Life’s all getting and giving

I’ve only myself to give

What shall I do for a living?

I’ve only one life to live.

End it? I’ll not find another.

Spend it? But how shall I best?

Sure the wise plan is to live like a man

And Luck may look after the rest!

 

Rudyard Kipling

The Wishing-Caps

 

As another season draws to a close we say Good Bye and Thank You to William Wakeham who has – temporarily we hope – hung up his horn and instigated what, in these modern days of business speak, can only be described as a career change – and some change too; something to do with guarding pylons in Iraq was all the information that I could get out of him. A further tribute to him appears later on in Cry but we wish him, Jo and Tara all the very best in what will surely prove to be a very different lifestyle.

 

Looking ahead we welcome Jonathan Clark into the Mastership and await the arrival of Richard Tyacke from the Tynedale as our Joint Master and amateur huntsman. Richard will be arriving slightly later than the traditional 1^st of May as he is taking a bit of time off to get married but no doubt will waste no time in become acquainted with as many members of WHSC as possible.

 

We also bid farewell and thank you to Second Whip Shane – not that he is going far as he has been promoted to be First Whipper-in to Guy Mather at the Cheshire. Shane has made a lot of friends whilst being at the Wynnstay – not least of all Sally! – and we wish him all the best in what should prove to be a very interesting and challenging job.

 

On the political front things are currently – a pessimist would say rather ominously – quiet. The absence of a mention in the Queen’s Speech and no indication as yet as to what the fate of the Hunting Bill will be at least gives us pause for breath but at the same time this is no reason to be complacent and there is really no guessing what this Government will get up to next. Let us enjoy the respite but charge up our batteries for the next assault on our liberty and livelihood.

 

Commiserations to those unlucky enough to have been injured over the last season and all wishes for a speedy recovery. One of the features of the Hunt Rides getting back to normal profitability after the depravations of bad weather and foot and mouth has been that all the areas of WHSC have been able to make substantial donations to local charities. Fortuitously both the Air Ambulance and the Malpas First Response Team have benefited from your generosity and by a curious co-incidence both have been used to treat casualties in the hunting field.

 

Please find enclosed tickets for the Grand National Draw – your support is greatly appreciated and it is a very good fund raiser for the Hunt. As hunting draws to a close remember that there are many hunting related events throughout the Spring and Summer to support and enjoy so come and join the fun whenever you can.

 

FROM OUR CHAIRMAN

 

It just seems like yesterday when Richard Pitman kindly came to entertain us at he Annual Dinner. I think that all who were there were very amused with his local and not so local stories! I would like to thank Charlie Barnett, Johnnie Turner and John Harvey – and of course our hard working Committee - for all their help towards what was a very successful evening. John Harvey stayed especially to do the Bingo before leaving for Egypt! Please put this year’s WHSC Dinner on Friday November 19^th in your diaries.

 

We have all enjoyed the various activities each area committee has organized, whether it was an excellent Ride, Gymkhana, Bowling, Dance or Quiz Night. All were excellent and very well attended. Thank you Chairmen, Secretaries and Committee Members for your energy and commitment throughout the year.

 

I would also like to thank William Wakeham for all his help, support and requests he has given us over the last six years. We wish him, Jo and Tara the very very best in the future.

 

Bangor on Dee Racecourse has kindly offered the Hunt Supporters Club special tickets for the Evening Meeting on Friday 30^th April which features the Wynnstay Hunt Supporters Handicap Chase and parade of hounds. If you would like to take full advantage of the extremely generous offer please complete and send off the application form in Cry. Normal advance booking ticket price is £13 – our price is £10 and for every ticket sold the Racecourse will donate £3 to WHSC. So book now and come and enjoy an excellent evening’s racing.

 

My final thanks must go to Peter Lawrence who continues to keep the Books and Charlotte Percival, most efficient of Secretaries and without whom my job and your Club would not be so successful.

 

AREA I [WREXHAM] NEWS

 

The Bryn-y-Pys Show was slightly disappointing this year but what goes round comes around and we had a very successful Ride over a completely new part of the country, starting at Bryn-y-Pys and tracing a roughly circular route to Adrefelyn and back. Many thanks to Geoff Dutton, Stephen Lloyd and Gerrard Owen for their help in setting this out and to the farmers and landowners for allowing us to cross their land and in particular to those who helped to make the ride such a great success by moving their cattle away from the route.

 

As always a great many thanks to Gerald Williams for his continuing help and support. This year’s Bryn-y-Pys Show and Gymkhana will be on Sunday 30^th May and our Ride on Sunday 26^th September.

 

AREA II [WHITCHURCH] NEWS

 

A big Thank You to Charlie Barnett, Geoff Bourne and their helpers who kindly organized a brilliant cross-country ride in October. They put in a huge amount of work and were rewarded by a large number of riders despite competition from other rides in the neighbourhood, raising generous sums for the Hunt and the Air Ambulance. Charlie and Geoff handed over the cheque to the Air Ambulance at the meet at Bank Farm in January. Thanks are also due to Mr and Mrs Mottershead for the loan of their field for parking. This year’s Ride will be on Sunday 10^th October.

 

The Quiz Night in November again proved to be very popular and well attended – thank you to Mudguard for his sometimes fiendish questions. It is such a jolly evening with hot pot supper and bar. The results were very close with very few marks separating the majority of teams but an incredibly obscure piece of knowledge remembered by Sue Clark meant that her team won the day.

