed good sport; some places now resemble Hyde Park Corner in rush hour, a problem that would give any huntsman sleepless nights. Having survived the introduction of wire, railways and pernicious legislation, the internal combustion engine is doing most to ruin many countries.
On the flip side, both hunts still have areas of country that have remained largely unchanged: rolling grassland and hedgerows that look as if they were made by God for the purpose of hunting. And then there is the “Quorn” marque, no doubt the most famous hunt, known all over the world. And when it’s gone, it’s gone.
Remember the words of an old sportsman: “Ah! Youth make the most of your day while it lasts — no sunset can equal the dawn! I’d barter 10 years of a peaceable life, for a day when I rode with the Quorn.”
Be patient
Tough conditions continue in the East Midlands with no significant rain for several months. The going is very firm; it is nice to be on top of the ground when we are usually up to the hocks, but those who do not respect their horses will pay the price. We have two horses each day and the jarring ground is still taking its toll.
After the wet spring, a particular hazard is hunt jumps, still poached from last season and now rock-hard. Hounds find hot and dry weather tiring work, and all a huntsman can do is, as Churchill advised, “keep buggering on” and wait for conditions to improve. Nevertheless, it has been disconcerting to be greeted by shirt-sleeved villagers happily mowing their lawn at the back end of November.
Robert’s priorities
Legendary showman and former MFH Robert Oliver gave his friends and colleagues cause for concern recently when rushed to hospital with viral pneumonia. After two days in an induced coma, his family were warned to expect Robert to be disorientated and confused when he was wakened.
His first word, “hounds”, caused some puzzlement to visitors. Clearing his throat he clarified: “Hounds meet at home on Friday, is everything ready?” Nothing like getting your priorities right.
With the weatherman predicting an east wind and a rising glass, we anticipate an improvement. In the meantime, we shall keep an eye in the direction of High Leicestershire to see if the smoke over Oakham is black or white.
In his new book, Red Rag To A Bull, author Jamie Blackett arrives home from the Army to take over a small family estate on the Solway Firth in Dumfries and Galloway, and finds a rapidly changing countryside.
In a humorous and occasionally moving tale, he describes the return of the native to grapple with the intricacies of farming, conservation and estate management, telling the story of founding a pack of foxhounds and a herd of pedigree beef cattle. Part childhood memoir, part biopic of rural life, readers are transported to a remote and beautiful part of Scotland and acquainted with its wildlife, its people and its customs.
Set over the first two decades of the 21st Century, through the Scottish independence referendum, Brexit and the hunting ban, the result is an enlightened review of the challenges threatening a vulnerable way of life and an emerging philosophy about the directions Scotland, farming and the countryside might take in the brave new world of Brexit.
In this book extract, Jamie is keenly following his pack of hounds on a day’s hunting, when suddenly, disaster strikes…:
Then from the depths of the wood there comes a single, deep, excited note, and then another. Then a breathless pause and several more as other hounds hit on the scent.
‘They’ve found.’ The field goes quiet as we all strain our ears. Paddy is dancing on his toes now, waiting for the off. We edge closer to Piet, the Field Master, so that we can get away in the first echelon.
The scent must be as good as we dared hope. The woods now echo with a riot of noise that goes first this way then that, as it hurtles around the covert like an express train.
Moments later we see hounds tumbling clumsily out of the wood and then back in again. They appear to be heading uphill onto a long bracken bank.
‘Come on, we’ll get round the other side,’ says Piet, as he kicks his horse into action and we speed towards a gap in the wire fence where there is a solid timber hunt jump. Paddy takes it in his stride and I let him have his head, so that he flattens out rhythmically into a fast canter across the springy turf, and I stand in the stirrups, crouched forward to keep my weight off his back. Above us, still in cover, hound music soars and crashes like the 1812 Overture.
Next comes a wall – a tall, solid, unforgiving Galloway dyke made of granite boulders. I check Paddy so that his hocks come underneath him, and we bounce twice before I let him go two strides out. He clears it by a foot and at the top of our flight, in a burst of exuberance, kicks his hind legs up behind him like Nureyev, so that I am nearly pitched out of the saddle. Our blood is up now, as we race away downhill towards the next fence, a low rail down onto a steep bank of bracken and whins.
We need to do a small, neat jump here, so that we can immediately turn right-handed onto a sheep track that runs along the top of the bank. Battling with Paddy on the run in, I shift my weight from side to side to unbalance him and slow him down, but we are still going too fast. I should circle him away from the jump and come back in at a trot, but I hold him, seemingly motionless, as he pauses, then jumps.
We take off like the 11.30 New York flight from Heathrow and go up, and up. Below us the ground falls away with alarming rapidity. Then we are coming down again and I feel him stumble on landing; his head seems to disappear from in front of me, and I am being scraped over the pommel of the saddle and down his neck. The ground rushes up towards me.
‘Oh God, this is going to hurt.’
Darkness.
‘Is he dead?’
‘I don’t like the look of it, he’s not moving.’
‘Has someone gone to catch the horse?’
‘Yes, Malc’s gone.’
Fragments of conversation come and go as if overheard in the street.
‘He’s got a pulse anyway.’
‘Don’t move him, in case he’s broken his back.’
I can’t tell whether this is a dream or whether it is real, and I just can’t wake up.
‘Can you hear me, my love?’ An angelic voice. ‘Can you open your eyes for me.’
I open my eyes and promptly close them again; the world seems confusing and I want to go back to sleep.
‘Listen, Jamie, I want you to wiggle your toes. Can you do that for me?’
Good idea. I wiggle my toes and nod. Thank God, I am not paralysed.
Gradually I come to and my rescuer, fortuitously an off-duty nurse, says, ‘Just lie still, poppet, the ambulance is on its way.’
Soon Malc appears with Paddy. I start scrambling to my feet.
‘No, you are not getting back on, you were out cold for several minutes. You are going straight to hospital,’ says my rescuer.
‘Well, I might as well ride Paddy then,’ ventures Malc, ‘so at least he doesn’t miss out. Can you pass me his hat?’
I told you the Bells are descended from horse thieves.
‘Might as well pass me his flask as well. They will only confiscate it in hospital. And better have his car keys.’
Shameless! Malc and Paddy set off and I go back to sleep again.
The ambulance crew want to know where my hat is.
