A hound called Sparkle has made history as the first working foxhound to compete at Crufts – and was named best of breed.

The Percy Hunt’s old English foxhound topped the foxhound class yesterday (6 March), in which no other entrant was a working hound, with Percy huntsman Robert McCarthy.

“Sparkle is an adorable hound,” Robert said. “She works hard all season and is always full of beans but also totally obedient.

“She loves everyone and she is friends with all the horses and other hounds too. I knew she could be relied on to perform well, but it is a very different environment for her with all the people, the noise and the lights. I am absolutely delighted to win best of breed.”

The British Hound Sports Association’s (BHSA) Adrian Dangar told H&H he encouraged Robert to enter Sparkle, to help showcase the foxhound to the wider public.

“The judge said afterwards she was the best example of a foxhound he’d seen in the show ring for a long time,” he said, adding that Robert “deserves a medal for his dedication”, having registered Sparkle with the Kennel Club, won his Crufts qualifier, and then left home at about 3.30am on Thursday morning and got back at after midnight.

A BHSA spokesperson added: “The pedigrees of all foxhounds belonging to BHSA-registered hunts are recorded in the Foxhound Kennel Studbook and can be traced back to the mid-18th century.

“The Percy Hunt is a working pack following scent trails across the Northumbrian countryside twice a week from September to March. The hunt is an accredited member of the BHSA, which champions hound welfare and is the governing body for trail hunting.

“The British Hound Sports Association has promoted greater transparency and inclusivity for all trail hunts, and competing at Crufts is an integral part of this process.”

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The harrier is a medium-sized hound breed known for its endurance, agility, and strong scenting ability. Originating in England, the harrier is a scent hound developed for hunting hares and foxes, in packs. It is very similar to the English foxhound but is distinguishable by its shorter stature, though they share common ancestry. The harrier stands between the taller foxhound and the smaller beagle – and is the oldest breed of the three.

The breed’s history can be traced back at least to the 13th century and its name reflects what it was originally bred to do, which is to hunt hares. It was also known as the “hare hound”. The harrier was bred to be followed on foot but in the 19th century it was crossed with the foxhound to produce a faster, lighter hound, which could also be followed on horse. The two principal types of harrier in the UK are the Studbook Harrier and the West Country Harrier. The latter is lighter in both colouring and type.

Physically, the harrier is well-balanced with a moderately long, straight back, a deep chest, and a strong, muscled hindquarters. Its head is broad with a well-defined stop, and it features large, hazel eyes conveying a friendly and alert expression. The ears are set low, hanging down and slightly forward, while the tail is carried high and may have a slight curve.

Harriers are prey-driven hounds with a strong hunting instinct and excellent nose. They have stacks of stamina, thanks to being bred over centuries to chase prey for hours, over many miles and varied terrain.

Harrier dog breed: fact file

Kennel Club breed group: hound

Size: medium/large

Daily exercise: more than two hours

Coat: short, shedding

Colours: badger pied, black/tan, lemon/white, red/white, tri-colour, white. Eye colour harmonises with coat colour

Lifespan: more than 12 years

Bark: loud, prolonged (correctly termed “voice”)

History: harrier breeding goes back to medieval times in England, as there are detailed records of individual packs dating from 1260 to the current day. They are generally a pack dog, and were originally owned only by hunts. The Association of Masters of Harriers and Beagles was formed in 1891, with a studbook which records some 107 registered harrier packs.

Distinctive features: smooth-coated, build for endurance and stamina but without coarseness. Well-balanced, strong and compact physique.

Temperament: friendly, lively, never nervous or aggressive

Things to consider: while harriers are not typically domestic pets as they thrive on working in a pack, you can get in touch with your local harrier pack if you have the time, patience and space to offer your services as a puppy walker.

Training: not a natural domestic pet, as these hounds have been bred and reared to work in packs, where they are brilliantly trainable.

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Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

The foxhound is the epitome of English sport in the field. Developed in England in the late 16th century, the foxhound was selectively bred for its exceptional hunting abilities, in packs, to pursue and scent foxes. They now hunt trails and artificial laid scents. It has always been a pack hound, and different hunts have developed their own identifiable “type” over decades, refining their own packs to suit their country. Fellhound lines and Welsh blood have been infused into many English packs to develop certain attributes, such as athleticism, nose, drive or cry.

“Foxhounds – like all hounds – are wonderful animals and by far the most important element of hunting,” says H&H hunting editor Catherine Austen. “They are kind, fantastically intelligent and love attention. They have been carefully bred for several hundred years, and the Foxhound Kennel Stud Book is said to be ‘purer’ than that of the thoroughbred. To watch them work on the hunting field is one of the great joys of rural life.”

The foxhound umbrella covers a few varieties. The English foxhound comes in two types: modern and old English. There are very few full old English packs in the UK. There are also some in Ireland. The old English is known for its toughness and dogged determination; the modern English hound is typically lighter in frame and faster. There is also the Welsh foxhound, which is very similar to the English, but with a wiry, woolly coat. Hillhounds and fellhounds are also types of English Foxhound, used for hunting in hillier, more mountainous areas such as the Lake District and Northumberland. They are again finer and lighter in frame and are known for their speed and durability over long distances.

American Foxhounds are very similar, being a cousin descending from British ancestry. The American foxhound was bred in Virginia and Maryland, using English foxhounds with some French hound blood. They tend to be slightly leggier, with a lighter frame than the English. There are a number of different types of foxhounds hunting in the US, including the Penn-Marydel, July and Walker, all of whom have different characteristics.

