The music of the pack is it’s

CRY!

Spring 2000

 

 

HUNTING REPORT

 

The season started on Tuesday 2^nd November with the Opening Meet at Higher Barns. After a blank morning hounds enjoyed a busier afternoon with foxes from Charlie Barnett’s kale and later from Reads Dingle. Scar Farm provided a busy day around Chorlton and on Tuesday 9^th November hounds enjoyed a good day with a sharp hunt from the Caerowlin Wood through the Black Wood, Cae-Drinions, the Hollow Wood and round for Campbells Gorse before our pilot turned back through Rhyd-y-cyffn and to ground in a drain by the Caerowlin Wood.

 

On Thursday 11^th November hounds had a good hunt from a bolted fox at Petton and our pilot was eventually given best at the railway line at Bromley. Saturday 20^th saw a sharp hunt being enjoyed from Hampton to Bradeley Hall via the Goodmoors.

 

We were invited to take hounds to the Quorn country on Friday 26^th November as their hounds were coughing. We enjoyed a good day in difficult conditions; the meet was at Great Dalby and we found immediately. In high winds the hounds hunted their fox for approximately one hour and twenty minutes before being stopped on a shooting estate in the Cottesmore country. In the afternoon, after drawing various covers – including the famous Cream Gorse – blank, we had a circular hunt over quite an amount of arable land. Hounds, who had caught a Quorn fox in some kale in the middle of the day, ought to have caught this fox as well. He was seen in front of them on several occasions; unfortunately after and hour and a half he was lost near some drains. Hounds did not mark him to ground.

 

December proved to be a tricky month with a large amount of rain and changeable weather causing tricky scenting conditions. Fun was had, however, particularly from Derwen Farm St Martins where the field enjoyed some of Mr Woolham’s hedges. Monday 20^th was missed due to frost, depriving us of our meet at Agden. Scenting conditions improved considerably on Monday 27^th and we enjoyed a busy day including a hunt to the Bickerton Hills.

 

The Pony Club enjoyed a very sharp hunt on Tuesday 28^th December from Campbells Gorse / Tre-a-peni via the Hollow Wood and Black Wood to the Caerowlin Wood. Here hounds had checked in some sheep; casting through the wood they refound their fox and after three minutes round the wood killed.

 

After a fine meet at 12.00 on the first day of the Millenium hounds had a busy day taking one fox to Bolesworth. In the afternoon a fox from Chowley took a line to Coddington and then for royalty, Crump’s pit hole, Sibbersfield, Starlings and to ground at Rowley Hill Farm. January continued in the same vein with very good days from the Wern, Higher Lanes Iscoyd and Newton Hall, Oldcastle. Indeed on the latter day hounds ran all day with scarcely a check. Bert also had a very good day hunting hounds on Thursday 20^th January from Lea Old Hall.

 

February provided similar conditions with further good days from Sodylt, Whitegate Farm Coddington, Shelbrooke and Pen-y-lan. Hounds have also enjoyed some decent days in March particularly from Dandy Lodge and Plas yn Grove.

 

To conclude I would say that we have had quite a good season, particularly since Christmas as weather conditions settled. We are very pleased with this season’s new entry and are looking forwards with anticipation. Finally I would like to thank all the landowners and farmers who are so generous in allowing us to hunt over their land. We are also extremely lucky to have such a good team behind the scenes producing hounds and horses day after day. Thank you also to them.

 

 

FROM YOUR CHAIRMAN

 

It seems a long time ago now since the Hunt Supporter’s Dinner at the Memorial Hall, Wrexham on Friday 19^th November. I would like to thank Mary Wynne-Jones and Annie Jones for their invaluable help both on the night and in the build up to the dinner, particularly as our indispensable secretary was abroad!

 

Mr Richard Burge, Chief Executive of the Countryside Alliance spoke with knowledge and thought about the current political problems and I for one felt even more confident about our future after listening to him. It was particularly refreshing that he did not attempt to preach to the converted but encouraged us all to enjoy our sport in every possible way.

