Lurchers in flapper race chasing the lureThe annual Rockview Harriers Working Terrier, Hound and Lurcher Show in County Kilkenny, Ireland enjoyed a large turnout with working dog enthusiasts traveling from all over the country. The show drew representatives from England and Wales as well.
Canadian Grand Champion Eglinton and Caledon Noel 2006 / Paul Wilson photoA lovely English bitch—a veteran of five hunting seasons—was judged Grand Champion at the Canadian Foxhound Show at the London Hunt and Country Club on June 11, 2011. To emerge as Best in Show with that accumulated mileage is quite an achievement. There had to be a story here, so I looked up her pedigree.
Eglinton and Caledon Noel 2006 is descended from all modern English on the sire’s side and fell hound bloodlines on the dam’s side. The answer to her achievement was there, but I didn’t put two-and-two together until I talked to huntsman Steve Clifton.
Los Altos huntsman Matthew Cook and Nicassio / Kimberly Kavish photoNicassio, an un-entered Crossbred dog hound from the Los Altos Hounds (CA), was judged Grand Champion at the Western States Hound Show. The show was held on May 21–22, 2011 at the Santa Ynez Valley Hounds kennels in Santa Barbara.
“It’s not often an un-entered hound can beat an entered hound—fully developed and muscled—but Nicassio moved really well,” recalled huntsman Matthew Cook, who is in his sixth season at Los Altos. “That’s what sold it!”
Nicassio is by Ninja 2006, an un-registered dog hound that Cook obtained from his friend Martyn Blackmore, huntsman at the Loudoun West Hunt (VA). Blackmore? Again? This is the second grand champion hound this season in whose story Martyn Blackmore played a prominent role!
Champion Bitch Meath Patsy shown by whipper-in Barry Finnegan (l) and huntsman Kenny Henry (r). Meath MFH Norman Williamson receives the trophy from George Chapman, MFH of the Island Foxhounds and chairman of the Irish Masters of Foxhounds Association.Stradbally Hall the home of the Cosby family in County Laois, Ireland was steeped in Mediterranean type sunshine for the National Hound Show. Refreshments were available for the spectators and hunt staff, but of equal importance were the strategically placed buckets of water available for the hounds. Organised by show chairman David Lalor, Master of the County Laois Foxhounds, and the committees of the foxhounds, harriers and beagles associations, it had to be one of the largest number of entries in many years.
The judges in the foxhound classes were Charlie Shirley-Bevan, MFH and huntsman of the Mid Devon, and Anthony Sandeman, MFH of the Crawley and Horsham, who has judged also at Peterborough and at the Virginia Hound Show at Morven Park in the USA.
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