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The music of the pack is it’s CRY! Autumn 1999
HUNTING REPORT
This season’s autumn hunting started on Monday 9th August - a week later than in the past - at Eaton Aerodrome at 6.00 a.m. Hounds enjoyed a short hunt from Pulford drive before marking to ground at Green Farm, Poulton.
August proved to be a mixed month, with a few good mornings. The following morning at Vivod proved to be very enjoyable if somewhat steep. Hounds scored four decent hunts in the hills. Other good mornings were had from Top Farm Erbistock where the field were treated to a wonderful cry as they took their fox round Druries three or four times before he went away. At Halghton Hall the bitches had one of their best mornings of the season, hunting particularly well around the Bryn Dingle before putting it into a drain.
September was a good month for hounds. A busy morning from Bangor Racecourse was enjoyed, with plenty of foxes and some good hunting up and down Campbells Gorse and Treapeni. Good mornings were also had from the Claypits, Sontley with a hard hunt in Mr Morris’ maize, Turpins Bridge and Sutton Green. From September 20th we experienced torrential rain virtually every day but scent was very good and the last two weeks of September produced some excellent mornings with a good show of foxes and the mixed pack beginning to find some form.
October saw rather drier conditions and the purple patch of September did not continue. On Monday 11th and Tuesday 12th we took 3 couple of hounds to Yorkshire for a hunting competition. Here were six packs of hounds, three couple each. They were numbered with spray on dye beforehand. We tried to take a mixture of our breeding whilst still taking some of our best hounds. Perhaps reflecting the good form that our doghounds were in at the time, our dogs were outstanding. Indeed Paragon ’95 was winning after the first day.
Ultimately conformation came to the fore after 10 hours hunting over two days in the hills of the Yorkshire Wolds. We could feel well satisfied that we came third over two days when compared with some of the very best hounds in Great Britain.
On Saturday 16th October the Bangor Sporting Festival was held at the Racecourse. This was a tremendous idea and a great success for all those who were able to take part. The hounds enjoyed a good day with a sharp hunt from Campbells Gorse to the Nant and back to Treapeni before eventually marking it to ground at Cloy Hall.
Generally a very good time has been had so far. The hounds have had a good start to the season and I would like to take this opportunity to thank the regular supporters, both mounted and on foot. They turned out most mornings, come rain or shine, and are a great help. This help will prove invaluable in the months to come.
FROM YOUR CHAIRMAN
The Hunt Supporters Club AGM was held on Wednesday 3rd November at the Hanmer Arms. I can only assume that you are all very happy with the way that the Club is working and don’t want to make any changes as a grand total of 12 members attended! All officers were re-elected, with the addition of a new Vice-Chairman, Liz Hanmer, a very worthy promotion!
In the past year your club has helped substantially with the cost of fencing, laying, and planting coverts in the country – a very necessary and worthwhile project which will be of benefit to the countryside as a whole in addition to our sport. We have also installed a new commercial washing machine at the hunt stables which will mean that rugs and blankets can now be washed and therefore saving on cleaning costs.
Our Pony Club has had a wonderful year, reaching the national finals in several disciplines. Such success has meant extra expenses for the Pony Club in the way of transport and accommodation and we were pleased to make a donation towards the costs of our Prince Philip team’s trip to Wembley.
Our Sport, and hence our Hunt and our Club, has never been more threatened and we were delighted to be able to fund the bus that took our representatives to Bournemouth and also provide fodder for the passengers who went on behalf of all of us!
I hope that everything your Club has done this year will help to do what we are here for – to be Hunt Supporters in every sense of the word.
AREA I (WREXHAM)
Area I have had a busy and successful summer, with both fund raising events well supported and financially successful. We held our Summer Party at Parkey Lodge Farm where we were made most welcome by Ann and Brian Jones on June 18th. This was a lovely evening, it was good to get together and enjoy Ann and Brian’s lovely home and garden.
The fun ride took place at Wynnstay Home Farm on September 26th. We were lucky we were able to go ahead due to the extremely wet weather conditions. The hard standing at the venue meant we were able to park many vehicles off the field and this was superbly supervised by members of our team! The course itself rode extremely well and all in all the day was most successful.