 

The area Committees have continued to work hard throughout the winter months getting ready for the functions through the summer and looking for all the support they can get at every one – check the diary!

 

You will notice the enclosure of the Grand National Draw tickets; if you wish these can be handed in at the Flint & Denbigh Point to Point on Sunday 26^th March, at the Secretary’s caravan. Please put them in an envelope marked for the attention of Louise Phillips. J.C.

 

AREA I (Wrexham)

 

Our AGM was held recently where the Officers and Committee were re-elected en bloc. The Committee were also pleased to welcome Max Bussey, who very kindly helped at our fund raising events last year. Area 1 enjoyed a successful fund raising year again and have made donations to Riding for the Disabled and the County Air Ambulance in addition to Central Committee.

 

Our events held this year will follow previous years to include the Gymnkhana at Bryn y Pys, Overton; a Summer Party at Parky Lodge Farm, Pickhill and our Fun Ride at Argoed Farm, Rhosymadoc.

 

The Gymnkhana will be held on Sunday 14^th May and will hold the usual show jumping, handy pony and gymnkhana classes with trophies to winners in all classes. Schedules will be available shortly from saddlers, feed merchants etc or committee members. We are extremely grateful to Mr Peter Rosselli for the continued use of this wonderful venue, also to Mr and Mrs Thompson who farm the land.

 

Our Summer Party on Friday 16^th June will again be held at Parky Lodge Farm, by kind invitation of Ann and Brian Jones. Ann and Brian always make us very welcome, so come along and enjoy the evening with us. Tickets will be available from Committee members.

 

The Fun Ride will be held on Sunday 24^th September at Wynnstay Home Farm, by kind permission of the Wynnstay Estate and neighbouring farmers. As always the ride will cater for all standards and ages so come and take advantage of the opportunity to ride across this private land which is not accessible to the public at any other time. Hopefully this year we will enjoy better weather! L.C.M.

 

AREA II (Whitchurch)

 

We held an extremely successful and enjoyable Farmers Hunt Ball in the Whitchurch Civic Centre in February. Enormous thanks must go the Brian and Mary Probin who, as in previous years, worked extremely hard to make the evening such an enjoyable one for everybody. Not resting on their laurels, Brian and Mary have already booked the Civic Centre for next year’s Ball which will be on Friday 9^th February, so make a note in your diary.

 

Other diary dates are the Area II Cross Country Ride at Hanmer on Sunday 8^th October and the Hanmer Church ride, also at Hanmer, on Sunday 22^nd October. E.H.

 

 

AREA III (Malpas)

 

On January 14^th we held a small drinks party at The Stonehouse, by kind invitation of Brian and Mary Rutter, for our Committee and the people who had been kind enough to allow us to use their homes for functions. A presentation was made to Wendy Plews who has retired from our Committee after many years.

We will be holding a Donkey Derby and Disco again this year at Clutton Hall on Saturday 1^st July, starting at 6.30 pm. We had great fun last year so I hope you will all come along and join in.

 

Our Cross Country Ride will be held at Clutton Hall on Sunday  15^th October.

 

S.D.

  

 

If your horse be well bred, and in blooming condition;

Both up to the country and up to your weight,

Oh, then give the vein to your youthful ambition;

Sit down in the saddle and keep his head straight.

  

WELL! YOU THINK IT HAS BEEN A WET SEASON 1999!

 

This season the ground has ridden as wet as any I can remember. To be wet so early in the season is most unusual.

 

It is a fact that in 1999 we have not had as much rain in the year as we had in 1998 but in the second half of 1999 considerably more rain fell than in the comparative period of 1998. In addition, following the wet year of 1998, water tables were already high and this contributed significantly to the wet going.

 

Comparative figures are shown below. I am extremely grateful to Nevill Hill-Trevor for providing me with his records which are shown in italics.

