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!

Charlie and Piers drew the short straw by running the first hunt, which involved getting wet within 100 yards of the start! The hounds flew away from the start by the guard post and were hard to keep with as they ran to Wickor Point. The field had a chance to get back in touch as the hounds turned South to run through the Long Field, where cattle foil slowed the pace a bit. Once out of the foil the hounds were back in top gear to run over part of the RASCTI cross country course and they caught their quarry by the hanger near Marker Point, well before the Field caught up again.

Neil and Rik took up the baton for the second hunt running South from the centre of the island, before turning back North to go round another section of the cross country course, before finishing at Marker Point again.

The final hunt started at the northern end of the main runway and went due East before turning up towards West Thorney. Hounds were a bit foiled by the extensive activity in this area, and it took a few minutes to get them back settled on the line running South round West Thorney catching their Quarry short of Longmere Point.

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