Myopia Godfrey 2008 (Toronto & North York Godfrey 2001 ex Myopia Devon 2004) / photo by Curve27 StudioMyopia Godfrey 2008, a lovely moving white, modern English dog hound, was judged Grand Champion Foxhound at the New England Hunts Foxhound Show on Sunday, May 8. Godfrey is full of Exmoor and Heythrop bloodlines going back to the halcyon days of the brilliant English hound breeder Captain Ronnie Wallace, who served as MFH at both hunts.
Eight New England hunts—Guilford Hounds (NH), Green Mountain Hounds (VT), Myopia Hunt Club (MA), Norfolk Hunt Club (MA), North Country Hounds (VT), Old North Bridge Hounds (MA), Wentworth Hunt (NH), and Tanheath Hunt (CT)—exhibited hounds at host hunt Myopia’s kennels on Boston’s North Shore. Judges were MFHs Linda Armbrust and Richard Webb.
“Godfrey has great quality and a beautiful top line,” said Judge Arbrust. “It was his movement, in particular, that persuaded us to choose him as Grand Champion of the show.”
Evidently, Godfrey wasn’t as pleased as his huntsman with his championship presentation, and he expressed himself for the photographer by tucking his stern.
“In the ring with the other hounds, he showed himself beautifully,” says Armbrust. “When he moved, he was perfectly happy and carried his stern well,” she recalled.
Myopia Liberty is a fine example of the Old English foxhound / photo by Curve27 StudioArmbrust also spoke glowingly of another Myopia-entered hound, Myopia Liberty. Liberty is a bitch of pure Old English breeding that Myopia huntsman Robert Howarth brought with him from the Holderness in England. For Armbrust—who adores the modern English foxhound—to lavish praise on one of the Old English variety means that Liberty must be a fine example indeed!
“She had amazing quality,” said Armbrust.
“Liberty was one of a litter of fifteen, and they were all world beaters!” said Howarth. “Liberty was Reserve Grand Champion at the Canadian Hound Show last year. Her sister won the Old English Bitch class at Peterborough. All did very well, even the dog hounds in the litter.”
Howarth, who was in hunt service at the Belvoir—one of the principal repositories of Old English bloodlines remaining—notes that in the late 1800s, some of the earliest Myopia foxhounds were brought over from the Belvoir.
“What goes around eventually comes around,” he said.
For complete class results, click here.
Posted May 22, 2011