THERE are certain meets that stand out on the hunting calendar and an opening meet at historic Mount Juliet has to rank premier among those. Mount Juliet is steeped in hunting history, having been the home of the McCalmont family up to 1993, when it became a very smart hotel and golf resort. But even before the McCalmonts, it had been the home of the famed American hound breeder Ikey Bell, when he was master and huntsman (1908-21). It was he who revolutionised hound breeding by introducing the Welsh cross to the outrage of the establishment. However, their value was soon recognised and now most English packs and several Irish depend on what has become known as modern hound breeding.

As well as being the home of the Kilkenny Foxhounds, where everything was done on a grand scale, it was also a major force in racing, where they bred and raced the Tetrach, the greatest thoroughbred of his day.