As usual, Mark and Robert Stent made us very welcome at Park Farm, while our senior Master enjoyed more than his fair share of Nicky Stent's baking! This is quite a tight bit of country to try and get three hunts in, but thanks to some very accurate running by Hector Fair, it was a very successful day. The following day, Jeremy went back to the farm to collect the hunt jumps with Mark's help and they were astonished to find the farm crawling with pheasants. Mark said, "I've never seen so many pheasants on the farm!" So I think we can safely say that hunting the clean boot is very compatible with shooting! Perhaps bloodhounds even attract pheasants!!

The first hunt started from Lovington Lane with hounds racing along the farm's eastern and northern boundary by Bushy Close and Hampage Wood up to Gospel Oak. Running south by Temple Drive, hounds turned east across the middle of the farm to finish by the Itchen way.

The second hunt started by the west end of the golf course with hounds having some difficulty running south over the plough. Hounds continued to struggle as they crossed the bare exposed crop south of the golf course, but picked up pace as they came on to stubble, once again back up to Gospel Oak. Turning down through the middle of the farm, some very accurate running by our Quarry gave the Field quite a gallop to keep up as hounds caught their Quarry above Yavington Farm.

The third hunt started in the same field as the first hunt, but this time taking a line through the middle of Yavington Farm and Park Farm, finishing just above Mark and Nicky Stent's house.

This was a highly successful day despite the tight country. Hector is not only good at running, he is also exceptionally good at map reading!

Pictures on the left by Sarah Kelk. More pictures by Nicky Stent below.