Brockhurst 4th Nov 2007

More pictures(Gordon)  and More still(Caroline)

It was a glorious sunny day, rather too hot for hunting. Those staying at home, sat in the garden and mowed the lawn! Those who dressed for hunting without thinking about the weather, roasted! There was some stripping at the end of the first line for those with foot followers to take the unwanted layers!
As last season, there was a great turn out - over 60, with many welcome foot followers, some of whom became self-appointed "traffic police" on the road crossings (very much appreciated, thank you). Brockhurst School forms an imposing venue for this meet within in the gravelled court yard of the Victorian neo-Gothic mansion. Three generations of the Fleming family, our hosts, were mounted and rode to the end of the day. Many new faces came to experience our sport, including several children, and all had huge smiles on their faces after the initial anxiety of brakes and lack of brains!
History has a habit of repeating itself and drag hunting is no exception! Yes, those of you who know what happened last year, we lost the hounds on the way to the first line... again! Quickly retrieved, with speedy whip and huntsman's horses, and we continued to the start of the new first line. This had some fun river crossings, steep banks, long wades with hounds swimming, and a test for Robin's new racehorse, which he passed after a little hesitation! Most of the ponies coped admirably too.
Line 2 had already been part hunted, on the way to line 1, but hounds re-hunted well. Somehow huntsman and whips got in front of the hounds, alertly spotted by our non-riding Chairman, Nick Quesnel. Two big hedges then upped the adrenaline level for many. Gordon, carefully positioned for great photographic shots, found himself in entirely the wrong place for the turn between the two and Robin and I nearly wiped him out, passing on either side of him! Lucky this blindfolded rider was not a front runner! After a check, while children took the opportunity to play over a line of logs, we crossed the road (traffic policed) and enjoyed some smaller hedges and a tight bit of navigation through a spinney.
The last line followed grass headlands with a good choice of timber fences and an excursion into river meadows, more flooded than I have ever seen. Wash down of hot horses in a crowded car park before tea, generously provided by our hosts - lasagne, salad and pud. Maybe Cathy had worked some "loaves and fishes" miracle to feed us all but it was certainly a great start to the season. John, our new joint master and field master, excelled in his duty, captured here, evocatively at the end of the day.
Fleming generosity extended to welcoming the local Bloodhound pack onto their land for their opening meet too. A little behind us, only the cognoscenti knew. But I wonder how well the "clean boot" hunted, following pollution by our undoubtedly smelly sock!