WHAT a day’s hunting in the rolling hills of Co Down, easily one of the best this season from start to finish with James Hammond, the huntsman of the Newry Harriers, and his super pack of hounds.

There was limited time for photos, as hounds got away so fast! However, I am not complaining, as I had a cracking day also the last time I visited the Newrys and it’s hard to believe that was 17 seasons ago. In this sheep farming country, they are some of the most knowledgeable people that I know about hunting; they are passionate about the countryside, where the fox is respected, but can be a dangerous predator that has to be controlled - especially during the lambing season.

I am grateful to Gary Haughey, former joint master of the Oriel Harriers, for taking me to all the best viewing positions. A successful greyhound owner for many years, his last hunter was a quality Irish Draught, by Scrapman. Owned by the huntsman, he was too valuable to hold onto, as there was so much interest in him. He has another lined up to take him hunting shortly.

I asked what was their best day and the reply was that they are enjoying spectacular sport with fliers at Sheepbridge, Poyntzpass, Shane and (Boxing Day) St Stephen’s Day, a four-mile point covering 14 miles on the day. The Newry Harriers value their farmers and hold a BBQ every year on Ian and Annabell Coakley’s farm.

The Coakleys, who I met on the day, are the most welcoming people and, to make the BBQ more comfortable for their special guests, they laid a concrete floor in the barn. Love was in the air too, as Jonny McCallum got engaged to eventer Naomi Buchanan on Christmas Day. Her brother Peter is a former National Hunt jockey, who rode for Lucinda Russell and now has a yard in Drumbo.

Legends

It was a pleasure to meet Edwin Bryson - a dual international. He is an international eventer - his team came fourth in the World Championships at Burghley, and he also competed in the World Carriage Driving Championships in Conte, France in 2002. The Brysons are legends in horses in Ireland.

Edwin’s father George and uncle Jim jumped internationally and had many great days at Balmoral and the Dublin Horse Show. I met Margaret Bryson, Jim’s daughter, and she reminded me that her father paraded the Newry Hounds in in the RDS. Ian Bryson is whipping-in and Barbara Bryson’s mother rode ponies like Jimmy Grey, Bridie, Eurica and Pretty Polly in Dublin and Balmoral.

Hunstman back in the 1980s, I hunted with Edwin and Liam Baxter, Terry Smith and Peter Quirke and I recall being mounted on a headstrong hunter and galloping downhill at speed at the first fence, which was five strands of a tight wire fence, which certainly concentrated my mind!

My other abiding memory of that day was a wonderful day’s hunting and Edwin jumping a gate standing vertically a couple of feet off the ground, foot-perfect, and nobody followed. Horses have to be able to negotiate wire here, as well as stiff hedges and gates.

Charming

The master of the Newry Harriers is Teddy Matthews, a charming man, who was field master and honorary whipper-in for many years. The huntsman, James Hammond, has a wonderful way with his hounds that were looking fit and in top condition. He has complimented his pack with drafts from the Golden Vale, York and Ainsty, Jed Forest and the Fermanagh. His whippers-in are Ian Bryson and Conor McEneaney and, on the day, Nicky Laverty on his classy Irish Draught was on the huntsman’s coat tails all day.

James stands the Performance Irish Draught stallion Loughkeeland Sunny and he is known for his professionalism in breaking and producing young horses and particularly getting them upgraded. He knows every farm, as he worked in the Mart in his youth. So many people praised him, including Herbie Magowen, who keeps sheep and suckler cows and helps him in the kennels.

Herbie has a passion for hounds and refers to James as the ideal countryman, very caring and helps farmers putting sheep and cattle in before a meet. James’ partner Sammy Weston is a well-known show rider and has bred a point-to-point winner Garcon Dargent, who won at Tinahealy, and her mother Hilary is a keen judge of a good horse and breeds thoroughbreds.

