UK Hunting Exchange 2008

The Pony Club Hunting Exchange saw teams of four Members aged between 16 and 25 from the United States Pony Club and the Irish Pony Club join four Members from the Middleton Hunt (East Side), Quorn Hunt, Eridge Hunt and Wylye Valley Branches of The Pony Club. The trip began in Yorkshire on February 3rd and ended in Wiltshire on February 14th, and gave all twelve Members and their chaperones a real taste of hunting post-ban in England.

The following report was written by Josh Warren, Quorn Hunt:

Back in the Autumn of 2007 I received a phone call from our ‘old’ DC Mrs Shields, telling me to apply for the International Hunting Exchange. Well, anyone who knows Mrs Shields, knows she is lady who doesn’t take no for an answer!!! So, I did my homework and found out about the upcoming exchange – each year 4 Pony Club members from the UK, Ireland and USA are invited in rotation to a hunting exchange in each country – in 2007 it was the turn of the UK to host the exchange.

I approached Miss Turner, Quorn Hunt Tuesday master, Mr Charles Geary, former Quorn Hunt Senior Master and our branch president along with Peter Collins our huntsman, for references which I submitted along with my Pony Club CV. It was then a question of waiting for the selections to be made – I didn’t hold out much hope of getting a place as applications were taken from the whole of the UK and there were only 4 places up for grabs. After a few weeks nervously waiting I got the letter I had been waiting for – brilliant!!! I had got a place.

Then disaster struck!!! In November just a few weeks before the exchange was due to start we were notified that the exchange had been postponed due to the foot and mouth outbreak – what a disappointment. Still never mind, it hadn’t been cancelled, just postponed till February 2008, which as it turned out was better for me as it meant only skiving one week off college, the other being taken up by half term.

At the end of January I received a letter from HQ at Stoneleigh enclosing a copy of the itinerary for the upcoming trip and best of all 2 Union Jacks to be sewn onto my crash hat cover!!!! (How exciting is that, not only to be allowed to wear the Union flag, but to awarded it for doing something you absolutely love – HUNTING!!!!!)

February 3^rd saw me catching a train from Derby to York (my first solo train expedition!), Katie Stephens the UK chaperone arranged for me to be met by Ginnie, one of her grooms, we were then to meet up with the 4 girls from the USA along with the Irish contingent (3 girls and one boy), we then travelled to Katie’s home where we all met up with our respective host families.

Brian, the Irish lad, and I were lucky enough to be staying with Peter McColgan the Kennel Huntsman of the Middleton hounds (and his partner Alex). Peter originally hails from Scotland and has been at the Middleton for a few seasons now. Brian and I were absolutely shattered from our journeys so we unpacked our kit and collapsed into our respective beds.

Monday 4^th February, saw us hunting in Middleton country. I had been lent a lovely little Thoroughbred – inappropriately named ‘Beefy’, considering his size and stature. Beefy certainly knew his job and both went when he was told and more reassuringly stopped when he was told! The weather was very mild for the time of year and I was surprised by how open the country was. As the Middleton Hounds were coughing a small pack – Saltersgate Farmers – had agreed to come in to give us some sport. Unfortunately scenting conditions were not brilliant which thwarted their efforts.

After cleaning off the horses and returning them to their respective owners, we retired to our ‘families’ for an evening meal.

Tuesday 5^th February, the rest of the group managed to get a days hunting with the Holderness and the Staintondale, but Brian and I had a day in kennels working with Peter. We helped out with the day to day kennel management including some work in the flesh house (it was somewhat disconcerting to find sheep wandering around the flesh house, apparently this is quite normal in this part of the world as farmers often drop off the livestock for slaughter and you are never quite sure what you are going to find each morning!) As hounds were on limited exercise due to coughing we only walked the dog hounds out for a short way – the countryside around the kennels in similar to our Tuesday and Saturday side.

On Tuesday evening we met up with all of the group and their families for a hunt supper at the Stonetrough Inn. This gave us an opportunity to socialise and get to know not only the exchangees but their respective families.

Wednesday 6^th February, the whole group came to the Middleton Kennels for a tour and a hound judging competition – which the Brits won, of course!! This was followed by an afternoon out with the Beagles.

Thursday 7^th February, Brian and I rode out at one of the local point to point yards – a new experience for both of us. The first lot went up to the gallops, covering a mile or so at ¾ speed as some of the horses were due to run in a race in the next few days. Second lot were ridden in the outdoor school, as they had all just had runs in the days leading up to our visit.

We were then whisked off to a meet with the Derwent hounds. I was lent a horse called Fred, who was about 16hh and Irish. Fred has a long Pony Club career behind him having been to the Tetrathlon Championships on more than one occasion. Fred proved to be a pleasure to ride (although not the type of horse I am used to riding). We had a steady day, up till the last hour or so when hounds flew and we were only stopped by the fading light.

