Kent and Surrey Bloodhounds

Our final meet of the season was at Lowbridge Farm, Leigh. It was a bit of a drizzly day but the lure of hot sausages and plentiful whisky mac and port did not put the field of 18 off !! With just as many foot followers we set off with Camilla leading the way on Ted. We hunted across the back fields and crossed the road onto the bridlepath leading down the back of Ashurst Farm jumping the timber, before the decent drop hedge on the brow of the hill. We caught Quarry just inside the gate on Deneoak Lane.

A short hack led us up the road to cross onto the concrete drive to Mynthurst. A quiet ride through the farm and well out the other side, we laid hounds on inside the left hand gate. They streamed away in good voice to lead us in a loop through the double of offset tiger traps by the Christmas trees, sweeping round behind the house and out onto the bridlepath to turn sharp right over the tiger trap although this was slightly overshot by a few hounds who had a jaunt through the woods!. When we were all up together, although Kieran was still on the missing list, we continued on over the rails and into the woods to finish by the water trough in the field opposite Ewood Lane.

At the end of the check, we jumped the rails onto the road to hack down over the bridge and on up to Shellwood. After riding through the farm we laid hounds on left to canter a huge loop through the farm jumping a few open ditches to finish back inside the track.

The last line is always a great finish to the season. Hounds were laid on in the woods and after jumping the rails onto Mynthurst, crossing the fields and taking on the tiger traps leading towards Proffits Farm, we hedge hopped all the way round. The foot followers had a great view of hounds hunting on strongly before we jumped back onto Mynthurst before finishing after the rails (carefully avoiding the roller) in Clayhill Road.

We had to wait a few minutes while Emma and Andrew finished their antics and followed on! A short hack down the road led us back home to wash off horses and tuck in to a sumptious tea. It was a good finish to the season with everyone still intact, apart from Bill who is mending slowly.

Camilla has done a fabulous job in Bill’s absence in hunting the hounds this season. She has bravely held everything together in walking hounds out on a daily basis and taking care of puppies. A big thank you to Jennie who has diligently looked after the horses and hounds and supported Bill and Camilla. Thank you to Adrian, Mike, Ali and Jason who between them have walked country and run every week and good luck for their trip.

Where would we be without our farmers and landowners ?................. Without them we would not have our sport, so a huge thank you to all, over whose farms and land we cross.

Thank you to all those who have hunted with us this season and supported us in one way or another.

Lastly a thank you to Bill who despite not being able to ride has seen farmers and walked country each week so that our hunting may continue.

Don’t forget to continue to watch the website for all news and watch what is going on through the Summer. Hopefully we may see some of you at the Hunter Trials, either on foot or horseback or at some of the parades. Hope you all have a good rest and are ready for the start of the season in September.

March 5
Fairoak, Rogate GU31 5HR
by kind permission of Mr & Mrs P Fox-Andrews

Sunday February 26
Fyllsbrook Cottage, Lyme Drive, Rusper Road, Capel
by kind permission of Dr & Mrs S Roworth-Stokes

February 5
Jordans Farm, Forest Green RH5 5SB
by kind permission of Mr & Mrs R Stack

We met at Jordans Farm, Forest Green by kind permission of Roger and Bridget Stack. It was a glorious day and the ground underfoot was perfect. We had a good field of around 20 with many more spectators. It was also good to see Sarah and Alice together with Sam, join us for the day.

Our first line led us up the road, past the green (where we didn't lose any hounds!) and down on to Wicklands. Hounds were in good voice as they led on across the field but were confused by the many walkers and followers. With all hounds retrieved we hunted on across the road to finish at the top of the hill. There was a good variety of fences to be jumped and the hedge provided good viewing for the spectators.

A short hack up the hill to the back of Lukyns where a small rail was jumped onto the farm. Hounds ran well and there was much to be negotiated - the ditch and rail was a challenge to some and the double of rails down on to the road with a sharp right into the water was not going to plan for Kieran whose horse slipped up. We carried on around the farm and through the woods to finish at the water trough. I think Alice also had a sticky moment on this line!

The third line dropped down through the woods over a few sets of rails and a decent ditch to have a gallop back and up the hill with some more timber to finish. Camilla was now in trouble for losing one of Jennies spurs!

