Season 2006 - 2007
The meets appear in the order of most recent at the top. Follow links
in each summary report to find more details and/or more pictures.
Finding a Quarry for April 1st was proving to be an enormous challenge. Perhaps the regular quarries were nervous that the Master might dream up some sort of April Fool for them! There was a real risk of having to cancel the meet, when amateur Whipper-In, Kim Thayer, came to the rescue. This was greatly appreciated by the Master because this was another promising new meet in great country. Generously hosted by Mr Charlie Corbett, the meet drew a good number of foot followers as well as a few riders. Unfortunately equine injuries before the day reduced our field, which was a shame. As well as laying on a splendid meet, Mr Corbett also very kindly paved the way with his neighbours to ensure we would have enough country for a day's sport. Regular foot helpers Ann Brewer and Fran Baker were away playing pirates on a "Tall Ship," so Chloe West and Mark Stent kindly stepped in to help with quarry support and photography. Could Kim, at 16 years old, really produce the high standard of quarrying we have enjoyed in the past? Click here for a full report and pictures by Chloe West.
The Hon. Mr and Mrs M Baring not only welcomed us to hunt on their beautiful estate at Itchen Stoke, but also supplied generous refreshments at the meet at their house. It was also good to see the Collins family - of Hampshire Hunt fame - at the the meet, but Bob looked a bit worried when the Master asked him if he would like to run for us. Fortunately regular quarry Chris Lee turned up, having been working a night shift to 4.30 am! We also had a good number of people come to see the hounds on foot, or probably more likely to enjoy the Baring's legendary hospitality! It was a bright breezy day, not always the best conditions for following the vague scent of man. A hospitable meet, good country and good company, what more could we want? Good hunting. Did we get it? Read on. Click here for a full report and pictures by Ann Brewer and Fran Baker.
The meet at East Dean proved to be a bit exclusive, but it was nonetheless a good day to be out on the South Downs. As we hacked to the meet, a pony decided to jump out of its field, charge through the hounds and head off for the forestry! We were fortunate to have Olly Room running for us as he is a local and knows the country well. A little too well as it turned out because instead of having to follow the notes carefully, he was able to take the shortest route across some of the crops, leaving us to follow the very much longer route round the crops! Unfortunately our regular photographer Ann Brewer was not out, but fortunately Fran Baker did manage to get a few in between manning road crossings and looking after our Quarry. Click here for full report and more pictures by Fran Baker.
How many huntsmen does it take to hunt a pack of hounds? Well to the casual observer at the meet at the Kennels, it would appear that the answer is three! Our Master was delighted to welcome Mr Nic Wheeler MBH (Coakham Bloodhounds) and Mr Marc Winchester MBH (Southern Shires Bloodhounds) - as well as amateur Whipper-in Sara Norman (Southern Shires Bloodhounds) - out hunting with us. Or as he put it, "they have come to worship at the feet of The Master!" Right, we believe you Jeremy, and snap, your back in the room! I am told that secretly, Jeremy was actually wetting himself having two such distinguished and experienced MBHs watching his hounds every move. We were lucky to have Nick Hibbert-Higston, amateur Whipper-in to the Clinkeard and Meon Valley Beagles running for us again, along with his brother James, who was experiencing bloodhound slobber for the first time. They had quite a tough day ahead of them with hills and plough to contend with. They ran brilliantly and fortunately for the Master, so did the hounds. Click here for full report and more pictures by Ann Brewer and Sharon Thayer
Bereleigh,
East Meon. 4/2/06
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. Click
here for a full report and pictures by Ann Brewer and Fran Baker.
The omen's were not good for this meet. The hounds have not been out since Boxing Day due to the Master's horse, Stanley, having been lame since then. The Master was riding a new horse that had never hunted hounds before. None of our regular quarries were available and Clinkeard and Meon Valley Beagles Whipper-in, Nick Hibbert-Higston (talking to the Master on the left) was press ganged into service. He had been beagling all day on the Saturday, but the Master assured him it would not be too strenuous - what a liar!! And on top of all this, young Elly Wilson's pony (on the right) was displaying suicidal tendencies! How did they all get on? Click here for a full report and pictures by Ann Brewer and Dick King
Keyham Farm. Boxing
Day 26/12/06
There was an excellent turnout of children and adults for the Boxing Day
meet at Keyham Farm, kindly hosted by Carolyn and James Fair. Our regular
Quarry, Chris Lee (back left in picture left), was joined by veteran Coakham
Bloodhounds Quarry Captain, Adrian (Blobby) Paice (front of picture left).
Perhaps it was rather fitting that during the pantomine season we had
Beauty and The Beast running for us! This meet was planned especially
with children in mind, so the hunts were very twisty and kept doubling
back on themselves, so that slower ponies and/or fallers could be kept
in touch. There were three empty saddles during the day, but all appeared
to carry smiling faces at the end of the day. Full
report and pictures by Sharon Thayer here.
Old Place Farm, East
Tisted. Sunday 10/12/06
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! Full
report and pictures by Fran Baker here.
Thorney Island is not the easiest place to hunt a pack of bloodhounds, especially on a nice sunny day that brings out so many people walking, driving, paragliding and flying on the island. All these people walking about are just considered "unofficial quarries" by the hounds! Nonetheless, the good flat going, together with a few jumps courtesy of our hosts, the Royal Artillery Saddle Club, (RASCTI) makes it a popular place for riders and foot followers alike. We are grateful to Sgt. Kevin Britton for kindly negotiating with the MOD and farmers David and Simon Sprackling, who kindly gave permission for the meet to take place. Our Quarries for the day were Quarry Captain Neil McAlpine and his friend Rik, and they were joined by brothers Charlie and Piers Quarry. This was Piers' first day being slobbered on! Full report and pictures by Ann Brewer, Fran Baker and Sharon Thayer here.