‘We would have cut the straps on it if you had it, so that you couldn’t wear it again.’
I nod and think of my mother. In the vanity of youth, I had always hunted in a top hat until I got married and then Mum and Sheri had ganged up and forced me to buy a jockey’s crash hat. Maternal instinct is a wonderful thing; I would be dead had they not done so.
When we arrive at the Dumfries Royal Infirmary, the ward sister wants to know what I have had to eat and drink.
I rack my brains.
‘Porridge at about eight, then a few sausage rolls and a slice of fruitcake at elevenish.’
She nods, ‘And to drink?’
‘A couple of glasses of port at about eleven.’ A slight frown plays across her features. ‘Then just the odd swig after that: bramble whisky, cherry brandy, damson vodka, maybe some sloe gin, that sort of thing.’ She looks concerned and scribbles something down on a clipboard.
I have my brain scanned and then I am put to bed and sleep like the dead. Hours later, Malc comes to pick me up. The same ward sister discharges me.
‘Now you are to go straight home and have a good night’s sleep.’ Then her eyes seem to moisten and a gooey maternal look comes over her. ‘And do try and stay off the alcohol, if you can, dear.’
Price:Red Rag To A Bull can be purchased for £20 from Quiller Publishing. It is also available to buy via Amazon. Published by: Quiller Publishing, 2018
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Who wants to be stuck at the back, endlessly shutting gates – especially ones that require you to get on and off – when hounds are running? No one. But you’ve got to do your gate-shutting duty when asked – once a season with our pack, which is hardly too much to ask, so it’s best to suck it up and not whinge. And actually it can be surprisingly enjoyable. You might be paired up with someone you don’t know well and make a new friend — all that getting on and off is good for you, and you feel terribly virtuous and helpful. Top tip – if your own horse is not good at waiting behind, or whirls round you while you try to heave yourself back on, bribe someone with chocolates and booze to lend you their trusty cob.
2. Selling tickets for the whisky draw at the meet
Yes, it means you aren’t out on a horse so could potentially miss the hunt of the season, but you meet all sorts of hunting characters that you won’t necessarily otherwise talk to. Lots of those elderly foot- and car-followers know more about hunting than you will ever do, and have banks of great hunting stories. Again, you are making yourself useful – and if you manage to drag £1 out of Old Jack when no one else has, you’ll be a bit of a hero.
3. Organising the hunt ball
Utter hell, a huge task involving hours and hours and hours of hard work and your marriage may well founder on the rocks as a result, but the sight of 400+ people dancing their socks off at midnight with happy smiles on their faces is worth it. That and the much-needed £x,000 it adds to hunt coffers.
4. Working behind the bar at a hunt event
Obviously it isn’t you out there having a jolly time and sinking yet another pint, or carving up the dance floor, but it is honestly the best job. You see everyone (but briefly – no time for long boring conversations), you watch them interact with each other (just like going to the zoo, but better), you don’t have to get a taxi home and you won’t have a hangover the next day.
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5. Fence-judging at the point-to-point
Who wants to be stuck in a car away from everyone else all day? You will when it’s raining hard. Admittedly it is either dull or terrifying, depending what happens at your fence, but bring a lavish picnic and a friend, and be delighted you aren’t slopping about in the mud as the downpour seeps through to your skin.
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Most recently we headed off north, this time, destination the Brocklesby Hunt in North Lincolnshire. Of the 20 foxhound packs registered with the MFHA beginning with B, The Brocklesby was always top of my list of ‘to do’s’. This was due to a combination of having spent many happy puppy shows there (my in-laws Dick and Shirley Deakin had lived in a cottage on the Brocklesby estate), and of course present huntsman Gareth Bow had been a popular whipper-in at the Warwickshire.
Gareth and Thady
This time we weren’t travelling alone. Mollie (my Huntaway/Labrador cross dog — we have come up with a name — Huntador!) as always was with us. But, additionally Kim (my other half) was tagging along with his mountain bike. During the summer he came on a ride for a visit to the kennels I had organised for the Warwickshire Hunt Riding Club. This was a fabulous visit including a lovely ride around the park, lunch and a tour of the kennels. He wanted a return visit and just like following us on the park ride on his bike, the idea was he could follow out hunting just the same!
Sunrise over the Lincolnshire Wolds
After an uneventful journey of 140 miles on a Sunday afternoon, we arrived at the Brocklesby Kennels. Gareth had already prewarned us that he would not be there, but Thady Duff (whipper-in) would be there to unlock the padlock to the gate to the kennels field, which was our resting place for the night. Cobbie couldn’t believe his luck — stopping with hounds at the kennels!
Cobbie in the kennels field
Kim, Mollie and I also camped in Cadbury in the kennels field. Again Cobbie was too busy to eat his tea so I left it by Cadbury so he could come back to it overnight. The same couldn’t be said for Kim and I. The barbecue was lit and supper was cooked in the fading light. What a setting to have supper in.
Supper time for Cobbie and barbecue for Kim and I
Cobbie proved to be a naughty cob in the morning. In the eight years I’ve owned him, he has never been the easiest to catch. The record being three hours. On our Brocklesby day it took half an hour. It was a good job I had set the alarm early but it still made us late, which then meant everyone was late. Not a good start. It meant the drive to the meet feel a bit like the Wacky Races as we headed of after the hunt lorries!
The meet was out on the Lincolnshire Wolds on a commercial shoot. The fields on the Wolds are enormous on rolling hills with lots of woods and game strips. Our field master for the day was George Sanderson, a master since 2006. His speech at the meet set the precedence for the day. The morning was run like a military manoeuvre. The field moved ahead of hounds to each cover in turn.
Gareth had the Brockelsby dog hounds out, which, despite the warm, dry conditions and being on a well keepered shoot, showed the followers what an Old English pack of hounds can do when they find a trail.
It was also nice to have familiar faces out. Jan Funnell, who had been to the Warwickshire Hunt Riding Club visit to the Brocklesby kennels in the summer, had turned up with local friend Debbie Nickson (both of whom I I pictured with at the top of this blog).
Daniel Crane and wife Ali, who I’d seen at Daniel’s stand earlier in the year at Lycetts Festival of Hunting were also enjoying an early morning with their local pack.
