THE timing was perfect, the weather was perfect and the large number of hunts appearing at The Meath Foxhound Show on the day was an ideal outing prior to The National Hound Show in Stradbally next month, with 20 packs entered.

The show was superbly organised by the Henry brothers, Kenny who is the current huntsman and former huntsman John, assisted by whippers-in Barry Finnegan and Brian Black, with John Flood keeping the classes moving in the ring while at the same time keeping in touch with the outside world on his phone.

They had over 20 sponsors with two main sponsors - Adam Lord and Renee Trooster master of the Royal Hunt in Holland. The judges included Ric Saurens, joint master and huntsman of the Royal Hunt based in Utrecht in Holland. His fellow master Renee Trooster has a long association with the Meath Hunt and he purchased three hunters to take back to Holland on his current visit. Joining Ric was Neil Simpson, who did such an outstanding job hunting the Kilkenny Foxhounds as they awaited their new huntsman Jamie Walsh to return at the end of his hunting contract in the UK.

We saw a number of new huntsmen showing, including Kilkenny Foxhounds huntsman Jamie Walsh and Niall Dunne, the new huntsman of the Ward Union Staghounds, showing the Ward hounds for the first time. Galway Blazers huntsman Mark Ollard was also successful in the Old English Unentered class and Mikie Bell, the new huntsman of the Westmeath Foxhounds, assisted by Edward Clews, making an impression.

East Galway huntsman Eoghan McCabe was assisted by event rider Jason Doerflinger, who is making a name for himself on the circuit riding Ralph Conroy’s horses. Paul Scallon, huntsman of the Island Hunt, was assisted by his 11-year-old son Billy who knows his hounds. Ballymacad kennelman and countryman Garry Kelly was showing the Ballymacad hounds with the huntsman’s daughter Aoibhinn Donohoe.

Doghounds

In the Doghound classes, the rosettes were fairly evenly spread with Padhraic Moynihan, who will have Jack Henry whipping-in to him this season, opening his account winning the Unentered Doghound class with Kildare Topboy; the Limerick Foxhounds winning the Old English Entered and Unentered classes, with Lloyd Parr of the Louth Foxhounds taking the honours with the Best Couple of Unentered Doghounds, while the Kilkenny Foxhounds won the Stallion Hound class with Kilkenny Seamus. South Tyrone took the Doghound Championship with Rayburn and the Reserve went to Kilkenny Seamus.

Bitch classes

Fergus Stokes, huntsman of the Limerick Foxhounds, won both the Unentered Bitch Old English class and the Best Couple of Unentered Bitches class. Ryan Carvill of the South Tyrone, having already won the Best Two Couple Doghound class, also won the Best Two Couple Bitch class with well-matched lemon and white hounds Bootlace, Pencil, Peewit and Bonnet, which is seldom done.

Meanwhile, George Barrett and his wife Belinda of the Iveagh Foxhounds were on form, winning the Unentered Bitch class, the Unentered Couples and the Entered Bitch class, while also picking up the Bitch Championship with Iveagh Grapevine.

Blazers huntsman Mark Ollard who is no stranger to the show ring, assisted by his joint master Ella Coffey, was successful in winning the Entered Old English Bitch class with Galway Blazers Chorus by Brockelsby Thunder ‘15 out of Brockelsby Cereal ‘19.

Kilkenny huntsman Jamie Walsh assisted by Edward Clews picked up the Brood Bitch and the Reserve Championship again with Kilkenny Deirdre. Interestingly, the two Reserve Champions Kilkenny Seamus and Deirdre are both litter brother and sister by Percy Spender out of Cheshire Dairymaid.

The judges remarked both on the high quality of the hounds on show and the professionalism of the way they were presented. This show, which started after Covid, has gone from strength to strength and is attracting an increasing number of spectators each year.