Canadian Grand Champion Farquhar with (l–r) Apprentice Judge Katherine Selby, huntsman, Green Mountain Hounds (VT); Judge Dr. Jon Moody, MFH, Mooreland Hunt (AL); Toronto and North York huntsman John Harrison; Mrs. Alice Tyacke; and Judge Richard Tyacke, MFH and huntsman, Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn’s (UK). / Denya Massey photo
Toronto and North York Farquhar 2014 was judged Grand Champion of Show at the Canadian Foxhound Show on Saturday, June 18, 2016. This was the third Grand Championship for the hunt in the last three years.
It has to be exceptionally gratifying to John Harrison, who returned as huntsman just two years ago, as all three grand champions go back to bloodlines he introduced to the pack during his earlier term as huntsman twenty years ago. Common to the pedigrees of all three, going back three generations, is Toronto and North York Crafty 1995 by their Freedom 1992.
In 1995, while Harrison was hunting the Toronto and North York pack in his first stint (1991 to 1996), he received a draft from the Berkeley (UK). One was Ballad 1987, who arrived in whelp to Berkeley Freshman 1984. Freshman was by Captain Ronnie Wallace’s Exmoor Freestone 1981. “Freestone is the key,” Harrison said.
Toronto and North York Farquhar 2014 (Eglinton and Caledon Noble 2006 ex Toronto and North York Faithful 2008), a closer look. / Denya Massey photo
Ballad’s litter produced Toronto and North York Freedom 1992, who went on to sire an exceptional litter out of their Countess 1992, one of which was Crafty who appears in these three pedigrees. “That was one of the most beautiful litters I ever bred,” said Harrison. Grand Champions at Virginia in 1995 and 1994 both go back to Freestone as well.
In 1996 Harrison received an offer he couldn’t refuse—huntsman of the Ullswater Foxhounds (est. 1873). The Ullswater is one of the storied and most respected foot packs in the Cumbrian Lake District of England, where Harrison had hunted in his youth. He returned to England and remained there as huntsman for eighteen seasons, returning to the Toronto and North York Hunt in 2014.
Not having bred any of the recent Grand Champions himself, Harrison is quick to give credit for the successes to the interim breeding of his predecessors, huntsmen Antony Gaylard and Mark Powell.
“Farquhar entered very well,” recalled Harrison. “Halfway through the season his littermate, Farley, came to the fore. Countess, who was Grand Champion here last summer, had a really good season hunting, so I put her to Farley. Farquhar came back strong in the latter part of the season, so I put him to a London bi*ch. I won’t breed a hound that doesn’t hunt well.”
Wanting to breed back to those lines, Harrison also bred a first-year English bi*ch, Toronto and North York Festive 2015, to a Fell hound that he brought back from the Ullswater. Festive has Exmoor Freestone on both sides of her pedigree—sire and dam—just three and four generation back.
Harrison describes the day of the hound show as brutally hot and gives Farquhar great credit for staying energetic. “He kept showing all day,” said Harrison, “even when I was ready to quit!”
Dr. Jon Moody, MFH, Mooreland Hunt (AL) judged the Grand Champion Class. The other show judges were Richard Tyacke, MFH and huntsman, Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn’s Foxhounds (UK) and Apprentice Judge Katherine Selby, huntsman, Green Mt Hounds (VT).
London Hunt Jiggle, an un-entered bi*ch, was Reserve Grand Champion to Farquhar. Click for complete show results.
Posted June 23, 2016