THERE was snow still on the ground in places as I got to the Carlow Farmers’ Foxhounds meet at Corries Cross, with a good layer on Mount Leinster for a Lawn Meet at James and Theresa Doyle’s farm. Theresa put on a fine display, as followers filled their large kitchen. James, a farmer and businessman, has hunted from an early age, and his father Michael stood stallions Aughabeg Patch, Aughabeg Spotty, Sound Man Fenya and the Connemara Pumkins Pondi. Their daughter Rachel was getting horses plaited as I arrived. James’ cousin Mary, who is living in Phoenix, Arizona, arrived from the USA, as well as Kathy Reyering, who lives in Portland, Maine. They took some great photos to take back home. Hospitality was extended as word came through that honorary whipper-in Tom Berney was delayed, which is unusual for him! Their other honorary whipper-in Jody Skelton, an exceptional rider, was on holidays with his wife Emma, a well-known event and show rider. The couple welcomed a new addition to the family, a baby boy they have named Robbie. And Jody’s sister Jennifer and her husband Keith O’Hara also welcomed a new baby they have called Finn.

I am grateful to James Doyle, Mike Redmond and his wife Ana, their daughter Lilly, whose horse was temporarily out of action, and honorary treasurer Jim Bolger for their guidance on the day.

This is proper hunt country and ideal country to produce horses, as they need to be versatile enough to cross double banks, hedges, ditches and stone walls - especially the big doubles in the south of the hunt country. Gerry Skelton told me that they are producing mainly for the show jumping and eventing market, as the hunter market is generally for made hunters and they take so long to produce that what people are prepared to pay does not make them economically viable.

I met Robert Hatton, who has been building up his broodmare stock, buying some well-bred mares from Carmel and Dermot Ryan’s King of Diamonds breeding. He sold a two-year-old to Dubai recently and has some three- and four-year-olds by Cornet Obolensky. I noticed people wearing jackets of Ger O’Neill’s Castlefield Sport Horses, who stand stallions, such as Castlefield Kingston and Castlefield Future.

The youngest hunting was 10-year-old Harvey Foley, whose father Ger was following the progress also of his other sons Jason, Jack, Rubin and Max. Jason and Jack are riding on the racing circuit and Jason is also show jumping and is off to Wellington in Florida to compete. James Doyle recalled bringing them hunting since they were children. 12-year-old Harry McCullough, a nephew of jockey Niall McCullough, was also hunting with his father Derek and, like Harvey, taking all the big double banks in his stride.

Masters and Hunt Staff

The masters are Joe Skelton and Mehram Mirahmidi both good men across country, who are very popular with the followers. They have been enjoying a great season with their new huntsman Tom Small, with cracking days at Borris and Fenagh. Tom, who is getting married to Jennifer Doyle in April, was riding a six-year-old produced by Barry Fingleton. He is keen to provide sport and said that: “The followers like to ride across challenging country and, if they are happy, then I am happy”. He has two exceptional riders whipping-in, Tom Berney and Jody Skelton. As Jody was on holidays, his brother Gerry and Mark Murtagh, who whips-in to the Island Foxhounds, were assisting Tom. He enjoys great support from the Masters, area managers, including Joe, Jody and Gerry Skelton, Jim Bolger, TJ Foley and Garret Horan on the quad.

Polo connection

Huntsman Tom Small has played polo in England, New Zealand, Germany, Spain and Argentina and is attached to Bunclody Polo Club, owned by Robert Hogg, and coaches riders and hires polo ponies. They retrain and rehome off the track thoroughbreds, in collaboration with Treo Eile, but also breed from their Argentinian stallion Boy Boy whose dam, owned by Adolfo Campoiso, competed in an Argentinian Open. Tom Berney and Hazel Valentine combine hunting in the winter with polo during the summer and Tom also supplies all the polo equipment through Berney Brothers in Kilcullen and Enniscorthy.