Daniel and Ali Crane (Daniel Crane Sporting Art)
After quite a long morning, we hacked back across the rolling Lincolnshire Wold stubbles to a well-earned cup of tea back at the boxes. Kim, after following all morning on his mountain bike, certainly needed one!
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To finish the morning off perfectly, Cobbie, Kim and myself went back to the kennels and had the treat of watching hounds being fed. The dog hounds that had been out that morning had plenty of flesh, while the bitches had a mixture of flesh and Red Mills hound feed biscuits — a sign of the times with less stock in the area. Gareth then took us to ‘walk out’ with the bitches through ‘The Wilderness’ and out onto the point-to-point course — what an absolute pleasure. The only one sulking was Cobbie, who was having another session in the kennel field and wasn’t allowed to come with us!
Girls having a drink back in kennels
Cobbie and I are staying more local for our next outing, before heading off to the south west. For ‘C’ we are going to have a day with local pack, the Croome and West Warwickshire, before heading off to the most southern most foxhound pack in the UK, the Cury.
Bye for now,
Lynne and Cobbie
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The family of a rider who died from a brain tumour are aiming to raise £5,000 towards improving treatment options and helping find a cure for the illness.
Adam Forster died aged 42 in 2014 after he was diagnosed with an aggressive tumour, known as a glioblastoma multiforme.
It was inoperable and despite going through radiotherapy and chemotherapy, he died less than a year after his diagnosis.
His family want to raise awareness of brain tumours.
“Losing Adam devastated our family and all we could do was channel our grief into fundraising,” said his sister, Kerry.
“Nothing will ever make up for our loss but putting our energy into funding the fight against brain tumours gives us hope.
“By sharing Adam’s story and raising awareness, we want to show people that some good can come from the pain. Only research can bring us closer to that light at the end of the tunnel.”
Mr Forster farmed at Shotley Bridge and hunted with the Braes of Derwent, Tynedale and the Haydon.
His hunter, a part-bred Clydesdale called Tilly, retired after his death to live with Kerry.
Statistics from the Brain Tumour Research charity show that brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer.
It’s not too late to get your Christmas cards for 2018 — support a worthy cause this year with our…
The family are hosting a Christmas quiz night at Ebchester Village Hall on 7 December. The fifth annual Santa Bike Run, where his father, Terry, rides his Harley Davidson at the head of a group of bikers dressed as Father Christmas, will take place on 15 December.
Mr Forster’s family
Matthew Price, community fundraising manager at Brain Tumour Research, added that only one percent of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to the devastating disease.
“The ongoing support of Adam’s family is invaluable to us and we’re delighted that they are encouraging others to follow in their footsteps this Christmas,” said Mr Price.
“Christmas is a time for family and celebration but many families are suffering this Christmas as they mourn a loved one or face a bleak future. Please help us to give hope to these patients and families. Together we will find a cure.”
Hello from Cobbie and I as we embark on an extra ‘C’ before heading off to the south west to do C, D and E — The Cury, Dulverton West and the Eggesford.
Not too far up the road, The Croome and West Warwickshire were meeting at good friends Ed and Sarah Righton’s farm at Elmley Castle. Ed has been one of the joint masters since 2016. I love the annual breakfast meet at Elmley Castle. It’s such a friendly meet held at the village-run pub the Queen Elizabeth, so when Sarah suggested it, it was a no-brainer — what a way to see Bredon Hill and the views in the early morning! It all seemed a great idea.
However, Cobbie and I set off in a howling gale for the 6.45am meet. Sarah’s instructions were ringing in my ears: “We are meeting in the field at the farm”. After avoiding fallen trees and branches on the way, we were met by gates that were shut to the farm at Elmley Castle. Had I heard Sarah wrong? Was the meet at their other farm 20 minutes drive away?! Off I went in the continuing windy conditions and reached Hill Court Farm to peace and quiet and no evidence of a meet or hounds. Where were they? Should I just go home? Give up? No! Off I went back to Elmley Castle. Where were they? On getting back to the village with Sarah’s voice ringing in my ear, I took a right, instead of left turn in the village and sure enough there was the field where the meet had been, at the other side of the farm!
Sarah and Ed Righton
Half an hour late, I unloaded Cobbie and headed off across the fields to be met by the sound of hounds hunting above me. What a welcome sound! After popping a hunt jump onto the bridle path that heads up Bredon Hill above the village, we eventually met up with Ed at the head of his mounted field. Hounds had by this time lost their trail and Ben Dalton (huntsman since 2014 having come from the Dulverton West) continued drawing up hill through the forestry. Conditions proved very testing for Ben and his pack of hounds, as the wind was still blowing strongly — the trails laid by Sarah proved too tricky to find.
Trail layer for the morning, Sarah Righton
Bredon Hill itself is a lovely place. Elmley Castle is at the base of the north side of the hill. From the top, the panoramic views west of the Malvern Hills and the Severn Valley were spectacular (pictured, top).
The draw for the morning took in parts of ancient woods, newer plantations, old grassland, scrub and patches of bracken and briers, which are part of one of England’s most important wildlife sites. A large section of the north and west side of the hill has been designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest. It is also home to a successful shoot. For hunting, it provides a landscape which hasn’t changed for years — we even crossed the ruins of a medieval castle covered in bracken and briars that was part of the day’s draw.
Heading home
After battling the elements with not a lot of results around the rest of the morning’s draw, the decision was made to head off the hill and call it a day. The ‘T-pot’ called!
Simon French, whipper-in, counts hounds off the hill — all on
Once everyone had boxed up, a welcome warming cuppa and breakfast of pork pie and doughnuts was dished out around Patty Allen’s quad bike. Patty had been following all morning mounted on her quad, wearing her smart blue Patey hat! Patty is a long-standing master of the Croome and West Warwickshire, having served since 1979.
Patty Allen MFH mounted astride four wheels instead of four legs!
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Refreshments around Patty Allen’s quad
Cobbie had to wait for his breakfast until he got home — he was not interested in eating it next to the trailer. It’s the only thing that is worrying me about him on out Big Tour — him going off his food. He has always been tricky with eating and drinking too when away from home. Once home though, he had the added incentive of all of his friends wanting his food to make him tuck in!
Cobbie tucking into his breakfast once home
Lynne
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Stuck for inspiration for a Christmas gift to buy a hunting enthusiast? We provide you with something for all tastes, from those with realistic expectations of what might be wrapped under the Christmas tree, to those where dreams have taken over.