A total of over £2,000 was raised from both events. Donations will be made to local charities following our AGM.
AREA II (WHITCHURCH)
As a result of the appalling weather we sadly had to cancel our cross country ride which was a great blow both to the many people who had put in so much work to organise it and to the many people who so enjoy riding around our hunting country. This was the first time that we have had to cancel the ride for some years and so on average we have been fortunate.
A capacity crowd of razor sharp brains from far and wide attended our Quiz at Welshampton on Thursday 28th October. They certainly had to sing for their supper when faced with the questions set by the Wynnstay’s answer to Jeremy Paxman, Deborah Hill-Trevor. To say that the questions were fiendish would not do justice to the obvious time and thought that Deborah had put into the ten sets of ten questions the teams had to grapple with, delivered by Deborah in her own inimitable style which owed nothing to Chris Tarrant or the other assorted wimps that call themselves quizmasters.
The results were: 1st North Staffordshire, 2nd North Shropshire, 3rd Penny Mellis’ Table, 4th Cheshire, 5th South Shropshire, 6th Roz Hughes’ Table & 7th Wynnstay. Which only goes to show that some hunts have nothing better to do all day than sit around on their horses testing each other on quiz questions!
AREA III (MALPAS)
On Friday 10th September we held a very successful White Lady evening at Lower Carden Hall by kind permission of Euan & Fiona McAlpine; it brought back many happy memories of previous parties and we are very grateful to Euan & Fiona for their splendid hospitality.
Our Cross Country Ride was held on Sunday 17th October at Clutton Hall Farm by kind permission of Frank & Kath Tomlinson. The weather was very kind to us and a good crowd of people thoroughly enjoyed the wonderful ride that Henry Tomlinson had set out for them. Our thanks go to all farmers and landowners who allowed us to cross their land. A very healthy donation will be made to Clutton School.
We are in the process of trying to organise a Carol Service, details of which will be made available as soon as possible.
Sally and I would like to thank all of our Committee for making this a very successful year.
AUTUMN SPORTING FESTIVAL AT BANGOR on DEE
On Saturday 16th October a unique and very happy gathering of country sportsmen assembled at Bangor on Dee Racecourse. How lucky we are to live in a part of the country where it is possible from one ‘Meet’ to take part in so many different country sports; falconry, ferreting, beagling, salmon fishing, clay pigeon shooting, fox hunting and coursing.
The aims were to support the Countryside Alliance and to raise awareness that all country sportsmen will support each other and will not be divided by political promises.
The multitude assembled at the racecourse in the morning and after a glass of something dispersed to participate in the various sports on offer, with many people being able to experience several different ones during the day. There was a strong police presence initially, prompted by headlines in the Whitchurch Herald a few weeks earlier suggesting that trouble could occur; their fears were groundless.
As participants returned to the Racecourse for a late lunch there were plenty of tales to tell. Both the Beagles and Foxhounds hunted well, with the mounted field, including several who had never been hunting previously, crossing one of the best pieces of Wynnstay country – unfortunately jumping off the road by Stuart Gresty’s farm claimed a victim or two. Michael Ward caught a magnificent 18 Pound Salmon with two further salmon being caught on another beat and the falconers returned with a bag of two brace of pheasants and a brace of rabbits taken on Park Eyton. The Wynnstay Shooting Team – comprising of two joint masters, one ex-master and the joint secretary – failed by one point to beat the Cheshire Team
There was excellent TV, Radio and Press coverage including reports on BBC Wales, S4C and HTV, one of the highlights being our Kennelman Rod giving an interview in Welsh to BBC Wales standing on Bryn y Pys as though he did it every day; mind you nobody else knows what he said!
Many thanks to all landowners and farmers for their generosity and to everyone who helped and supported. A sum in excess of £4,500 was raised for the Countryside Alliance.