There is a connection also between Carlow hunting and polo, as the Watsons of Ballydarton House in Fenagh were masters of the Carlow Foxhounds for over 100 years and the Island Hunt. The connection is through John Watson Jr, who was master of the Meath Foxhounds (1891 – 1908), and who played polo in India, Ireland and the USA. He is remembered as drafting the first rules of polo and invented the backhand stroke and the four-man team structure. He was on the Freebooters Team and was a member of the winning team that won the International Polo Cup in Newport, Rhode Island, USA in 1876 with Thomas Hone, Malcolm Orme Little and Richard Lawley.

Followers

Keira Nolan and Faye Brown, who are preparing for the Stepping Stones young horse league, were hunting for their first time - which was hard to believe as they took the hunt country in their stride. Also out were Megan Flood, Chloe and Hilary Brannigan, Caoimhe Foley, Lisa Sexton, Michael O’Neill, Noel Skelton, who hunted the pack for a number of years, and his wife Mary and Max Foley. Martin Fenelon, owner of Curracruit Cross-Country Course was following, as well as Richard Nolan, Amy Skelton, Janie Scala and Hilda Rothwell, who recalled hacking her pony by road before horseboxes became the norm. Enjoying the day also were Sean Somers, and six-year-old Isabel Power, who will have her pony ready for the Children’s Meet at Borris. She was with her 16-month-old sister Isla and mother Michelle and her father David. Also following were Yvonne Doyle, Lorna Byrne, Mike Redmond, Ciara Brennan and her daughter Sadie, and Michael Doyle.

Hunting

With 10 and a half couple of a mixed pack of Modern, Old English and American Cross-breds, the huntsman put them in to draw Frank and Jane Hancock’s Wood. Many will remember the tragic loss of their daughter Tiggy, a rising star in the eventing world. She is fondly remembered in a feature on her legacy, Tiggy’s Trust recently by my colleague Judith Faherty in The Irish Field, and by riders across the globe, who wear a yellow ribbon as a show of solidarity. James Doyle recalled Tiggy hunting with the Carlow Farmers. “Tiggy was a remarkable rider from a young age, and crossed this challenging country like a seasoned campaigner, and is sadly missed,” he said.

Meanwhile, there was great burst of sustained hound music, which was much louder than you would expect from 10 and a half couple of hounds, such is the quality of their voices. What followed was quality woodland hunting before he left left-handed along the river bank and crossed it, but they lost him at Currenree.

The huntsman quickly moved on to The Bog and hounds had another customer on the move, but after circular runs, he went to ground. But the followers were busy negotiating a few drains and some stiff double banks with Rachel Doyle and Megan Flood showing their class.

They crossed The Paddocks into Ballinree Wood and a brace and a half were soon planning their escape route. Cleverly, they went in three different directions, but remarkably the pack never split but settled on one going in the direction of Killoughternane with some challenging country to negotiate, with the five Foley lads enjoying the challenge until hounds marked to ground.

They hacked up the road through the crossroads and drew Knockullard and, while the pack were hunting hard from Ashmore’s Wood, the followers had to jump over a real yawner of a bank onto a lane, with master Joe Skelton setting the pace, with classy displays by side saddle exponent Hazel Valentine jumping with style. Hazel was previously runner up in the side saddle steeplechase in Craon, France. Meet hosts James and Rachel Doyle also gave a classy display. This fox ran right by the river and on over James and Mary Doyle’s and to ground. With enough done, the huntsman blew for home.

Theresa Doyle was busy back at her house with refreshments including the most nourishing soup I have tasted made from a secret recipe by her sister-in-law Yvonne Flood, whose daughter Megann was hunting. If you like jumping across country come and give the Carlow Farmers a try and combine your visit with their Hunt Ball on February 15th.

History of the Hunt

The Carlow Farmers were formed in 1979 to hunt the old Carlow Foxhounds hunt country, originally hunted by the Watson family of Fenagh and by Mrs Olive Hall, Cornie Grogan and the Naas Harriers.

Hunt Officers

Masters - Joe Skelton and Mehran Mirahmidi

Huntsman - Tom Small

Whippers In - Jody Skelton and Tom Berney

Field Master - Joe Skelton and James Doyle

Honorary Secretary - Sarah Doran

Honorary Treasurer - Jim Bolger