 

      1998              (Hill-Trevor)                1999                (Hill-Trevor)

 

Total Rainfall                            31.25”  46.63”             29.12”  48.50”

 

Rainfall August to December     13.55”  20.29”             16.62”  27.82”

 

That extra three inches at the time of year when the day light hours are getting less is a very significant quantity. In 1992 we had as much as 19.74” in these five months but that was the year which followed a very dry one and started with a very low water table.

 

Other years in which we had a wetter August to December period include:

 

1984: 19.30”    1966: 17.19”    1965: 16.88”    1960: 19.19”

 

Nevill Hill-Trevor never fails to remind me that, only a short distance away, he is on the receiving end of about 50% more rain than we are ‘down on the plain.’ Of course I scoff at such boasting and remind him that in his case, living on the side of a mountain 650 feet above sea level, the water comes and then flows quickly away!

 

Nevill reminds me what an inch of rain really means; one inch of rain is 100 tons of water per acre!

 

Richard Matson.

 

 

Many a good hunt has been lost by a huntsman assuming that, because his hounds are marking to ground, the hunted fox has gone to ground. The ability of his hounds to mark is laudable, but they are not necessarily discerning as to which fox they are marking. A hunted fox will often try earths that have been inadequately stopped but, if hard pressed, will not linger to check that there are rooms to let; preferring instead to try his luck elsewhere.

 

On coming up to his hounds, the huntsman should immediately lift them from the mark and cast them as he would had they checked; indeed he can afford greater perseverance as, should his fox have gone to ground, he has nothing to lose by this action and possibly much to gain.

 

“Praefectus”

Hunting Observations

 

POLITICAL NEWS

 

Whilst we have all been enjoying the various sports that the winter provides an enormous amount of work has been going on behind the scenes to ensure that we may continue to enjoy them in years to come. In the forefront has been Lord Burns’ Hunting Inquiry which was ratified on 11^th November 1999 by the Home Secretary.

 

Whatever the outcome of the inquiry, nobody could accuse Lord Burns and his committee of indolence. The committee have approached their task on two main fronts; the submission of written evidence by interested parties and familiarisation visits to the different hunting disciplines. To date various members of the committee have visited the Border, Thurlow, Brecon & Talybont, Plas Machynlleth and Irfon & Towy Foxhounds; the Old Berkeley Beagles; the Waveney Harriers; the Devon & Somerset Staghounds (Hind Hunting) and coursing meetings at the East of England, Kimberley & Wymondham, Arlesford and Altcar. They have been accompanied by the Countryside Alliance and ‘Deadline 2000’ (i.e. the antis) on these visits.

 

Certainly, judging from the committee members I have met coursing, they have approached their task with an open mind and have listened to all interested parties with equal attention. They now have the formidable task of digesting the written evidence submitted to them, not only by organisations such as the Countryside Alliance, the National Union of Countryside Workers and the League Against Cruel  Sports but also by many individuals. The intention is for Lord Burns to publish his report by 31^st May but in the face of the enormous amount of evidence submitted to the committee it would seem possible that further time may be required.

 

The Countryside Alliance’s submission is based on three key elements; the reduction in legitimate civil liberty which a ban would impose; the implausibility of the case against hunting on animal cruelty grounds; and the harm that any ban would do to a countryside already faced with the disintegration of many of its communities. For those of you into such things, the committee’s website at www.huntinginquiry.gov.uk is well worth a visit.

 

Meanwhile in Scotland Lord Watson has published his Private Members “Protection of Wild Mammals (Scotland)” Bill. This is complete lunacy but, because there is no Upper House which could apply common sense to prevent this nonsense, the Bill could become law by the Autumn;

 

·        ‘A person must not hunt a wild mammal with a dog.’

·        ‘An owner or occupier of land may not permit another person to enter or use it to hunt a wild mammal’

·        ‘An owner or keeper of a dog may not permit another person to use it to hunt a wild mammal.’

·        ‘A person may not own or keep one or more dogs intending any of them to be used to hunt a wild mammal.’