 

Thank you yet again to Mary and Brian Probin for organizing such a very successful and enjoyable Farmers Hunt Ball in Whitchurch – ably assisted by Elizabeth Mayer and Robin Benson who I hear were red hot on table planning! It is excellent value and tickets were a sell out  so book early to avoid disappointment for next year’s Farmer’s Ball on February 11^th 2005. Thank you from me to a very supportive Committee.

 

AREA III [MALPAS] NEWS

 

Area III have had a very successful year with the main fund raisers being the Donkey Derby and the Ride. This has enabled us to make donations to Central Committee, Farndon Church and the Malpas First Response team. This has assisted them to purchase their very own 4wd vehicle which means that they can keep all their equipment centrally and do not have to swop it around every time they change shifts.

 

Both the First Response team and the Air Ambulance have been used by members of WHSC this season so the donations are not merely philanthropic! Interestingly, although the Chester Chronicle were very keen to print an article on the Malpas First Response they were not at all helpful regarding the cheque presentation picture and would not even report on the donation – not that they are biased or anything.

 

Following our recent AGM we welcome Lorna Dimelow, Derek Dutton and Ian McDowell onto the Committee.

 

The date for this year’s Donkey Derby is Sunday 25^th July – 1^st Race 3 pm – once more by kind permission of Charles and Paul Dodd at the Hollies, Malpas. Our Ride will be on Sunday 17^th October and we promise that it will not be as great an endurance course as last year!

 

FROM THE HUNT CHAIRMAN

 

The kind invitation from the Editor to write a few words in Cry gives me the ideal opportunity to thank the Hunt Supporters Club for the wonderful support that it has given the hunt over the last year. It also allows me to update you on hunt matters that maybe of interest.

 

In the case of the former the arrival last summer of a new quad bike and trailer for use by Paul and the Hunt has certainly revolutionised the way in which we operate. Up until the end of January the bike was constantly in use and much appreciated. It was thus extremely annoying and distressing that its theft in late January has meant that Paul has had to revert to his pickup whilst waiting for a replacement. If any good has come from the theft it is that the loss has highlighted the bike’s enormous value to us and we are most grateful.

 

The Kennels has also benefited from the Club’s generosity. The purchase of a new power washer has been a great bonus to Bert and Shane and made their job of keeping the kennels clean so much easier.  I would also like to record thanks for the two generous financial contributions that have been made. The first is for payment of the Club’s third party liability insurance premium, which in the past has been paid by the Hunt, and the second is for kindly agreeing to cover the transport of the buses that went to Highgrove last summer. Both these payments have been greatly appreciated and have done their bit to help the finances!

 

As far as Hunt matters are concerned you will doubtless all be aware that the Mastership changes next season. William Wakeham sadly leaves us after six seasons and is replaced by Richard Tyacke who comes to us from the Tynedale where he has hunted hounds for the last three seasons. Sir Jonathan Clark joins Lord Daresbury and Stephen Lloyd to complete the Mastership team.

 

There is also change in the hunt Kennels with Shane moving to the Cheshire Hunt as First Whipper-in. The final change is the departure of Jeannie Chantler as a Joint Secretary and the appointment of Guy Myddleton as Treasurer in place of Anthony Anson who remains Joint Secretary.

 

Before finishing may I just dwell on the threat that still faces our sport. Despite predictions, a bill was not in the Queen’s Speech although certain ‘backdoor’ guarantees mean that we must remain very vigilant. The Countryside Alliance has played a vital part in winning all the key arguments to help ensure hunting continues. They deserve our full support and in a year that they have launched their new fundraising initiative, Funding the Fight, I do hope that you will do all that you can to help them.

 

I end by thanking you all for everything that you do for hunting and, in particular, Sir Watkin Williams Wynn’s Hounds. Your continued support is so appreciated.

 

E.C.W. MORRISON

 

HUNTING REPORT 2003/04

 

We have enjoyed a better than average season with a good show of foxes, no doubt as a result of the glorious summer.

 

The Opening Meet was held at Higher Barns on Tuesday 26^th October and proved to be a fairly tricky day. The following Thursday at Rock Farm St Martins was busy without being outstanding. Saturday 1^st November saw us all bidden to Daresbury for the Mass Declaration Day Meet. This was a great success and was followed by a busy day from Scar Farm Chorlton.

 

Hounds scored a very good hunt on Tuesday 4^th November from Rose Farm Coddington. Finding at the Beachin they took their fox at a good pace across Mr Bricklands before checking in Aldersey. Picking up the line once more and crossing the road for Slobberscroft a timely piece of information from Dave Adams had them hunting steadily across Mr Morgan’s new ground below Clutton, right handed short of the main road, skirting Coddington and then much more quickly across Rose Farm, Highfields, Edgerely and back for the Beachin. Busy days were also had from Tybroughton Hall, Agden and Shade Oak and from Bromley Hall hounds produced a lovely hunt to Smithymoor and back.

 

December produced steady sport until the start of the Christmas holidays when poor scenting conditions prevailed to the disappointment of our large collection of sporting children. However on Saturday 27^th December the Pony Club Meet was held at Pickhill Bridge Farm. After a busy local morning a fox was bolted from the stick piles below Sutton Green covert at 2 pm.

 

He ran a large circle around Sutton Green, up to Pickhill Hall and across the suspension bridge, running as if for Worthenbury before turning north on Mr Jones’ farm and running up the meadows, over the stone bridge and on to Shocklach church. Just short of here hounds hunted him back towards the river, twisting south and then up off the meadows across Mr Piggott’s farm. Crossing the road hounds settled again running across the Purser Farm to London Lane and Broughton Gorse. Going straight through the covert and up the dingle he was turned by a shooting party and made for Broughton Walls with hounds hunting beautifully on to the Caenant. Here we were delayed freeing a hound caught up in wire and were unable to establish whether they had checked or put him to ground – a frustrating end to a wonderful hunt.