The breed is characterised by a well-proportioned, muscular body, a straight back, and a long, slender tail carried high. It is a large-sized breed known for its strength, stamina, and agility. The English foxhound’s head is broad, with a well-defined stop, large, expressive eyes, and hanging ears. The breed’s short, dense coat comes in various colour combinations.

Foxhound dog breed: fact file

Kennel Club breed group: hound

Size: large

Daily exercise: more than two hours

Coat: short, shedding

Colours: 19 varieties of colour, such as badger pied, lemon and white mottle and tricolour. Eyes are hazel or brown.

Lifespan: more than 12 years

Bark: very vocal. Their bark is termed “voice” and is deep, singing and melodious

History: hound breeding goes back to the 16th century, although the furthest back an individual hound can be traced through the generations is 1743 (59 generations in total), according to the Beaufort. They have been bred for the sole purpose of hunting the fox, although since 2005 this is now a trail, the emphasis remains on nose, stamina and character.

Distinctive features: powerful, well-balanced and athletic.

Temperament: friendly and keen, never aggressive.

Things to consider: offering your services as a puppy walker if you have the time, patience and experience. Find out what puppy walking entails to see if it’s something you could do.

Training: not a natural domestic pet, as these hounds have been bred and reared to work in packs, where they are brilliantly trainable.

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The Old Berks pull off a remarkable victory in the bitch championship, while a local doghound champion is popular at South of England, Ardingly, West Sussex. By Frank Houghton Brown and Matthew Higgs

Foxhounds

THE bitch championship at Ardingly seemed like not only a run-off between a host of the most beautiful foxhounds in the south of England, but also the culmination of the first step towards normality. Hound show chairman Gary Lee and his wife Fee, who acts as show secretary, must have been thrilled to see all their hard work come to fruition.

North Cotswold breeding was the principle influence in the show catalogue, a good example being Stormcloud 18. The white Thurlow brood bitch winner had bags of quality and looked a shoo-in for the champion rosette. Master of the Thurlow Robin Vestey was taking a keen interest in proceedings. Their pack has been revitalised by a North Cotswold draft brought by Nigel Peel. Stormcloud’s mother was North Cotswold Story 15, by the much acclaimed Bodmin 10.

Step forward the Old Berks Deadly 19, with new huntsman Oliver Thompson and whipper-in Josh Tierney. Oliver was kennel-huntsman to the Avon Vale, but has previous experience at the Old Berks when he whipped-in to their previous long-standing and much-respected huntsman Michael Scott. Deadly had come second in the couple class, and with an attractive sandy colouring, she covered a little more ground than Stormcloud. By Dartmoor Denman 15 with a fell topline and out of a Cottesmore-bred bitch called Brasso 15, it was a pleasure to see such a scopey hound with such a different pedigree.

The two senior judges, new chairman of the Masters of Foxhounds Association (MFHA) Andrew Osborne and joint-master and huntsman of the College Valley Adam Waugh, plumped for Deadly as their champion. Adam pointed out: “These beautiful bitches were nearly inseparable.”

Some 10 packs were showing and the morning judges were again two eminent masters of hounds in Felicita Busby from the Exmoor and Richard Tyacke, director of the Association of Masters of Harriers and Beagles (AMHB). Hounds were brought into the ring to be shown off the lead and then taken back into the holding area in front of the kennels, where they were sorted down to the last four. These four entries were then judged in the normal way back in the hound ring; a convoluted but necessary exercise.

The unentered couple class was won by the Thurlow, with the Chiddingfold, Leconfield and Cowdray in second place, both entries by North Cotswold dogs. Thurlow Joshua took the unentered championship and Chiddingfold Dresden the local championship. Prizes were well spread out, with the Crawley and Horsham, the Southdown and Eridge and the East Sussex and Romney Marsh all featuring.

The Kimblewick had some smart hounds. This time of year, their longest-standing joint-master Chris Austin is usually at the Common Ridings in Hawick, which have been going since 1513, but their cancellation allowed him to watch the hound show.

The stallion hound class stood out as being the strongest of the morning. The Surrey Union were well represented with their Ascot 18, but the honours were taken by the Old Surrey Burstow and West Kent with their Racecard 19 just beating the Thurlow with Ramsgate 19. The dog championship was quickly whittled down to a contest between the stallion hound winners and the Chiddingfold’s Redditch 20, winner earlier in the morning, and another hound by the North Cotswold’s Rallywood 16.

The beautifully balanced Racecard was announced the winner to great applause.

“He is absolutely outstanding in his work and has a great voice,” said huntsman Tim Staines, “and we are showing his dam this afternoon, who is also an outstanding hunter.”

Patrick Martin officiated in the young handler’s competition. When winner Lisa Doe, 14, was interviewed by Patrick, she confessed to enjoying all of the jobs in the Surrey Union kennels, especially skinning. Two years ago, this prize was won by Sophie Lawes, who now whips-in to the Chiddingfold, Leconfield and Cowdray and who was holding hounds for their popular huntsman Sage Thompson.

The unentered bitches were dominated by the Thurlow with the lemon and white Decimal and Stamina who pipped Drastic and Drama, a slightly bigger and whiskery couple of Chiddingfold bitches, to the post. The Thurlow then proceeded to win every class with their small and active bitches. Their smart huntsman Elliot Stokes was spoilt for choice as to which hounds to bring forward for the championship and must have thought his luck was in. However, it was to be a special day for the Old Berks and their beautiful bitch Deadly.

