‘A change in culture that was planned years in advance’
MICHAEL ABRAHAMS CBE ON THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE HOUND SHOW
The Derbyshire, Notts and Staffs (DN&S), whose hunt staff wear red coats, put forward two brothers of real quality in the black and tan Porlock and
Poldark 16 to capture first and second place in the entered dog class for the Simon Till Memorial Trophy.
The Ampleforth’s lovely Admiral 14 ran out a convincing winner of the stallion hound class, and the CH&FH returned to winning form with the wellmatched Brutus 14 and Tufter
11 in the couples class. The university pack had to settle for second and third rosettes in the following progeny contest, where Ampleforth Admiral again took first place, with the assistance of his unentered sons Farrier and Falcon.
Newcastle and District master Rupert Gibson gave a short demonstration on judging prior to the championship, which was won convincingly by DN&S’s Poldark 16 after the ring steward pointed out that Ampleforth Admiral was ineligible, having already won here in 2015.
Poldark’s victory came in the wake of similar successes at Malvern and Builth this year.
“He is a lovely well-balanced hound who looks like a doghound should,” said Nigel Bell. “We were also most impressed by the high standard of showing from the amateur packs throughout the morning.”
Mike Smith MH (Old Berkeley) and Lizzie Hacking (former master of the RAC) adjudicated during an afternoon that got underway with a first prize for Bleasdale Magpie in a poorly supported restricted unentered class. CH&FH Vision was a clear winner of the much stronger unentered open class, and a hound of real promise.
“We thought Vision was quite exceptional,” said Mike Smith later. “She caught our eye the moment she came into the ring, moved beautifully and showed to perfection.”
Shown by Matthew Higgs MH, who becomes the new chairman of the Association of Masters of Harriers and Beagles in September, Trinity Foot and South Herts (TF&SH) Zero 16 was a popular winner of the open class for the best entered bitch. Last year, Jack Higgs assisted his father in the ring wearing a white coat and bowler hat, but in 2017 the eight-year-old graduated to an immaculate green coat with brass buttons, white shorts and a black hunting cap.
Cheshire Venom 15 won the brood bitch class ahead of Newcastle and District Avid 13, but the Ampleforth returned to winning ways with well-matched sisters Fountain and Future 16 in the couples class.
TF&SH Zero, who is a lovely, fluid-moving tricolour bitch, overcame Ampleforth April in the championship and was clearly a popular winner.
Muriel Tinsley, who has walked more than 100 foxhound and beagle puppies at her North Yorkshire farm on Harland
Moor, presented the Ampleforth Beagles Centenary Trophy to
Ian Campbell MH after the Ampleforth had accumulated more points during the day than any other hunt. Other trophies had been presented by hunting personalities including Jamie Cameron, Frank Houghton Brown, Major Ian Kibble,
Michael Sagar and the Rev Doctor Tom Glover.