 

January provided some very good days, in particular the day from Rose Hill Erbistock on Saturday 3^rd January. In the afternoon hounds found in the Gerwyn and ran up through the Black Belt, across the Cross Lanes road and after a check on Mr Fearnall’s farm took him right handed almost to Cross Lanes and then back in a westerly direction before crossing the road by Tanglewood. From here hounds screamed away across White House Farm and over the straight mile, through Eyton Hall to the Nant dingle. Here he was headed and hounds ran back for Eyton Hall. Having run the lane our pilot crossed the A528 for Old Hall Wood and then ran up through Park Eyton where they lost him in fading light on some maize stubble just short of the Crymbal Farm. Other good days were had from Bradeley Common, Lower Farm Isycoed and the Woodhouse Farm.

 

February saw the start of a very busy week beginning on Tuesday 10^th February when the Duke of Buccleuch’s hounds met by invitation at Pickhill Old Hall. They suffered from a difficult scenting day although the field had fun and it was a pleasure to entertain friends from north of the border whose sport has been so severely curtailed. The following day our hounds met in the lovely setting of the Jack Mytton Inn at Hindford.

 

After a quiet start they produced a good hunt from the railway line at Crichett, running a short circuit before a timely holloa from John Fearnall had them hunting up the banks to Perthy, down through Pool Wood and Hardwick, over the Ellesmere road and almost to the Brow Golf Course at English Frankton before bringing him back and to ground in a drain below the Nunes Farm. We bolted him and he ran back for a badger sett by the golf course. The Thursday of this week saw the South Shropshire hounds meeting at Sodylt. Nicely hunted by Andrew Vernon they produced a decent morning hunt in catchy scent.

 

In this my last season I would like to thank all those who help to produce a days hunting. The wonderful farmers that we are so fortunate enough to have, the landowners, earthstoppers and hunt staff who all contribute to make this such a fun country and finally a special thank you to Steve Wynn who has been such a good and understanding field master which makes hunting hounds so much easier.

 

May I wish you all good hunting in the future.

 

William Wakeham

 

CAR FOLLOWERS AND WHISKY DRAW

 

A friend of mine can testify to the efficiency of the ‘Valkyries’ when it comes to Car Capping. On his way to lunch at the Cholmondeley Arms recently, well brought up fellow that he is, he pulled onto the verge and switched off his engine whilst our hounds went by. Within seconds he had been accosted and meekly paid up his Car Cap before quietly proceeding on his way…….

 

Helen, Margaret, Patricia and Bronwen would like to thank all the car followers for their help and support in producing a significant contribution to the Hunt Funds. Last season, with the help of Geoff and his Whisky Draw, we handed over £4,000 to the Treasurer.

 

This season, due to the slight increase in our charges, we have already exceeded £5,000. I am sure we would all agree that we get very good value for our money and we should extend a ‘thank you’ to the Mastership and Members for our Winter fun.

 

 

WILLIAM WAKEHAM

 

Rather like the old adage about policemen forever looking younger it scarcely seems like yesterday when a fresh faced William arrived and began familiarising himself with the hounds, the hunt and the farmers – ably assisted by Jeannie who, owing to an unfortunate brush with the magistrates, had been co-opted as driver and general fountain of knowledge. William moved down from the Eglington in Ayrshire having hunted them for five seasons under the watchful and endlessly entertaining auspices of the late Bobby Corbett.

 

The 1998/99 season was very wet and proved a tricky first season but William adapted to a very different pack of hounds well and perseverance paid off with some good days after Christmas, most notably from Whalebone Cottage. The season was also notable for the acceleration of the political agenda and much time had to be spent organising Marches – remember Bournemouth, Birmingham and Cardiff? Throughout his term of Mastership the various campaign initiatives instigated by the Countryside Alliance and the Masters of Foxhounds Association have taken up enormous amounts of his time and effort – much of which has been carried out behind the scenes.

 

The first day’s cubbing of the 1999/2000 season – in pouring rain at Eaton Aerodrome - was a week later than normal. Could the reason for this have been the appearance out hunting that morning of one ‘Jo Brown from Kilkenny?’ If William was hoping that this visit would be strictly incognito his hopes were cruelly dashed as I had to admit to him that I had known Jo since she was in nappies. But, as the saying goes, Dear Reader She Married Him. The 1999/2000 season was generally a good one with hounds and huntsman beginning to get to know each other. At the same time the political agenda intensified with the launch of the Burns Inquiry.

 

The 2000/2001 season started very wet and proceeded to get even wetter – fields of wheat remained unharvested and Cross Country Rides had to be cancelled. This however boded well for hunting with the wet conditions and absence of cattle providing good scenting conditions but at times this could be frustrating as extreme care had to be taken as to where the field could go without causing damage. Throughout December and January good days were had and February continued to produce good sport with a particularly good day from Whitegate Farm Coddington on the 20^th.  Little did we realise as we tucked in to Pat Powley’s marvellous tea that the first case of foot & mouth disease was being diagnosed that very day.