NB: The shopping links below are provided to help you buy these items. We earn a small commission from these links.
Hunting tie (stock)
There are only a number of times that you can re-fold an old hunting tie in order not to show the stubborn shadows of mud that have resisted every stain remover on sale. For those people a new hunting tie is always an option… Whether it be four fold, shaped, white, cream or coloured is another matter, but here are a few options available.
A bottle of sloe gin or perhaps something slightly more peculiar such as raspberry vodka, is always welcomed by those who like to carry a hip flask on hunting days. A little bit of forward planning is required for this those that want to make a homemade version and it won’t get delivered by next day delivery, however here are a few options that can be delivered to your door.
Absolut raspberry flavoured vodka has a rich and intense flavour from ripened raspberries. It’s made exclusively from natural ingredients and contains 40% alcohol by volume. Buy now: Absolut Raspberry Swedish Vodka from £15
Rubber hunting boots
These are a must for anybody who has been caught out on gate-shutting duties, when their favourite leather boots with a few cracks in have just not kept out the mud when standing in the boggiest of gateways trying to do up frayed pieces of string. Available with or without leather tops for both ladies and gents, here are a few options.
These boots are anatomically designed with elasticated fabric inserts for a good fit. They also have spur supports, a synthetic sole and are waterproof. Buy now: HKM Women’s Riding Boots from £26.40
Ideal for those whose hunt coat pockets are showing signs of wear and tear having suffered for years under the weight of a hip flask. Or perhaps you know somebody who owns a flask where the lid isn’t attached and has a tendency to land on the floor just as hounds start speaking. Some hip flasks simply don’t have sufficient capacity, so a saddle flask might be the only solution. Try one of these:
They may possibly be one of the most difficult items to select as presents, but nobody can have enough pairs of hunting breeches. This is particularly the case over the Christmas period when it’s possible to hunt virtually every day of the week and hanging washing on the line to dry isn’t necessarily an option. Here are few options:
For those days when the heavens open a smart, waterproof riding mac to put over a hunt coat could be just the answer. Ri-dry clothing make specific hunting ones but if you are looking for one at a fraction of the cost, this one will do the trick:
The email and text message have not yet completely replaced traditional thank you letters, especially when it comes to writing to thank meet hosts for their generosity or masters of visiting packs. Hunting-themed correspondence cards are perfect for such communication. Try these:
When you are hunting flat out it is easy to loose your tie pin between days, so it is always useful to have a few spare. Also, a tie pin makes a great Christmas present as the wearer can use it over and over again. Here are a couple to choose from:
The Countryside Alliance (CA) is urging people to take action in support of their local Boxing Day meets.
The organisation is asking people to write to their local council leaders to express support for meets to continue in the heart of their communities.
The CA has warned targeted campaigns by anti-hunting organisations are putting meets at risk.
“Boxing Day meets are a special occasion in the hunting calendar, with hundreds of thousands of people turning out to support hunts throughout the festive period,” said Polly Portwin, head of hunting at the CA.
“It would be a travesty if councils denied those people who support local packs of hounds the opportunity to show their appreciation at meets this Boxing Day.
“We are asking people to act now to protect this annual spectacle by filling in our form to send a letter of support to their local council leaders.”
The CA stressed it is calling on everyone who wants to see meets continuing in these public places throughout the festive season to write to their councils. It has an automatic letter-generator on its website where people can enter their postcodes and send the pre-prepared letter directly to their local council leaders.
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“Many of these meets are supported by hundreds and even thousands of people from the local community, as well as those associated with their local packs of hounds, and the Countryside Alliance is asking everyone to add their voice to the campaign,” added a spokesman for the organisation.
“Sending the letter via the Countryside Alliance website will show support for those local councils that are being pressurised into cancelling their meets.
“Meeting in the middle of towns and villages often means meeting on council-owned or managed land, and the alliance is calling on everyone to support those councils that allow these events to take place.”
Last weekend I mowed our lawns for what I hope will be the last time in 2018. I resisted the temptation to announce this unseasonal effort on social media, along with my son’s maths test result and a picture of what the terrier had for dinner, primarily because I can’t imagine why anyone would be vaguely interested.
In recent years, hunting has been consumed by social media. Of course, we all want to use it to our advantage. Public hunt events are boosted by clever advertising, and cyberspace is full of photos of hounds from all corners of the earth.
Our opponents are cybermasters. Through “smoke and shadows”, distorted facts and blatant fiction are posted as irrefutable truths. Once posted, these mistruths gain instant credence by mere virtue of being there, and it takes a colossal effort to prove otherwise, which isn’t half as newsworthy as the defamation.
Anti-hunting keyboard warriors can be brave, too, posting vile, threatening abuse from behind their screens.
The Malicious Communications Act 1988 — which “deals with the sending to another of any article that is indecent or grossly offensive, conveys a threat, or is false, provided there is an intent to cause distress or anxiety to the recipient” — should be of great use in stopping this loathsome behaviour.
For generations, hunting folk have tolerated abuse from people whose language turns blue when they see a pack of hounds, whether they be a passer-by or hardened saboteur. Prosecutors should now take note of the silent victims online. The families of those who lose their life out hunting are particularly vulnerable to attack. Their abusers should not be able to hide and must be held to account.
No deal
Now the Quorn and Cottesmore have gone for “no deal” to conclude (at least for the time being) amalgamation negotiations and gossip more complex than Brexit, I hope they will make their individual appointments in peace and enjoy good retirement seasons for their present incumbents, Messrs Osborne and Collins.
Other amalgamations will happen for May 2019. These do not reflect a decline in our sport but necessary evolution, which is nothing new. Hunts have been marrying, divorcing, cohabiting, starting afresh and dying since Xenophon hunted hounds in ancient Greece. And it will be ever thus.
Panto season
It’s nearly panto season at the Kimblewick. This annual exposure of hunt talent offers ample opportunity for keen thespians to explore their cross-dressing fantasies in public. Prominent hunt characters are ripe for ribbing and the whole evening is carried out in the worst possible taste with buckets of laughter.
For a decade in Sussex, my sole extracurricular Yuletide duty was playing the organ at the carol service. Now I must tread the boards, although I did think my death as the Sheriff of Nottingham in last year’s production was rather realistic, in a Blackadder sort of way.
