As Andrew Cook prepares to step down from a 30-year career with hounds, he talks to Tessa Waugh about his experiences and what he has learnt
ON 1 May this year Andrew Cook is retiring as master of the Dumfriesshire and Stewartry Foxhounds after 15 seasons. It is a big change after 30 years in hunting – a good stint by any standards.
When asked why he is stopping, he bats the question away with a swift, “because my wife told me to”, followed by a hearty cackle.
Andrew is not one to wear his heart on his sleeve. Nor does he enjoy talking about himself. But when pressed he is clear: “I have been in hunting in one way or another since I was 16. I have done 15 seasons here and if I want to do something else, I need to do it now before I get too old.”
Rather pointedly, he adds: “We’ve all seen people who have carried on too long. I don’t want to make that mistake.”
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"}
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This exclusive interview is also available to read in H&H magazine, 25 March 2021 issue
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