This meet was postponed from the previous week because of storm force winds. Unfortunately some people didn't notice we had changed the date, leading to a very select Field. Nonetheless, this select Field enjoyed some first class hound work, courtesy of our Quarry, Chris Lee, and some enjoyable riding, courtesy of the Rotherfield Estate, Mr Richard Mitham and Mr Neville Pope. This was the first meet where the Master put out a couple of portable jumps to temporarily replace metal gates, and rumour has it he was very glad not to have fallen off over them!

The first hunt started opposite Heards Farm, and hounds took a couple of minutes to find the line. Soon they were racing west to cross the Selbourne Road south of Cuckoo Copse, running parallel to the road towards Goleigh Manor. Hounds turned well with the Quarry where he had turned up hill on winter wheat. At the next fence line hounds tried back towards the road, where our Quarry had tried retracing his steps, before they went forwards again, swinging back towards Cuckoo Copse. 100 yards short of the Copse, hounds turned sharply up hill through a hedge and over winter wheat once again, before swinging back to catch their Quarry at Goleigh Farm.

The second hunt was a short burst over the top of Goleigh Hill towards Goleigh Wood, before they swung back to cross the road by Keyham Farm, running down to Barefield Copse to catch their Quarry. This took in the new portable jumps, which the riders enjoyed.

The final hunt started near King's Farm with hounds running west and then north of Hale Copse to cross the Noar Hill road. Hounds were flying as they turned at the next hedge into the grass by Bridleway Copse. Without checking they flew south of Charity Farm into the long field of winter wheat, where our Quarry had put in a bit of zigzagging before crossing the bridleway onto the bottom of Noar Hill. Making a counter clockwise up hill circuit of Noar Hill, they caught a very breathless Quarry south of High Common. Although these were not the longest hunts we have had, the heavy going made for some tired horses. Just how our Quarry, Chris Lee, managed to run so well and sop far with the equivalent of divers boots on, we can only wonder with admiration!

Photographs by Fran Baker (Click to enlarge)