A cool breeze made for perfect conditions and the convivial atmosphere was more akin to a puppy show than a major hound show.

BEAGLES

SOME 10 packs of beagles, all of whom were in the ribbons, contested classes, the move from a Friday fixture to the weekend perhaps encouraging more to enter. It certainly won the approval of those packs previously used to battling commuter traffic.

The AMHB director Richard Tyacke, fresh from judging the foxhounds, and Stuart Roscoe, master and huntsman of the Shropshire Beagles, oversaw the doghound classes.

The unentered class was won by Palmer Marlborough Clinkard and Meon Valley (PMCMV) Banker over the more substantial Royal Agricultural College (RAC) Villager. The cheerful Taw Vale team, who had set out from their Devon base at 3.45am to compete, took third with their equally strong Granite.

An unusual, almost ginger dog Victor 20, bred by the Radley College who do not keep doghounds, won the first-season hound class for the Eton College to start a most successful run, a tremendous fillip for incoming kennel-huntsman Steve Batchelor, who has had to contend with the Covid pandemic since his arrival at the Datchet kennels.

The quality, dark-mottled PMCMV Torver 20 edged the entered class over his slightly heavier, older kennel-mate Wittman 16. Bolebroke Wealden 19, well shown by new master Rebecca Callow and her assistant Sian Davis, was a popular third.

There were more cheers when the North Bucks won the couples class with smartly matched Tartan and Taser 18. RAC Scrumpy 20, who had been third in the first season class, was joined by his brother Scrutiny in second while Steven Payne, showing the Brighton, Storrington, Surrey and North Sussex (BSSNS) in the absence of their master and huntsman Ashley Doherty, was third with Warbler and Waiter 20.

Eton College Windsor 13 took the veteran class over his younger namesake from the PMCMV kennel before the latter pack turned the tables, taking top spot with a youthful Winston 16 in the stallion hound class. Christchurch and Farley Hill (CCFH) Valour 14 was second.

A previous champion here, Winston was not eligible for the championship, so there was a tussle between Torver and Eton Windsor. The judges delighted in awarding the top spot to the latter to conclude a busy morning.

Lord Herbert, chairman of the Countryside Alliance, and James Barclay judged the bitch classes. Their unentered winner was RAC Vision, a sister of Villager. Sister Vixen was second. North Bucks took third with the mottled Dahlia.

PMCMV Topsy 20, Torver’s sister, won the first-season class, beating RAC Scatter into second with CCFH Daphne 20 third. Continuing the litter’s success, PMCMV Tonic was first in the entered bitch class, BSSNS Vision 19 coming in second.

The Eton College returned to the fray with the black and tan Pleasure 20 and Paisley 19 winning the couples. The Christchurch were again second with well-matched sisters Vision and Violet 17.

The veteran class was a duel between the robust RAC Vampire 13 and PMCMV Tablet 14. Tablet prevailed with her sister Taper taking third.

The elegant Eton College Whatnot 16 won the brood bitch class over the smaller Trinity Foot and South Herts Princess 18. PMCMV Granite 18, dam of their successful T litter, was third.

The Eton concluded a hot afternoon taking the championship to complete the double with Whatnot, PMCMV Tonic 20 standing reserve.

Competitors and spectators –which included a large cohort of students supporting the RAC and the Varsity packs alike – hailed Gary Lee, chairman of the hound show, and his team for their fortitude in pulling off the show despite a host of Covid restrictions. We are in their debt.

This report can also be read in Horse & Hound magazine, on sale date 24 June 2021

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School and college packs of beagles have played a considerable role in teaching young people about hounds – and life – for many generations, as Andrew Sallis explains

MY parents’ horror was palpable. Their hunting-mad nine-year old son was hopping with excitement at the ringside. A school pack of beagles was parading and what’s more, they were hunted by the boys.

I couldn’t believe they had kept this secret.

Beagles, studies, boys, hunting – what could possibly go wrong? Within a year I had been packed off to choir school, far removed from any venatic distraction to my studies: that was to come later in my academic career.

For generations, “young gentlemen” (and now some ladies) have followed the well-worn path of masterships from school beagles to college beagles before taking a pack of foxhounds.

Pressures of balancing academic studies with co-curricular activities and shifting admission criteria, not to mention economic considerations, have re-aligned this route-map, but the merits and rewards offered by school and college packs, hunting within the law, remain as strong as ever.

Most packs had a humble naissance. A few “hounds” of dubious provenance and questionable breeding were acquired and lodged, sometimes illicitly, away from the eyes of Victorian schoolmasters. The keeping of “dogs” was contrary to rules at most schools, but this was a technicality generally bypassed in the interest of encouraging sportsmanship.

In the 1850s, the Eton began using a semi-trencher system. In the history of the Eton College Hunt, it is noted that “the rule was either to subscribe or bring back a couple of beagles… naturally the result was a rather unlevel lot.”

Ironically, in light of their present-day “quarry” compelled by law, many packs began their existence hunting a “drag” before quickly moving to a live quarry. The young beaglers didn’t limit themselves to a single species and could at best be described as opportunist, at worst indiscriminate.

Although the hare became the prized and respected quarry of the young gentleman beaglers before the beginning of the 20th century, even as late as the 1940s the beagles would purposefully account for the occasional fox.

The schoolboy Ronnie Wallace famously accounted for a fox in a cottage kitchen, only to have his picture appear in a local newspaper which prompted a woman to write to him, “You have a very sweet face. Can I not save you before it’s too late?”

