Tara joint master and huntsman Henry Smith had on a 12½ couple bitch pack (the Tara hunt only bitches) and was assisted by kennel huntsman and first whipper-in Sabine Dowdall and by Peter King. As well as Henry Smith the other joint masters George Briscoe in office, incredibly, since 1942, his daughter Lorraine McDowell, Harry Kellett, Henry Corbally and Imelda O’Donnell were all “on parade” with only George Briscoe not mounted. Imelda O’Donnell was central to the day’s events and her style belied the fact that she is a very recent convert to sidesaddle riding. The entire event included two sidesaddle meets, today’s meet was followed by the Tara Hunt Ball that night and a day’s hunting the next day in Galway with the Grallagh Harriers. Their joint master and huntsman David Burke and his sister Lorraine were among the car followers and taking very careful stock of events as was John Caddy, chairman of the Ballymacad Foxhounds, who will be responsible for staging the 2014 sidesaddle meet. All three were assimilating the logistics involved in staging this event. Having posed for photographs,
Martens de Possesse (r) and Hubert Coispel two French visitors showing their horn blowing skills at the side saddle meet at Brittas
seemingly interminably, Henry Smith led everyone away from the house to draw the woods. I was fascinated to hear that, on being confronted with the first, huge, fence the same swear word escaped so many lips irrespective of the nationality of the lips’ owners! A fast day’s hunting then ensued moving through the Orchard, the Kitchen Garden then the Plantation and Cherbourg Wood. Cassidy’s and Mead’s were also covered and they went as far as the main road and on to Rowntree’s and Kathleen Sheridan’s. After some liquid refreshments at the pub in Nobber, where the amazed locals
could scarcely take in the sight of the mounted field who, thirst slaked, moved on across Clarke’s and Condra’s then to Owenses where home was blown to enable everyone to prepare for the Hunt Ball. Many of those participating had never hunted in Ireland before and are to be applauded for acquitting themselves so well over some testing country. Such was the nature of the soft going that no injuries were sustained in any of the falls recorded. Without exception everyone seemed anxious to put next year’s side-saddle meet in their diary. Like them I can’t wait!
County Down Hounds
TF4 Three ladies from the Galway Blazers ready for ‘the off’ at Brittas for the side saddle meet (l-r) Amy McMahon, Grace Murphy and Maeve Carty. 86
Spring 2014 Countrysports and Country Life
Boxing Day saw the County Down Hounds stage their traditional meet in Ballynahinch. Huntsman Steve Collins had on a 10½ couple mixed pack and was assisted by Mr Ross McCandless while a fifty-five strong mounted field was rather down on recent years but was no less keen for that. Having paraded the town Steve Collins drew country off the Crossgar Road and matters were immediately afoot to open the day with a fast run towards Raleagh. At Raleagh House, the home of Terry Steele who was in the mounted field, everyone paused for breath before Steve Collins drew behind the House and hounds pushed on towards Craigyargon and then Raleagh itself. In the very heavy going everyone who stayed aboard deserved great credit as Steve Collins’s hounds are not easy to stay with. At the end of this ultimately blank