We hacked along the road to North Breeche for the fourth line. Kieran led the field with an interesting jump over the hedge - his horse jumped the right hand side while he jumped the left - needless to say there was mud on his jacket. Hounds hunted this line extremely well despite the confusion of a loose horse and continued on down through the sheep field (which Alwyn rushed to open) and over the tiger trap on to the road where we turned left and then right into the woods over a few sets of rails to finish. We all had a good day and the warmer weather made it all the more pleasant.

Our thanks to Jason for being Quarry Captain for the day, and to Mike, Alison and Danny for running. Thank you to our farmers and landowners for their support and to Roger and Bridget for a fantastic meet with plenty of mulled wine and sausages to start the day off and for allowing us to have tea there too.

January 28
Sturtwood Farm, Newdigate
by kind permission of Mr & Mrs R McKinnon

January 15
Coombelands, Pulborough, West Sussex RH20 1BP
by kind permission of the Harwood Family

January 8
Stilemans Stud, Munstead
by kind permission of Mr & Mrs G Lawson

We met at Stilemans Stud, Munstead on Sunday, courtesy of Mr & Mrs Geoffrey Lawson. There was a good field of twenty three riders and probably just as many foot followers. What started out as a little bit of drizzle and overcast continued all day to make it a very wet day indeed. Bill certainly was in danger of going rusty !!

Our first line took us around Stilemans taking in some of the available event fences. The ground underfoot was superb with soft sand .Hounds hunted on strongly. After a brief check, we hacked to Munstead to hunt the event course. We laid hounds on to hunt right handed, again jumping all available event fences.

Another short check and then back to Stilemans for a quick jaunt round taking in the chase fences. It was at this point that Tony retired injured – his ribs just not feeling too good.

We hacked onto the third line through Hascombe putting hounds on in the woods. Camilla was very pleased not to fall off at the rails. After the first field the ground became quite heavy – it was here that a few of the field peeled off leaving the only the very wet to continue. There were plenty of hunt jumps and hounds hunted well up the hill past the woods and continued on the line to finish at Gloria Foreheads. It was at this stage that Julian too had steamed up so any photos not in focus were due to lack of glasses!!

By now we were all thoroughly soaked and looking forward to the last line. Both chocolate and hip flasks were in short supply. We crossed the road to lay hounds on the last line; away they went over the tiger trap and flew up the hill. There was a variety of rails, tiger traps, ditches and chase fences to be jumped and after a good hunt round the gallops quarry was caught. Thank you Adrien, Mike and Alison.

Another good days hunting had by both mounted and unmounted followers. Our thanks as usual, to all farmers and landowners and to everyone responsible for putting the day together.

Next week is at Coombelands – please phone me to book in. Wishing you all a very Happy New Year and happy hunting.

December 27
Curtis Farm, Rusper
by kind permission of Mr & Mrs D Turner

December 18
The Royal Oak, Staffhurstwood

December 9
Stable Cottage, Henfield
by kind permission of Mr & Mrs B Stern
No photos this week!

Brian and Nicola Stern hosted the perfect meet at Stable Cottage, Henfield with mulled wine, hot sausage rolls and mince pies. There weren't as many riders as usual, I think mainly due to the very thick fog, but those of us that turned up had a great day. There were however, lots of foot followers whose visibility was limited!

The first line was an easy gallop round with a few rails and logs - the main challenge was finding your way in the fog. A unanimous decision was made to carry on as the fog had not seemed to lift. We crossed the road to lay hounds on and jump all the lovely hedges around the Dairy where the ground underfoot was perfect. As usual this rode very well and there were no fallers. The third line was an interesting jaunt through the wood on to Shermanbury where the double failed to claim anybody and the rest of the timber proved to be good hunt jumps. Our thanks to Brian for taking in the horses on Shermanbury which made negotiating the field much easier! Hounds hunted well with Camilla still holding the fort while Bill watched.

The fourth line was a hunt back across the Dairy taking in the decent drop hedge for the spectators, finishing just inside the gate for the end of day

We would like to thank Adrien, Les, Brian and all supporters for their help in putting this day together. A big thank you too to Nicola and Brian for tea and for their continued support, together with all the farmers and landowners who kindly allow us to hunt across their farms.