 

For an amateur master and huntsman the foot & mouth crisis created any number of problems but William rose to the challenge magnificently. After ensuring that the situation in kennels was under control – for example how the hounds were to be fed – he volunteered to supervise a gang of hunt staff who had been enrolled to carry out the mass cull that MAFF had decreed to be so absolutely vital. To say that this was traumatic would be an understatement. Quite apart from the man management problems involved in looking after a band of mostly strangers carrying out a gruesome task, day after day he had to visit Cumbrian farmers to arrange the disposal of their stock. Anyone who has been to the sale rings in Penrith or Longtown and seen the pride with which these farmers present their cattle or sheep for sale can understand the pain that they must have felt and William was greatly impressed by the quiet dignity and politeness that he received from them.

 

Following protracted negotiations with MAFF hunting resumed after Christmas and some decent sport was had despite the problems of unentered puppies. Because of the lack of hunting the hunt finances were not very healthy so William took it upon himself to organise an auction. Thanks to the huge generosity of a wide variety of donors this made an excellent sum and helped restore financial stability.

 

The 2002/2003 season was, without a doubt, the worst scenting season I have experienced. The barometer was up and down like a yo-yo and day after day would start out promising only to fizzle out. Despite this when conditions permitted the hounds flew which was always encouraging but overall it was a most frustrating of seasons.

 

For someone so allegedly allergic to paperwork one of William’s greatest tricks has been the production of Albert. Always very keen to improve the country William and his team spent the Spring months after hunting covert laying and now, thanks to independent funding from a variety of sources, we have our very own Hunt Conservation Officer in the form of Albert who with help from various followers has already improved many areas of the country.

 

Even as I write this William is flying out to Iraq having been called up earlier than anticipated to his new job. He, Jo and little Tara (how typical of a Yorkshireman to name his daughter after the Yorkshire for ‘Goodbye’) leave behind them a great many friends, a pack of hounds that are going as well as they ever have and a Hunt country that is more crossable now than it has been for many years – what more could one ask?

 

 

FOR OUR 'OLDER' READERS - BORN BEFORE 1940

We were born before 1940.

We were born before television, before penicillin, polio shots, frozenfoods, photocopiers, modern plastics,

contact lenses, videos, frisbees and the Pill.

 

We were just before radr and we were certainly before credit cards, split atorns, laser‑beams and ball‑point pens: before dishwashers, air-­conditioners, tumble‑driers, drip‑dry shirts and before man walked on the moon or even thought it a possibility.

 

We got married first and then lived together  (how quaint can you be): we thought ‘fast food’ was what you ate during Lent and a  'Big Mac' was an ovesized raincoat and 'crumpet' you had for tea. We existed before House Husbands, computer dating, dual careers and when 'meaningful relationships’ meant getting along with cousins, whilst 'sheltered accommodation was where you waited for the bus.

 

We were before day‑care centre, group homes and disposable nappies. WE never heard of FM Radio, tape decks, electric typewriters, artificial hearts, word processors, youghurt and (pirates aside) men wearing ear-rings. For us ‘time sharing’ meant togetherness a ‘chip’ was a piece of wood or a fried potato, hardware meant nuts and bolts, 'software’ wasn’t a word, a RAM was a male sheep and a ‘mouse’ was an animal who frightened the Vicar's wife. A PC was the village Constable.

 

Before 1940 anything ‘Made in Japan' was junk, the term ‘making out’ referred to how you did in your exams,  'stud' was something that fastened a collar to a shirt and ‘going all the way’ meant staying on a double decker bus to the depot. Pizzas, McDonalds and instant coffee were unheard of. In our day cigarette smoking was ‘fashionable’ 'grass' was mown, ‘coke’ was kept in the coalhouse, a ‘joint’ was a piece of meat you had on Sundays and 'pot’ was something you cooked in or kept under the bed. Rock Music was grandmother’s lullaby, ‘Eldorado’ was an ice cream and a’gay’ person was the life and soul of the party. Aids were things to help people with disabilities and a level playing field was unknown.

 

LOOKING FOR GAZELLE IN EASTERN MONGOLIA

 

Penny, Harv and I travelled 2000 kilometers in 16 days, never on a graded or tarmac road, and in that time passed four vehicles. These bald statistics give some concept of this land of endless horizons and lone horsemen and shows how lucky we were to find even a small herd of Mongolian gazelle in their traditional calving grounds.

 

Our trip was efficiently organised by Discovery Initiatives of Cirencester with Julian Matthews their Managing Director in charge. The objective was to find and observe the vast herds of gazelle reputedly all calving within a few days in late June to early July - a sight seldom seen by western travellers. In addition we were to visit Hustai National Park near Ulaan Bator and to explore the wetlands on the Russian Border. Our crew was led by Batbuyan a doctor of anthropology who had studied in Berlin, New York and London. He was supported by a hugely fat driver from the Gobi Desert, a delightful and efficient cook who was training to be a solicitor and her husband who came along for the ride but proved indispensable. We had another driver with his own vehicle who was a local guide to help us locate the gazelle.

 

At Hustai we stayed in comfortable gers and in this 100,000 hectare park we saw the only existing wild herd of Prezelkis horse, elk, endless marmot, golden eagles learning to fly, red kites and a lone and very shy wolf. We learnt later why the wolf was so shy. There was a young student from Belgium setting archaic gin traps made in Texas to catch and collar the poor beasts. This explained the behaviour of our wolf and presumably the ones we didn’t see had three legs!

 

We then flew to Choybalsan an ex Russian army garrison town and capital of Eastern Mongolia. Here helped by our anthropologist leader we began to understand the amazing recent history of Mongolia and the overnight collapse of the communist regime. Mongolia had been supported by Russia for seventy years for economic and strategic reasons. Economically the Russians needed meat and minerals. Strategically the emptiness of Mongolia was a very effective barrier against the aggression of the Chinese. For these seventy years Russia poured resources in the shape of health, education, employment, agricultural development and housing into the country. Suddenly in the early nineties it all came to an abrupt end. But the wonderful and pragmatic Mongolians were always nomads at heart and never much liked towns and houses so returned to their gers, seasonal pastures and horses.

