A Holcombe whitewash
FOUR packs of harriers were judged in a separate ring by Alastair Jackson and James Andrews MFH (South & West Wilts) during another remarkable day for the Holcombe, whose hounds were shown to full advantage by their professional huntsman, Steven Ashworth. Only the High Peak, who won both unentered classes with siblings Agent and Argue, prevented the Lancashire pack from victory in every class.
Holcombe Dashwood 15 won the entered dog class ahead of Hallmark 16, and entries from the Vale of Lune and High Peak, and went on to secure the doghound championship. Dashwood, who is brimming with quality and, save for a white throat, completely black and tan, is the son of Diva 10, who was champion harrier bitch here in 2011 and 2016.
The judges agreed the entered bitch class was the strongest of the day, but neither the High Peak’s Galaxy 16 nor the Pendle Forest and Craven’s Treaty 16 were able to deny the Holcombe first and second places with Hasty 16 and Dipper 15. Hasty went on to clinch the bitch championship and a trophy presented by the 2017 show president, Lord Middleton, with the Holcombe’s brood bitch winner, Barley 12, filling the reserve spot.
A clean sweep of both championships was a triumph for the Lancashire pack, whose predominantly black and tan hounds are very much of a type; according to Alastair Jackson, their dark markings can be traced back to infusions of Scarteen blood from Ireland.