“He was a bad man,” the Merry Men growled over my body. “Oh no he wasn’t,” piped up my four-year-old son in the front row. Once again, I’ll dread the photos on social media, but then I never did look that good in tights and make up.
A kind offer of a lift to see a farmer after hunting by one of our wonderful foot-followers last night got me thinking. What makes the perfect “footie”?
I suppose it’s fair to say that without the burden of a horse to get ready there is no excuse for the footie to be late to the meet.
This said, those who arrive an hour ahead of time and start to devour the host’s port and sausage rolls before a horse or hound is anywhere in sight are less than perfect.
Those, however, who offer to help the host with the feeding of the 5,000 without sneakily eating or drinking their way through the assorted goodies are heading towards perfect.
When it comes to paying a cap, there are those who fly towards the bag as it is shaken and those who run as fast as they can in the opposite direction or find, having filled the car up with fuel, that they have no money left.
The whisky draw, with opportunity to win something, can be a game-changer, although the perfect footie will have not only put their £1 in but also donated the prize.
On leaving the meet, a quick “thank you” to the host as the horses move off and then it’s straight into the iron steed. The perfect footie will, of course, never park on mown grass, in a gateway or in front of a hunt jump; they will find a wide verge and pull neatly off the road to allow free flow of other road users coming past.
Pushing their way through the field to keep alongside the hounds or, in some cases, nearly running them over, is not for the perfect footie. They will be ensuring that other road users are thanked and that the hounds have safe passage when crossing the highway.
They will find a vantage point where they can see the goings-on through their smart binos and, at times, delve into their basket for refreshment. The world will be put to rights as others gather round to hear views on current affairs, Brexit and gossip closer to home.
As the day comes to a close, the offer of a lift back to the lorry or trailer and a check that there are no hounds missing will be on the perfect footie’s mind. Then they head home for a bath and hot drink before restocking the basket with goodies ahead of another day out, because the perfect footie doesn’t miss a day.
Christmas agenda
Christmas is here, and with so many days’ hunting the shopping trip will once again be last-minute. The fight for a parking space, then all that indecision over what to get, is still to come. No doubt Mrs F and the Frampettes have it all in order and a list will appear in due course.
It is unlikely that the hunt staff will have more than a few hours off to enjoy their lunch on Christmas Day. After hounds and horses have been done, the clean-up from Christmas Eve and preparation for Boxing Day will be top of their agenda.
Local towns will once again welcome the hounds for their traditional meets. Crowds will appear as always to show their support for hunting. The need for fresh air and some exercise after the big day is a good excuse for you all to go out and show that we are still here and very much at the heart of the countryside.
Lastly and most importantly, please give generously to the hunt staff Christmas boxes. It’s always hugely appreciated.
After you’ve stuffed yourself to excess on Christmas Day, what better reason is there to get out of the house and support one of Britain’s oldest and best traditions than to attend your local Boxing Day meet? Here’s your full guide to where and when your local pack is meeting...
Albrighton & Woodland (North)
Where and when? Newport at 11am
Albrighton & Woodland (South)
Where and when? Hagley Hall, Stourbridge at 11am
Ashford Valley Tickham
Where and when? High Street, Tenterden at 11am
Banwen Miners
Where and when? The Castle Hotel, Neath, moving off at 11am
Berkeley
Where and when? High Street, Thornbury at 11am
Berwickshire
Where and when? Greenlaw, Duns at 10.45am
Bicester with Whaddon Chase
Where and when? Winslow Show Field, Winslow at 11am
Blackmore and Sparkford Vale
Where and when? Castle Cary at 11am
Burton
Where and when? The Showground, Grange-de-Lings, Lincoln at 11am
Cambridgeshire with Enfield Chace
Where and when? Eltisley Green, Eltisley at 11am
Chiddingfold, Leconfield & Cowdray
Where and when? The Kennels, Petworth Park at 11am
College Valley North Northumberland
Where and when? Wooler at 10.45am
Cotswold
Where and when? The Frogmill, Shipton Oliffe, at 10.45am
Crawley and Horsham
Where and when? Countryman Lane, Horsham at 11am
Cumberland Farmers Foxhounds
Where and when? The Square, Dalston at 10.30am
Cury
Where and when? Helston, Cornwall at 11am
Duke of Beaufort’s
Where and when? Worcester Lodge, Badminton at 10.45am
Eryri
Where and when? Lawnt Beddgelert Village Green, Beddgelert at 10.30am
Essex & Suffolk
Where and when? Holbecks Park, Hadleigh at 11am
Fernie
Where and when? Great Bowden at 11amThe Green,
Flint & Denbigh
Where and when? Hall Square, Denbigh at 10.45am
Four Burrow
Where and when? Carn Brea, Redruth at 11am
Highmoor Bloodhounds
Where and when? Pocklington town centre, East Yorkshire at 11.30am12pm
Hursley Hambledon
Where and when? Bucks Head Hill, Meonstoke at 11am
Jedforest
Where and when? The Green, Denholm at 10.45am
Kimblewick
Where and when? Cholesbury Common, Hawridge at 12 noon
Ledbury
Where and when? The Feathers Hotel, Ledbury at 10.45am
Ludlow
Where and when? Ludlow Castle, Ludlow at 11am
Meynell & South Staffordshire
Where and when? Blithfield Hall, Admaston at 11am
Morpeth
Where and when? The Dyke Neuk, Morpeth at 10.45am
New Forest
Where and when? Lyndhurst at 10.45am
North Cornwall
Where and when? Camelford at 11am
North Cotswold
Where and when? Broadway at 10.45am
North Herefordshire
Where and when? Corn Square, Leominster at 11am
North Norfolk Harriers
Where and when? Sennowe Hall, Guist at 11am
North Staffordshire
Where and when? Woore at 11am
Old Surrey Burstow & West Kent
Where and when? Chiddingstone Castle, Chiddingstone at 11am. Refreshments served from 10am
Pembrokeshire
Where and when? Castle Square, Haverfordwest at 11am
Pendle Forest and Craven
Where and when? Middle Green, Gargrave at 11am
Portman
Where and when? Crown Meadows, Blandford at 10.45am
Quorn
Where and when? Whatton House & Gardens, Loughborough at 12 noon
Spooners and West Dartmoor
Where? Bedford Square, Tavistock at 11am
Surrey Union
Where and when? The Kennels, Okewood, spectators and foot followers to arrive from 11am, hounds and mounted field to arrive at 12 noon
Tedworth
Where and when? Bouverie Hall car park, Pewsey at 11am
The Four Shires Bloodhounds
Where and when? Market Square, Ashbourne at 12pm
The Readyfield Bloodhouds
Where and when? Claxhill Farm, Norwell, Newark at 12pm for a 12.30pm start
The Staff College & Royal Military Academy Sandhurst Drag Hunt
Where and when? The Cricketers, Hartley at 12 noon
The Wilton
Where and when? Odstock Manor, Salisbury at 10.45am for 11am
The “situations vacant” column has been particularly busy this year as jobs within hunt service become available and then positions are filled, which has a knock-on effect, filtering down through the ranks until hopefully everyone finds a suitable position.
