THE Harrier and Beagle show rings at the National Hound Show in Stradbally were, as usual, some of the busiest rings at the Co Laois show.

This year the Bray Harriers were showing for the first time, as were the famous Scarteen Kerry Beagles, hunted by the Ryan family for over 400 years, and in attendance at Stradbally was Scarteen huntsman Raymond O’Halloran.

The famous black and tan beagles are special as they are the only native Irish hound and the oldest breed on show in all three rings - foxhound, harrier and beagle. Their origins go right back to the hounds of Saint Hubert who was Bishop of Leige 656-727AD, the patron saint of hunting.

HARRIERS

The Harriers show was superbly organised by David Burke MH and show secretary Janet Reilly. The judges were Trevor Adams and Ella McCallen (Duke of Buccleuch), Johnny Dicker (Rockview) and Donal Slattery (BWH).

Thirteen packs showed hounds and the standard keeps getting better each year, so it has become increasingly challenging to win a class.

There was a good spread of winners in the foxhound section with the Grallagh Harriers winning the Best Couple with Rambo and Rambler while Mid Antrim won two classes including the Championship with Hawthorne, and the Fingals won two classes including the Reserve Championship with Towbar.

In the Harrier section, the Killeagh won with the un-entered bitch Lemon and the Mullinavat the senior bitch class with Blackbird.

However, it was the Scarteen who were dominant particularly in the bitch section, winning three classes including the Supreme Champion Bitch with Limerick, with the reserve title going to Mullinavat Blackbird.

BEAGLES

The Beagle ring had a refreshing youthful feel about it with the number of young huntsmen like Grace Kerr who is hunting Mr Kerr’s Beagles and Richard Bonham, the new Lakeland Foot in Westmeath. The judges were Alan Summersgill and Pat Hourigan with ring steward Mairead Sheehy and show secretary Liz Browne.

The Goldburn master Aileen Byrne and handler Des Williams featured well in the Brood Bitch class with their up and coming hound Party.

Sunnyland Beagles master David Rogers put on a stylish performance in all classes and picked up the Reserve Doghound Championship with Islander.

However, huntsman Stevie McDonald, huntsman of the Woodrock & Blackwater Valley in Cork, swept the boards in most classes with Brood Bitch Truegirl, the Reserve Champion of the Show.

The Goldburn Beagles Perpetual Challenge Cup for the Supreme Champion of the Show was collected by Cavanapole Beagles masters Rob Gibson and David Lavery who hunt in South Armagh with their stunning stallion hound Hunsley Beacon Freeman who has hunted for the last two seasons and has seven pups on the ground this summer. He won also at the Northern Ireland Show in Gosford in June.