TUESDAY, February 15, saw the Hurworth Hunt meet at Eryholme, near Darlington. The meet was hosted by Lt Col (retired) and Mrs Christopher Jarvis, who, although they hunt with the West of Yore pack, showed their support by providing the meet for their local pack, the Hurworth.

Eighteen horses and many foot followers turned out, light in step but with heavy hearts with the ban literally round the corner.

Hard rain had turned the relatively good going into heavy mud which took its toll for certain riders whose boots disappeared through the ears!

Seventeen and a half couple hounds hunted very well outside the cover, but struggled slightly inside. Two and a half brace of foxes were flushed out with one brace killed. Hounds ran well after one fox out of Forty-acre Wood which ended up bolting into bales, where he was left at the request of the land owner.

The count of foxes this season is level with last season at 36 brace.

* A note to Hurworth members: the hound Shepard who was sent over to the Ootie Hunt in India has fathered six pups. No doubt they will have better hunting over there from now on, lucky Shepard!

Charlie sets the pace at hunt meet

by Heather Wedderburn

THE Bedale Hunt had a flying start to its meet on February 12 with the annual hunt race. Nearly 30 horses started this exciting and fast race around land belonging to Andrew and Marjorie Pybus at Thrintoft.

Foot followers were too many to count or even estimate, and the same can be said for the mounted riders after the race for the hunt. The turnout was fantastic for the Bedale.

The rain the night before had made the going deep and very slippery, but this did not deter the leader for most of the race, Charlie Warde-Aldham. Charlie set an incredible pace, which for most was just too much. His big grey gelding stood back off the fences, launching himself and Charlie into the air clearing each fence superbly; all the rest of the field could do was watch his tail end disappear!

However, near the end of the course two thoroughbreds (team-chasers) caught him to pip him at the finish line. The crowds let out a huge cheer as he rode into third place after what most deemed was surely his race.

First-placed rider was Tricia Heaps from Tadcaster, who has a six day card with the Bedale hunt. She rode a clever race and her horse had the extra speed towards the end. Second was Thomas Kaye, known as a member of the 'Wasps' team-chasing team.

After the prizegiving the hunting began.

Charles Frampton and his hounds were flying, having a brilliant day which resulted in killing a brace of foxes. Mary Tweddle, the field master, gave the field a hell of a day too; fast with plenty of jumping for her "charges". Charles has got his hounds to sheer perfection.

A little bird called Daphne summed the day up in a nut shell: "fan-blinking-tastic"

Dancing, then sausages

by Heather Wedderburn

FOUR hundred guests filled the stunning marquee at Queen Mary's School near Topcliffe, by kind permission of the headmaster Robert Mcken-zie-Johnson, for the annual Bedale Hunt Ball.

Daphne Bourne-Arton, chairman of the hunt ball committee, said "I have organised the past six balls; this one was my last. The job next year does to Jo Bidgood. I can't thank the committee enough for all their help. Liz Dodsworth, Kirsty Wilson, Fiona Richardson, Kate McKen-zie-Johnson and Jo Bidgood have been fantastic."

Kevin Pilkington from Craven Smith Gilpins provided the marquee and the food, which was superb, while the band Jump the Q from Richmond provided live entertainment until the early hours.

Not only was there dinner at this party, but breakfast too. Andrew and Debbie Keeble made and provided the sausages for all the guests, which was very welcome after dancing for a few hours.

Each table had one of the Bedale hounds, hand painted, as the main centrepiece made by Sue Godden of West Tanfield. The wines came from London-based Bon Coeur Fine Wines and Michael Broad provided the deliciously tender beef, all adding to a fantastic meal of three courses.

Jo Bidgood organised an impressive hunt auction by auctioneer Andy Armstrong from Darlington Auction Mart, with many prizes to be sold under the hammer.

The top lot was a donation of a painting of a fox painted in any Bedale landscape you wish by the great and talented artist Robin Furness; this extraordinarily generous lot fetched an incredible £1,700, proving that work by Robin is so very popular and collectable.

The evening was a huge success for the Bedale with guests from all over the country as well as locally showing their support for hunting.

As a guest said to me, "Hunting isn't all about chasing foxes around the countryside; there is a social side too that is very important".

Great - let's have another!

I was invited to attend the South Durham Hunt Ball by friends Lindsay and Jason Marriot at the Hardwick Hall Hotel near Sedgefield on February 12 by kind permission of the hotel manager John Milburn, writes Heather Wedder-burn.

The evening was amazing with an incredible 530 people enjoying a fantastic evening's entertainment of great company, food and live entertainment.

Hardwick Hall provided the catering which was an excellent three-course menu, and the staff who were very professional serving such a large amount of guests (and when the food got to your table it was still hot).

The hunt held a huge raffle with prizes donated by a majority of the hunt members, making a substantial amount of extra funds for the hunt.

Organizer Liz Wilkinson, who is a hunt committee member and subscriber, has been organising the hunt ball for the South Durham for the past six years.

"The Hardwick Hall Hotel is central for our hunting area and they have been so very helpful in every way to get this ball under way. In fact, it was so successful that we are thinking of holding another ball in September this year at the same venue," she said.

"The evening was fantastic and everyone had a great time. I would like to give a special thanks to all the hunt members for donating such a variety of gifts for the raffle, and to Tracey, the conference manager at the Hardwick for all her help.

"The joint effort to put this together made this event truly a family affair," Liz added.

I have not ever seen so many people at a hunt ball before, and absolutely everyone made you feel so very welcome.

The South Durham is one of the best hunts in the country with some of the warmest, down to earth people you can find.

As I said to Liz: "You can definitely count me in for a table of 12 in September" - I will have no problem filling it!

Published: 25/02/2005