Hounds and hunts fly the flag at the Game Fair

Hound parades, displays and a competitive inter-hunt relay made sure that hunting was well-represented throughout the three-day Game Fair held at Blenheim Palace, in Oxfordshire, over the weekend (26-28 July).

Packs of beagles, basset hounds, foxhounds and harriers paraded in the main ring with two opportunities each day for members of the public to greet the hounds and learn more about trail hunting and other forms of exempt hunting. With commentary from Sam Butler on Friday, the Alliance’s Polly Portwin (Saturday) and Paul Scott (Sunday), the crowds were given an update about the current political situation and encouraged to attend the British Hound Sports Association’s national trail hunting day on 14 September, as well as giving an insight into life in kennels.

In the Horse & Hound ring, situated close to Blenheim Palace, there were a further two hound parades each day with those gathering around the ring were also invited to greet the hounds and given a horn blowing demonstration. The packs involved in these parades were also displaying their hounds in the shaded hound pens throughout the day, with their hunt staff and other representatives welcoming visitors and explaining all about their packs of hounds.

On Sunday afternoon, 10 hunt teams braved the heat to take part in the inter-hunt relay where the Staff College Drag Hunt were the fastest qualifiers in the heats before they went on to win their semi-final and then take the overall honours in a final against the Puckeridge. Coordinated by the Alliance’s Gail Taylor, with commentary from “Spike” Milligan and Paul Scott, the competition provided great entertainment for the crowd.

After five heats, the fastest four teams qualified to go through to two semi-finals. The mirror-image courses caused few major dramas, although the movement of a “dummy” from a high table to a low one, proved challenging for some, particularly as it was located very closely to the penultimate obstacle, meaning great control was required. The course also included a “chute” where time penalties were incurred if passing through it at a speed greater than a walk.

In the first of the semi-finals, the Cambridgeshire & Enfield Chace B team were drawn against the Staff College who secured a narrow victory, qualifying them for the final. The second semi-final saw the Puckeridge beat the Hereford and Clifton Hunt, setting up the contest between the Staff College against the Puckeridge.

The Staff College’s winning team consisted of Elspeth Martin-Dye, Lily May Cooper and 13-year-old Hazel Bailey. Second place went to the Puckeridge with Cambs & Enfield Chace B team coming third and the Hereford & Clifton taking further place. Rosettes for all competitors were provided by the Game Fair.

Polly Portwin, the Alliance’s Director of the Campaign for Hunting, thanked all those that helped to showcase hounds and hunts throughout the course of the three days:

“The summer is always a busy time of year for everyone but events like the Game Fair are the perfect opportunity to demonstrate the pride we have in our packs of hounds and to explain more about our lawful hunting activities so we are enormously grateful to all those who gave up their time to demonstrate the high standards of horse and hound welfare maintained in kennels at all times.”