 

 

For coursing enthusiasts, at least, there is a loophole as this cutting from The Times in 1956 describes:-

 

“A mile or so out from the capital two brakes with a pair of horses to each were waiting. With relief I saw that one was for us, while the cheetahs obediently jumped up on the other. They sat as well behaved as children going to a Sunday School treat. The Maharaja mounted the box of our brake. At his word we moved off over the nearest ridge. As we crossed the top he gave the Mahrathi equivalent of “View Hallo!” and there, a quarter of a mile away, was a herd of 30 blackbuck.

The herd moved slowly and we drew closer. “Look, they’ve unhooded him,” shouted the Maharaja. “Let him go,” he called. Down jumped the cheetah. His movements were slinky and delicate but the distance between him and the herd narrowed. Suddenly as if on a word of command they started to trot out and jump. The cheetah moved faster. The alarm seemed to sound and in one movement the blackbuck went all out.

Away went the herd and we were left with the dying buck and our cheetah. An acolyte descended with a large knife and a monstrous wooden spoon. He cut the buck’s throat and filled his spoon with blood, pouring it into the cheetah’s mouth and forcing it to let go.”

 

So I am already in negotiations with my Pakistani coursing friends (coursing is one of the most popular sports in Pakistan) for a couple of cheetahs. Try banning hunting with cats, Lord Watson.

 

 “BEWARE OF BARONS, BARONETS AND BIRDS!”

 

In a long  bye-gone age, when the letters “M.F.H.” after a gentleman’s surname meant that he was the most powerful, influential and sometimes feared man in the countryside, some holders of the office took a great pride in their ability to spread terror throughout the ranks of their followers. I believe that it was Lord Annaly, who was Master of the Pytchley in the early 1900’s, who gained a considerable reputation for being able to fire the most blistering broadsides at any one of his followers who went astray. One day a visitor erred in such a fashion that he received a rocket from his Lordship. When the storm was passed, the visitor said: “Thank you very much, my Lord, but anything you have just said to me was like the twittering of a small bird compared with Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn!” That Sir Watkin was the 7^th Baronet who reigned over his vast estates and was Master of his own hounds – which, incidentally, were a private pack – for nearly 60 years, 1885 to 1944, and whose ‘turn of phrase’ is still talked about in this country today.

 

Sir (Owen) Watkin Williams-Wynn, 10^th Baronet, and a Master of Hounds for 50 years, was my senior Joint Master and a highly respected one. He could control the mounted field with ease, by his excellent horsemanship and his commanding presence. He seldom found it necessary to shout or to swear, so when he did either, or both, it was the more effective. His advice to me, and to his son, David, now Sir Watkin, who usually acted as Field Master, was brilliant. “If you have to get a grip of any offenders, wait until they have been caught red-handed and they are at a point from which there can be no escape, then say your piece.”

 

A long time ago, in a good Vale hunt, about a dozen members of the field got themselves on to the famous strawberry beds at Farndon and not only rode up and down the rows of strawberries but did a circuit of the strawberry fields trying to find a way out! They were spotted by the Hunt Secretary who became almost apoplectic. Colonel Bill Martin had lost his right arm during the War, but he was a bold and accomplished horseman at an International level. Purple in the face, he spluttered his informatiion to Sir Watkin, who merely said “Leave it to me, Bill.” A few minutes later, when that hunt had been concluded, the Field were all in the corner of a meadow, waiting to get through a gate onto the road. Then Sir Watkin fired his rocket and finished by instructing all the ‘strawberry pickers’ to go home forthwith. One of the party was Mrs Joyce Robertson, Sir Watkin’s sister. As the little group wended their way slowly homewards, Joyce said to her companions: “If I really am illegitimate, I imagine that my brother is too!”

 

What is sauce for the goose is also sauce for the gander. One day we met at Lee and had a particularly good hunt in the morning, catching our fox. Later in the day when hounds had hunted a fox away from Yarnest, through Smithiemoor aand towards Cockshutt, Sir Watkin suggested to me that next time hounds checked we should draw stumps and go home. “We are halfway to Shrewsbury and nearly off the map” He said. I argued – stupidly – that we still had daylight left and if we could account for the fox it would do our reputation, in this reclaimed area, a lot of good. I received a withering look as he rode off. A little later, with an improving scent, hounds raced away over Baggymoor where numerous dykes and the river Perry made mounted pursuit out of the question.

