July 22, 2016
Old English Hounds Thriving at Irish National Hound Show
Pair of Old English hounds. County Louth hound (foreground) shown by huntsman Alan Reilly / Noel Mullins photo
The Irish National Hound Show at Stradbally Hall, County Laois, Ireland keeps growing in both entries and spectators. This year the weather also played a positive role as hound enthusiasts were often three deep along the ringside, and a large number lingered and socialised long after the show was over.
Competition was keen in the foxhound ring where judge Nigel Peel, a well-known hunting correspondent himself (and a member of Foxhunting Life’s Panel of Experts), commented that the Old English hounds were some of the finest he has judged either in Ireland or in the UK, and the Modern English Hounds had real quality as well.
The Old English (or Traditionally-Bred) hounds and the Modern English hounds are judged separately in their own classes, but the winners of those classes come up against each other in the final championship classes for dogs and bi*ches.* On occasion the Old English hounds being bred today will prevail.
Accusations Against UK Hunt Devastating
Karen L. Meyers photoIf the accusations are proven in court, the South Herefordshire Foxhounds, established in 1869, could be forced to dissolve—their hunting country redistributed to neighboring hunts. If the accusations are proven, a few misguided outlaws may have killed any chance of reversing Britain’s Hunting Act, certainly for the near future. If the accusations are proven, all foxhunting is tarnished.
Video footage taken secretly by anti-hunting activists purports to show two live fox cubs placed into the kennels with foxhounds, later removed lifeless, the carcasses placed in a dumpster from which they were later recovered and photographed by the activists.
If true, this wouldn’t even contravene the Hunting Act of 2004. It would be a breach of Britain’s Animal Welfare Act. It would also breach accepted hunting practices for the past century or more. All as a new Conservative-led government and the Countryside Alliance would like to convince the British populace that foxhunters can police themselves!