Jonathon Turner
THE CAMPAIGN FOR HUNTING
The Home Secretary’s recent announcement of Government policy in relation to hunting is a classic case of running both with the fox and the hounds. On the one hand, the Government cannot disregard the £1.1 million pounds it has received from Animal Rights Activists, but on the other they have –at last – realised that their actions have antagonised a significant proportion of the electorate and a large proportion of the media. Although very late in the day, it may be said that they have “Listened To Us.”
Jack Straw has announced that there will be an independent inquiry to look at the “Practical issues involved in hunting with dogs, how a ban could be implemented and what the consequences of a ban would be. It will provide an opportunity for the facts about hunting properly to be considered. Also, it will enable an examination of the effect on the rural economy, agriculture and pest control, the social and cultural life of particular areas of the countryside , the management and conservation of wildlife and animal welfare of hunting and if hunting were to be banned. It will report by late Spring next year.”
The Government also announced that after the inquiry had reported they would, if necessary, offer reasonable time and drafting assistance for this issue to be considered through a Private Members Bill on a free vote. We cannot be afraid of an inquiry – there have been several in the past - and this will provide further time for us to drive our arguments home.
It would have been unrealistic to expect the Prime Minister to completely wash his hands of the hunting debate. The many hours that so many of you have devoted to letter writing, petitioning, lobbying and marching in Bournemouth, Birmingham and Cardiff have produced a result as good as we could hope for. The petition raised over 400,000 signatures – and therefore, potentially, 400,000 anti Labour campaigners.
The Marches reinforced the organisational powers that the Countryside Alliance can bring to bear – not only through the magnificent numbers attending but also by the good-natured cheerfulness and control that was evident throughout. All Governments – and this Government in particular – abhor powerful organisations other than their own.
In Scotland Lord Watson, despite severe personal setbacks, continues with his Private Members Bill to outlaw hunting. The Scottish electorate is heavily urban and under their new constitution Private Members Bills can be voted through without referral to any Upper House. Quite why Lord Watson – who has never before shown the slightest interest in the subject – should choose this to be the first Bill in the new Parliament is a mystery. His entire political career has been spent in Glasgow, where over one in a hundred people now inject themselves with drugs on a daily basis.
The Countryside Alliance under Richard Burge has achieved a great deal; it is now up to us to continue to maintain the momentum secure in the knowledge that we are all fighting for a just cause.
WANTED!
EXPERIENCED HUNT SPOILERS TO FURTHER DISRUPT HUNTING TASKS INCLUDE:-
OBSTRUCTING TRAFFIC ON ROADS AND BEING RUDE TO MOTORISTS
RUNNING YOUR ENGINE WHEN HOUNDS ARE NEARBY
BLOCKING GATEWAYS AND RIDING ON LAWNS
LINING THE ROADS AROUND COVERTS AND HEADING FOXES
DRIVING BUMPER TO BUMPER OR SPEEDING DOWN LANES
LEAVING GATES OPEN AND FENCES BROKEN
UPSETTING THE NON-HUNTING PUBLIC
BETWEEN US WE CAN BAN IT!
PONY CLUB NEWS
We have had a really marvellous Summer in the Pony Club – very busy and very successful – thank goodness I had a week’s holiday at the end of June to “build me up” for the rigours of the Summer. All our teams performed superbly in their respective disciplines – the showjumpers WON the Area Trials in Anglesey to qualify for the Pony Club Championships at Sansaw and eventually finished eighth in really atrocious weather conditions.
Our Prince Philip Games Junior A team won their zone competition at Osbaldeston and went to Sansaw to finish a very honourable third and of course our Senior Games Team went to Wembley and finished fifth – which when you consider that 250 teams started the season was a brilliant achievement. It costs a small fortune for the team and their attendant helpers and trainers to go to Wembley and we are all very grateful for the generous donation that the Hunt Supporters gave us – many many thanks and you would have been very proud of them. Their team spirit is tremendous.
The Tetrathletes this year have gone from strength to strength. Rachel Jones has been almost invincible and I believe is already in training for next year! We had three children chosen to join the Welsh National Team to compete in Northern Ireland – Charlotte Hingley, Laura Newton and Charlie Aldersey. The girls and their team finished second and Charlie’s boys team won for the second year running – a wonderful result all round.
