THE organisation by David Lawlor, joint master of the Laois Foxhounds, and his team was again superb for the National Hound Show at Stradbally Hall, courtesy of the Cosby family, with Julien Cosby and his daughter Antoinette as well as Thomas and David all involved in the presentations. It was challenging for both hunt staff and the hounds in 26 degrees of balmy sunshine, especially as they were wearing the full hunting attire of Melton wool jackets, designed for winter wear. But there was adequate water on site for both man and hound and maybe the sauna-like clothing was helpful for some in toning up for hound road exercise. There was also a party atmosphere, with picnic tables and fine food the order of the day.

A minute’s silence was called as Liam McAlinden, former huntsman of the East Galway Foxhounds, passed away the previous week and, more recently, Dot Ronan of the Tipperary Hunt and Tom Berney Snr of Berney Brothers Saddlers of Kilcullen. Despite all the political discussions on the future of hunting, more young ladies and men have joined the professional whipper-in roles, and one young man, 18-year-old Peter Kiely, is settled into his future career in hunting as whipper-in of the Limerick Foxhounds. One man missed was Ryan Carvill, who always brings a superb team of hounds and knows how to show them too. Antoinette De La Bouillerie and her husband Olivier, who hunt their family pack, the Rallye des Grands Loups, at their home Chateau de Lathan in the Anjou Region of France, were taking in a few horse shows also on their visit. They are great supporters of the Irish Sport Horse and the Irish Draught, as Antoinette is a seasoned side saddle rider.

Chairman of the IMFA Pat Hayes and Johnny Dicker outlined some of their strategies taking place on the future of hunting. Particularly the need for followers to articulate the true value of hunting to the countryside, wildlife management, preservation of ancient breeds of hounds and horses, and the survival of rural communities and small businesses.

Former Iveagh masters Sarah Dawson and Pat Hayes with judges Oliver Dale and Henry Bailey and Iveagh huntsman George Barrett and JJ Bell with Champion Bitch Iveagh Ragtime

Foxhound Ring

Gill Brown and Emma Thompson MFH had the Foxhound Ring running like clockwork, with judges Will Bryer, master and huntsman of The Duke of Beaufort who hunted the County Limerick Foxhounds some years back, and Julian Barnfield, former master of the North Shropshire who judged the doghounds. In the afternoon, Oliver Dale, master of the Heythrop, and Henry Bailey, master of Sir Watkin Williams Wynns, judged the bitches. Competition was keen as the standard just keeps going up each year.

Mikey Bell of the Westmeaths got the competition going, winning the first class, Unentered Doghounds Restricted, with Taylor, followed by the Entered Couple Restricted, with Darter and Dasher, and picking up the Nick McDermott Bronze again with Dasher.

Lloyd Parr of the Louths got down to work on a very productive day of silverware, winning the Unentered Doghound Couples Open class with Twister and Thunder, followed by the Entered Two Couples with Chairman, Charcoal, Charger and Checker, and the Reserve for Best Old English Stallion Hound with Lister, including the Michael Higgens Perpetual Bronze and The Pollock Challenge Cup. Lloyd followed that with a red rosette in one of the best classes, the Entered Two Couple of Doghounds Open with Chairman, Charcoal, Charger and Checker, followed by the Best Old English Stallion Hound with Lister and the Reserve with Twister in The Robin Hunt Cup.

By now, Kevin Donohoe, Maurice Quinn and Aoibheann Donohoe of the Ballymacad were waiting in the wings for what was to be an outstanding show for them, starting with winning the Doghound Championship with Boycott, followed by The Irish Field Perpetual Trophy for the Old English Unentered Bitch class with Lipstick, as well as the Unentered Couple of Bitches with Holiday and Hoover and the Unentered Bitch Championship with Lipstick. But they were far from finished, winning the Entered Two Couple of Bitches with Maybe, Mayhem, Pepper and the Reserve in the Bitch Championship with Perfect.

Fergus Stokes and his young whipper-in, Peter Kiely of the Co Limericks, started with winning the Unentered Doghound Old English with Legend and the Champion in the Dick Russell Challenge Cup and the Reserve Doghound Championship with Limerick Legend. Following that, they won the Best Old English Stallion Hound with Saxon, the Brood Bitch Open with Truffle and the Ger Withers Perpetual Cup with Truffle, which meant a lot as Fergus was a pal of Ger’s, and also the Robin Hunt Cup.

Kenny Henry and Barry Finnegan of the Meaths took the Stallion Hound Open with Steadfast and the Reserve Unentered Bitch Championship with Playful.