Not for the first time, innocent looks benefited a young master in a tricky scrape. Wallace’s influence over the Eton College Hunt lasted his lifetime. As senior trustee he designed the new kennels and was honoured by the approaching road being named Wallace Walk.

A FINE REPUTATION

DESPITE their collegiate names, the Oxbridge packs don’t have formal relations with the colleges. Since the mid-18th century, Oxford has had at least five establishments: Christ Church, Trinity, Magdalen, Balliol and New College. Amalgamations and takeovers followed, with the Christ Church emerging as the sole university pack in 1950, eventually joining with the Farley Hill, from civvy-street, in 1970.

From the early 1850s, Eton hosted two packs, the Oppidans and the College Hunt, before the Eton College Hunt was assumed in 1867.

The Ampleforth College Beagles, founded in 1915, had a fine reputation in North Yorkshire and still maintain strong links with the school today in their new constitution, as does Marlborough College, whose sporting country joined with the Palmer Milburn Beagles more than a decade ago. Both school packs contributed heavily to the pantheon of great masters and huntsmen.

The most recently formed school pack has been a remarkable success. The Stowe Beagles were founded in 1962 and have been showing capital sport ever since, as well as becoming the nursery of countless talented huntsmen of beagles and foxhounds.

Key to their success has been the appointment of first-rate kennel-huntsmen. Adrian Dangar, who hunted the Stowe in the early 1980s before a distinguished career with foxhounds, recalls that, “Nat Thornton had a knack of allowing his young masters leeway and intervening in time to avert disaster. He was an all-round sportsman who made it fun and produced hounds in tip-top condition. Nat taught me so much about hunting and hound management. We didn’t realise how lucky we were.”

The beagles naturally attract children from hunting backgrounds but, more importantly, they offer a great opportunity for all children to get involved in a community beyond the school gate. After all, non-school or college members, alumni and the farmers are crucial to all packs, providing continuity and support.

The Stowe and Royal Agricultural College (RAC) Beagles have produced the greatest number of masters and huntsmen of foxhounds over the past 50 years, whose alumni include a current cabinet minister.

The RAC trace their history back to the late 19th century and have been bound by high-quality sport with their eminent foxhound neighbours in Gloucestershire ever since.

Radley College has truly brought its hunt into the modern era. As well as offering legal hunting, their Countryside Centre gives boys the opportunity to look after farm animals and rare breeds, in addition to experiencing other country pursuits. Such ventures can inspire vital new recruits to hunting and the countryside.

David Brown, kennel-huntsman to the Christ Church and Farley Hill Beagles at Oxford for 16 seasons, admits: “It can make such a difference if the master has carried the horn at school or been involved with hounds previously.”

MENTORING YOUNG CHARGES

BEYOND that of other kennel-huntsmen, those appointed to school and college packs have to mentor their young charges. Most packs have trustees and senior members, but it is the kennel-huntsman who must principally educate and mould the young.

The hue of his patois may occasionally differ from their schoolmasters, but he must equally be their teacher, social worker, agony aunt, defender and even stand in loco parentis.

Captain Ronnie Wallace considered the careful placement of school and college kennel huntsmen vital for the future of hunting, which rested heavily on their shoulders. Bill Perkins, famous Eton kennel-huntsman to a generation of top-class amateur huntsmen in the middle of the 20th century, left an indelible impression on the young Wallace. He instilled many virtues and according to Wallace, “could impart hound control to the young in such a way that they could take the pack alone through Slough.”

The kennels and KH’s kitchen become classrooms for life lessons. My kennel-huntsman at the Trinity Foot, then still a student-run pack at Cambridge, was a talented houndman who hailed from the Stoke-on-Trent potteries, via a couple of notable foxhound kennels. He certainly showed me a “rich” side of life previously hidden and a glossary of proverbs in a vernacular to match.

Modern school and college packs wouldn’t be able to tolerate the habits of “Lock”, the Eton kennel-huntsman at the end of the 19th century. Short and fat, he also ran the Turkish baths next to kennels on the High Street and was rarely seen out of his scarlet “drawers”, save for on the hunting field where he sported brown knickerbockers.

Due to academic pressures, today’s kennel-huntsmen and school countryside officers are more likely to clear country and co-ordinate meets than their predecessors, providing essential continuity for the farmers.

While the students are taking on important responsibilities, the kennel-huntsman must remember that they aren’t obliged to be there. In fact many of the students, particularly at schools, may be bucking the trend and resisting considerable pressure, from peers and teachers (even parents) to conform to more conventional sports and activities.

But the little hounds can prove addictive. Involvement with the beagles doesn’t have to involve hunting. Fundraising and socials are essential to hunt cohesion.

A HOME FROM HOME

THE considerable life skills learnt on the rugby pitch and in the school theatre rarely involve such an eclectic and diverse bunch. Just like hunts in the outside world, this fraternity crosses age groups and creates a profound bond between sometimes unlikely bedfellows. For some, the beagles can offer an exciting yet safe haven; a home from home.

“I loved every second of it,” says Tom Gurney, master of the Stowe Beagles 2019–20. “The camaraderie between beaglers of all ages throughout the school was amazing and created a tight social group. We were at kennels every morning and afternoon.”

As his predecessor Adrian Dangar also recalls, Tom stresses that beagling has a high standing within the school.

Matthew Higgs is the long serving joint-master and huntsman of the South Herts Beagles, which amalgamated with the Trinity Foot Beagles in 2003. The Trinity Foot and South Herts Beagles maintain strong links with Cambridge and make several student appointments each season. He attributes many skills needed for later life from his days hunting the Wye College Beagles.