At the Area Competition at Hough Hall our Senior Girls Team of Rachel Jones, Laura Newton, Charlotte Hingley and Charlotte Yates finished second and qualified for the Championships at Moreton Morrell where they finished third and Rachel Jones was 1st Junior Girl. Congratulations to all concerned not least Helen Dodd for all her hard work and dedication as Team Trainer.
The Eventers too had numerous successes and are improving all the time, next year I feel sure that they will be a force to be reckoned with and we look like having plenty to choose from when selecting teams. Would you believe we came second in the Area Dressage at Cholmondeley – yes dressage – unheard of from the Wynnstay!
There is of course far more to the Pony Club than competing or being in a team and many of our members enjoy the rallies and other instruction. Pony Club Camp at Bangor on Dee was I think the best ever. The final day’s tack and turnout for the boys ride had to be seen to be believed – seven very enthusiastic ‘drag’ artists – some of the make-up was still evident at the Prize Giving.
On Saturday 30th October the Higham Family welcomed us to Rose Farm for our Autumn Pony Club Meet. A truly wonderful sight as 97 mounted children – a record and over half the entire Pony Club – turned out, many of them for the first time. Quite a lot were still there when ‘Home’ was blown at 2 pm. I think without exception they want to come out again. On a personal note, this was the first days hunting I have had for a couple of years and after five hours bouncing along on the divine Popeye I practically had to be winched off – the worst of the aches had eased by Monday!
As we settle down to Winter life becomes a little less hectic although rallies and indoor schooling continue on a regular basis and we have the Christmas Holiday Meet to look forward to, weather permitting. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the many many people who give their time so generously to help us in so many ways throughout the year – we could not function without you and we will definitely be asking you again.
Freda M Taylor
Lord Barnard was for many years Master of the Zetland and owned the majority of the country. In latter years he would have the estate carpenter ride with him to saw down any fence he did not like the look of. Unfortunately for the rest of the field he insisted that the fence was restored immediately after he and the carpenter had negotiated it.
A Captain Inge, of Thorpe in the Atherstone country, set an example which all land-owners might follow; he had the hinges of all his field gates oiled the day before hounds were expected. I personally feel that it will be a great day for Wynnstay foxhunting when the final cow chain rusts away and we are all obliged to find some alternative form of gate fastener. CAPTAIN JOHN WHITE AND MR T ASSHETON-SMITH
… the pace was so good, and the country so severe, that no one was with the hounds towards the last except Mr Smith and Mr John White. It also happened that they came to a fence so strong and high that there was only one place where it appeared at all practicable, and this was in the line Mr White was taking. The consequence was that Mr Smith was obliged to turn to this place, expecting to find Mr White well over; but instead of this he found him what is called “well bullfinched” – his horse and himself sticking fast in the hedge. “Get on,” says Mr Smith. “I cannot,” said Mr White, “I am fast.” –“Ram the spurs into him,” exclaimed Mr Smith, “and pray get out of the way.” – “Damn it,” said Mr. White,”if you are in such a hurry, why don’t you ride at me and charge me?” Mr Smith did charge him, and sent him and his horse into the next field, when away they went again as if nothing had happened.