 

On the far side of this desolate bog lay the busy London to Chester railway, the even busier A5 Holyhead road and at least one estate where foxes were discouraged by all means known. As I listened to the cry of the hounds receding into the distance I contemplated the likely fate of this famous pack. At this moment Sir Watkin reappeared at my side like some equestrian Will O’ the Wisp. “Now, Nevill” he said “perhaps you’ll realise that not all old men are bloody fools. I am going home and, if you have recovered any of my hounds still alive before bedtime, I should like to know about it.” If I had been handed a flask containing cyanide poison at that moment, I should have drained it.

 

We had nearly two hours of fruitless searching on a very dark night before there was any information about the hounds at all. Eventually they were discovered and stopped, at Halston, right out in the unhunted counrty. They were counted by the headlights of motor cars and seldom can any Master have been more relieved than I was when I heard the Whipper-in pronounce “All on, Sir!”  Later it transpired that the hounds had hunted across about six miles of very wild country totally unattended. But, when armed with a large glass of David Bridge’s Scotch whisky, I telephoned Sir Watkin to report the end of the hunt, he chortled with glee and said: “What a very good hunt, Nevill, but a pity they didn’t catch their fox!”

 

Nearly thirty years ago, in the early part of the season, we had a spate of crime, some petty but potentially dangerous, and the perpetrators would never own up; gates left open, wire cut, seeds ridden over, cattle pushed into foreign fields and fences smashed but not reported. It got to the stage where our most friendly farmers were beginning to grumble at us. I had a discussion with Sir Watkin, who was certain that firm action was called for.

 

The New Year’s Day Meet, always a Gala occasion, was that year at Bryn-y-Pys and there must have been around a hundred horses and ponies in the Park. At 11 o’clock Sir Watkin made a powerful, and surprise, speech on the subject of the damage and then sent the hounds straight home. This plan had been a very well kept secret within the Mastership. The Field was stunned, and there was certainly some grumbling.  But, as Sir Watkin had said, drastic problems call for drastic action and, as a result, there was no further bother and our farmers very much appreciated what had been done on their behalf.

 

Also about thirty years ago, a strange and unheralded squatter turned up in Royalty. The Huntsman made the initial discovery, for this stranger not only followed him along the ride as he was drawing the cover but, worse still, shouted some rather rude messages. Later some members of the Field were riding home along the lane in the dusk and, as they reached Royalty cover, this noisy visitor startled them by shouting further abuse at them from the branches of a tree. By now you will probably have guessed that this squatter was, in fact, a bird – a large green parrot!

 

So, beware of broadside from Barons, Baronets and Birds and accept that they are usually well deserved and seldom long lasting!

 

N.E.H-T.

 

I am greatly indebted to Nevill Hill-Trevor for yet again providing us with some gems from his amazing fund of memories and anecdotes. To paraphrase Nimrod: “That the quality of broadsides now are not what they were is much to be lamented…..”

 

Hunting literature, particularly Surtees, relies strongly upon the ability of the hero to get himself into a fix. In Surtees’ “Mr Sponge’s Sporting Tour” whole chapters are devoted to this theme. Lord Scamperdale, Master of the Flat Hat Hunt, had Jack Spraggon  “ who acts as sort of bulldog to his lordship, and worries whoever his lordship sets him upon.”  - Lord S himself under the belief that, because he is a Lord, he can’t swear or use coarse language. (Any similarities between Surtees and our current Mastership must be entirely coincidental…) Here is Jack Spraggon as hounds find:-

 

“HOLD HARD, gentlemen,” roared Jack, clapping his spurs into his grey, or rather his lordship’s grey, dashing in front, and drawing the horse across the road to stop the progression of the field. “HOLD HARD, one minute!” repeated Jack, standing erect in his stirrups, and menacing them with his whip (a most formidable one.) “Whatever you do, pray  let them get away! Pray don’t spoil your own sport! Pray remember they’re his lordship’s hounds! – that they cost him five and twenty underd – two thousand five underd a year! And where, let me ax, with wheat down to nothing, would you get another, if he was to throw up?”

