2009 - 2010 SEASON
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BOXING DAY 2009 - GUILD HALL, CARDIGAN
Most of Britain's Boxing Day Hunt Meets were cancelled or went on foot, due to the treacherous icy conditions, but remarkably the coastal farms of Cardigan Bay had escaped and the West Wales Farmers Bloodhounds were able to meet.
2008 saw the return of the Hunt Meet to Cardigan and this year even more people turned out to support the Hunt.
The day started at the Black Lion Hotel which was once the home of the town's hunt from 1736, by kind invitation of Peter and Ann Phillips owners of the Black Lion Hotel, where horses and local dignitaries enjoyed the traditional Stirrup Cup. and refreshments, to see them through the day.
Master Robert Thomas was offered to drink form the Stirrup Cup, some 150 yrs old, which would have been used to serve many Masters in years gone by.
The Hunt then moved up to the Guild Hall where crowds had gathered to hear the speech made by the Mayor of Cardigan, Mark Cole.
The charity donation from the day was to the charity of the Mayor's choice, which this year is Cardigan Castle.
The hunt left town on New Mill Road and hounds spoke well around Capel Farm. A short hack towards Mwnt, where crowds had gathered to see hounds hunting around the foel and nearby farms. Runner Mark Kallenberg was able to find his own way from Mwnt to Nant y croi, with hounds struggling to cross the fence lines and work out his twisted laid line. Hounds continued to hunt for a further half an hour, along the cliff tops and coast line.
Home was blown at 3.45pm and horses hacked back to town, just in time to find the Black Lion Hotel still open
Various Photographs From Anthony Reynolds LMPA
NEW YEARS DAY 2010
A return of the Hunt to the Ffostrasol Arms, Ffostrasol.
Despite the frosts of the previous week a number of hunt enthusiasts turned out in support. With
the offer of some fine hunting the field moved off towards the Mast.
Hounds were laid on, working to pick up the scent. The rising warm air from the afternoon's sunshine providing excellent scenting conditions and hounds screamed through open fields to the delight of foot followers. Setting the pace for the day, the field moved round towards the forestry meeting some ice on the road, causing a delay in catching the hounds.
Hunt jumps which normally would have been cleared at the gallop were climbed and banked as the frost had left the landing hard in places.
Riders had to use their iniatiative when negotiating this particular country and were therefore off the pace in seeing hounds hunt.
The field next moved down towards Rhydlewis and had some excellent runs through Rhydlewis Trout Smokery and Gwernant Farm.
Having travelled some 5 miles and with hounds hunting towards Brongest, phone calls were made for boxes to be brought up to Cwmdu, near Newcastle Emlyn.
Mark Kallenberg, running as if for Wales, chose lines through Dolgoch Farm and across to Dolgian going into woodland below Penrallt Hebog.
Hounds could be heard up ahead and as the field turned into woodland the dark shaddows of snow laden clouds could be seen behind, with clear blue skies ahead.
The hunt pressed on with further hunt fences presented and jumped clear in the frost free woodland, before the field followed hounds through Dinas Ceri Farm, as the first flakes of snow of the New Year fell.
The hunt finished at Cwmdu, with a warm stirrup cup for all, as the ground started to turn white.
Horses were walked out of Cwmdu and boxed at the top, near Rama Farm, with 2 horses remaining overnight, under the kind hospitality of the Davies family.
2010 had begun with some fine hunting with hounds speaking, leading the field from low mountain woodland and nearly the full length of the Ceri river.
The day concluded with cowl back at the Ffostrasol Arms, 4x4's permitting.
(There are rare occasions when the Masters, Hounds and Field are held up, this day was one occasion. On the homeward hack to the last line, it happened ! When one hears the scream of the Hunts experienced Field Master and Hunt enthusiast Ms Debbie Phillips stop and dismount, for no apparent reason, just think Jaffa Cakes !)