Declan Feeney of the East Down won the Unentered Bitch Restricted with Satin and the Entered Couple of Bitches with Hasty and Hazel. George Barrett of the Iveaghs had an early start from the North, as he had the Bitch Championship in his sights to see if he could bring off the double, as his good bitch Ragtime by Meath Starter ’20 out of Cotswold Radley ‘20 had taken the championship at the Hunting Association of Northern Ireland Show recently and Ragtime was to perform again and seal the double with a great win in Stradbally.

Jim Kenny of the Waterford took the red rosette with the Best Old English Couple with Sabre and Sackcloth and The Galway Blazers picked up the Best Couple of Old English in the Grogan Perpetual Trophy with Sanction and Sandwich.

Jamie Walsh of the Kilkennys, Jim Kenny of the Waterford, Keith Breen of the Ormond and Conall McGrath of the Kildares picked up additional placings.

Robbie and Emma Hodge of the East Antrims with their winning Entered Doghound Baystar in the Harrier Ring with Judges Joe Townsend and Oliver Ryan Purcell

Harrier Ring

The Harrier Ring is always special, as it is an opportunity to see up close some of the oldest breeds of hounds, like the Kerry Beagle, and the Cork National, Fermanagh and Leitrim were showing this special breed. From my research in The National Library of Ireland, the Irish were hunting hounds on foot back as far as 1500 BC on The Hill of Tara, so it is not a recent pastime here in Ireland, as some are given to believe.

The Harrier Ring, organised by Mark Mulrine, Garry McCarty and Caitriona Conlon Dempsey, featured judges Joe Townsend, former master and huntsman of the Hurworth, who judged the Old English at Peterborough with Oliver Ryan Purcell who has hunted the Ormond, the North Tipperary and the Scarteen, so they have a tremendous pool of hound knowledge.

Robbie and Emma Hodge of the East Antrim won the Best Entered Doghound in the Foxhound class with Baystar, and Patrick Murphy’s Fermanagh Harriers Lancer, the winner of the Unentered Doghound, was declared the Champion, with the Reserve going to Sabine Dowdall’s Tara Harriers Pleasure, who had won the Brood Bitch class.

In the afternoon, Mark Mulrine, master of the Donegal Harriers, and Liam Geary of the Killeagh, judged the Harrier class. Competition was keen, but Cork National, who hunt a Kerry Beagle Pack, came out on top winning the Harrier Championship with Cork National Warrior, with the Reserve Champion Scarteen Gatsby.

The Young Handler class had 15 entries from as young as Lilie O’Connor, only three years old, but she knows how to get a hound’s attention with a biscuit, as does her six-year-old brother Conal. But the winner was 10-year-old Max Geraghty, a nephew of former jockey Barry Geraghty, with his Meath doghound Mohawk. What was even more special was that the prize was presented by 95-year-old Kathleen Neville, mother of the sponsor Vincent and his well-known company Hunting Attire, who had a stand at the show.

The top packs in the Beagle Ring Grace Kerr Mr Kerrs Beagles Richard Bonham Lakeland Foot and Marie O'Connor WBV with Young Handlers Robert Storey and Charles Fox

Beagle Ring

The Beagle classes are superbly organised by Elizabeth Brown and Association chairman Paul Kerr, who also hunts the mounted pack, the South County Dublin Harriers.

He was also showing his hounds with his daughter Grace and hunting stalwart and photographer, Desmond Bell whipping-in. They were judged by Andrew Sterling, a former chairman of the North Shropshire Beagles, who is no stranger to Ireland visiting frequently to attend race meetings especially Punchestown and following many Irish foot and mounted packs, together with Brett Parker, former huntsman of the North Warwickshire Beagles.

Measuring of each hound was done by Stevie McDonald. Then the top handlers, the Woodrock and Blackwater Valley (WBV), Mr Kerrs, the Goldburn and the Lakeland Foot got going, with the WBV winning two classes and Doghound Championship with Archer, and the Lakeland two classes and a Reserve Championship with Trajan.

In the Bitch classes, the WBV won three classes, a Championship with Vision and a Reserve Championship with Archer. Mr Kerrs won two classes and a Reserve with Amble and the Most Points, while the Lakeland won a class, and the Victor Ludorum for Most Points, and the Goldburn Beagles picking up a number of placings.

The Young Handlers’ class is always popular and young Robert Storey from Mr Kerrs and Charles Fox of the Lakeland were to the fore, showing real talent in getting their hounds’ attention.

10 year old Max Geraghty a nephew of jockey Barry being presented with The Young Handles Class with Meath Mohawk by 95 year old Kathleen Neville sponsored by Hunting Attire