There are two ways to progress within hunt service. Firstly, to climb the ranks of responsibility. Roughly speaking, the order of progression might go from kennelman or second whipper-in, to first whipper-in then kennel-huntsman.
In the latter role you are, as the name suggests, responsible for the care of the hounds and running of the kennels but still acting as first whipper-in on the hunting field, usually to an amateur huntsman — most often one of the masters. The top of the professional tree is, obviously, huntsman.
While it is possible to progress within a hunt, it is usually easier to move to advance, which also has the added bonus of adding to one’s experience in terms of types of hounds and country.
The second way to progress is by moving to a “bigger” pack. This is usually measured in terms of numbers of days hunted, although quality of country is also a factor and everybody has an unofficial league table in their head based on their own preferences. So one might move as a first whipper-in from a two-day-a-week pack to a three- or four-day-a-week pack, or to a pack with a perceived better country.
At 33 I am still a relatively young huntsman, but I can now look back on 17 seasons in hunt service. As with many of my generation, I went straight as a first whipper-in. This is more of sign of the times than of any particular brilliance on my part.
There are many fewer jobs available, with fewer kennels employing two whippers-in. There is also less demand for the jobs, making the progression up the ranks much quicker than days of old, and vital experience and maturity are not necessarily gained along the way.
Huntsmen 20 years my senior are far more likely to have entered hunt service as a second whipper-in, and 20 years prior to that they would likely have started in the stables as second horseman — a job now sadly defunct.
Joining forces
There has been much talk of late on amalgamation and, while I don’t want to dwell on specific cases, one great bonus would be that there would be fewer hunts.
“Why is that a bonus?” I hear you cry. Hear me out. Fewer hunts would mean bigger hunts with healthier finances and more country available to hunt, which hopefully would lead to better hunts with a better staffed kennels on more traditional lines. With any luck there would be fewer two-day-a-week packs and more three/four-day packs, which would have the result of increasing the number of junior roles.
It would also increase the demand for jobs so that hunts had an even greater choice of applicants and the career path would slow down, which in turn would add to the depth of experience within the profession.
Despite all the challenges that the hunting community faces, hunting is still a wonderful career option. As I walk out the Pytchley hounds on a morning and pass the streams of cars on their way to the office or the station, I reflect that there really is nothing I would rather do. If you can make a career out of what you are most passionate about, then you are blessed indeed.
So, I would certainly say to any young hunting enthusiasts, go and spend a few days helping in your local kennels and, who knows, you could live happily ever after.
The owner of a young mule who followed hounds for the first time on New Year’s Day joked that the “stars lined up” for his dream to come true.
Chris Cooke, owner of Cornwall Swimming Horses, had been interested in mules for some time, when a friend spotted an advertisement online for “Zeb”, near the end of last year.
He was not ideally placed – in Ipswich, some 400 miles away – but when Chris asked a friend, with whom he occasionally “goes to a sale to look at horses, bringing a trailer just in case”, if he fancied the trip, the answer was a yes, and they set off.
“One of the few things I’ve finally realised I’m good at is having the instinctive sense of a good horse – or I suppose I’ll have to say a good equine now!” Chris told H&H.
“I met him over an electric fence and thought, yes.”
Then-four-year-old Zeb had been backed, but Chris put work into him to ensure he could go hunting happily.
“All my horses hunt,” he said. “It does them the power of good in terms of education; they learn to think for themselves, and have to be clever. The country is perfect for him here; it’s not big country where you need a thoroughbred with all the stamina, they have to be tough and clever.
“So I had to get him fit – and teach him to jump!”
Chris, with a group of others from his yard, went to the New Year’s Day meet, which was in hacking distance.
“It’s always a slight risk, taking a horse out for the first time to a big meet, but I knew the ground would be suitable for him, and it wouldn’t overface him – and he just took it all in his stride,” Chris said. “His big ears were flicking here and there, taking it all in, but we’ve built up a real bond.
“He jumped a stone ‘hedge’ [wall] a good 3’6” to 4” high; he jumped up, I stopped him because there was a ditch, and then he just jumped that too – he really gets it.
“Mules are so expressive; their ears are talking to you all the time, and their tails swishing, like a dog wagging its tail or a peeved cat. You could tell he was loving it.”
The rider joked that she knows how it feels to be the victim of discrimination
Chris said that “everything fell into place”, to allow him to buy and hunt Zeb, such as his friend’s agreeing to the drive, the buyer holding on to the mule rather than selling him before Chris could get there, and the fact the meet was so near allowing Zeb to hack there with friends from the yard.
The mule will hunt again this season, and Chris expects that by summer, he may well be joining the horses who swim with his clients in the Cornish sea.
“People are now saying: ‘I’ve got this 16hh mule I’m having trouble with’, and I’m thinking ‘do I need another horse? No. Do I want another one? Yes!” Chris said.
“There’s also a plan to go to Spain, buy a couple of mules and ride them back – but not just yet.”
For all the latest news analysis, competition reports, interviews, features and much more, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, on sale every Thursday.
The Rolleston Foxhunting Collection, a gem of a book collection about early foxhunting is available for purchase for the first time.
Begun in the 19th century, it is probably the largest in private hands and was much enlarged by the originator’s family to its present 534 titles, of which the great majority are first editions.
