Despite such a very dry winter the Percy Hunt had a very busy trail hunting season showing good sport until the New Year steadying up from there to the end of the season. As always, we did not lose a single day all season.

I was very pleased with the young entry, one of the best I have entered. Of the dog hounds, Gable by Porter ‘14 out of Gaelic ’10, walked by Master Joe Roberts, Lithium by Alnwick ’11 out of Lightning ’12, walked by Mr Allan Morris, Potter by Pompous ’15 out of Pocket ’14 walked by Miss Lisa Brown and Garick by Porter ’14 out of Gaelic ’10 walked by Miss Claire Riddell were all very good with very little between them.

Of the bitches Liesel by Alnwick ’11 out of Lightning ’12 walked by Mrs Lynn Walker and Pogo by Pompous ’15 out of Pocket ’14 walked by Miss Lisa Chisholm were exceptionally good.

Although it was extremely dry all of the Autumn trail hunting season we had many good mornings. Those of note were from Chatton Bank Top, Coldrife, Hadwins Close, Chatton Sandyfords and Elwick.

We held our Opening Meet at North Lyham on Saturday 03 November, despite a very windy day a good start was had by all.

The trail hunting up to New Year’s Day was very good with all the hounds hunting well. Days of note were from The White Horse Warenford, the Kennels, Newham Bog, the Cook and Barker and The Barbican. The weather towards the end of the season was unbelievable but we continued to have busy days up to finishing on Saturday 02 March.

Unfortunately time caught up with three of our best bitches this season, Posie ‘13 by Woolem ’09 out of Porridge ’05 walked by Miss Aimee Straughan, Lightning ‘12 by Spitfire ’08 out of Linnet ’17, walked by my parents and Alaska ’11 by Holderness Albion out of Pocket ’06 walked by Mr Allan Morris. These three bitches were quite exceptional in every way and by far three of the best bitches I have ever hunted.

We also lost Albion ’11 by Holderness Albion out of Poppy ’06 walked by my parents, who was very popular with a lot of followers and although he never did anything amazing he was always there and always right.

As always this season was a massive team effort, my Dad does so much in kennels and out in the country. Also my Mum who still does all the fallen stock billing and provides tea etc at the end of every day’s hunting. Allan Morris is such a big help in kennels and on hunting days, I wouldn’t be able to hunt the amount of hounds we do without him. Harry Davidson, our new whip, has settled in well and is doing a grand job. Phillip McCarthy does an exceptionally good job with the horses, they are superbly turned out and very fit to do some of the very big days we have. Also Lisa Brown who does our horses every Sunday and helps so much in the kennels and stables.

Big thanks also to Richard and Lance Green for lending us a tractor to both cart the muck and collect the sawdust. Thanks to Lisa Chisholm for taking on the mobile bar while Malcolm has been having his knees replaced. Ben Lambert was also a big help, stepping in when the whipper in was off at Christmas, helping with the fallen stock on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Steven Birdsall vey kindly both supplied and re cemented the whole of our feed room floor and made a cracking job of it. Also thanks to Michael Hutchinson for providing a new water trough for the feed room plus haylage for the horses and straw for the hounds. As always my wife Liz is a big help in every way both out hunting and at home. Thanks to Emma Howie for all she does and to Mark Swearman, Robert Dobson and Chalkie White for their help in the country.

Finally I would just like to thank all our landowners, farmers, shepherds, game keepers and everyone who gave Meets this year, without their support we would not be here.

Our Pre-Puppy Show is on Wednesday evening 03 July and the Puppy Show is on Saturday 27 July, both at the Kennels, where everyone is welcome.

We will also be showing hounds at Blaston, the Great Yorkshire Show, the Festival of Hunting at Peterborough and Lowther Show.

I look forward to seeing you all in the summer.

Good Hunting.

Robert McCarthy

Huntsman