There was a respectable field of 18 riders and great crowd of foot followers for our second Opening Meet at Cedar House, Froxfield, courtesy of our hosts Mike and Fran Baker. Warm sunshine and wasps are not something one usually has to cope with at an Opening Meet! We were very lucky to have some great country to hunt over thanks to the Ellis family and the shoot there. It was good to have Jane Ellis (picture right) riding with us and the Master was pleased that her fear that her horse might buck her off were not realised. It doesn't do to return farmers' relatives on stretchers! We are also grateful to the West Tisted Manor Estate for letting us use their ground at Froxfield, Mr Anthony Silk for letting us hunt down at Priors Dean, where we always have great sport, and Mr and Mrs Stephen Batten on whose land we finished the day. Our Quarries for the day were Quarry veteran Chris Lee and newcomer Charlie Quarry (no that really is his name!). Full report and pictures by Ann Brewer and Fran Baker here.
Itchen Down Farm,
Itchen Abbas, Sunday 22/10/06 (Training Meet)
Wet, wet, wet, are the three words to describe this day - oh yes, and
roe deer! However we were delighted to be able to have a day in this beautiful
new bit of country for us. As well as a good field of riders, it was nice
to see our host Dick Burge following the progress of the hounds, from
the dry environs of his Land Rover. As we hacked up to the start of the
first hunt, a roe deer crossed the line in the first field. With a bit
of help from the huntsman and amateur Whipper-in, hounds were kept on
the line of our quarry for the day, Chris Lee. Just as well as he is a
policeman and had the hounds gone away on the deer, we might have ended
up being arrested by our quarry! The rain just got heavier and heavier
as the mroning progressed. On the final hunt, it was now pouring with
rain, amatuer Whipper-in Kim Thayer crashed her leg into the side post
of a jump and yet another roe deer decided to run the entire route taken
by our quarry, except for the last field. However we all survived and
Chris got the bonus of carrying Kim into the lorry while she recovered.
Anyone got a photo of that? It could be useful for blackmailing purposes!
More pictures (By Ann
Brewer) here.
Park Farm,
Avington , Sunday 8/10/06 (Training Meet)
There was a splendid turnout of riders and foot followers for this new
meet courtesy of Messrs M & R Stent. Regular Quarries Neil McAlpine
and Chris Lee were joined by new Quarry Alison and all three can be seen
with the Master discussing the plan for the day on the right. Three good
hunts had been organised over varied terrain in beautiful countryside.
The hounds had to cope with very warm bright day and to quote Chris "
the hounds are much quicker this season....as quarry we have to start
talking tactics....." Nonetheless the Quarries set good hunts
forcing the hounds to work on stubble, grass and bare freshly drilled
ground. More Pictures (by
Ann Brewer) here.
Priors Dean Cross Roads,
Sunday 1/10/06 (Training Meet)
Despite heavy showers there was a good turnout for this meet and three
good hunts planned for the morning thanks to the hospitality of Mr Anthony
Silk. Regular Quarries were busy elsewhere and Ali Eldridge kindly volunteered
the services of her husband Derek - and he Press Ganged a friend, Russell
Forster, to share the responsibility. Despite having had no experience
of running as Quarries, after a quick briefing from the Master, Derek
and Russell ran brilliantly ensuring the hounds had quite a tricky line
to follow on the first hunt. Both a fox and two roe deer were seen to
cross the first line, but hounds stuck to their Quarry all the way. The
day finished in a heavy downpour, but all three hunts had been successfully
concluded by then. More
Pictures (by Ann Brewer) here.
Church Farm, South
Harting Saturday 23/9/06 (Training Meet)
The second training meet was held at Alastair and Madeleine Nugent's Church
Farm, South Harting. This was our first time here and Madeleine kindly
risked life and limb on the back of the Master's ATV helping to plan the
hunts a couple of days before the meet. We are also grateful to Mr &
Mrs Fitzalan-Howard for permitting us to use their land for the third
hunt. Anne Brewer, having returned from Spain, took the photographs on
this page from this meet. More
Pictures (by Ann Brewer) here.
Hounds were much more settled from the start this day and all three couple of young hounds entered well with the eight and a half couples of entered hounds. As we drove to the meet, thick fog looked as though it would delay the start, but it soon burned off and we finished in bright sunshire.
Picture by Carol Thayer
The 2006 - 2007 season got under way with the first training meet being held at . Unfortunately our main photographic contributor was away in Spain! We were delighted to see Mrs Carolyn Humphrey (left in picture), amongst others, out with us for the first time. Mrs Humphrey was a Master of the Hursley Hambledon foxhounds for more years than it would be polite to mention and is a well known and much respected breeder and judge of foxhounds. What would she make of this completely alien sport? It was also nice to see George and Hayley Bolt back with us following their mariage last March - who said it would never last!!
As last season, the first hunts took place on Mr John Nicholson's land at Hermitage Farm. The first hunt was slightly spoiled by the hounds over enthusiasm as they took some time to get settled to the line. However the second hunt,starting by Alexanders Farmhouse, went much better with hounds showing that they can produce great hunting on a line brillaintly run by Chris Lee (On the left in the picture left). The third and final hunt was a short dash over Mrs Helen Thomas's land at Gunner's Plantation.