Friday 8^th February was spent working with Peter and his team in kennels.

Saturday 9^th February, the York and Ainsty South were kind enough to come to the Middleton. The hounds hunted well, picking up the line within the first half an hour and not really stopping all day. I was riding a little Thoroughbred, Sam, who wasn’t really the snaffle mouth his owner said he was!! He did however; prove to be a safe and useful horse. Unfortunately the day was cut short for me as Alex, (Peter’s partner), had an accident when another horse cannoned into her on the road, knocking her and her horse over and knocking her out. Sam and I galloped off to find Peter as Alex was distressed and an ambulance had been called. Alex was fortunate not to have broken anything but, as you can imagine, was black and blue and couldn’t really remember much about the incident.

Alex and Peter were due to take Brian and I to the Middleton Hunt ball that night and we were a little anxious to find an alternative mode of transport. Luckily Peter, once he had seen to Alex, was able to drop us off.

The ball was held at York racecourse which proved to be a lovely setting, some four stories up, looking out over the lights of York - very pretty.

We had a blast at the ball, really letting our hair down and getting to know everyone. I found out that one of the British girls from Sussex has actually ridden a little horse, Mickey Love, that I sold 2 years ago and another of them lives at Houndsell Stud, which is where the Area 6 Junior Tetrathlon Team stayed in 2005 when competing in the Junior Nationals at Mayfield School – small world isn’t it. We were all taxi’d back to our families where we collapsed into bed knowing we had a nightmare coach ride down to Wiltshire on Sunday!!

Sunday 10^th February, was a horrible day for me as I don’t travel too well and we spent around 8 hours being driven from Yorkshire to Wiltshire. Then on arriving in Wiltshire we were squashed into the back of a Freelander to be transported to Dorset – I’m not quite sure if I wanted to be sick, have a shower or just go to bed!!

Monday 11^th February, we visited Manor Farm, the yard of Paul Nicholls, who trains two of the best race horses in the country today – Kauto Star and Denman. I have to say Kauto Star is not much to look at in his box, but anyone would give Denman house room – he really is a special looking horse. The Nicholls have hundreds of horses in training (or so it seems) and Paul personally oversees all of them before they leave the yard for their work – it really is a very smooth and slick operation (I did leave my number and asked that if they had anything that didn’t quite make the grade………………..)

We followed our trip to Manor Farm with a nice pub lunch (I could quite get used to this lifestyle!!!)

The afternoon was a real treat for me, meeting up with an old friend of the Quorn – Charlie Watts, who is huntsman at the Cattistock (Those of you who have parents who hunt may remember back in the eighties when Charlie was Second Whip and then promoted to First Whip here at the Quorn). I also spent a few weeks with Charlie a couple of summers ago – where he gave me food poisoning!!!! Charlie took great delight retelling this story and adding that I cried for my mummy – which of course IS NOT TRUE!!

Again we had a hound judging competition – and guess what………..yep the Brits won again!!!

On Monday evening we all had dinner at one of the Cattistock Masters houses – roast breast of pheasant, shot by our host!!

Tuesday 12^th February, saw us split into groups and hunting with the Blackmore and Sparkford Vale, South Dorset and myself and 3 of the girls with the Cattistock. This gave me a brilliant opportunity to ride up with hounds with Charlie and his First Whip, Martin. Charlie invited me to stay on and hunt a few more days with the Cattistock after the exchange was over – but as my own horse had been left for mum to exercise while I was away and I was keen to sleep in my own bed I declined, but promised myself a return trip to Cattistock country sometime soon.

We all got together that evening for our final meal as a group, we were also joined by a posse from HQ – including our new Chairman. We all had a really good time enjoying each others company and promising to stay in touch once we were home.

Wednesday 13^th February, went Beagling with the Park Beagles with Emma, one of the Irish girls. Unfortunately, Mouse, one of the Brits, was dealt a devastating blow, when out hunting with Royal Artillerary her borrowed horse dropped dead. How awful to have this happen, and on the last day of what had been a very successful trip, the owner coped amazingly and whilst extremely upset was glad that the horse went to heaven doing what he loved to do best – hunting.

Thursday 14^th February, was spent travelling back to Leicestershire courtesy of Katie Stephens, our Chaperone.

All in all, a very good trip. The hunting in Yorkshire and Dorset in very different to what we are used to in Leicestershire, but I am thrilled to be given such a wonderful opportunity not only to represent my branch, the Quorn Hunt, but also to represent my country. I would encourage anyone who loves hunting to apply for the next exchange – you may even get to experience hunting in another country.

Josh Warren.

The Pony Club would like to thank all of the volunteers who gave up their time, gave lifts, lent horses or had team members or chaperones to stay. Huge thanks must also go to Katie Stephens and Sara Greenwood, who organised the Yorkshire and Wiltshire legs respectively. Thank you to all of the Hunts who made everyone very welcome.