There was a record turnout for the SDB meet at Bereleigh , no doubt partly due to the popularity of our hosts Mr & Mrs Tyrwhitt-Drake and partly due to the wonderful riding on their beautiful estate. We also had The Field Magazine covering the meet, so we can look forward to professional pictures in that publication soon, as well as a report by Janet Menzies who was riding with us. The weather was ideal for photography, but not conducive to good scent, nor indeed was a fresh covering of lime on many of the fields. But that is what real hunting is all about - trying to hunt a natural scent through whatever conditions present themselves.

Chris Lee was our quarry for the day and hounds were soon away on his scent, running by the house down to Mascoombe Bottom. A degree of foil from vehicles and other walkers near the start of the hunt prevented the hounds from getting tuned in to the hunt and they repeatedly overran the turns Chris had made, until they were going up Park Hill. The quarry had made a number of turns and checks on the top of the hill, giving both hounds and the huntsman something to figure out. However, sort it out they did and they were soon running again back to catch their quarry just East of the house.

The second hunt started from Park Farm Cottages and hounds ran hard East and then North for Lower Bordean, where a few hounds became separated from the main body of the pack. The pack turned West, running parallel to the A272 before crossing the Bordean/East Meon road below East Lodge. Hounds were well in front of the Field as they streamed uphill, to run into the pond by the flint barn. This was not on the game plan, but apparently Chris decided to take to the water to see if it would throw the hounds off. The hounds were left untouched by the Master and they soon found the line out of the pond, to run down by Tigwell Farm and the cottages, to finish by the Bereleigh road. This was a much better hunt than the first one, with hounds becoming more settled to the line. The dislodged hounds were recovered before starting the final hunt of the day.

The third hunt started South East of Old Down Farm, and hounds struggled to pick up their quarry. It was not until they crossed the road above Riplington that they really settled to the line, running towards Drayton, before turning North and then East to cross the Bereleigh road at Orchard Cottage. Despite this area being surrounded by people and vehicles, hounds managed to track down their quarry.

Photographs by Ann Brewer and Fran Baker (Click to enlarge)