IT was a bit early in the season for anyone to risk injury, to themselves or their horse, so the Huntsman’s Challenge, which had been planned for last Saturday, day one of the new-look Winter Festival at Punchestown, morphed into a social gathering at the Co Kildare racecourse on Sunday.

Finger food, music and plenty of chat was the order of the day, with most taking time out to watch the parade of the Westmeath Foxhounds before the first race and the Kilkenny Foxhounds before the third (pictured, above right). Former National Hunt jockeys Roger Loughran, Robert Power and Paul Carberry (who was carrying a hunting injury) were invited to judge two competitions and, we are told, that they did an excellent job.

Their winner of the horn blowing competition was Meath huntsman Kenny Henry, whose prize of a Mick Cawston print was sponsored by Hunting Attire Ireland. That midlands-based purveyor of used, high-quality hunting items also sponsored the best turned-out award where, amazingly, the three judges couldn’t split Marita Dunne and Helen Keatley.

Also enjoying the excellent racing on offer on Sunday were members and supporters of the Kildare Branch of the Irish Pony Club, who combined their annual parents’ meeting with a day at the races. This was organised to raise funds to replace the Branch’s mounted games trailer and equipment, which were stolen at the end of August.