Hunt Report after Hound Exercise through January
BLOODHOUNDS BACK HUNTING AFTER HOUND EXERCISE THROUGHOUT JANUARY
The first weekend of February saw the Bloodhounds back on hunting form with meets on both Saturday 6th and Sunday 7th February 2010. Meeting at The Cross Inn, Glandy Cross by kind invitation of proprietors Mr. and Mrs. Twigg, the field moved off towards Mynachlog Ddu.
After a short hack, hounds were laid on above Capel Farm, however, the winter sunshine presented a challenge for hounds, as they cast amongst the heather beds working hard to pick up the scent laid by local huntswoman, Debbie Phillips. This set the scene for the rest of the day, with Simon O'Dwyer, Whipper-in for the Kilkenny, introducing a young potential eventer, owned by the landlord of the Cross Inn, to the many obstacles this terrain offered.
Masters intended only to be out for a few hours, but got carried away by the scenery and the chance of hunting in this beautiful part of the country, getting back in time to see Wales put their first points on England at Rugby.
On Sunday 7th February, the hunt met at Llandyfriog and moved off through Llwyncadfor, up towards Bryngwenith Chapel, crossing the main road. A short hack took the field into the Parish of Brongest, where the next run led down through Dolgian Farm and across into Allt Fagwr. With hounds speaking better towards the end of the day, the last few lines were laid around Cwmdu. Home was blown at 16.15. Some horses walked home and others boxed back to the meet. Horses had covered 9.5 miles over challenging terrain with the option of 40 fences.
The Bloodhounds meet through to the end of April and details of meets, including the Hunt Ball and other planned events can be found on their website www.westwalesfarmersbloodhounds.com
VALENTINES DAY HUNT
Edward Cook popping the cork
Champagne and Strawberries served to all
By kind invitation of Julia Roworth, the Hunt held a Lawn Meet at Blaen-bran Farm, nr, Trefach Felindre . Champagne and strawberries replaced the traditional Stirrup Cup, before the field headed out below Moelfre. The first line took the field up over some rough grass and heather, offering the experience of jumping straight off the road, onto the laid line, behind hounds. Hounds hunted well on this rich common but with little voice. Turning left into some forestry, hounds could be heard in full cry. Although missing this part of the hunt, the field still experienced the richness and beauty of this local area.
Open fields were next offered up, as horses hunted through Blaen -bran Farm, with only a couple of tumblers, before heading north towards
Allt Boeth. The day ended with hounds working well on the lines skillfully laid by Mark Kallenberg through woodland, providing the field with some demanding terrain and some 50 natural jumps. Home was blown at 4.30 pm. The Hunt Ball is Saturday 27th February in the Emlyn Arms Hotel, hunting recommences Sunday 7th March at Mountain Gate.
WINTER HALF TERM CHILDREN'S MEET
With Kind Thanks to Gordon and Mary Thomas of Nant- y-croi, Ferwig.
The Children's Winter meet, bathed in sunshine in the back drop of Cardigan Island, saw two groups of young hunters emerge.
The first group, led by Julie Forester, riding a loyal friend's mount, Alex, followed Master Robert Thomas and Junior Whip, Sam Forester Evans across open fields behind hounds in full cry. The slurry covered fields did not stop this young pack, maturing fast, along with some up and coming future riders such as Emily Phillips.
A younger group were led jointly, by Liz Howells and Master Julie Hughes, with some fine displays of horsemanship coming from 9 yr old Shauna Phillips on her experienced hunting pony Cassie. First time riders - Richard Howells smiled constantly on his aunt's experienced hunter, Elle, and Annie Powells rode Beauty, while Charley Thomas could be viewed sitting some bucks from her mount Blenhiem Firecracker - Cracker for short.
Both groups met at the end of each line, athletically laid by Emily Hughes, taking the opportunity to ride out in front of the field and taking every chance to lose Hounds. It was the Otter Hound bitches, in front of this season's entered Blood Hounds however, that won over, this young field, as their tenacity, voice and drive proved most effective on this particular terrain.
Children also had the opportunity to visit donkey foals and hold terrier pups, before ending the day with the traditional Children's Hunt supper, of bangers beans and mash.
For information and photo's of last seasons hunting events, click on the link below
