As usual, food and drink flowed like water at James and Carolyn Fair's Keyham Farm meet and was enough to make our Master brave enough to jump out of the field on the first hunt. Next year he might even do it on a horse! Nick Hoare was joined by our host's son, Hector, to give us a brilliant day's sport. Nick Hudson, who ran for us as a Quarry at Chilton Down, was riding for this meet, but I think by the end of the day he may have decided to go back to Quarrying for a less exhausting way of hunting! It wasn't that he was out of control, more that his horse was in control!

Hounds started the first hunt straight from the meet and took the Field over the Fair's tiger trap out onto the hill. Hounds were really flying over Anthony Silk's old grass and a few tight turns by the Quarry made little difference to their pace. As they came onto the plough round Church Farm there was still no perceptable slackening of pace. As they were going up the next hill behind Church Farm, most of the Field were still coming down the first hill. Hounds crossed the Slade Farm road onto Mrs Knight's Penny Hill, where they caught their Quarry up by the the Farm. Only Mel Fitzpatrick and Carol Thayer managed to get to the end of this hunt.

The second hunt started at the cross roads above Church Farm and hounds were soon running in front of Valley Cottages, before than ran downhill to cross the Hawkley Road between Valley Cottages and the Manor House. Hounds went wrong here, turning behind the cottages, before casting back and taking the line over the plough up behind the Manor House. Crossing the footpath without distraction, hounds continued on the plough back down to the Hawkley Road, crossing onto the stubble, where they turned behind the church. Crossing the Warren Road, hounds turned uphil towards Five Ash Farm. Crossing back over the Warren Road again by the edge of Warren Farm, they ran downhill to cross the bridleway above the telephone exchange. Unfortunately a horse had galloped over the line here, making it difficult for the hounds to pick it up. With a bit of help to the Hawkley Road, the hounds regained the line to catch the Quarry across a short stretch of plough.

All the puppies were put on for the final hunt and 12 1/2 couples were soon running uphill towards the Hawkley Hanger on plough. Turning north, the hounds had a short stretch on grass before they were back on plough. Running over the Tumulus they were back onto grass to run past the meet. Just short of the Buttons Lane/Holtham Lane cross roads, hounds turned back downhill, to catch their Quarry as they desperately struggled in yet more plough making for the telephone exchange. This was a tough day for the Quarries, who had run over a lot of stcky plough. But this made for some wonderful houndwork to watch.

Photographs by Kim Thayer (Click to enlarge)