The team

Chairman - Sean Brett

Honorary Secretary - Roseanne DeVere-Hunt

Point-to-Point Secretary - Caroline Ryan

Huntsman - Gavin Shorten

Field master - Aidan Fogarty/ Nicolas Maher

Whipper-in - James O’Donnell

History

Founded around 1820, they were originally known as the The Grove Foxhounds from where they were hunted by William Barton of wine-making fame. They were then taken on by Henry, Marquess of Waterford, who hunted them for several seasons. They really entered their golden era under the mastership of Evan Williams, who won the last peacetime Grand National on Royal Mail to be followed by Michael Higgins, who showed such marvellous sport for over 20 seasons.

Some former masters

Henry, Marquess of Waterford 1840-43

A Committee 1906-08

Sir Thomas Ainsworth 1928-32

Mrs Masters 1935-53

The Earl of Donoughmore 1947-53

Captain Evan Williams 1953-71

Michael Higgins 1973-91

Tom Ronan 1991-96

Tim Hyde 1991-2002

WE felt very privileged to have been invited on behalf of The Irish Field to the annual lawn meet of the Tipperary Foxhounds at the world renowned Coolmore Stud. The only way to understand the magnificence of the place, with its pantheon of world-beating stallions such as Sadlers Wells, Galileo and so many more, is to visit the iconic stud. Sadlers Wells has probably been the most defining sire since Nearco back in the ‘30s and it was such a thrill to see the stud that has nurtured so many champions up close.

Well, there is no better way to see the stud than hunting through it with the Tipperary Foxhounds who, by kind invitation from John and Sue Magnier and family, are invited every January to hunt the hallowed acres. The drill on the day was for the field to un-box at Trehy’s yard and make the short hack to the Coolmore office, directly opposite the stallion yard, where all kinds of good things were on hand for the mounted field and foot followers alike. Meanwhile, hunt staff and hounds un-boxed in the car park adjacent to the offices.

Coolmore hospitality was well represented by a team led by the inimitable director of client relations, Wendy Normile, with the ever-debonair Tim Corballis, having come out of retirement (at enormous expense) for the day, as her wingman.

As always, the go-to man in Coolmore is Maurice Moloney, who spent his youth hunting with the Scarteen and he was there with a warm welcome for all. He has been around Coolmore longer than most and said the tradition of hounds meeting at the stud was now well established, having been initiated by the Magnier family, who look forward to welcoming hounds for a lawn meet every year. Also on hand, as part of the Coolmore team were Tom Harris, Peter Steele and David Gleeson, all key men in the smooth running of the stud.

Gallant Tipps

But for all that, the day was about hunting and it doesn’t come much better than a day with the ‘Gallant Tipps’, hunted by top professional Gavin Shorten, now in his ninth season carrying the horn. Riding the grey Prince, which was produced by T.J. Butler of Ballydine, the pair really looked the part.

He was hunting 14 and a half couple of modern hounds and was assisted on the day by his amateur whipper-in, James O’Donnell, who lives and farms nearby and works in Coolmore on non-hunting days. To describe him as ‘amateur’ is something of a misnomer, as back in the day, he turned hounds to no less than Hugh Robards in Limerick and Pat O’Brien in Tipperary. The first man we met on the day was John Ryan of Knockavilla, who has been hunting with the Tipps since Evan Williams and still crosses the country with abandon on his good bay.

The hunt has no masters this season, with the committee acting in lieu, the chairman of that hard working group is Sean Brett, who was out but sadly on foot, nursing a nasty hunting injury suffered while hunting with the Pytchley in the UK.

Likewise, hard-working secretary Roseanne DeVere-Hunt could only appear briefly on foot, as she was busy selling some of Ireland’s most expensive homes and regularly appears on the popular RTÉ programme Selling Ireland’s Dream Homes. However, her partner, former National Hunt jockey Aidan Fogarty, wore the red armband as field master and, as always, was a hard man to follow over the challenging Tipperary country.

No day in Tipperary would be complete without the two anchor families, the Hydes and the Ronans, and the families were ably represented by Tim Hyde and Jack Ronan, both of whom have reverted to wearing members’ black hunt coats. Another former master was Lt Col Tom Freyne out with is wife Jacqui and both beautifully turned out as you would expect from C/O of the Army Equitation School.

Gavin Shorten, Tipperary Foxhounds huntsman, keeping a watchful eye on his hounds as he sails over the rails at Aidan Kennedys farm \ Catherine Power

Legends

It was a ‘who’s who’ gathering, with no less than football legend, Michael Owen, now a big player in bloodstock with his trainer Hugo Palmer from their yard, Manor House, in Cheshire. Football royalty didn’t end there, as making up the trio were Steve McManaman, known to his fans as “Macca” who, like Michael Owen, were star players for both Liverpool and Real Madrid.

Back with the Tipps after a 20-season absence, hunting with the Waterford, was Faith Ponsonby. It is said you should never ask a lady her age, but I delicately asked how many seasons hunting had she hunted and, after a little thought, the answer was a staggering 65 seasons.

First draw

All too soon, we had to leave the warm hospitality and the first draw was within a stone’s throw of the offices, in a spinney just off one of the home paddocks, and Reynard, who must be on a retainer from Ballydoyle, was waiting and, as hounds left covert in full cry, they were led by the Stradbally champion Monarch (by Bicester and Whaddon Chace Halifax) and they were away for a guided tour of the stud.

While there may not be a lot jumping in the stud, of galloping there is plenty - they ran for Guiry’s and O’Donnell’s and, after a very sharp 20 minutes, marked their pilot to ground in Skehan’s.

They returned to Coolmore and again found and, with some really challenging jumping, they crossed into James O’Donnell’s and on to Sparrow’s and Guiry’s and Quigley’s, before marking their fox to ground near Bawn Brack Stud, an outside yard of Coolmore.

Not found wanting were the young jockeys, Daragh (10) and Sam Donovan (13), who were crossing the country like veterans. Also going well were the Aspell girls, Lucy, Niamh and Kissy, daughters of champion National Hunt jockey, Leighton, a dual Grand National winner in 2014 riding Pineau De Re and in 2015 riding Many Clouds.

The day wasn’t without incident, however, as field master Aidan Fogarty had a fall and thus surrendered the baton to Cashel auctioneer Nicolas Maher, who wore the red arm band for the rest of the day. All the while, we were kept in touch by Tipperary veterans, John and Jane Farrell, who know every blade of grass in the Tipp country.

Hounds then went on to draw Aidan Kennedy’s extensive farm and, with Aidan as pathfinder, hounds soon found and ran into Blackmore’s - though sadly Rachael was away on racing duty - before crossing the main Killenaule road into some forestry, where a cracking display was given by mother and daughter team, Tipperary solicitor, Deirdre Blackwell, out with young Robyn, who soared over a good stiff rail into the forestry. Hounds crossed back into Kennedy’s with some smashing banks and hunt jumps right back up to the road.

With hounds likely go back to the very extensive forestry, our huntsman wisely blew for home.

To re-live the day and revive the jockeys, those who were still around reported to The Village Inn in Moyglass, run by Mattie Tynan and his son Junior, where a warm sporting welcome was assured.