 

As Jack made this inquiry, he took a hurried glance at the now pouring-out pack; and seeing they were safe away, he wiped the foam from his mouth on his sleeve, dropped into his saddle, and catching his horse short round by the head, clapped his spurs into his sides, and galloped away, exclaiming,

“Now, ye tinkers, we’ll all start fair!”

 

Later in the hunt, hounds check but unfortunately Mr Sponge’s horse, Hercules, fails to stop….

 

“Sing out, Jack! Sing out! For heaven’s sake sing out,” shrieked his lordship, shutting his eyes, as he added, “or he’ll kill every man Jack of them.”

 

“Now, SUR!” roared Jack, “can’t you steer that ere aggravatin quadraped of yours?”

“Oh you pestilential son of a pontry-maid!” screeched his lordship, as Brilliant ran yelping away from under Sponge’s horse’s feet. “Sing out Jack! Sing out!”  gasped his lordship again.

 

“Oh you scandalous, hypocritical, rusty booted, numb handed son of a puffing corn cutter, why don’t you turn your attention to the feeding of hens, cultivating cabbages, or making pantaloons for small folks, instead of killing hounds in this wholesale way?” roared Jack; an enquiry that set him foaming. “Oh , you unsighty, sanctified, idolatrous, Bagnigge-Wells coppersmith, you think because I’m a lord, and can’t swear or use coarse language, that you may do what you like; rot you, sir, I’ll present you with a testimonial! I’ll settle a hundred a year upon you if you’ll quit the country!” Added his lordship.

 

*.*.*

 

And, within the scope of broadsides, let us not forget the hapless hunt servant who very often has to act as the huntsman’s emergency steam valve – knowing full well that by the evening all will have been forgiven and forgotten. Jack Pipes – gentlest of men – was a hunt servant between the wars to a notoriously bad tempered amateur huntsman. One day nothing could go right. His horse trod on a hound at the meet; they struggled to find a fox and when they did it immediately ran to ground; the huntsman’s horse lost a shoe and the second horsemen were nowhere to be seen.

 

Eventually, late in the afternoon, they found a decent fox and a decent scent and away they went over the best of the country. Even then poor Jack was left the wrong side of a large cover and had to struggle to get anywhere near the hounds.

 

In the meantime the huntsman was having a fine old time crossing the vale until fate decided to deal him a bad hand as well. Jumping a hedge with a decent drop, to his horror his false teeth shot out of his mouth and into the mud. Thinking quickly he threw off his cap to mark where his teeth had landed.

 

Half an hour later hounds ran their fox to ground and eventually Jack was able to catch up with his master. Approaching him with a broad grin on his face he said “I’ve picked up your hat for you, Sir….”

 

*.*.*

 

Clarence Webster was a huntsman of the old school and not at all averse to telling his hunt staff exactly what he thought of them. Unfortunately he went a bit too far with a very young and inexperienced second whipper-in one morning early in the season; so much so that the aggrieved young man rode his horse to the nearest bus stop, tied it to a lamp-post and caught the next bus home to Mum.

 

I’m pleased to report that this did him no lasting harm and he went on to become a long serving huntsman, although getting tired of such comments as “Tickets Please” or “Move along to the back” from his compatriots at Hound Shows.

 

*.*.*

 

Only once have I been able to provide a justifiable retort to a broadside. We had just taken over the farm but had not yet moved into the house. In those days there was a fiddly little hunt jump off the road by the side of our front gate. Hounds were screaming and Vernon Dickin had contrived to get his young horse wrapped around the jump in a manner that implied a long extrication process. Taking stock of the situation, I said to Griselda Bell, who was by my side, “Come on! This way” and shot off across what is now our front lawn – unfenced in those days. Behind us we could hear a stentorian bellow:-

 

“****** well come back! You cannot go over that ******* person’s lawn!”

