Hunt Report Waldingfield Beagles
The Waldingfield's 87th hunt of their 119th season met at Cambell Springs on April 13, 2004 at 8:00 AM. Sky overcast. wind mild from the SW. Huntsman AMR, whipping-in Susie Stevenson, John Auburn, Nick Wykes and Von Lennox.
12 1/2 couple of English bred hounds were cast to the enjoyment of a mounted field of about 28. After a confusion over a cottontail, judge Charles Montgomery viewed a jack running up a steep hill and the pack converged in full cry over the top. The staff followed up the hill, but my horse lost its footing, slid down a few yards unsaddling me in the process to the scarcely hidden enjoyment of the field.
With the help of some locals I was behind the pack again in no time. Hounds worked the line well and fast, crossing several hills and valleys in a generally southern direction, than swung east crossing the dirt road and grassy plain where they lost. Clive Rose, however, had viewed the jack crossing the plain and with his help, I could take the beagles to the line and off they were again at a cracking pace. The jack ran a generally left-handed course over several more hills and dales when they lost going down on a hill side. I dismounted to do a 'Billy King circle ' . I had nearly completed the circle when the squatting jack jumped up with beagles in full cry pursuit. This run took us into the next valley where they lost again. After a fruitless search, I decided to call it a day after two hours, mindful that the Kingsbury had generously offered the Waldingfield to cast first and that scent was fading.
On the way back, another jack was viewed, but whips knocked it off. The judges were not aware of my arrangement with John Auburn to hunt for only two hours. As a result, their report contained the line ' The huntsman was ready to go home before the beagles [were] '.
In sum, a very enjoyable day, beagles did well with two young entry not used to horses. Scent was good but noticeably fading towards the end of the hunt.
