Champion Bitch Meath Patsy shown by whipper-in Barry Finnegan (l) and huntsman Kenny Henry (r). Meath MFH Norman Williamson receives the trophy from George Chapman, MFH of the Island Foxhounds and chairman of the Irish Masters of Foxhounds Association.Stradbally Hall the home of the Cosby family in County Laois, Ireland was steeped in Mediterranean type sunshine for the National Hound Show. Refreshments were available for the spectators and hunt staff, but of equal importance were the strategically placed buckets of water available for the hounds. Organised by show chairman David Lalor, Master of the County Laois Foxhounds, and the committees of the foxhounds, harriers and beagles associations, it had to be one of the largest number of entries in many years.
The judges in the foxhound classes were Charlie Shirley-Bevan, MFH and huntsman of the Mid Devon, and Anthony Sandeman, MFH of the Crawley and Horsham, who has judged also at Peterborough and at the Virginia Hound Show at Morven Park in the USA.
In the Old English Classes there was concern on the part of a few huntsmen of the Old English packs about the classification Old English Type, introduced last year and defined as “Entries having no more than one ‘modern’ grandparent or two ‘modern’ great-grandparents in an otherwise ‘Old English’ pedigree. It would appear that some packs would prefer to conserve the traditional and pure Old English bloodlines.
The East Down Foxhounds had kennel cough, so they were not there to defend some of their titles. Westmeath Foxhounds huntsman James Lowry was back after missing last year’s show through a hunting injury, and he made his presence felt with three wins in the doghound classes, including the Reserve Championship with Whalebone by Bolster ’05 out of Duke of Beaufort Whimsy ’01. Whalebone also won the Entered Doghound Class and the Stallion Hound Class. But he was just edged out for the Doghound Championship by Meath huntsman Kenny Henry and Meath Merlin by Partner ’08 out of Ledbury Maiden ’06. Merlin also won the Unentered Doghound Class. Waterford, Kildare and Tipperary all won classes in the doghound section.
In the Bitch Classes Leo Powell, editor of The Irish Field and sponsor of the The Irish Field Challenge Trophy for the Unentered Bitch Old English Type, made the presentation to Graham Bustin, huntsman of the County Limerick Foxhounds, whose bitch Solace ’10 by Pouncer ’07 out of Saintly ’05 took the honours. The West Wicklow Foxhounds picked up their first trophy when Melody by Kildare Chaplin ’07 out of North Cotswold Mystery ’03 won the Unentered Bitches Restricted Class.
The Ballymacad Foxhounds were never out of the placings and took the Best Couple of Entered Bitches with Bobbin and Bounty out of the same litter by Duke of Beaufort Boycott ’02 out of Sinnington Gaelic ’03. Kildare huntsman Chris Francis was a clear winner in the very competitive Best Two Couple Class with Bantam, Sable, Picture and Saffron. The new County Louth huntsman Alan Reilly and his first season whipper-in Lloyd Parr were popular winners of both the Old English Type and the Entered Bitch Restricted Classes with Spicey a smashing bitch by Hurworth Prussia ’04 out of Sparrow ’04.
Stephen Gunne claimed some credit for the successes when he remarked that, “It was only after Alan ran out of biscuits, and I quickly borrowed some from the North Down Foxhounds that the bitch started to show well”! The Louth successes were matched by Tipperary huntsman Derrie Donega with two wins also, including the Bitch Reserve Championship with Crusty by Lonsdale ’07 out of Crunchie ‘08.
Following his win in the Doghound Championship, the Meath Foxhounds huntsman Kenny Henry stepped in once again after winning the Brood Bitch Class with Patsy ’07 by Atherstone Diver ’04 out of Duke of Beaufort Package ‘02 and claimed the Bitch Championship as well.
Posted July 24, 2011
Photo-journalist Noel Mullins lives in County Galway, Ireland and is a regular conrtributor to Foxhunting Life. His sporting books are availble at www.noelmullins.com.
Doghound Champion Meath Merlin shown by huntsman Kenny Henry