Peel rallies once more
A first Peterborough doghound championship is a fitting accolade as Nigel Peel’s 30 years at the North Cotswold draw to a close, but there is also glory for the Wynnstay
VICTORY for the North Cotswold in the doghound championship was widely applauded in this, Nigel Peel’s final season as master and hound breeder. Meanwhile, VWH Footloose 16 added to her Harrogate triumph by winning the bitch championship.
The Sir Watkin WilliamsWynn’s (Wynnstay) continued their winning streak, taking the doghound championship and many of the other prizes in the old English ring and, quite exceptionally, the unentered doghound in both the old English and the modern rings.
Entries, and at times quality, were disappointing in some of the restricted classes, but at the top end of the scale there were some outstanding hounds, which made for some difficult judging.
The first class of the day for restricted single unentered doghounds was surprisingly poorly subscribed with only six packs, half of whom were either old English or part-bred, taking part. Of these, Wynnstay Chairman was an obvious eyecatcher and took first with judges James Andrews MFH (South & West Wilts) and Tim Coulson MFH (Bedale) saying, “He is an exceptional example of his type.”
The Chiddingfold, Leconfield and Cowdray’s handsome sons of North Cotswold Droitwich 14 had to settle for second and third.
There were far better numbers in the open couples class, and with all the major players in the ring, some very smart young hounds were on show. The judges made quick, accurate decisions to whittle these down deftly to their final cut, with Heythrop Ransack and Rancher the victors. These rangy sons of VWH Steptoe 13 had enjoyed similar success at Ardingly, with Ransack yet again taking the overall unentered crown. Snapping at their heels were the Dulverton West with Penfold and Penguin (by North Cotswold Carbine 12).
The Dulverton West then took the next class for restricted entered couples with Granite and Griffin 16, also by a North Cotswold sire, Greenwich 13. This three-day-a-week pack from Exmoor continued to shine throughout the day, proving that last year’s successes here were no flash in the pan.
Nine packs came forward for the two-couple class and it was heartening to see that quality was not confined to the unentered section. The VWH at last found favour; their superbly matched quartet, all out of different dams and by three very different stamps of sire, gave further evidence of the strength of the Meysey Hampton kennel. Another very attractive team was fielded by the second-placed North Cotswold,
which consisted of three sons of Capetown 12 and the morning’s champion Rallywood 16.
Until now, the Beaufort had had an unusually quiet morning, but were redeemed in the stallion hound class which they won with Radar 15 (by Boatman 13), who fended off strong competition from North Cotswold Denton 15 and VWH Crackshot 14.
He was straight back in the ring for the championship, which became a duel between him and North Cotswold Rallywood 16. However, Radar had to settle for reserve as there was no denying the perfect balance and ease with which the latter moved and so he added another championship to the one he had won at Builth. It was a fitting tribute also to Nigel and Sophia Peel’s 30 seasons breeding this pack.
It is to be hoped that while the Thurlow and East Anglia will in future benefit from Nigel’s wisdom and “magic touch” — he takes over there as master and huntsman in 2018 — the new team at the North Cotswold will continue the high standards of breeding that have benefited so many packs, including many that were shown today.
FOOTLOOSE FLIES AGAIN
THE Beaufort’s Capt Ian Farquhar MFH and Edward Knowles MFH, who, after many years’ absence from hunting hounds, took on the Tedworth last season, judged the bitches. As in the morning, the single unentered class was disappointingly low on entrants. Nevertheless, it was a worthy win for Crawley and Horsham Celery, nicely shown by new huntsman James Tennent, with Old Berks Garnet in close contention.
The judges were spoilt for choice in the open couples, but yet again the Heythrop’s winning Ardingly formula triumphed, with Racket and another VWH Steptoe 13 daughter, Stella.
These just had the edge on VWH Hasty and Haughty, attractive granddaughters of Beaufort Halifax 06.
However, in the unentered championship it was another Halifax granddaughter, the North Cotswold’s substitute Songbird, who soared across the ring to claim the prize. She is also a descendant of Buccleuch Freeman 00 on her dam’s side.
In the restricted couples, Dulverton West Graceful and Gretel followed their litter brothers’ earlier success. Also very much in the frame was a well-matched duo from the Fitzwilliam, much to the delight of the home crowd.
The Grove and Rufford entered the fray in the two-couple class, and their team of Beaufort Farrier 07 granddaughters had size, quality and a levelness that was hard to match. Neither the quality quartet from the North Cotswold nor the VWH’s attractive, whiskery daughters by Beaufort Foreman 12, which included the eventual champion Footloose 16, could beat them.
Footloose’s dam, Pumpkin
13, was to the fore in the brood bitch class, which drew stiff competition. However, this well-balanced and agile hound won comfortably, following in the footsteps of her litter sister Puzzle 13, who won here last year.
The championship run-off was between Grove and Rufford Lusty
16 (also part of their two-couple entry) and VWH Footloose 16, who added to her championship victory at Harrogate last week.
Judge Edward Knowles said: “She really stood out as a quality
bitch who moved well, had size and really caught the eye.”
He added: “It was encouraging to see such a good two-couple class, but disappointing that more packs weren’t showing.”