Nimrod (181_)
Crossing our country now may not be as exacting or exciting, but here are a handful of hints gathered from various sources:-
More hunts are lost by nincompoops who gallop after holloas instead of after hounds. Have as your theoretical motto “First comes the Fox, then the Hounds then Me.” – but in practise make allowance for Hunt Staff and Fieldmasters. Because you see a fox it does not follow it is the hunted one. Do not be taken in if hounds run slowly for the first few fields. As soon as their noses get tuned in they may settle down to fly. If hounds are running slowly, take your time. How seldom the Hunt Staff get a fall. Why? Because they are in front. George Barker, the Quorn Huntsman, did not get a fall for two seasons. The big falls are taken by the people jumping the little fences. A horse never wants to fall. If on top of a steep hill, stay there until you know hounds are not only down it, but never coming up again. If you must cross to another hill, remember that “it is better to go round the rimof the bucket than over the handle.” Sheep and cattle are fox-hunters – if hounds are around they get out of bed. If you see sheep running or huddled together, remember them; they have seen something – probably either hounds or fox. Magpies and Jays will often “mob” a fox in covert; if you hear one or more of them chattering and squawking near you, a fox will be nearby too. Take the black, solid, venemous place rather than the thin, straggly, inviting one – the latter will break your neck eventually. Iron railings will not turn you over any quicker than solid timber. Jumping into a road, jump on a slant; you have more room to land and your horse will not turn so sharply; it is the sharp turn that makes him slip up. A water holding furrow is the one to choose; if it will hold water better than its neighbours it will hold you better too. Likewise, on bridle lanes, go through a puddle not round; it is the harder standing that causes the puddle. If you can, canter along the top of a butt in a field of butts and reams. Never cross them at right angles, it knocks a horse out of its stride and tires him quickly; cut across them at an angle and a steady stride can be maintained. Marl pits follow seams of marl clay; if you can see two marl pits, the next will be in line with the other two, but inevitably on the blind side of the hedge you are approaching. A good take off is better than a good landing. Horses can jump phenomenal widths from a stand and will jump a drain better from a stand than when galloped harum scarum into it. Because a covert is a thousand acres in extent do not think it impossible to get away from it; the great runs of history have started from woodlands. Remember Mr Facey Romford; “Happy are they who go out to please themselves, and not astonish others.” Happy indeed!
This poem was written in about 1934, when ‘High Leicestershire’ was in full swing by Colin Ellis, an uncle of Miles Clarke of Cherry Hill. He also wrote a history of the Quorn and was the founding partner of Ellis & Everard.
DIANA OF THE MELTONIANS
The competition for 1998/99 with about sixty six pairs entering the fray was successfully completed before the millennium!
The cup was won by Mara Cox and Ann Lea defeating Rosemary Griffith and Sylvia Biagi in the final. The final was very even until the third rubber which was won conclusively by the successful pair. They must have travelled hundreds of miles in pursuit of the trophy, including Ludlow, so thoroughly deserved to have something to show off their prowess.
In the Plate Cynthia Page and Margaret Anthony beat Bill and Rosie Spiegelberg – again in the final rubber where experience and skill triumphed.
As far as I can tell, no lasting enemies have been made whilst I have run the competition over the last five years. Indeed participants seem to have enjoyed themselves, accepting my bossiness in keeping the momentum required to finish the competition and nobody seems to have suffered from food poisoning when playing the finals at Ash Grove.
Diana Warburton-Lee is taking the competition under her wing from this year and I know that you will all give her the marvellous support that you have given me. I am sure that she will have many new ideas to make the competition even better than ever but I do encourage you all to recruit new bridge enthusiasts which is essential to keep the numbers up to make an interesting competition besides contributing a modest income for the Hunt.
Peter Rosselli
HANDY HUNTING HINT (MEN ONLY)
If you must go behind a haystack, and there isn’t one, remember:- “If she’s a lady, she won’t look, and if she isn’t, it doesn’t matter anyway.”
THE WELSH FOXHOUND
The Welsh foxhound is not just a woolly foxhound, it is a descendant of the Celtic hunting dog, a hound that would have been used against wolves and brown bears. It is well documented that the smooth-coated balck and tan hounds bred by the monks of Margam Abbey, and the blood of the old Devon and Somerset rough coated stag hounds are in the modern Welsh hound’s make up, but the French Grande Griffon Vendeen is the modern equivalent of our Celtic foxhound. Trading with the continent has been part of the British way of life since time immemorial and no doubt French hounds and Welsh hounds would have been part of that trade.
The most distinctive feature of the Welsh foxhound is its rough coat. The length of the coat varies from very shaggy, almost otterhound like, to nearly smooth with just a hint of whisker. However most Welsh hounds have a broken coat, not dissimilar to a wire haired terrier.
