Tucked away in the small village of Copt Hewick near Ripon the Townend's family farm sits nestled by the village green.

Wearing the slightly younger version of the 'country gentleman's' attire compromising of a chequered shirt with green khaki's and gum boots, I was greeted by a tall, thin as a hunting crop, blond teenage boy.

Sam Townend was born and bought up at Hillside Farm, and at just 14 years old he is already greatly respected by his elder peers for his equine prowess and vast knowledge of hunting.

The youngest of three children born to parents Sue and John, he shows more enthusiasm for horses than his two elder sisters Lucy, 16 and Sarah, 19. Sarah teaches children at the pony club rallies and occasionally hunts with the West of Yore, and although Lucy can ride she is now leaning towards accompanying her father out shooting, and is apparently quite a mean shot.

Sam started riding on one of his sister's ponies at two years old and proved so keen that his parents bought his own pony called Rebel, a 12hh Section A Welsh Mountain pony when he was just four.

Sam and his newly-acquired steed joined up with the Bedale and West of Yore Hunts Pony Club where they attended rallies and hunter trials on a regular basis. Sam is still a member, and this year he again attended a pony club camp at Thorpe Perrow Estate, near Bedale.

He said: "The pony club has been a great way of learning and has given me the opportunity to compete in team events, although I don't like the dressage side of things, it's boring!

"I tried showing but to be honest it took absolutely ages preening and cleaning to look perfect to enter the ring, and when you got in there you end up scared to death that a hair might be out of place. All that for just a few minutes! Crazy, no way, give me hunting any day!"

At ten he got his second pony, Polly, and together they were members of the tetrathlon team for the pony club with three other riders; Charlie Johnson, Paul Smith and Harry Thompson.

The Tetrathlon is split into four events in one day; riding over a cross country course, shooting a target with an air pistol, 3000 meter cross country run and a four minute swim. "We won quite a few events together, but the best was when we came third in 2000 at the Area Championships in Warwickshire," Sam said.

Polly also carried him out hunting every Saturday that they could fit into the hectic family schedule. Sue said: "It is hard to juggle all the children around the different activities they have to do. "Sam gave up rugby as it coincided with hunting on a Saturday: "But we soon realised that Sam was just too interested in hunting to miss a single day," Sue said.

Sam has attended Ashville College in Harrogate since he was seven years old. Being a full boarder was, and is, out of the question as it takes him away from his horses at home.

He said: "I am in the stable at six in the morning riding one horse and leading another, to get finished before school. Eight o'clock and off I go to lessons itching to get home at about four-thirty in the afternoon. Then I will ride again if it is light enough.

"We have a fold yard, so mucking out is easy; once a week with a tractor and its done."

Sam's involvement with hunting stepped into new and exciting territory three years ago - not only with new and larger horses to hunt on, Eric Simpson the Whipper-in for the West of Yore hunt also invited him to help with the hounds.

"Eric saw how keen I was and the fact that I was out hunting every chance I could get, so he thought that I was ready to learn more" said Sam. "It is brilliant, I can't tell you how much I enjoy this part of hunting."

He has helped with the hounds not only in the hunting field, but also in the parade ring at shows throughout the North including the Great Yorkshire Show this year.

He has two horses to hunt this season with, Rosie a 14.2hh black cob mare and Bill, a 16hh bay gelding that his parents bought for him just two months. "I am not sure what Bill will be like out hunting, but he really is a great little horse" said Sam. And he better well be as Sam quite literally has no fear.

When asked about what he wouldn't jump, Sam said: "Nothing, except perhaps a huge hedge with wire a few feet in front. A five bar gate is no problem, I just jump whatever is in front of me. I have had no broken bones yet, that's not to say that I won't, but I have broken a tree in my saddle when I fell at a fence. I just changed my saddle and rode on."

Sue added that her son "rides to stay on, the only riding lessons that he has had were at the pony club rallies. That was difficult enough to make him concentrate, let alone private lessons!

"I am so pleased that he is keen and passionate about his sport, and will try to support him the best that I can," she said. "I trust him in the sense that I think that he knows his limits out there."

Sam's hero is the now rather famous Otis Ferry, son of the legendary Bryan Ferry of Roxy Music. Otis used to hunt as whipper-in for Yorkshire-based hunt, the Middleton. He has since moved south as Master of the South Shropshire Foxhounds.

Otis hit the headlines recently when he confronted MPs in the House of Commons during the pro-hunt demonstration in Parliament Square, London.

Sam said: "I admire his guts and the fact that he stands up for what he truly believes in. He is great with his hounds and given his life to this sport, he isn't about to stand by and watch it disappear before his eyes, and I admire him for that."

Sam, too went to London. "I want to hunt hounds when I am older, and if we can't hunt here then I will move to France where we can," he said. "I have no life here if I can't hunt".

It would be a fine thing if Sam can fill the boots of the current Master Tim Easby after he hangs them up. Look out Tim, this lad is hot on your tail! After all you did invite him to personally help you more this season didn't you?

Published: 29/10/2004