THERE was a lovely turnout for the Kildare Hunt Puppy Show at the kennels in Punchestown last Saturday evening where members and puppy walkers gathered to see the new entry in action with huntsman Peter Cahill in front of judges Ryan Carvill, huntsman of the South Tyrone Foxhounds, and Gill Browne, member of the IMFHA.

One of the highlights of the evening was the presentation of the David Reid-Scott Memorial Cup. This new accolade was presented by Clare Reid-Scott in memory of her late husband David who was a great supporter of the hunt until his untimely death in July of last year. The couple lived at Ballynure House outside Grangecon, Co Wicklow over which the hunt often crosses and where Clare still resides.

Clare said that the cup had originally been won by David when his Irish-bred gelding Harley Foxtrot, by Ricardo Z, won back-to-back titles of the working hunter championship at the Royal Windsor Horse Show in 2014 and 2015 when ridden by Libby Cooke.

As a gesture to the hunt, Clare had the cup re-engraved to be presented for the best working bitch from the 2020/2021 season. The winner, Lavish, was walked by Una and Simon Holohan and family.

For a number of years Harley Foxtrot was a hugely successful competitor on the British showing circuit, with his first working hunter title at Windsor coming in 2010.

Bred in Wexford by Ann Redmond, the bay was also a regular on the hunting field and his long-time rider Libby said in an interview that this was the key to his success.

Meanwhile, the Kildare Hunt is delighted to welcome Mark Murtagh as new whipper-in and he joins Eoghan McCabe ahead of the 2021/2022 season.