Barbury Castle 21st Jan 2007

A little way further up and across the road from last week's meet but what a difference in conditions. Immediately obvious was the new river (locally called a "bourn") flowing parallel to the road and a new large lake, complete with waves! A field shelter roof, caught vertically in the roadside hedge, bore testament to Thursday's gale. A tractor was on standby to pull lorries onto the parking and was required by a few. It was hard to believe that there had been two days of point to point the previous weekend, as the grass looked unmarked except for the deep mud scars we made. Barbury is always "three coats colder" and today was no exception, sunshine but a bighting wind. My top tip is a golfing windproof under the hunt coat. Three pointers from one yard attempted to beat the elements with very smart monogrammed blankets - their jumping wasn't always so smart but the recovery, brilliant!
This is rightly a popular meet and 64 turned out today. Somewhat like John Betjeman's harvest festival, even foot followers emerge from the woodwork and the estate roads were clogged up with following vehicles. Jeff was hunting hounds as Robin had gone to Northern Ireland to sample the hunting scene over there. Robin had kindly lent his lovely horse "Bones" to Giovanni for the second week and it was fun to watch Giovanni innocently walk  past and gain a following of two thirds of the pack! Wrong man on top - even wrong coloured coat! Nigel and Penny Bunter treated us to drinks all round (insulation from the windiness?) and Nigel was deputised by his good wife and lady master to make the informative welcoming speech. Supposedly of louder voice, I still wonder if all heard with the fierce competition from the wind!
It was a reasonable hack to the start of the first line, -time to warm up before business began. Hounds, as always were keen to be off, challenging Jeff's authority and amazingly 11/2 couple leapt into a pond! This was no accident but hound long jump competition! They all disappeared below the surface and had a significant swim  out! And I thought it was pretty cold, praying we would all keep dry! Despite Penny's concerns that the heavy overnight rain had made the going slippy, it rode remarkably well, undoubtedly helped by the drying wind. This is fantastic ground simply to enjoy galloping on. New, very jumpable fences beckoned. The second line continued almost seamlessly around high ground. Senior Rickman's then had time for a slick change to second horses, while junior Rickman showed many how it should be done, on one small pony! The third line, again mainly uphill, gave some great jumping in preparation for the point to point course of the last line. A few, it has to be said, females found the cold, the drink at the meet or the anticipation of the last line, too much for the bladder and legged it into the convenient trees (not many at Barbury for obvious reasons)! And finally, the joy of going round the point to point course. There was some sparring between the joint masters here and a pointer with a handful of hangers-on overtook us at the front but a great time was had by all! You just want to see the beaming faces and hear the laughter! "These fences are addictive!!"
To end a fantastic day, the Bunter's generously provide a superb "lunch" in the hospitality building, complete with very welcome industrial strength blown-heating. And the tractor was still in readiness for those stuck!