The next most notable feature is the head. The skull is more domed than flat, and the ears are set low down, almost at eye level. They are long and should, when pulled forwards, touch the tip of the nose. The Welsh hound is generally lighter framed than his English cousin. As with the fell hound he is shorter in the neck than the English hound. Welsh hounds nearly always have good sloping shoulders and well let down hocks. The general appearance is very houndy and very varminty. Colour wise they are the same as English hounds, but light coloured hounds are generally preferred as they can be seen more easily at a distance, something that is very important when most of the countryside is hilly or mountainous.
There is so much ignorance expressed about Welsh foxhounds, particularly by people who have never seen them hunt or who seem to think that because they have a broken coat they are some sort of freak. Talk of unsteadiness, of hunting old stale lines, lack of drive and a keen interest in riot are the usual remarks thrown into conversation among some people. I can assure you that there are plenty of English foxhounds that can perform in this way.
Sensibly bred and sympathetically handled the modern Welsh hound is a first class foxhound specifically bred to hunt in his own country, one of high rugged hills, steep rocky dingles and acres of wet treacherous bogs. On top of that the cover in Wales is very thick and strong; much denser than the rest of England.
In much of Wales the huntsman cannot keep near his hounds, whether mounted or on foot, consequently hounds have to hunt most of the time completely unaided. To do this they must have the ability to work out a cold line but the drive to fly on a good scent, excellent voices to keep together and intelligence which, in hunting parlance, is termed fox-sense. I have personally had many very good days with Welsh packs. Some of these packs were made up entirely of pure Welsh blood and some were mixed Welsh and Fell. I have also watched pure Welsh hounds hunt otter and mink.
The overall impression is of a hound that loves to be in the thick of things, drawing the densest cover and one that never stops trying no matter how long the day is or how rough the terrain. The hunting abilities of the Welsh hound have not been lost on breeders of modern stud foxhounds. Sir Edward Curre of Itton on the Welsh borders was one of the first breeders to use Welsh blood to refresh the rather jaded blood of the time. In more recent times Sir Newton Rycroft used Plas Machynlleth Miller to produce New Forest Medyg, a much used and very influential stallion hound. More recently Captain Ian Farquhar has used Welsh blood from the Vale of Clettwr, first at the Bicester and now at the Duke of Beaufort’s. The foxhunting attributes of Welsh hounds means that there are very few modern packs of English stud book foxhounds that have no Welsh blood in their make-up.
The mention of Plas Machynlleth Miller brings to mind the story of their legendary huntsman, Harry Roberts. When he was called up for service during the Second World War hunting in the area practically ceased. The fox predation on sheep and lambs became so bad that the Ministry of Agriculture and the War Office decided that Mr Roberts should be recalled to his post as huntsman to prevent further losses on an already beleaguered hill farming community. This was surely a great tribute to the effective way a pack of foxhounds can contribute to fox control and also a tribute to a great huntsman and a superb pack of Welsh foxhounds.
ALAN SUMMERSGILL A letter that we could all do well to copy in our own words, written by an occasional follower of WWW
The Right Honourable A. Blair M.P. Prime Minister 10 Downing Street London SW1A 2AA
Dear Mr Blair,
Today I received a circular from the RSPCA asking me to write to you on the subject of Hunting and the ‘off the cuff’ promise you made on television recently to ban Hunting.
Please note that I am a member of the RSPCA, BUT I DO NOT support a ban on hunting or any of the other legitimate country pursuits you seem to have in your sights.
There are many members of the RSPCA, all animal lovers and mostly animal owners, who hold a similar view to my own, as was demonstrated at the recent General Meeting of the RSPCA. The results of which were not trumpeted abroad by the organisation’s propaganda machine, which is clearly in the clutches of a small, ill-informed, town dwelling band of fanatics, not dissimilar from the folk that seem to surround your good self.
Please do not take away a vital and far reaching strand of our everyday lives just for the sake of a political gesture, and do not be surprised by the strength of feelings expressed if you do start to meddle with people you know little about, and would appear to care for even less.
