The Field’s French 75 Cocktail Party at the Game Fair

The Game Fair arrived at hatfield house for the first time this July. Town steamed up by train while country motored in for the annual threeday fieldsports fiesta. With tropical downpours and bright sunshine, The Field juggled brollies, shades and gumboots to welcome old and new friends and subscribers to the stand.

As is tradition, a busy Friday was topped off with a bang at The Field’s French 75 Cocktail Party. This year’s party, held in association with Brewin Dolphin and the GWCT, was at The Old Palace, hatfield house, by kind permission of Lord Salisbury. It was a sumptuous setting and, in fact, the place where elizabeth I heard of her accession to the throne.

Champion shots and gamekeepers, Field contributors and cover stars added to the genial mêlée, where they made friends, laid sporting plans and fashioned alliances for the coming season. With Lord Salisbury’s charming dogs adding to the fray it was similar to a Tudor court – but hardly anyone lost their head. Lord Salisbury gave a heartening speech and then drew the GWCT raffle, GWCT chairman Ian Coghill introduced henry

Pelham, who received a Life Fellowship in recognition of his support for the Trust.

Carriages at 8 o’clock proved optimistic and it was well past the gloaming when revellers finally dispersed. The highlight of the evening had to be the trip to the loo, which took in an ancient staircase and portraits of henry VIII’S six wives en route. Several guests were spotted reciting the divorced, beheaded, died… mnemonic. One that could be appended to a French 75 party? We couldn’t possibly say.