ATTENDING the Christmas meet of the Lakeland Foot Beagles was the perfect way to get into the festive spirit, made all the more meaningful by the wonderful hospitality of Peter and Ann Downes of Russellstown Stud, outside Mullingar. The stud once stood stallions like Bahrain, Dual, Our Mirage, Reformed Character, Persian Mews, Celio Rufo and Kings Ride, but now boards mares and youngstock. It was also the home of the Russellstown Beagles that disbanded in the late 1980s that Peter himself hunted, followed by myself.