 

Choybalsan was virtually deserted. Huge barrack complexes were being demolished piecemeal and so were the blocks of badly constructed flats. It was fairly obvious to the Mongolians that a ger will always be warmer in winter and cooler in summer and when all is said and done you are closer to your beloved horses. In the north we visited Batbuyan’s village and studied large concentrations of water birds on the many vast lakes. We unfortunately lacked a good “birder” but learnt that the essential guide was Birds of China not Birds of Europe which we all studied earnestly with very little success. We experienced a wonderful welcome wherever we went and it was amazing to see families with nothing offering our party of nine unquestioning hospitality in the shape of tea, curds, cheese and yoghurt. A Polaroid camera and other small gifts were an essential part of our baggage which allowed us in some way to return their hospitality.

 

We now headed south towards the Chinese border and the heart of the gazelle breeding grounds. It quickly became apparent that even with an expert guide and information from an American field worker, herds of 200,000 plus could easily disappear in an area the size of France. Luckily on our first night we located a small herd of about 4,000 calving females and lay for two or three hours in their midst. They had little fear of people on foot because most of the hunters fired from their vehicles. This was a very special moment for us all, a high point of the trip and showed that to find a massive herd would be the experience of a lifetime. Unfortunately it was not to be but as we searched we had some great adventures and learnt some profound Mongolian lessons.

 

The main lesson involved alcohol. Mongolian men historically do not drink until they are 20 years old, between 20 and 40 years old they drink sparingly and after 40 they are seldom sober!  But the Russians had taught them that you never have one drink, you always finish the bottle and get paralytic. One night after a particularly hard day we gave each member of the crew a tot of whisky. This small innocent gesture led to subsequent chaos. Everyone except Batbuyan and the lady cook got very drunk, both vehicles broke down and we experienced some hair raising moments. A Russian minibus with only second and fourth gears, going cross country with a macho drunken driver from the Gobi at the wheel is not an experience to be relished. Harv sat in the back seat and Penny took the precaution of wrapping two towels round her head in preparation for the inevitable crash.

 

We also encountered unmatched hospitality, eccentricity and this novel attitude to drink at a local naadam. At this village on our route 2,000 horsemen, women and children had congregated. Everyone was on a horse. The young men were in designer jeans from China and the girls mostly wore high heels. It was the annual get together and marriage mart. The sole entertainments were the Mongolian versions of wrestling and horseracing. The wrestling was rather like dogs mating and went on forever much enlivened by the head judge (over 40 years old) being so drunk he fell off his podium.

 

But the horseracing was a chaotic spectacle never to be forgotten. One statistic needs mentioning for European riders. The jockeys were all boys and girls between 6 and 8 years old. They mostly rode in all three races either bareback or on blankets. There were two races of 25 kilometers and one for younger horses of 10 kilometers. Each group of horses was herded out onto the steppe by owners and well wishers on motor bikes for the necessary distance. They then galloped back, in clouds of dust intermingled with drunken supporters. This means that these children rode and raced bareback 120 kilometers in one day – Pony Club members take note!

 

Get to this part of Mongolia as soon as possible. If you are lucky, you will see the herds of gazelle; but if you don’t – who cares?  A vast empty country inhabited by delightful eccentric people is a treat that cannot be missed.

 

David Brooks

 

HUNT QUIZ 2003

 

After last year’s Quiz I received a complaint from a notable Hunt Member that there were not enough questions about Wildlife. This year the complaint was not enough on Hunting… The fact that most of the teams finished within a gnats crotchet of each other hopefully meant that there was something for everyone with a bit of amusement thrown in too – not to mention the toppling of the seemingly invincible North Staffs!

 

1. RAGBAG

 

1. Wet Wet Wet originate from which country
2. Who currently sponsors the Grand National
3. Hazel and Bigwig were characters in which book
4. If you were at Geneva Airport which countries would you be in
5. The Girl is Mine is a track from which album by a multi faced singer currently in the news
6. How many noble gases are there
7. Name the odd one out: Rolf Harris, Ian Thorpe, Michael Barrymore and Flipper the Dolphin
8. Which cocktail uses Galliano as its main ingredient
9. What is the longest word in Italian
10. Which hunt has the initials CHE on its buttons ***** six marks

 

2. THINGS AINT WHAT YOU THINK THEY ARE

 

1. What was George VI’s first name
2. In which month do Russians celebrate the October Revolution
3. From which animals do we get catgut
4. Which country makes Panama Hats
5. What colour is the purple finch
6. What is a camel-hair brush made of
7. Where are Chinese Gooseberries from
8. How long did the100 Years War last 
9. The Canary Islands in the Pacific are named after which animal
10. In old English what was the meaning of the word hearse

 

3. NATURAL HISTORY

 

1. Which major game bird is not reared artificially
2. Which arable crop produces a blue flower
3. How many litres of milk will a high yielding dairy cow produce in a year – to the nearest 1,000 litres
4. When does the commercial carrot harvest start in Britain
5. How long does it take a battery reared chicken to reach its minimum acceptable table weight of 4lbs
6. Ragwort provides the habitat for which moth
7. What is the simplest way to differentiate between a frog and a toad.
8. Sketch the tracks that a hare would leave in the snow for just one stride, designating which are the front feet and which are the back.
9. Do the same for a fox again for just one stride.
10. Why does should you not eat blackberries after October 8^th