“The experience of opening country, even dealing with an agitated farmer, helped my career as an agronomist,” he says.

As the chairman of the Association of Masters of Harriers and Beagles, Matthew celebrates the “blend of generations working together on common ground.”

“Beyond running, I was never much of a gamesman,” continues Matthew, “and mucked about trying to avoid the ball, but beagling offered everything.”

Good relations with local packs of foxhounds are crucial. Beagles and foxhounds meeting when out hunting isn’t unheard of, even in recent times. Tom Gurney’s Stowe Beagles bravely gained a couple of Micky Wills’ Grafton hounds for several hours one day, while the RAC once had a memorable afternoon when encountering not only the Beaufort but the VWH too, who had also joined up by chance. Laughter was exchanged rather than blows.

Since the 1950s, Northumberland, that utopia of hare-hunting, has drawn beaglers on pilgrimage, keen to hunt their hounds in its wilderness and sample the hospitality. For many years, an autumnal visit was a seasonal ritual for school and college packs. This tradition began with the Trinity Foot’s first visit in 1888 to hunt the estates of two undergraduate masters, J Carr-Ellison and A Allgood, whose families’ association with the TFB continues to this day.

The hill-country hunts, crazy parties, hunt balls and pub nights morphed into legend for the low-country visitors.

Even in these straitened times, working with in the Hunting Act in a busy countryside, those who have enjoyed school and college beagles could never deny its life-affirming qualities.

Whether or not the young beaglers continue to hunt after their studies, the skills learnt from organising a hunt country, managing the plethora of people, not to forget the enormous fun and privilege of hunting a pack of hounds provide memories and lessons for a lifetime.

This feature is also available to read in this Thursday’s H&H magazine (8 April, 2021)

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Tiverton Goldfinch 00

College Valley Governor 95–Charcoal 94

MANY of the hounds in the Badminton kennel today go back to Tiverton Goldfinch, who former kennel-huntsman and then huntsman Tony Holdsworth brought with him from Devon, where he hunted the Tiverton.

“I hacked to the meet on the first morning’s autumn hunting when Goldfinch was just a puppy and there were two deer in the field alongside. Goldfinch set off after them and, as we were standing at the meet with all the rest of the hounds, we could hear her hunting them,” says Tony.

“Eventually she gave up, and at the end of the morning we had a hunt of about an hour and lost the fox. Goldfinch started to mark in a rabbit hole, but none of the other hounds were interested. Sure enough, Goldfinch was right.”

At the end of her first season she had been quite exceptional. There were eight puppies in her litter and on one occasion Tony watched the pack come past during a good hunt and the first eight hounds were Goldfinch and her siblings. Tony took her with him to Badminton.

Limerick Secret 00

Primus 96–Charming 96

SOME extraordinary traits make individual hounds stand out to their huntsman, and Secret was one of

those peculiar hounds who stood out when Will Bryer went to the Co Limerick as huntsman.

He says: “The Limerick countryside was littered with the ruins of old houses: often just piles of rubble with some of the walled garden still intact. Thick green ivy was draped over the walls and these would be ‘go to’ places to find a fox. Secret was so intelligent that she would disappear from the pack, survey the wall and find a place where she could scrabble her way up, climb along the wall and dislodge the fox.”

Secret was in her first season when Will arrived at Limerick. Her mother, Charming, was “an outstanding bitch” from the Duhallow and goes back on the tail female to Carlow Deborah 32: “A superb line.”

Holcombe Harriers Batman 10

Badger 08–High Peak Query 08

“BOTH in kennels and out working in the field, he was a gentleman among the pack.” says Holcombe joint-master and hound breeder Sue Simmons. “He was always sound and, like the best hounds, always just ‘there’.”

As well as being brilliant in his work, Batman won his puppy show and “almost everything else”. Not only was he champion at Peterborough, but also an outstanding sire whose progeny, both children and grandchildren, have also won Peterborough championships.

“Batman was bred at the High Peak kennels and given back to us as a whelp,” says Sue. “His dam has some Scarteen blood which has given this line a distinctive tan colouring. The sire, Badger, is a rare harrier tail male line in what is a small gene pool of harrier blood.”

Sue points out that his near-perfect conformation gave Batman his athleticism and his longevity and that his portrait hangs in her dining room.

“It’s a pleasure to see him live on through his offspring,” she says.

Grafton Worker 99

Eggesford Painter 96–Woodbine 95

“HE was walked by Richard Cheshire on a farm near Winslow and he allowed them to hunt hares,” explains Mick Wills, who was the Grafton huntsman for 25 seasons.

“It was a habit that was hard to break and because he had such a good voice it was a real nuisance. I caught him doing it one misty day and jumped off to correct him where I thought no one was watching. I was called in by the masters that evening and nearly lost my job. He never hunted hares again and proved to be a brilliant hound.”

Mick has an abundance of stories illustrating Worker’s prowess in the field and can point out the numerous times when he put hounds right and helped to keep a good hunt going.

“If he spoke you knew he was correct, and he would stand on his hind legs and mark foxes up trees.” he says. “I gave his litter sister to the Warwickshire and when I retired they gave me back one of her progeny. I hope she will be as good.”

Morpeth Digby 98

Fernie Crofter 91–Fernie Damsel 94

“BRUCE DURNO gave me the only two puppies in a litter when I left the Fernie and went as kennel-huntsman to the Morpeth,” says Sandy Wilson who, after a long stint at the Morpeth is now huntsman at the Braes of Derwent. “Digby had a fantastic nose, was a real character, a fox finder and a loyal friend.”

