THE death took place last Friday of the Fermanagh Harriers’ senior Master Billy Vance who, at the age of 84, returned to the hunting field this season following two years on the sidelines as he recovered from an injury sustained while schooling a young horse.

Billy, whose home throughout his life was Scarva House, Clones where he was born in the breakfast room, was the subject of an Irish Horse World hunting profile by Noel Mullins on November 20th last year. A lifelong farmer, he was a horseman of the old school, combining hunting with point-to-pointing and breeding. His competitive stock performed with success between the flags, on the racecourse and in the show ring.