 

4. MATHS

 

1. What was the score in the Rugby World Cup Final
2. The number of men to have married Joan Collins
3. It was 192 what is it now? 
4. How many seats are there in the House of Commons
5. The date of the Magna Carta plus the date of the battle of  Hastings plus the date of the battle of Bannockburn
6. In the song Green grow the Rushes Oh what number was the Rivals?
7. To the nearest two decimals, Pi multiplied by the number on Jonny Wilkinson’s shirt
8. The year when England last won the Ashes plus the number of the Beast
9. What was significant about the number FF8282
10. 1,000,000 [one million] seconds equates to roughly eleven and a half days what does and American billion [1000,000,000] seconds equate to

 

5. SOAPS

 

1. What is Homer Simpson’s alleged job at Springfield Nuclear Power Plant
2. Who played the role of Roseannes’s husband in the tv show Roseanne
3. In the Archers what ringtone does Oliver have on his mobile telephone
4. What is the name of the Simpsons cat
5. In that well known ancient soap the Iliad, who was Achilles’ best friend
6. What tactic did the BBC employ to detract viewers away from the first night of Independent television
7. How many years have Homer and Marge been married
8. Apart from being the day of my wedding, 22^nd November 1980 was the day on which which great soap opera cliffhanger was revealed
9. What is the name and correct spelling of Brian Aldridges one year old illegitimate son?

10.  In another leading soap of its time, the Odyssey, after many years of war at Troy followed by a slightly troublesome ten year journey home Ulysses eventually returns incognito to his kingdom of Ithaca. What was the name of the first of his subjects to recognise him

 

6. NATURE AND FARMING

 

1. Maran, Plymouth Rock and Buff Orpington are all types of what
2. Who farms at Duchy Home Farm Tetbury
3. Until when are we advised against casting our clouts
4. In September 2002 what prompted the SUN headline ‘The Wonder of Wellies’
5. Who farms at Cold Comfort Farm
6. Devils coach horse, cockchafer and sexton are types of what
7. What connects the villages of Imber in Wiltshire and Tyneham in Dorset
8. Top, tine, cup and beam are parts of what
9. Which country craftsman would handle yealms, leggats, spars and sways
10. Where might you find talpa europaea, arvicloa amphibious and bufo bufo

 

7. THE GOOD OLD U S of A

 

1. What is the most Northerly State of the USA
2. What was the name of the first Space Shuttle
3. How many dimes would you get from a dollar
4. What is the most Southerly state of the USA
5. How many players are there in a baseball team?
6. How many states of America begin with the letter C
7. What is the most Westerly state of the USA
8. Complete the following lines:-

 

“And this is good old Boston

The home of the Bean and the Cod

Where the Lowells talk only to Cabots

and …….

 

     9.    In what year was the battle of the Alamo

   10.    What is the most easterly state of the USA Alaska ***** six marks

 

8. RAG BAG II

 

1. Who complained “You know what’s wrong with the French – they don’t have a word for entrepreneur
2. What was the name of the horse that Fred Winter rode to win the Grande Steeplechase de Paris despite his bit breaking early on in the four mile race around a figure of eight course.
3. In Holst’s composition the Planets the planet Pluto is not included – why
4. In old English what is the farming term math referring to?
5. By what name is the 16^th century artist Domenico Theotokopoulous better known?
6. What have the book Rebecca, the play Waiting for Godot and the television series Monty Pythons Flying Circus got in common?
7. Who died in 1902 with the words “They don’t change the name of countries, do they?”
8. Where does the expression ‘Bob’s your uncle’ come from
9. What, according to Yellow Pages, is the strangest occupation listed in their Directory? ***** six marks
10.  In a Hunt take off of Gardeners Question Time several years ago what was the flower that caused so much affront

WASSAIL BOWL FOR ST DAVID'S DAY

 

The immense silver bowl in which this is traditionally served was given by Sir Watkin Williams Wynn of the distinguished family which established itself at Plas Peniarth, Tywyn, Meirionnydd, to Jesus College, Oxford in 1732 in celebration of St David, Wales' patron saint.

 

It is basically a spiced beer: put  1/2lb sugar into a bowl, pour over a pint of warm beer. Grate a little nutmeg and ginger over the mix­ture, then add 4 glasses of sherry and another 5 pints of beer. Stir, check for sweetness, adding more sugar if necessary, then leave, covered, for 2‑3 hours. To serve: float roasted apples on the creaming mixture in the bowl.

 

SILLY THINGS TO DO WHILST FISHING II

 

 

 

WYYNNSTAY HUNT RIDES 2004

 

Area I [Wrexham]                        Sunday 26^th September

 

Hanmer Church                            Sunday  3^rd October

 

Area II [Whitchurch]                    Sunday 10^th October

 

Area III [Malpas]                         Sunday 17^th October

 

 

Just to prove to the young – and some not so young – thrusters that took part in the Hunt Race recently that there is nothing new under the sun here is an account of a similar event – and a wonderful days hunting thereafter – which took place in 1970. Such is the perfection the Sutton Green country I have no doubt that, should the race be re-run tomorrow, the only work necessary would be the planting of the odd turning flag.

 

Saturday 21st February 1970 will appear in red letters in our diaries. A great crowd flocked to Pickhill Hall where the Cross Country Relay Race was staged before hunting Captain Tim Ritson and Captain John Ormrod supplied the inspiration and with their willing helpers prepared a course of about 2 miles with a dozen or more natural obstacles. Each team consisted of one catchweight, one lady and one heavyweight and they rode in that order. Apart from eight Wynnstay teams there were representatives entered from the Flint & Denbigh, Cheshire, Cheshire Forest and North Staffs Hunts. Fourteen teams crossed the starting line including one led by Sir Watkin.

