As usual, Warren Farm proved to be a popular meet with both riders and foot followers. Stephen and Val Batten provided generous refreshments for the assembled company, including a herd of Quarries. Nick and Richard Hoare, were joined by Nick Hudson and first timer Mark Little. The Quarries declined a drink to start with, until they had a look at the maps and notes and realised just how much plough they would be running over! Given the dreadful wet weather we have been having over the last week, it really was very kind of Mrs Knight at Penny Hill and Anthony Silk of Priors Dean to let us hunt at all.
The first hunt started by the bridleway at Warren Farm and hounds raced down to Valley Cottages. Turning back uphill, they crossed the Slade Farm Road onto Penny Hill. Lucy and Katy Duncan were well up with the hounds as they ran uphill by the farmhouse, to catch their Quarry by the Colemore Road. A fast hunt, but all the riders managed to catch up, including Freya Mileham, who seems to have got the hang of Shetland pony, Dinky, after a couple of falls two weeks ago. Superglue is a wonderful product, isn't it Freya!
The second hunt started from the Slade Farm Road, with hounds running well downhill on the grass above Church Farm. Crossing the plough behind Church Farm, hounds crossed the road onto more plough, before reaching the grass above the Manor House. Hounds were well in front of the Field as they turned downhill across plough once more, to cross the road by the telephone exchange. From here hounds raced behind the Church to catch their Quarry in front of the Manor House. The pace of this hunt proved a bit hot for some of the young hounds and most of the Field, all taking some time to catch up.
The hack up to the third hunt was led by young Harriet Plant on her pony Dinky. (the one being ridden earlier in the day by Freya Mileham) The theory being that two hunts with Freya should tire Dinky enough to give Harriet an easy ride. As Harriet found out, there is a world of difference between theory and practice! Riding at a somewhat gravity defying angle in front of the hounds up to the start, a lost stirrup separated Harriet and Dinky as the hounds went away on the line. Running by Keyham Farm, hounds startled a fox lying above Hawkley Hangar. The fox was about 50 yards in front of the hounds and running the same line as the Quarry, until they came to some plough. The Quarry had gone straight on, while the fox turned left down into the hangar. Led by Sultry 03, all the hounds, bar three, carried straight on following the Quarries line. In the last field before the Hawkley bridleway, hounds doubled back downhill, running below, parallel, and in the opposite direction of where they had come from. On reaching the grass track south of the Manor House, hounds were at fault when they changed to the line of some spectators, who had walked up from the road to get a better look. Brought back by the Master, hounds hunted behind the Manor House, before going wrong again, when they hit the line of some more spectators who had walked up the other side of the Manor! Brought back again, hounds picked up the line and caught their Quarries behind Valley Cottages.
This was a good day's hunting with hounds showing that plough is not a problem. Mind you, I'm not sure that the Quarries shared these sentiments as for them, running through plough is like trying to run with lead boots on!
Photographs by Ann Brewer and Sharon Thayer (Click to enlarge)