Honorary secretary, Jenny Copeland, not only keeps the administration of the hunt in order, but she is also a force to be reckoned with, with an interest in mountain climbing. She has taken on the Mourne Wall Challenge for charity - a distance of 22 miles that takes in seven of the 10 highest mountains in the Mournes. She told me that they have organised a Children’s Meet, with the proceeds going to the Neonatal Unit of Craigavon Area Hospital and they have invited all the Stormont MLAs.

Liz McDonald and her son Jason at the Newy Harriers meet at Jerretspass \ Noel Mullins

Followers

Liz McDonald was hunting with her son Jason on his smashing new hunter from Jason Parr’s yard, and Dr Ken Livingstone was following, as his daughter Ellie was hunting. Martin Laverty, a top man across country and a master farrier, who gave great sport when he hunted the South Tyrone, was at the meet. His son Nicky, a busy equine dentist, was hunting a smashing four-year-old by Glencorran Diamond that has competed in Small Hunters at Balmoral and the Dublin Horse Show. The horse can jump too, as we saw later, and he is for sale, a ready-made show horse and hunter.

Others following were Charlie McPoland, former master of the County Down Staghounds, John Savage, Colin Boggs, photographer Kenny Browne who knows the country like the back of his hand, Harry Clements, Kenny Hemkin, Jim McAuley, Alexander Bryson, Caroline Mount and her sister Gillian who never rode horses but loves following by car, and eventer Aoibheann Morgan who is in the market for a new horse.

Aoibheann said her father John may not buy him, but will come for a look! We missed hunting photographer Tom Fulton and look forward to seeing him out soon.

Stiff hunting

The valleys were like a patchwork quilt, divided by stiff hedges, wire and gates. The huntsman moved off towards John Kelly’s farm and then John Henry’s, where hounds found almost straight away in the ruins of an old house and even before girths were tightened, the pack were away for a flier.

He ran right-handed with hedges, wire fences and gates all taken at speed to keep up, as they ran through Henry’s farm and on over Gramie Ferris’ were they crossed the Lisummon Road. At McCartin’s, the fox straightened up as they crossed Thomas O’Hagan’s, where they jumped down onto the Tunnell Road at Crankies Corner and crossed the lane to the cover at the end of the Tunnell, which is a couple of miles long.

A second fox was disturbed and two couple went away on him towards Drumbanagher Wood, but with a sharp sound on the hunting horn, they streamed back while the main pack marked to ground. This was a cracking run and it took us nearly an hour to catch up by car!

We had a grandstand view of the next draw around Jim Binchey’s Pond, as the car followers lined up with the talk of the price of sheep and lambs, with the Mourne Mountains in the background. And Jim was following, as he is a great supporter of the hunt for many years and was paying close attention to this predatory fox, who had taken up residence beside his flock of ewes soon to lamb, which was a worry for him.

As four mallard ducks took to the air, we could see a fox moving left-handed, trying to give the pack the slip. But the pack had this fellow searching for options, which left him only one - to get away quickly, which he did over Binchey’s farm circling right-handed over William Irwin’s farm and over Sean O’Brien’s on to Paul Rafferty’s, where they crossed the Lisnagree Road then Pete Meekin’s and on over James Clarke’s, where the huntsman stopped them, as they approached a sheep farm close to Drumbanagher.

What a day it was among this welcoming rural community, and a huntsman and his hounds who are keeping foxes on the move, protecting ewes during this busy lambing season.

History

The hunt was founded in 1820 and the hunt country is in Co Down and Co Armagh. They are bounded on the east by The East Down Foxhounds and in the north by The Iveagh Foxhounds and the west by The Tynan and Armagh Foxhounds.

The team

Chairman: James Bryson

Master: Teddy Matthews

Huntsman: James Hammond

Whipper-in: Ian Bryson and Conor McEneaney

Field Masters: Gary Lowry and Brian Johnson

Point-to-point secretary: Ian Bryson

Honorary secretary: Jenny Copeland

Honorary treasurer: Ian Bryson