 

Despite overnight rain the course rode well and it was an exciting race with the Wynnstay 'Broughton Bounders' leading right up to the last fence when fate intervened and the 'Cheshire Cavaliers' romped home to collect the champagne. The victors were Mr Ted Greenway, Mrs Richard Tomkinson and Mr Eric Cousins. The organizers deserve our thanks for their initiative in producing a thoroughly sporting occasion which is new to this part of the world and aroused considerable interest throughout a wide area.

 

Captain and Mrs John Ormrod entertained everyone before we crossed the flooded Dee to hunt in the Vale, and amongst many visitors we were pleased to welcome the Master of the Cheshire Mr. Richard Tomkinson. A brace and a half of foxes In Mrs. Leches's Gorse heard the approaching calvacade and departed but Wilkin, with lightning rapidity, got his hounds on to the right one and they settled to run hard to Grafton then by Mates Gorse to the Tilston road and away up the brook. Leaving Larges on the left they raced by the Meadows to the Purser Lane and away to Broughton. Swinging righthanded short of Broughton Gorse they crossed the Worthenbury road and ran down into the wet pastures below Shocklach.

 

Hounds ran on parallel with the Dee down to Castletown, recrossing the road at Caldecott Hall and went on to Mrs Leche's where the fox got into a hole in a field. This was a fine hunting run of 70 minutes over a grand piece of the Vale. The first 45 minutes was very fast and so caused numerous empty saddles.

 

Lack of horse power sent many people home but a small field enjoyed a brief circular hunt around Overton Hall and Oat Hill where a fox was killed before a fast evening hunt began from Whitewood. Running the length of the Scar to Gams Wood hounds came back over Kidnall Hill to cross Overton Hall and the old Point-to-Point Course, going on over Chorlton's strongly fenced enclosures they marked the fox to ground in a hedge row short of Cherry Hill to end as hard a day as anyone could wish for.

 

Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone,

Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone,

Silence the pianos and with muffled drum

Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come.

 

Let aeroplanes circle moaning overhead

Scribbling on the sky the message He Is Dead,

Put crepe bows round the white necks of the public doves,

Let the traffic policemen wear black cotton gloves.

 

He was my North, my South, my East and West,

My working week and my Sunday rest,

My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song;

I thought that love would last for ever: I was wrong.

 

The stars are not wanted now: put out every one;

Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun;

Pour away the ocean and sweep up the wood.

For nothing now can ever come to any good.

 

W. H. Auden

 

THE WYNNSTAY FOXHOUNDS VICTORIAN HUNTING DIARY

 

Feb 26^th 1892. The hounds met at Bryn-y-Pys where there was a large company present, including Sir Watkin, Lady and Miss Williams Wynn, Mr Peel, Misses Peel and Master Herbert Peet etc. At the onset the hounds repaired to the Round Plantation and immediately found, Reynard bounded out and made for Castle Wood. Here his pursuers were divided, one division taking the direction of the Ashney, past Knolton Hall to Lightwood Hall where Sir Watkin eventually found them. The baffled hounds were brought back through Gwernhylod to Campbells Gorse where another fox was roused from its lair and took a fleet career to Lightwood Hall and making a sharp detour ran around Little Overton, unsuccessful efforts being made to un-earth him.

 

Again Lightwood Hall Wood was requisitioned and before the panting horses had time to breathe the echoes were again disturbed with the “Wild Halloo.” This fox must have had the same teaching and experience as the former one for he shrewdly went around Little Overton. Unlike his predecessor he was dug out but in the end he managed to evade his pursuers. The Darland Meadow was the next scene of operations and from here the Chase led in the direction of Penley, the days Sport being brought to a conclusion in the neighbourhood of Little Overton.

 

Feb 28^th 1892. Hounds met at Acton on Monday with a good Field being present which included Sir Watkin and Lady Wynn, General and the Hon Mrs Mostyn, Mr Oliver Ormrod of Pickhill Hall, Lady Palmer, Lieut. Piercy of Marchweil Hall, Mr Peel of Bryn-y-Pys and party, Capt. Hargreaves etc.

 

Borras Wood was first drawn, a fox being found at once but it afforded no sport, the hounds making short work of it in the wood. Hounds were then taken to draw the wood near Llanypwyll Smithy, here a fox was found which took the direction of Abenbury and from thence a straight course to the Parkey where it was killed. Sutton Green was the next scene of operations, the hounds were soon busy with the fox setting his affections on Pickhill Hall. From Pickhill the course was to the farm of  Mr Fearnall at Pickhill but here Reynard was lost.

 

Being so near it was natural that Brynafon Gorse, a never failing stronghold for foxes, should next be investigated. Before the hounds came near the Gorse a fox quietly left it and crouched down in the middle of an adjoining field. Reynards maneuver did not escape the eagle eye of gamekeeper Pashen (one of Bryn-y-Pys’s gamekeepers) who let the fox ‘Hide a Wee’ until the arrival of the hounds. Gamekeeper Pashen watched his opportunity and when the pack was in range he dislodged the fox and at once commenced one of the finest ‘Runs’ ever known. The fox ran through Brynafon, past Eyton, through Ryton Hall Wood, Park Eyton and on to Ruabon. From here he ran in the direction of the Kennels, with Pentreclawdd eventually proving the scene of the Kill after a two hour run. It was not recorded how many of the Field were left at the end of the day’s hunting.