 

To which I was able to reply, as I jumped the hedge into our vegetable garden:-

 

“It’s my ******* Lawn”

 

 

(This tactic did not succeed for the wife of a prominent landowner in the Cheshire country, who was sent home by a Master of the Cheshire for riding across seeds. When she explained that they were her own seeds, she was told that in that case it was even worse as she should have set a better example.)

 

 

 

“Deprive him of horses and hounds as you will

A fox-hunter once is a fox-hunter still”

 

 

 

THE HUNT SUPPORTERS CLUB

 

Patron: Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn, Bt.                                    President: Mrs D.W. Hutchinson Smith

 

Vice Presidents: A.R. Hewitt Esq.; J Chantler Esq.; P. Robinson Esq.; Mrs G. Lea, J.P.;

Mrs J. Taylor,; J.C. Barnett Esq.

 

Chairman:       Mrs J. Chantler 01829 270 233

Vice-Chairman: Mrs G Hanmer 01948 710 634

Hon. Secretary:          Miss K Slater 01829 250 217

Treasurer:      P Lawrence Esq.

 

Editor: David Higham, Rose Farm, Coddington, Tattenhall, Chester CH3 9EN

01829 782 420 (H) 01948 666 750 (W)

 

Area I (Wrexham)

 

Chairman: S. Lloyd Esq. 01978 780 368

Secretary: Mrs Linda Maurice, Cinders Fm, Overton Rd, Ruabon, Wrexham LL146HL 01978 822 424

 

Area II (Whitchurch)

 

Chairman: S.N.R. Brunt Esq. 01948 710 678

Secretary: Mrs G Hanmer, The Stables, Bettisfield Park, Hanmer, Salop SY13 2JZ 01948 710 634

 

Area III (Malpas)

 

Chairman:  Mrs J Davies 01829 250 212

Secretary: Mrs Sally Chantler, The Bulls Head, Clotton, Chester. 01829 781 354

 

To be sent on Point is to assume a position of great responsibility, upon which the success of a day’s hunting can depend. When still a good way from the cover – two or three fields at least - the huntsman should send on his Points to take up their positions before hounds enter cover.

 

Because the Field are coffee housing on one side of the cover, instead of being tucked up tightly in one corner or, better still, tucked up tightly in a the corner of a field well away from and down wind of the cover, do not assume that their side is being watched; how often has a fox sneaked away on this side without the Field being aware of it. Far better to have sent on someone trustworthy who will pay attention to the game in hand rather than to the games of the previous night’s Hunt Ball.

 

Approach your position  as quietly as possible and with extreme vigilance; the best fox is invariably the fox that leaves first, often before hounds have even been put into the cover. If hounds can hunt this fox then in all likelihood they will be able to return to draw the cover afresh later in the day. Stand at your post as quietly as can be and, keeping your eyes peeled, listen. You should be able to follow the progress of a hunt inside the cover by sound. Have an ear for those Judases of the wood; the Magpie and the Jay; a shriek from either will pinpoint the exact location of Charles James.

 

On viewing a fox, do not move, do not utter a word, do not breathe. Let the fox make his own way and watch him ljke a hawk. Mark where he was last seen and then pause. Make sure that your fox is the hunted fox as best you can and once you are reasonably certain that your fox is the fox then sing out with abandon until acknowledged by the huntsman doubling his horn.

 

Your duties do not end here; position yourself to indicate where the fox has gone whilst still being able to be seen by the huntsman as he arrives. If possible, move to the spot in the hedge where you last saw your fox and stand there with your hat indicating the direction so that the huntsman can bring his hounds up from behind and prevent them running heel. Perform these duties correctly and you will be assured of the finest start to a hunt that you could wish for.

 

“Praefectus”

Hunting Observations

 

REYNARD THE FOX OR THE GHOST HEATH RUN

By John Masefield

 

In the last issue we left Robin Dawe and his hounds in Ghost Heath Wood having just found their fox who is now introduced as he awakes in the gorse after a night on the tiles….