Sandy remembers his third season at the Morpeth as being “the best season’s hunting that I have ever had in my life.”

He was hunting the hounds on a bitterly cold day.

“I had got off my horse to pack up and I was frozen,” he says.

The hounds jumped the fence beside him, started to speak and were off. The master wouldn’t let him get back on his horse, so he jumped on the quad with the terrierman. After a hunt of 19 miles and a six-mile point, the hounds were hunting in woodland in tighter and tighter circles.

“It was dark and it all went quiet,” he remembers. “All the hounds came back to me except Digby. I walked down the wood and there he was, lying next to the dead fox.”

South Herts Beagles Zeitgeist 01

Slaney 97–Dummer Talent 95

“HE was typical of his family and of his get,” says master and huntsman of the South Herts – now the Trinity Foot and South Herts – Matthew Higgs, “in that he was the sort of hound that you never particularly notice in the field, but which provide the momentum to see a hunt through all its phases.

“His pedigree is full of Dummer and Stowe blood, lines I have favoured for producing biddable hounds which strive to hunt together. His paternal great-grandsire, Rector 83, was given to my predecessor by Robin Leach from the Dummer. His mother, Dummer Talent, used to jump out of the kennels and wait for me at the gate each day.”

This intimate knowledge of a hound’s forebear is what gives any huntsman or hound breeder such joy in the exploits of the progeny.

“Fittingly, it was Zeitgeist who, on the last Saturday before the ban, drove through the ruined pepperpot lodge gates at Wrest Park to catch our final hare,” says Matthew.

Dumfriesshire and Stewartry Saracen 12

Blencathra Trimmer 07–Saviour 08

“HE was the best of a litter of six,” explains his breeder and retiring joint-master and huntsman Andrew Cook. “The whole litter were exceptional workers. I remember him and his sister hunting a fox for more than 200 yards along the top of a stone dyke at the start of his second season.”

Andrew has a host of stories about Saracen’s persistence, which was well known within the hunt.

“I recall hunting in the hills one day and when we packed up in the dark we were missing 2½ couple.” says Andrew. “They were still missing the following morning and I received a call from someone who thought they could hear hounds speaking. I climbed out to investigate and started blowing. Several hounds came back, but Saracen could be seen with his back end protruding from the hole, still marking.

“He was an incredible foxhound,” Andrew reminisces. “They don’t come along like that very often.”

South and West Wilts Heretic 17

VWH Saxon 12–Harmony 14

IF you are lucky enough to follow in the footsteps of a great hound breeder, you are indeed blessed in the hounds which you inherit.

“Both Simon Clarke and Douglas Mann, two of our hound trustees, have sadly died in the past year, having bred the South and West Wilts hounds since the late 1960s,” says the present joint-master and huntsman James Andrews. “They always stressed the need to cherish the female lines in the kennel as they will produce good sport.”

“Heretic is not only an exceptional hound in his work, but his family have been the backbone of this kennel since 1925, when Ikey Bell bought the Berkeley draft for 1,000 guineas – a vast sum in those days.”

James points out that in the challenging chalk downland it is important to have hounds that suit the country and these old lines have been bred for that very purpose for nearly 100 years.

With such aristocratic breeding, it is no wonder that Heretic is such a good doghound and James notes that “not only is he a superb hunter with a lovely voice, but his grandmother Heather was brilliant and one of the truly outstanding hounds in my 24 seasons hunting hounds”.

This feature is also available to read in this Thursday’s H&H magazine (1 April, 2021)

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A foxhound and a cat have renewed the great friendship that started between them when the foxhound – Belvoir Polish 10 – was a puppy.

Born at the Ledbury hunt kennels when Belvoir huntsman and H&H columnist John Holliday was hunting the Ledbury hounds, Polish was walked by Sally and Julian Pritchard in 2009.

Sally said: “She was only the second hound puppy we had walked. The first was really naughty, but Polish was great. She played with our cat, Bart, for hours, and was really gentle with him. He was only a kitten then.

“She loved our working collie and our terrier as well and they all played and slept together.”

John took Polish – who is by Heythrop Ponder out of Ledbury Satin – with him when he moved to the Belvoir, and thus she was entered as a Belvoir hound.

“She’s been a really good hound – low-scenting but quick, and particularly good through sheep and cattle,” said John. “I did find at first that she tended to be away and gone on a trail a bit too quickly, but having her first litter of puppies steadied her up a bit, which was perfect.

“I’ve always been very fond of her – she was my connection with 14 years of breeding the Ledbury hounds – and she hunted right up until the end of last season. I wanted her to stop while she was still going really well, and I always knew that she would go back to being domesticated without a problem.

“I thought about keeping her myself in retirement, but we already have seven dogs here. Polish always recognised Sally whenever she saw her and I knew she and Julian would give her a lovely home.”

Sally says: “I’d always said I’d have her back to retire, but John didn’t give us much warning – he rang up on his way to the Cheltenham Festival in March and said, ‘Is it ok if I drop her off now?’!

“We didn’t know how it would pan out, but we said we’d give it a go. As soon as she arrived, Bart the cat saw her and jumped down through the window. She wagged her stern and he went and rubbed himself up against her. They love each other – Bart would never come for a walk with the dogs before Polish came back, but he will now.

Article continues below…

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“We have a ginger rescue kitten which we found in the middle of the road on the way to a party, and Polish loves her too – she’s so gentle and calm.