 

Sept 1892. The annual Earthstoppers Dinner was held at the Cross Foxes Inn, Overton Bridge. About 50 sat down to a first class Dinner, Sir Watkin Williams Wynn Bart., Master of the celebrated Wynnstay Hounds presided and Mr Lockey the Head-Huntsman the vice chair. Sir Watkin said they had made a good start this year, having killed 28 foxes already.

 

Oct 15^th 1892. On Saturday the Wynnstay Hunt were at Blackloe when a couple of foxes were killed. On Monday the hounds visitied Westcliffe, they soon got on good terms with two foxes and after a stiff chase both were killed and another fox was killed in the meadow below. On Tuesday they were led to Macefen, there was moderate scent but a badger was taken at the on-set. Tushingham was next visited and two foxes were found and after an exciting run both were killed. Another fox was taken at Taylors Rough.

 

Oct 1892. On Monday Worthenbury was visited. A fox was run to ground on the Kairnant (sic). They drew on past Broughton Hall up to Cottage Gorse, six foxes in all being killed. On Tuesday Penley ws visited and after a hard and exciting morning’s work four foxes were killed.

 

These hounds were led out to Knockin on Friday. The scent did not serve well and no kills were effected on Saturday the Meet was Dukes Wood where after an exciting and hard chase two foxes were taken. Immediately after they got to terms with another brace and hunted them about the covert with success. Another brace was taken before the finish, the latter being close to the Trotting Mare. On Monday the Hounds visited Hardwick, a litter of cubs was soon disturbed which afforded good sport. Two foxes were taken during the day. 1892 was a short season with 93 days hunted and 78 brace killed.

 

J A Wright

  

Sitting next to Don Rutter at that venerable Institution the Aldford Ex-Serviceman’s Dinner I casually suggested that, being such a gifted raconteur, he should put pen to paper and ‘jot a few things down.’ To my delight he appeared some ten days later with what I hope is the first of several reminiscences of times gone by.

 

LIFE AT OLD BEACHIN FARM 1925 ONWARDS

FOX HOUNDS, A BIT OF HISTORY AND PRIVY IMFORMATION

 

Puppy walking for The Wynnstay was an annual event for some 30 years. For the benefit of those readers who have not had the pleasure of providing this service to the local Hunt, every year a very kind Huntsman lends you completely free of charge a delightful puppy which you rear with tender loving care and when fully grown you return to the Hunt Kennels.

 

At the annual Puppy Walk your pup competes with all the others and if you have done a first class job you can win a trophy for the year and a silver tea spoon with the name of your hound puppy engraved on the handle. In the early years before the war some very fine prizes were awarded. One that had pride of place on the sideboard was a pair of wooden biscuit barrels with silver lids and handles. Suitably engraved with all the details presented for the best couple of hound pups that year; at that time we had two puppies each year.

 

The Rutter Family Dad, Mother and Brother Tom moved to The Old Beachin in 1924, Brother Bill was born in 1925 And Surprise? Surprise? I arrived out of the blue in 1935.

 

Having evolved from the days of the pony and trap we had a Motor and a Motor House. As some of the older readers will remember Dad always stood on duty at the Motor House Corner when the hunt was in the area - we had no need to follow the hounds they nearly always came to us.

 

Dad always said that if you stood on the Motor House Corner and could not hear the rails cracking they were not having a good day and added with a smile that you could easily follow up behind the hunt on a horse drawn hay rake. It was on one such occasion that the hunt had arrived unexpectedly at the Beachin and having two young hound pups with him and not wanting to get them mixed with the pack he put them in the Motor House with the Sunbeam car that had a soft top. When the hunt had passed he opened the door to find that they had torn the car roof to ribbons.

 

The insurance Co. at the time was THE L.L.& G:- THE OLD LIVERPOOL, LONDON AND GLOBE. The agent said he would not send a claim to head office stating that two foxhound pups had damaged the car because it sounded a bit of a tall story. He claimed it had been caused by the branch of a tree that had been broken in a recent gale and which had damaged the roof of the car when Dad had driven under it in the dark.

 

On another occasion Dad was driving back from Chester with Uncle Frank when rounding a bend on Edgerley road they ran into some of Uncle Frank’s heifers that were lying in the road, breaking the leg of one and injuring another. Dad said “don’t worry Frank my insurance will pay,” so the next day it was a visit to the office in St. John Street. All was going well until the agent asked where the heifers were when the car hit them and wanted to know who was paying for the damage to the car.

 

The Edgerley road in those days was a single-track road with high hedges on each side. Dad used to say “ If you put the wheels of the car in the tracks at the end of the lane it would take you to the Watering Pit at the bottom of Churton Hill on its own.” There was a post with a bucket hanging on it and a brush to wash the car wheels before you went onto the hard road and another by the pond by the houses before Coddington Hall.

 

PUPPY WALKING? Hound pups come with four fully grown feet and often got into hot water for pathering all over the nice clean freshly mopped floors. Their legs are four sizes too big for their bodies and they have a built-in ability to destroy almost anything - with carpet slippers being a speciality. They have many more endearing qualities - one being to trawl the farmyard and midden area for the most foul smelling objects to roll in and then eat. They did not think it unreasonable to bring a piece into the house to eat later when a bit peckish. Inside the backdoor between door and the old style cast iron range was a thing we called the screen, an old black wooden seat with a high back and an open space underneath - an ideal place for dogs to sleep and hide things.

Mains electricity did not arrive until 1952; before then there was a dynamo driven by the milking machine engine with storage