“It was started by my wife Georgina’s family – she is a niece of Sir Lancelot Rolleston,” said Moray Scott-Dalgleish, a well-known hunting man who has been a strong promoter of cross-country races such as the Melton Hunt Club Ride.
“It is a fascinating collection which contains much important social history, and is worth a six-figure sum.”
The Rolleston Collection features just about everything to do with hunting from 1650 to 1950, biographies, advice on hunting, cartoons, poetry, care of hunters, songs, great runs, fiction and more.
Moray said: “Any serious hunting man or woman should seriously consider it as an investment. This is a field where prices rise very quickly and rarely decline.”
The collection includes a number of extremely rare publications, such as the earliest imprint of The Meynellian Science by John Hawkes.
‘I knew the ground would be suitable for him, and it wouldn’t overface him – and he just took it…
“Many books are beautiful. Some are just very special, such as Nicholas Coxe’s The Gentleman’s Recreation of 1674 and Peter Beckford’s Thoughts on hunting of 1781. It is unlikely that the collection will ever be matched, except at great cost.”
A feature of the collection is a complete set of RS Surtees’ hunting novels in first edition, featuring famous hunting characters such as John Jorrocks, Soapey Sponge and Lucy Glitters.
The collection may currently be viewed by appointment with Nicky Dunne, telephone number 0203 9504763, of Heywood Hill, 10 Curzon Street, London W1J 5HH.
For all the latest news analysis, competition reports, interviews, features and much more, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, on sale every Thursday.
John Holliday blows for hounds at Aswarby Park - The Belvoir Hunt meet at Burton Pedwardine on Tuesday the 25th of February 2014.
It transpired that the smoke above Oakham was black — there will be no Quorn and Cottesmore merger in the immediate future. After much debate and a narrow vote, the status quo remains.
While a replacement for Peter Collins at the Quorn has yet to be appointed, it is good news that the present kennel-huntsman at the Cottesmore, Chris Edwards, will carry the horn next season. He was raised within a good golf shot of Belvoir Castle and is a former Belvoir whipper-in, so we watch his progress with keen interest and whole-hearted support.
Utter nonsense
There has been a rather underhanded effort running to stop many traditional Boxing Day meets. Grantham town council has not escaped this deceitful campaign. The Conservative mayor caved under the pressure of vicious online abuse and declined to entertain the Belvoir at the traditional Guildhall Boxing Day meet — citing, of course, “health and safety” as the excuse.
This happened at the 11th hour and gave little time to make alternative arrangements. The hunt has met in Grantham since the early 1800s, and at the Guildhall since 1893. Aside from the 125-year tradition, one might imagine that the sight of hounds, horses and scattered scarlet would provide some welcome distraction in a town blighted by empty shops.
Following a huge logistical effort, the meet went ahead close to the Guildhall at The Paddocks, and received, if anything, more support than ever. It would have been contemptible for old and young alike, who have loyally turned out for years, had they been deprived of such a spectacle by a few keyboard warriors and spineless politicians.
With such a bold turnout of the faithful, a handful of placard-bearing objectors looked sadly alone and alienated. It subsequently proved to be the case that few were from Grantham; most were bussed in for the occasion.
A seaside visit
We were recently invited to follow in the footsteps of Parson Milne and Henry Higginson and hunt the Cattistock country. The Jurassic coast provided a dramatic backdrop to the meet at the Abbotsbury Swannery.
Many subscribers made the long journey south, where heavy showers did nothing to dampen spirits, and a good, busy day was followed by a long and convivial evening organised by our generous hosts.
Into the new year and across the River Smite, the Quorn will by now have decided on new masters and soon a new huntsman. A certain amount of reorganisation may be needed and some will be disappointed that things haven’t gone their way, but the Quorn remains the most famous pack in the world: what is good for them is good for all of hunting. It behoves all ranks of the Quorn to unite behind the appointments.
In the meantime, Peter Collins approaches his closing months after 42 years in hunt service; with hard work and determination he rose through the ranks before his final move to Quorn in 2002. We hope that all those who have enjoyed the sport he has provided will ensure that his hard work and loyalty is suitably rewarded.
Testimonial events are no doubt underway — flowers have their place, but nothing says “thank you” like the crackle of a treasury note. Happy New Year.
A £30 mini mule made his hunting debut on Boxing Day with his five-year-old rider on board.
Napoleon, who stands about 10hh, tackled banks and leaped a gate, the latter without tiny Farrah Costello on board, on his first time out with the Premier Harriers in Ballylooby, Tipperary.
“We watched a film about hunting the other day, and were talking about it, and Farrah said she wanted to go,” mum Lara Costello told H&H. “It was going in at the deep end a bit, but Napoleon managed really well.”
Lara, who had spent time in the US and fallen for the draught mules she had seen there, spotted Napoleon advertised as a three-year-old, “but I think he was more like a yearling” for 30 Euros (£26.80) eight years ago.
“He was just down the road so I convinced my husband my horse needed a companion. I went to see him saying ‘If he’s not friendly, he’s not coming home’, and he just jumped into my arms, jumped into the trailer and the rest is history,” she said.
Lara said she “had no intention of having kids” at the time, but Farrah arrived, and aged two, decided she wanted to ride.
“I had nothing to back Napoleon with, so I just said to him: ‘Listen, mate, you’ve got to do me a favour now’ – and he’s never put a hoof wrong with her.”
Farrah and her trusty steed took part in lead rein showing, in which Napoleon “looked beautiful and behaved impeccably”.
“Every time we’ve taken him out, he’s surprised me,” Lara said. “I’ve never seen an animal love what he was doing so much.
“When we went hunting, I couldn’t believe how gutsy he was. There was a big bank, about three feet high, and he just launched off it. Then we came to a gate bigger than he is, so I took Farrah off and he went straight over it from a standstill.”
Lara said the plan now is for Napoleon and Farrah to take part in showjumping.
The 26-year-old gelding ‘absolutely loved’ his first affiliated class
“He’s unbelievable,” she said. “I love him so much, then every time we do anything with him, he steps up, and I love him all the more.
“When Farrah outgrows him, we’ve got a little trap so we’ll drive him; he’s got a home for life here. We’ll never part with him because we owe him so much.”
For all the latest news analysis, competition reports, interviews, features and much more, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, on sale every Thursday.