Yours sincerely
Anthony Bolton
THE WYNNSTAY MILLENNIUM CALENDARHUNTING UNCOVERED 2000
Back in July the good ladies of the Yorkshire W.I. made a serious amount of money by posing in genteel sorts of ways for a millennium calendar – so, thinks I, we could do that in a Jiffy. All one has to do is take the odd snap with a few foxes brushes in the appropriate places and we’re away. Little did I know that I was going to spend days being interviewed by the National Press and fending off photographers from our Calendar models.
We are now printing in 100s rather than 10s and long may it last. It is a kinky old thing, that there seems to be a demand for a peek at the editor’s bum.
Needless to say there are people who think that it is not in good taste and I sympathise with their views but we are making a profit for the Hunt and it is raising people’s awareness of the Countryside Alliance and the lengths to which some people will go to preserve their sport so it can’t all be bad.
If you haven’t bought your copy yet you might be sorry because they are apparently going to be the Collectors Item of the future.
Anna Turner
‘Your first whipper-in being able to hunt the hounds occasionally, will answer another good purpose; it will keep your huntsman in order. They are very apt to be impertinent, when they think you cannot do without them.’
Peter Beckford: From Thoughts on Hunting
We are all concerned about the future of the countryside and our sport, but none more so than those whose livelihoods and homes will be directly affected by a hunting ban…….
BOURNEMOUTH
Tuesday 28th September, 4.15 a.m. , armed with a banner I, along with many other hunting people boarded the bus at the kennels, destination Bournemouth.
Everybody made themselves comfortable on the bus while Dad went to sleep and Rebecca Fjella and I started on the sweets along with Mary Wynne-Jones. The next stop would be at Twemlows, where the bus would leave with nearly all the seats full. The journey ahead of us was 6 hours long. It was lovely to see other bus loads of hunting people, it just went to show how much hunting means to so many people.
We arrived at Bournemouth at around 10.15 a.m. People on the Wynnstay bus started to wake up and others put more sweets into their pockets to munch on while marching. Mr Wakeham briefed us. The main aim of Bournemouth was to focus on the 16,000 jobs and livelihoods that will be lost if hunting were to be banned. Some of us would lose our homes.
The bus pulled up and everyone got off. Everybody from the Wynnstay bus headed towards a blue and white tent, here we would go and collect our big red badges that read “Bournemouth March ‘99” and people who hadn’t brought banners could collect one from the tent to carry on the march. I had come prepared with my banner which said “Horse and Hound say’s Back off Blair.”
Song sheets were given out while people stood on the stand in front of us making speeches. We listened to the speeches and sang along with the songs that were sung. The atmosphere was amazing; everybody there was so with it and ready for the march and, most importantly, ready to stand up for what they believed in and for what many people there did for a living.
Once we had listened to the speeches and sang the songs we all moved nearer to the gates and when told we started to march. At this stage of the march banners went up, whistles were blown along with hunting horns and people cheered and hollered. I was amazed to see people standing on the side of the street clapping their hands and cheering us on. I didn’t think there would be so many people in a city that supported hunting. Everybody that was marching waved to them and said hello, we were polite and cheerful. A faint chant was coming from behind me. I listened more, then somebody shouted “Where’s Blair?” and everybody around me replied “Gone to Ground!” This made me laugh and the next time somebody shouted it I joined in.. The other chanting that was going on was “Listen to Us!” I joined in with all of them and even practised my hollering.
We kept marching and every so often we would stop and chant at everybody around us. We wanted to show them how important hunting was to us. ‘This was definitely better than sitting in a class room doing school work’ I thought as we marched along.
We were expecting to meet them and now we did; we introduced ourselves. The Antis held banners up and shouted abuse at us. Many of us looked them in the eyes and proved to them how much we are willing to do to save our country way of life. There was nobody in the march who shouted abuse at the Antis. We were polite and showed them that we can protest and stand up for what we believe in without getting nasty, unlike them.
We moved on and eventually made it back to the start of the march. As we all mounted the Fishers bus we were given a packed lunch. It was a brilliant lunch and I would like to thank Julie Parry, the landlady at the Carden Arms, who prepared it; it was lovely.
