Last year’s Peterborough unentered dog hound champion, VWH Saddler 24, proved himself on the flags and in the field last season. In this article from the Summer 2025 issue of My Countryside magazine, Polly Portwin tracks his progress and the pedigree behind his success.
Please note that this feature was published before the Peterborough Royal Foxhound Show 2025, where Saddler went on to take the Reserve Champion Doghound title, as well as being part of the winning two couple class.
In the world of hound breeding, few achievements stand out more than success on the flags at the Peterborough Royal Foxhound Show, long considered the most prestigious hound show of them all. The champions from this year’s ‘Peterborough’ and the winners from all the other championship classes at the Festival of Hounds for beagles, basset hounds, harriers and Old English foxhounds will have already been crowned by the time you read this, so here we take a look at the winner of last year’s unentered dog hound championship to learn more about his breeding, find out how he’s matured and whether his success on the flags has translated onto the hunting fi eld, which is what any huntsman will tell you is all that really matters.
“He was one of the best of a very good entry,” explained the VWH’s professional huntsman, Philip Hague, when asked how Saddler took to the hunting fi eld during autumn 2024. He made such an impression in his work that he went on to receive the best working dog hound trophy at the puppy show this year.
“He never put a foot wrong – nor did the rest of his litter – and it was like having old hounds right from the start, they just got straight on with their job,” continued Hague about the hound which is by the prolific stallion hound VWH Farmer 19 and out of a bitch called Singsong 21.
This dual success – both in the show ring and hunting fi eld – speaks volumes about the depth of knowledge and careful planning that has gone into the breeding of a pack which has celebrated multiple Peterborough championships, including taking the champion dog hound title last year as well, with Soldier 23 (also by Farmer 19).
At the heart of the VWH is none other than Martin Scott, affectionately known in hunting circles as “Studbook Scottie”. A true aficionado of hound breeding, Scott has been involved in the VWH’s successful breeding policy for over four decades, since he joined their mastership in 1977. His encyclopaedic knowledge of hound pedigrees and his commitment to preserving the best lines in the breeding of the foxhound have made him a revered figure across the hunting world.
Scott recites Saddler’s bloodlines; by VWH Farmer 19, he himself was by the “outstanding” Crackshot 14, who hunted into his ninth season. Crackshot was by a stallion hound called Rancher 09, who the former amateur huntsman described as “one of the best dogs I ever bred”.
He recalls one of the reasons why Rancher was so good: “He was out of an outstanding bitch called Duff le who has College Valley lines in her and she was by Cattistock Daresbury 99 who was one of the best dogs I’ve ever used. Duff le was out of Gadfly by College Valley Governor 95 – she had hill hound bloodlines which would be my favourite outcross.”
Confirming his passion for and unrivalled knowledge of hound breeding, which is truly inspirational, Scott reflected that Governor not only had hill hound bloodlines, but she extended back to Old Dominion Gorgeous 68 on the female line.
Old Dominion Gorgeous – who he remembers as a “very small little bitch who had a brilliant nose when it was dry” – was sent over from America by Bill Brainard and given to the late Captain Wallace when he was at the Heythrop. Captain Wallace subsequently gave Scott one of her whelps when he was hunting the Tiverton and those lines can be traced back through his emphatically successful breeding programme ever since.
Nurture or nature?
Bloodlines and good conformation alone, however, do not guarantee success. The transformation of a promising young hound into a champion on the flags and in the hunting field depends heavily on the skill of the huntsman, and in the case of Saddler 24, that role is filled by Philip Hague – a professional of the highest calibre who is no stranger to winning red rosettes at hound shows.
winning red rosettes at hound shows. Hague is hugely respected as a huntsman, having hunted the VWH since 2005, but he is also widely acclaimed within the hunting community for his ringcraft. Philip works hard along with his hunt staff, with the support of Scott and the mastership, to ensure the young entry and the more experienced hounds are confident in any setting. Whether showing indoors or outside, on the grass or on hard standing, Philip prepares them meticulously, so they are able to demonstrate their true attributes and catch the judges’ eye, whether that be extending across the showring or standing evenly on the flags.
Hague, ever the consummate professional, recognises the hard work that puppy walkers put into the hounds in their care when they are weaned, and before they come back into kennels to start their formal education. Saddler was walked by Judy Hancox who has walked over 40 hounds for the VWH. She also walked Safety 24, Saddler’s litter sister, who won the best bitch title at their puppy show when Saddler took the dog hound accolade.
So, what is the secret to her success? “Letting them be free and happy has a lot to do with it, I think,” said Judy, who welcomes the public to her rare breeds mixed livestock farm where the hound puppies lived happily together alongside the various animals and other dogs which the visitors come to greet.
Saddler returned to kennels with a great education under his belt, knowing how to interact with children, farm dogs, sheep, ducks, geese and pigs amongst other species. “I was looking after my grandchild a lot the year I was walking Saddler and Safety. They both spent the summer by the pushchair because they all really bonded well together,” she continued.
Having won the puppy show, the unentered dog hound championship at Peterborough in 2024, then made a good start to his hunting career, what next for Saddler?
“He’s matured well since Peterborough last year,” explained Scott, who will be judging the bitch hounds at this year’s renewal of the show at the East of England Showground, which means the VWH will likely head to the West of England Hound Show at Honiton instead in August with their pick of the bitches.
Saddler is entered in the two couple class at Peterborough so with his “great depth, good stride, powerful hindleg and strong back” he might well have been in the ribbons again by now, although his huntsman is most looking forward to seeing him back on the hunting field when the autumn season starts again.
Image credit: Daniel Hague