Changes at the Farmers Bloodhounds mean new masters, new kennels and an entire new pack for next season, returning master Brian Temple has told H&H.
All 12½ couple of hounds in the Northamptonshire pack were sold to an Irish hunt through an advert in H&H (12 March).
Long-standing masters Andy Tutton and Susan Busby retired this season, as did the huntsman, Andy Tutton’s son Graham.
Remaining joint-masters Gregor Kerr and Mike Spencer will be joined by Mr Temple and Penny Dowdeswell.
“We’ll be a more consumer-friendly hunt, with differentiation between our big and smaller days,” said Mr Temple.
Mr Temple was previously master for two seasons, but left three seasons ago. He is drafting in new hounds from packs across the country to create a more traditional bloodhound.
The retirement of Andy and Graham Tutton marks the end of an era. Hounds have been kennelled with the Tuttons in Woodford Hulse since the outbreak of foot-and-mouth in 2001.
The new pack will live at Mr Temple’s property near Towcester.
Graham Tutton, who hunted the pack for 12 seasons, told H&H: “The new masters want to do things a bit differently.”
This news story was first published in Horse & Hound (9 April, ’09)
