Dick Burge and Brenda Hulme kindly laid on some splendid refreshments on a bright sunny day at Itchen Down Farm. There was a good turnout of riders and foot followers hoping for a good day in this beautiful part of the country. Adrian Sole and Ali Bamford were our Quarries for the day and they were joined by Colin Dixon, whose wife Suzanne was riding the much admired Trevor. Colin must have enjoyed his day, because he has volunteered to run again!

The first hunt started on the Northington Road, east of the farm, with hounds flying up the headland. Without checking, the hounds left the headland to run over the winter wheat and rape and through a small wood, towards the Oxdrove Way. Hounds were in top gear and well in front of the Field as they headed towards Courtney's Copse. Turning west here, hounds flew south to catch their Quarry by Spreadoak Cottages.

The second hunt started by the barns on Rectory Lane and got off to a more tricky start on the bare ground. Hounds were at fault as they ran towards the Three Castles Path and had to be helped back on the line. As the hounds ran downhill towards Itchen Down Farm, they gathered pace having got in tune with the line. Hounds made a loop out onto Itchen Stoke Down, before turning back to catch their Quarry at the Northington Road.

The Master had kept the young hounds back for the final hunt in the hope that the older hounds would have tired a bit and that the young hounds would have an easier time of it. Running north from the Veterinary Centre, the hounds ran well on the stubble by Lone Farm. Hounds were running well, when the Master noticed they were going off route. Fortunately the Master had seen farmer David Gray, and he was kind enough to give the hunt freedom to run over the winter crop the hounds were running towards. Being sure the hounds were right, he let the hounds run on. After two fields off course, the hounds came back on course, the Quarry having obviously realised their mistake. The lead hounds had run at such a pace a number of the young hounds were left behind, and the Field was "lost". So the Master stopped the leaders and took them back to pick up the stragglers. This is not normally done until the end of the hunt, but as the M3 was only a mile away, he did not want to risk any puppies becoming lost. Once the pack and the Field were reunited, the pack was laid on to finish the hunt. The first two hunts went without a hitch, but the third hunt, without the lady Quarry, ended up with the Quarry going off course. So I suppose we better stop making jokes about the ladies being useless at map reading!

Photographs by Ann Brewer (Click to enlarge)