The first of the major hound shows recently took place over two days at the South of England hound show in Ardingly, West Sussex. The judging of the foxhounds was on Thursday 11 June with the beagles classes on Friday 12 June.
On foxhound day, Major Tim Easby, director of the Masters of Foxhounds Association (MFHA) and Lady Arabella Moger MFH judged the doghounds while Alastair Jackson and Joss Hanbury — joint-master of the Quorn — judged the bitches.
A strong contigent from both the Chiddingfold, Leconfield and Cowdray from West Sussex, and the VWH from Glos proved hard to beat with the majority of classes being split between them.
On beagles day, Martin Weatherhead and Andrew Kellaway were judging the doghounds, with Tim Coulson MFH and Simon Dunn responsible for deciding the winners of the bitch hounds.
The Blean Beagles enjoyed their first major success for many years while the Stoke Hill and North Dartmoor’s Commander 12 took the doghound championship, following up his win in both the entered and stallion hound classes. Several packs were victorious throughout the judging of the bitches, but it was the turn of Palmer Marlborough Woodbine 12 to take the bitch hound championship.
Huntsmen entering the ring at the South of England Hound Show
Hounds awaiting the judging
Doghound, Stoke Hill and North Dartmoor Commander 12, with reserve Christ Church and Farley Hill Brutus 14 (behind)
Hague with the doghound winners of the two couple class
View from the stands during the judging
Heythrop Raspberry 11, winner of the brood bitch class
Deciding the bitch hound championship
The Chiddingfold, Leconfield & Cowdray’s Mascot and Mandate, winners of the unentered doghounds couple class
The judging of the bitch hound championship on beagles day
An East Kent with West Street hound is keen to get involved
For the full report and further pictures, please see Horse & Hound on 18 June 2015
