Kennel Diary

A retired Cavalry black impresses Harry Beeby with its jumping and calmness around the hounds

With most events cancelled this summer, efforts have been turned to replicating them virtually. One such event to spring from the ashes on the summer calendar has been the Virtual Hound Show. Set up to allow packs to show off their smartest hounds in a similar (if not altogether traditional) way as they would during the summer show season.

Open to hunts from all over the world – from the UK and Ireland, North America, France, Australia and New Zealand

– hounds will be shown in a number of ‘virtual’ rings. Foxhounds, harriers, beagles, bassett and staghounds will all take their chance. Two hounds from each pack, one dog and one bitch, may be shown. The format is relatively simple: four photos of each hound taken from the side, front, back and from above as well as a short video of it running up.

This sounds straightforward enough, but having a camera thrust between your legs while trying to keep a hound’s attention is anything but. In an attempt at impartiality the organisers have requested that the photos be taken in front of as neutral a background as possible, so as not to give away to the judges whose hounds are whose. I did consider photoshopping the Duke of Beaufort’s kennels as a backdrop to my photos but imagined this wouldn’t go unnoticed. The judging will take place over the first couple of weeks of July once the mountain of entries has been correlated. A fun if slightly different take on a summer staple.

War horse

As the autumn approaches it is important to make sure that we have the correct horsepower for the season ahead.

Last year we were fortunate to purchase an ex-cavalry Black. Mons – named after the battle in World War I – spent his formative years as an officer’s charge in the Life Guards and on de-mobbing has taken to life as a hunt horse brilliantly.

One concern I had was would his jumping be up to the job. I wasn’t aware there was much by way of fences around Knightsbridge Barracks but I am obviously wrong as he has had no trouble tackling our hunt country, happily jumping gates and hedges as required. I was extremely impressed with the way he took to having hounds round him; most horses who have never seen hounds before do not take kindly to them walking in and out between their legs straight away but Mons has never batted an eye. He has been a great addition and should Her Majesty’s Armed Forces happen to have any more of his like available I shall be first in the queue.

Keeping horses on the road is important. Like the hounds, they must be in top physical condition to cope with the rigours of hunting twice a week for nearly half the year. When the season finishes in midmarch the hunt horses enjoy a few months’ rest. They are turned away from around mid-april until mid-july, when they are brought in to start their fitness work. This

“If the Armed Forces have any more of his like, I’ll be first in the queue”

starts with slow road work to harden their legs, much like we do with the hounds. Over the following weeks work will be gradually increased towards September and the start on autumn hunting, the final three to four weeks being mounted hound exercise.

This is a great time for horses new to the job to get used to being with hounds and also for the young hounds to get used to being with the horses. The workload of hunt grooms is huge, and they are very much the unsung heroes of the operation.

It remains to be seen whether we will be able to starting trail hunting as normal in September or whether the start of the season will be postponed. What is certain is that where and how we meet may have to change for a time. Hopefully all countrysports will be able to return to some form of normality soon but until then we will prepare everything as normal.

Harry Beeby lives in County Durham, is a keen huntsman and a dedicated conservationist with a passion for countrysports.

This year’s Hound Show will be held remotely, with entrants being judged by photographs