WEDNESDAYS in Wexford have been declared public holidays or so it appeared last Wednesday with a huge turnout in the very small village of Camross. Famous for its ballroom of romance where thousands danced to the Clipper Carlton, not to mention Brendan Bower and the Royal Showband, but last Wednesday, it became even more famous as the meeting point for the Wexford Foxhounds.

Rochford’s pub became the focal point as jockeys arrived, full of expectation and not a little apprehension, as the banks and trenches of Wexford are famed for their ferocity. Our hosts in Rochford’s, Colette and Owen Murphy, had a great Wexford welcome for all with Owen already dressed for hunting with his horse saddled and ready for the off. In addition to their pub, they farm nearby and it formed the last draw of the evening.

It was great to meet old friends from the world of hunt chasing, such as hunt chairman John Roberts and his son Mark, both from Old Ross. Other jockeys from the hunt chase worlds out on the day were Shane O’Brien and Frankie Barnes, a dairy farmer from Guserane. Also on hand was Brigid O’Gorman from Adamstown whose family were very much involved in interschools hunter trials. John Stafford who, for many years, hunted the Killinick was out. Killinick is being hunted this season by locum huntsman Ciarie Moran (brother of Ado) as Johnny Roche has not yet recovered from a bad fall at the end of last season. Visiting from Dungarvan were Charlie and Bonnie Trigg.

International show jumpers

The arrival of a group of international show jumpers, led by the Breen brothers, Shane and Trevor, triggered the saddling bell and with a field of over 70, it made a smashing sight as they moved off towards their first draw just across the New Ross Wexford road. The Breens had brought the Broek brothers from Holland, Brian Cassidy and Michael Duffy, both based in the UK, but who grew up here. Michael Duffy was riding a horse kindly provided by young Bertram Allen, who was away, and was brought to the meet by Jill Spring whose father Julian hunted the pack for many years.

The hunt is very much a Kehoe family affair. Hounds were led by long time master and hunting legend Mary Kehoe and huntsman Johnny Howard, who happens to be her brother-in-law. Whippers-in were Muriel Howard, wife of huntsman and a sister of Mary’s, assisted by well known showjumper Michael Condon, who is Mary’s partner. Missing from the ranks of whippers-in were Padraig English who had sportingly stepped down for the day and was deputising as fencer, complete with a quad on his trailer, Padraig acted as our guide and appears to know every blade of grass in Wexford. In his younger days, he was a very useful amateur jockey riding the great Danoli on his first three winning bumpers, twice in Naas and once in Punchestown, before the great horse went on to win the Sun Alliance Novices’ Hurdle with Charlie Swan.

As well as being master of the Wexford, Mary hunts the neighbouring Bree which she kennels at her home at Tomsallagh House, Enniscorthy. Mary is now in 30th season with the Bree and about half that with the Wexford.

Back on top

Both she and Michael are testament to the success of modern medicine as she has recovered from cancer, and only this time last year, Michael was on life support with a severe attack of Weils Disease. Happily both have recovered to full health and are going better than ever. As well as their busy three-day a week schedule in Wexford, only the previous day, they had hunted with the Scarteen from a meet in Lattin and had a red letter day.

Landowner Sean Kavanagh was waiting anxiously and was on hand to welcome hounds and his covert held no less than a brace and a half. The brace and a half were hunted until hounds settled and away they went towards Watchhorn’s Wood. Here they met some really decent jumping which claimed more than a few.

Among those who joined the swimming club was Stephanie Tector and as they checked on the next road, she was seen to invert her boots to drain the water!

However, all was not joy as disaster struck hunt chair John Roberts (the galloping grandfather). Hacking along by a headland, his good grey cob, now in her third season with John, was staked by a stray sharp branch sticking out from the hedge. Sadly within minutes she was gone but happily felt no pain. To lose your favourite hunter is a loss that goes far beyond monetary loss and could only be equated to the loss of a close friend. John, very much the senior member of the Wexford, has another horse he is bringing slowly along and confidently expects to back in action in a week or so.

Ringcraft

Hounds then moved on to draw John Roche’s farm at Assagart. He is one of the best known exhibitors in the show ring and regularly leaves the RDS laden down with trophies.

As well as top horses, he has top banks and the field were faced with a really sharp bank with nothing less than a lesser branch of the Slaney to the rear. Giving a masterclass over it was JJ Bowe from Kiltealy, out on a smashing grey he is bringing on. No less impressive were Tipperary visitors Judy Quirke, who took directions and a good lead from young Joe on his pony, who is a chip off the old block.

The Quirke’s from Moyglass are a great hunting family with all six regularly out with the Tipps. Also giving a peach of a pop was Wexford newcomer Penny Cook, originally from the UK but now settled in Bannow with her partner Roger Hosketh who acted as photographers assistant for the day. They formerly hunted with the Four Burrow in Cornwall

As they hunted on, hunt secretary William Carrol from Arnestown had to withdraw as he lost not one but two shoes. As hounds were gathered, we had the chance to chat with two ladies on two greys to die for. Whipper-in Muriel Howard (sister of Mary Kehoe) and Maeve Furlong, whose family are the Furlong of Cooney Furlong Grain. As well as being agricultural merchants, they are one of the biggest landowners and grain growers in the South East. She admitted rather ruefully to having galloped across some winter corn (a mortal sin) but in her own defence, she said it was their own which reduces the sin to venial! The Furlongs are a real proper hunting family and her mother Marguerite is chair of the neighbouring and closely connected to Bree Hunt.

As the day was drawing to a close, they went on to draw McCabe’s and Murphy’s (of the pub) and while it held a brace, they never really straightened out.

With shadows lengthening, there was little left but to make the short hack back to the ballroom of romance and re-live the romance and joys of the day in Rochford’s.