Homeward bound we recalled and compared notes about particular parts of the day. Some of which made us laugh and feel very proud of ourselves. The feeling of actually doing something to help our countryside. I, along with many other people am prepared to do everything possible to save the countryside. I don’t want my Dad to lose the job he loves. I also don’t want to lose my Saturday’s hunting or my home.
Sally Loud
THE OLD GREY MARE
Oh! Once I believed in a woman’s kiss, I had faith in a flattering tongue; For lip to lip was a promise of bliss, When lips were smooth and young. But now the beard is grey on my cheek, And the top of my head gets bare; So little I speak, like an Arab Sheik, But put my trust in my mare.
For loving looks grow hard and cold, Fair heads are turned away, When the fruit has been gathered – the tale has been told, And the dog has had his day; But chance and change ‘tis folly to rue, And say I, the devil may care! Nor grey nor blue are so bonny and true, As the bright brown eye of my mare.
With the fair wide heaven above outspread The fair wide plain to meet, With the lark and his carol high over my head, And the bustling pack at my feet,- I feel no fetter, I know no bounds, I am free as a bird in the air; While the covert resounds, in a chorus of hounds, Right under the nose of my mare.
We are in for a gallop – away, away! I told them my beauty could fly; And we’ll lead them a dance ere they catch us to-day, For we mean it my lass and I! She skims the fences, she scours the plain, Like a creature winged, I swear, With snort and strain, on the yielding rein; For I’m bound to humour my mare.
They have pleached it strong; they have dug it wide; They have turned the baulk with the plough, The horse that can cover the whole in its stride Is cheap at a thousand I vow! So I draw her together, and over we sail, With a yard and a half to spare! Bank, bull-finch, and rail, it’s the curse of the Vale! But I leave it all to the mare.
Away! Away! They’ve been running to kill, With never a check from the find; Away! Away! We are close to them still, And the field are furlongs behind! They can hardly deny they were out of the game, Lost half the “fun of the fair”, Though the envious blame and the jealous exclaim, “How that old fool buckets his mare!”
Who-oop! They have him – they’re round him; how They worry and tear when he’s down! ‘Twas a stout hill-fox when they found him, now ‘Tis a hundred tatters of brown! And the riders arriving as best as they can, In panting plight declare, That “First in the van was the old grey man, Who stands by his old grey mare.”
I have lived my life; I am nearly done; I have played the game all round; But I freely admit that the best of my fun, I owe it to horse and hound. With a hopeful heart and a conscience clear I can laugh in your face, Black Care! Though you’re hovering near, there’s no room for you here, On the back of my good grey mare.
G.J. Whyte-Melville: From The Old Grey Mare
Roz Hughes has uncovered the following 19th century recipe which the Yorke’s of Erddig recorded in a notebook:-
SIR WATKIN WILLIAMS WYNN’S VICTORIAN PUDDING Serves 4-6.
Ingredients: 4 oz (125g) Caster Sugar, 4 oz (125g) Butter, preferably Welsh, 2 large Eggs, beaten, 1 tsp Natural Vanilla Extract, 4oz (125g) Self-raising Flour, pinch of Salt, 1 heaped tsp grated Lemon rind. 2 tbsp Lemon Curd.
Method: Beat the sugar and the butter together until light and fluffy, then add the eggs gradually, beating well after each addition. Stir in the Vanilla Extract. Sieve the flour and salt together, then carefully fold into the creamed mixture. Finally fold in the lemon rind.
Butter a 1 ½ pt (900ml) pudding basin and place the lemon curd in the bottom. Carefully spoon the pudding mixture on top, then cover with greaseproof paper and foil and steam for 1 ½ to 2 hours until well risen and springy to the touch. Serve hot with home-made custard.
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“And that Leicestershire now is not what Leicestershire was is also a truth to be lamented.” The Millennium fox-hunter may gain a grain of comfort from the realisation that those words were written by the immortal Nimrod over 150 years ago……
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