People often ask me about a career in hunt service. In considering my response to this question, there’s no denying the fact that hunting has changed an awful lot over the past 20 years. If you’re looking to make a fortune by working very few hours, a career in hunt service definitely won’t be for you. However, if your interests include hounds, horses, hunting and the countryside, there are few better ways of life.
Despite the obvious problems, including the political situation, I always find it very encouraging to see the amount of young people we still have showing interest in this career. One of the challenges we face is people feeling that the older generations have “seen the best of hunting”.
While this may ring true in some ways, I’m a great believer in the here and now. It’s our generation’s job to make the best of what we have. I have a one-year-old daughter now who is already showing a keen interest in ponies and hounds and I would certainly like her to have the chance to enjoy trail hunting, should she want to, in the future.
The old ways
While I’m always keen to encourage youngsters, I’m also careful not to hide just how hectic life can get in this role. Any pack that hunts two or three days a week as well as running a flesh round is always going to be busy.
Currently, there just aren’t the jobs out there that there were. Most people will now go straight into hunt service as a whipper-in with limited knowledge of kennels or how to handle a pack of hounds. Very few hunt staff now have the chance to start as kennelman, second horseman or even second whipper-in.
I was extremely lucky to have started my career in hunt service with one of the best professionals in the business. Tom Batterbee, a Yorkshireman and a true countryman, was huntsman of the Suffolk when I went there in 1990. He was “old school” but loved nothing more than encouraging young people and, more importantly, taking the time to explain the ins and outs of the job, both on the hunting field and at home in kennels and stables.
Most hunt staff will be talented either on a horse or with the hunting horn. They might work best with the hounds or have a good voice. Tom excelled in each of these areas. Working for him for a total of six seasons, both as kennelman and whipper-in, taught me an awful lot and I still value his opinions extremely highly to this day.
While there are some new and better ways of doing things, such as worming the hounds and pressure washing the kennels, generally speaking most kennel jobs are still best done in the traditional way. I’m a big fan of many of the old ways; I have always thought that the reason all of the old school huntsman kept the same jobs for 20 to 30 years was because they were good at it and knew what they were doing.
I strongly believe, like with many things in life today, we need to continue to learn and adapt with the times.
By maintaining the important hunting traditions and merging these with new ideas, we’re building strong foundations for a great future.
Quorn Hunt 09.11.15
Peter Collins (H/Man) & Hounds
Three special testimonial meets have been arranged for Quorn huntsman Peter Collins, who is retiring at the end of this season after 17 seasons with the Leicestershire pack.
There is one meet in each part of the Quorn country, on Monday, 28 January, Friday, 1 February and Tuesday, 5 March.
Please contact the hon secretary Frank Herrick for meet details and to book, at secretary.qh@qh-mail.co.uk; t: 0116 2595 530
Visitors attending the testimonial meets will pay a standard cap, and are invited to make a donation, both of which will go to Peter Collins’ testimonial fund.
Followers are asked to note that Peter’s last meet will be on Friday 8 March, which will be followed by champagne tea at the kennels.
“We would be very pleased to see friends old and new out hunting with the Quorn to celebrate Peter’s great hunting career,” said hunt chairman William Bevin.
“So come and have a day with Peter any time between now and the end of the season. Visitors are always welcome.”
For those who are interested in donating to Peter Collins’ testimonial fund, it is open now.
Take out a trial subscription to Horse & Hound magazine and get 6 issues for just £6
Contributions can be made via PayPal on the Quorn’s website, or a cheque can be sent to the hon secretary (with a note stating it is for Peter Collins’ testimonial). People can also pay by bank transfer, and are asked to contact the secretary for details.
Prior to becoming Quorn huntsman in 2002, Peter had whipped-in at packs including the Fernie and the Heythrop, and was kennel-huntsman at the Portman and huntsman of the Chiddingfold, Leconfield and Cowdray and the Seavington.
Ollie Finnegan will become the new Quorn huntsman on 1 May.
For all the latest news analysis, competition reports, interviews, features and much more, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, on sale every Thursday.
In the current edition (17 January) read full coverage of Carl Hester’s day with the Heythrop.
The majority of packs have a committee of some sort; at a recent meeting of ours, the chairman moved the meeting along to item number four on the agenda by saying, “Next an item that never seems to take too long — fundraising.”
We are blessed to have a supporters’ club called the Jorrocks Hunt Club — after RS Surtees’ fictional grocer, who hunted his hounds in Surrey — it is so proactive and does sterling work for our hunt. In fact, we would be lost without it, but once the hunt ball and point-to-point are in full flow we are always looking to any new ideas for raising much-needed funds.
Over the years I’ve witnessed everything from “host a roast” and “bingo with ringo” to watching 200 numbered plastic ducks be thrown in to the Eden.
A recent winner has been a “masters’ dinner” as an auction item at our hunt ball. The masters cook, serve and butler an evening for you and 10 guests at a venue and time of your choosing. All masters must be involved. A word of warning: any masters wishing to offer this at their hunt ball be advised that it is not for the faint-hearted.
The drink flows and so do the “witty” comments, which very quickly turn to insults as the evening descends in to full-on debauchery. I assume that seeing the senior master performing butler duties is too great an opportunity to waste.
It is difficult, but not impossible, to keep inventing fun and original ways to raise money. I have heard of some brilliant events over the years (most of which I have forgotten) and I am going to suggest to the Masters of Foxhounds Association that it considers designating an area on its website where packs can share fundraising ideas and successes. I believe this could reignite people’s enthusiasm for organising new events.
After all, imitation is the greatest form of flattery and our community should engage with each other and share great ideas. We could report to a central page somewhere online on the most successful, innovative and fun ones. We should not be protective over a fundraiser we have thought of that was great fun and raised lots of cash — sharing ideas has to be the way forward.
A new idea?
Of course, we could always copy our opponents and post spurious claims on our websites after every day’s hunting.
For example, “Today we had the so and so sabs out and in this video you can clearly see that they’re dressed in a menacing way and you will witness them trespassing over land, stalking hunt staff, taking pictures of them at work and videoing them all day.
“Sadly, just as the battery on this video runs out you are unable to see them set about a 75-year-old subscriber and her 18-year-old horse. This must stop. If you would like to help us and Morris, please send a donation to the hunt. Details of our bank account are as follows. Together we will win…”
hunting, when suddenly, disaster strikes…:
