The most ‘open’ of seasons

Daniel Cherriman looks back on his first season at the South Shropshire

MARCH hails the end of the season for most of the country, and even the traditional spring hunting areas of the

Lake District and the West Country no longer go on as long as in yesteryear.

Reflecting on my first season as joint-master and huntsman of the South Shropshire, I’d say this has probably been the most “open” season I have ever experienced in terms of weather. While the climatic conditions have not always been kind – we’ve had several storms resulting in temporary loss of power – we have completed more than 100 hunting outings without a single loss on account of the ground or the weather.

Contrast this with the 2017/18 season when we had four separate coverings of snow, the first in November and the last in March.

The past few seasons have been highly disrupted, first by weather and more obviously by Covid, which accounted for about 50% of the 2020/21 season, so it’s been very good to get a consistent run of days. This is so important not only for the education and development of the hounds, but also to keep the cash flowing in.

COUNTING BLESSINGS

ON a personal level, I sadly missed the last few weeks of the season, having had a fall resulting in a fractured pelvis.

I have been fortunate over the past 20 years of hunting and racing not to sustain any injuries that have sidelined me, so I’m certainly counting my blessings. I am also grateful to God that it happened at the end of the season and wasn’t worse.

As I write this, I’m currently receiving treatment and rehab from that wonderful charity that does so much good work, the Injured Jockeys Fund. With their expertise I will be back in the saddle in no time, I’m sure.

My unintended absence had the benefit of giving my kennelhuntsman, Oliver Beazley, the opportunity to carry the horn for a number of days. It was just such an opportunity that gave me my first experiences hunting hounds. I was first whipper-in of the Quorn when my thenboss, Peter Collins, sustained some very nasty leg injuries after being kicked.

It is safe to say that without that experience then, I wouldn’t have been offered the Pytchley huntsman’s job a few years later.

Oliver stepped up to the plate admirably and once I was able to travel in the car, it was comforting to watch him handle the hounds quietly and confidently.

THE WIDER WORLD

RECENT events in Ukraine have shocked and stirred the whole world. The hunting community, along with every walk of life, must play its part.

The South Shropshire, along with many other hunts, have been organising the collection of items desperately needed for refugees and I would urge everyone to assist in whatever way they are able, be it financially or materially, to those in dire need.

News has reached me that Lewis Chutter is to be the next huntsman of the Pytchley with Woodland Hunt. I have a particular interest there, having been their huntsman for 10 seasons. Lewis is one of our top young professionals; I am delighted for him and hope that he has as much pleasure in hunting those wonderful hounds as I did.