“She remembers everything about being here as a puppy. She used to sleep in a shed in the garden, and she went straight there and curled up in it, and pottered off to where the pigs used to be – she used to play with them all the time when she was a puppy, but we haven’t had any pigs for eight years now!

“She has shown no indication of wanting to go off hunting; she mooches about, and is probably the best behaved animal I’ve had!”

For all the latest equestrian news and reports, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

“I freely admit that the best of my fun, I owe it to horse and hound,” is the famous Whyte-Melville quote that sits at the front of each copy of Horse & Hound.

Those who hunt will know that hounds have priority at all times and the words “hounds please” can often be heard on a hunting day.

Although jumping big hedges, camaraderie with friends and crossing country that you wouldn’t usually have access to can be some of the things that excite people about hunting, watching hounds work brings the day alive for many too.

From foxhounds to bloodhounds, puppies through to retirement, we celebrate the hound by taking a look at some pictures on and off the hunting field.

 Hounds in pictures

Focussed on the job in hand: one Tiverton Foxhound looks into the distance while others look on intently behind

Evening, a Four Shires Bloodhound does her puppies well under the heat lamp during the summer

Continued below…

18 shades of greys out hunting *PICTURES*

We look at some spectacular greys — of varying shades — seen out on the hunting field

Let sleeping dogs lie: A pile of traditional Old English Belvoir hound puppies in kennels last summer

An Eggesford hound gets a leg up during a visit to their meet at Edgerley House by one of H&H‘s hunting correspondents — don’t miss the full report in the 3 December issue of Horse & Hound magazine

One of the Dunston Harriers gets in on the act during the presentation of a cheque by hunt chairman Brian King and Georgie Mann to Patrick Peel of the air ambulance

Homeward bound at the end of the day for the Dulverton Farmers’ hounds following their meet near East Anstey on Exmoor

Dartmoor hounds have an “ah Bisto” moment at the meet at Throwleigh earlier this season

Knees tucked up: a Crawley & Horsham hound leaps a hunt rail in fine style during their opening meet from Knepp Castle

Scotia, a retired Lauderdale foxhound, is now enjoying an easy life by the Aga with five cats and two Jack Russell terriers for company

A very dirty and smelly South Tetcott Devon enjoys a moment on a stolen cushion during his earlier years

Don’t miss this week’s issue of Horse & Hound magazine (26 November 2015), where we head out with the South Shropshire and the Dulverton Farmers

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

A foxhound from the Suffolk Hunt has been found safe and well after 10 days of being on the run.

Foreman had escaped from the Suffolk Show showground after being startled while waiting to parade on Wednesday 27 May.

Part of one of the most popular attractions at the show, the Suffolk pack’s hounds had already taken part in a parade in the grand ring with other local packs of hounds, and were due to parade again in the President’s ring.

While they were waiting for the in-hand harness horses to exit the ring, a horse nearby kicked a stable door. The loud noise made two hounds suddenly leave the rest of the pack.

One of the missing hounds was Garland 09 who later returned to the hound lorry, however her son Foreman 12 (by Duke of Beaufort’s Farrier 07) was nowhere to be found.

Despite blowing the hunting horn and staying out late long after the show had finished to look for Foreman, hunt staff from the Suffolk Hunt were unable to locate the doghound.

Throughout the 10-day period when Foreman was missing, various sightings were reported and visits made to the location where he had been seen, but he did not reappear.

A further sighting was reported on Saturday (6 June) and hunt staff immediately went to see if he could be found. Although Foreman did not come to the call of the hunting horn, while searching land within the vicinity, he was found curled up asleep under a tree, around 100 yards from the entrance to the showground from where he escaped.

A spokesperson for the Suffolk Hunt told H&H: “It was such a relief to find Foreman. He looked surprisingly well after running free for 10 days but he was certainly glad to get back to kennels.”

Packs of hounds are regular attractions at local or county shows and the incident has not put the Suffolk Hunt off parading again — they were out again at the Rural Pastimes Event at Euston Hall on Sunday 7 June, the day after Foreman returned safely to kennels.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Comparing bygone heroes with contemporary stars is futile, but it can be fun and makes us think about the qualities required for success.

Would Geoff Hurst have saved England’s blushes in last year’s football World Cup? And who would you have backed in the quest for Cheltenham’s golden crown?

Arkle — the classic warrior, Kauto Star — the continental superstar, or Best Mate — the romantic hero?

As for the “Battle of the Foxhound”, would it be a fair contest? Probably not.

Over the past century, the rate of development in the countryside has far outpaced the normal rate of natural evolution, and yet the foxhound is still producing remarkable hunts in a noisier, smellier, more congested world.

In its simplest interpretation, Darwin’s theory of evolution and natural selection has little to do with the evolution of the foxhound. Even more than the thoroughbred, the modern foxhound — whatever the strain — is a product of countless centuries of careful breeding by masters and huntsmen. True, there have been convenient mistakes and some breeders are more thorough in their research and critical selection criteria than others.

Huntsmen and hound breeders should be constantly evaluating their hounds, even the ones who for one reason or another won’t make it on to the breeding programme. Match fitness is very important and, like many kennels, we keep assiduous records of hound lists for each day’s hunting. Pleasingly, of the 65 days we hunted this season, 80% of hounds hunted 55 days or more.

The inter-war seismic shift in hound breeding away from the heavy “short-horn” hound towards a more athletic type has eventually benefited both the modern and old English types.

Most huntsmen want sharp, yet biddable hounds that have the drive, athleticism and confidence to produce as decent and significant a hunt as the country can sustain. Longevity is crucial too, for the balance and education of the pack.