November 20
Heaselands, Haywards Heath
by kind permission of Sir Richard and Lady Lucy Kleinwort

The Jolly Farmers at Horne always provides a good day’s sport with plenty of hedges to jump.

The first line was across Blue Anchor then a good hunt through Moseley’s and beyond to Barlow’s. The hounds hunted really well finishing up with another line though Blue Anchor before feasting on a good tea back at the pub.

It was good to see leading south east point to point jockey Chris Gordon out in the field after he and Jenny became parents of a baby boy recently – congratulations to them all. Chris obviously liked our country so much he claimed his own piece of turf! Fellow point to point jockey Julie Wickens also had a nasty tumble, so we wish her a speedy recovery.

October 30
The Kennels, Newdigate
by kind permission of Mr & Mrs W Kear
No photos this week!

Bill and Jeny Kear provided a good meeting at the kennels for a field of around 20 mounted followers. There were a variety of fences from timber rails and tiger traps to some lovely established hedges across four good lines around Newdigate. The rain held off for most of the day and there were some rays of autumn sunshine. Sue Grieve was Field Master again while Brian Stern is on the sidelines however he is due back in time for The Jolly Farmers, Horne next Sunday.

Bill did well to hold Teddy when his noseband snapped on the first line at the amusement of his daughter Camilla who was whipping in on her youngster Aflie, who took all the hedges in his stride despite them being a bit bigger than they were expecting! Even Alwyn Kear made a mounted appearance for the fourth line, where he showed us that his cob is just at home jumping as he is being driven!

The hounds hunted well and behaved impeccably when distracted by deer on the first line. The quarry looked pleased that the weather has finally cooled a little as the last two meetings have taken place in summer temperatures.

We would like to thank all the farmers who allowed us to enjoy such a good day and thanks to the Kear family for welcoming us to tea at the kennels afterwards.

October 23
Eastlands Farm, Handcross
by kind permission of Mr & Mrs B Slade
No photos this week!

There was a field of 38 mounted followers from Eastlands Farm. The weather was warm again but the hounds hunted better than last week. There were not many followers tackling the hedges at Eastlands on the first line, but most cleared the timber and a few extra hedges during the day comprising of 5 lines in total. Keiran Purkis struggled with the steering round corners on his new mount and ended up slipping on the flat…twice!

Unfortunately Brian Stern’s horse went lame after the first line so Sue Grieve took over as Field Master for the rest of the day. We hope Brian’s horse is better for next week. We all had a cracking day and our thanks go to the Slade family for making us so welcome again.

We also would like to send our congratulations to Joint Master Andrew Coveney and his wife Fiona who had a baby boy last week. He has been named Merrick and weighed in at 9lbs 11ounces. We do wish them all well and look forward to seeing Fiona back in the saddle soon!

Joint Master Tony Watts organised a good day from the Wheatsheaf at Marsh Green. There was a field of approx 25 with Sandy Watts as Field Master for the day.

There were three lines, with the first over Gabriels Farm where the good grass covering meant that the ground rode well, we had a couple of good hedges and lots of cross country fences to jump.

The second line was towards Dryhill with plenty of tiger traps to negotiate. The final line returned to the Wheatsheaf with more tiger traps and another couple of hedges.

There was one casualty of day when Beverley Smith came to grief at a tyre fence on the first line resulting in her breaking her shoulder, otherwise a good day was had by all. The sun shone all day making it very mild for this time of year, plenty of horses and riders looked a little too warm! As for the quarry I’m sure they sweated a bit more than usual and the hot weather took it’s toll on the hounds as they hunted fairly slowly!

As usual we were provided with a good tea at the Wheatsheaf afterwards for which we would like to thank the landlord and staff. We would also like to thank the farmers and Tony and Sandy Watts for putting on a good day.

During yesterday’s tea Tony Watts was awarded a prize for the most spectacular fall of the 04/05 season.

Our young and athletic quarry members Adrian Sole and Mike Borer were awarded their hunt buttons. Mike had lots to cheer about as it was also his birthday and he is celebrating his 24^th season running with the bloodhounds!