Modern hounds’ tolerance

The hound of 100 years ago, even 50, would be horrified at what its descendants tolerate. The odd car exhaust, single strand of wire, considerate train driver and over-keen thruster on a young horse were the limits of their concern.

One of my bête noires is stock fencing topped with two strands of barbed wire protecting what used to be a perfectly good hedge — the stuff of a huntsman’s nightmare.

Last weekend, after our hounds negotiated a series of hazards in fine style without checking, I wondered to what degree we should attribute the foxhound’s ability to cope with the challenges of hunting across the modern countryside to the process of controlled, selective breeding. How much does each generation of hound have to adapt to its current, ever-changing environment? I don’t have the answer but surely the intelligence and beguiling charisma of the foxhound must develop beyond our basic breeding criteria.

The huntsman’s handling is of course crucial and can complicate objective assessment. Given a fair chance, most packs should produce good sport in the right hands and the average standard of hound welfare has never been higher. So it should be with advances in veterinary science, kennel design, management technique and communication.

With the benefit of nature (controlled breeding) and nurture (huntsmen’s handling and hounds’ experiences), if the modern hound went back to hunt the Edwardian Elysian Fields, I’d wager our forebears would have to push their hats down and kick on.

Ref: Horse & Hound; 19 March 2015

Police are investigating after 2 hound puppies were stolen from a farm in Essex.

The 2 bitches, who belong to the Essex Farmers Union, were taken from a farm at Ramsden Heath, near Chelmsford between 9pm on 18 November and 8am on 19 November.

The 14-week-old hounds had only been with their puppy walker Debbie Friswell for 9 days before they were taken.

“I think they must have seen them [the puppies] or heard the noise,” Ms Friswell told H&H.

“It was the first night that I had put the outside in the barn rather than had them in the house. They didn’t take anything else.”

One puppy is called Vintage and has a number 1 tattooed on the inside of one ear and the other is called Village and has a number 2.

Ms Friswell is concerned that thieves have mistaken the hounds for Labrador or Beagle crosses.

“People don’t realise that they are outdoor pack animals,” Ms Friswell added.

“They are not going to be able to train them in terms of continence or how boisterous they are.”

Countryside Alliance spokesman Charlotte Cooper reiterated that hound puppies are not domestic pets.

“While a 3-month-old hound puppy is a very appealing house pet, the same cannot be said of a fully grown one – ask any puppy walker!” Mrs Cooper said.

“Hounds are highly intelligent canines and bred to do a job. They are big and have very energetic natures and can become extremely destructive when forced to live the life of a pampered pet.

“Anyone who takes these on thinking they are Labradors will have a big surprise.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact PC Claire Forster, or her colleagues at Essex police on 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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An outbreak of kennel cough means several leading foxhound packs will not be able to contest classes at the Festival of Hunting at Peterborough tomorrow (17 July), the blue riband of hound shows.

The Masters of Foxhounds Association (MFHA) and the organisers of the festival have have had to exclude any pack that went to Great Yorkshire Show (9-11 July). This is because kennel cough has since been confirmed in a pack that showed there.

Their hounds were not exhibiting any signs prior to the show. Kennel cough can incubate for a period of time and therefore hounds that may have come into contact with the Cotswold at Harrogate could still be in the incubation period.

One of the packs left desperately disappointed is the Heythrop. Their Heythop Raspberry won the bitch championship at Harrogate. They have a great record at Peterborough and are always one of the favourites to take the honours in a number of foxhound showing classes.

Joint-Master Nessie Lambert told H&H: “We are obviously disappointed not to be able to take our hounds however we have to consider hound welfare at all times and cannot take any risk, particularly at this time of the year with the new season in sight.”

The Old English foxhound classes have been cancelled altogether. With the majority of the packs entered for Peterborough having previously shown at Harrogate it would not have been viable to run those classes.

The Grove & Rufford who also enjoyed considerable success at Great Yorkshire are amongst other packs that will have to wait until next year to compete at Peterborough.

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Thieves have stolen two foxhound puppies that were being walked by a hunting family in Kent.

The two male puppies, “Stroller” and “Student”, are 10-12 weeks old. They were being walked by the Palmers, who are Ashford Valley Tickham subscribers.

The Palmers’ stables were broken into at their farm in Egerton around 10.30pm on Sunday night (7 July). Thieves stole the puppies, their feed, rugs for the Palmers’ horses and grooming kit.

Megan Palmer, who is 29, said her young sons Harry, aged six and Olly, two, were “heartbroken”.

Mrs Palmer said: “They’re not pets. They are not trained for hunting, they are just puppies. They’re meant to be with their pack.”

Mrs Palmer and her husband Adam were due to be walking the puppies until September, when they would have been handed back to the hunt kennels.

Stroller is described as lemon and white and looks like a traditional hound puppy, while Student (in the foreground of the picture) is mainly white with a few lemon patches, one lemon-coloured ear and unusual black markings around one eye.

Mr Palmer told H&H that he hoped the thieves had “the brains to give them back”.

He continued: “They are no use to them for lamping [hunting using flashlights], they won’t hunt on their own, they are a pack animal. They’re going to be very distinctive — people will spot them straight away.

“I can only think that in the dark they took them thinking they were Labrador puppies,” he added.

The thieves also targeted a neighbouring farm that night, taking two ferrets, diesel and a petrol strimmer.

Anyone with information is urged to contact PC Jonathan Nock of Kent Police on 01233 896288 quoting crime reference ZY/19050/13.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now