THIS year has been outstanding in the show ring for Louth huntsman Lloyd Parr who, each year, develops the hound breeding plan with the owner of the Louth Foxhounds, Sarah Angel.

At their recent Puppy Show at Lisrenny estate, he had an opportunity to show off the haul of silverware and red rosettes to the large attendance made up of both their dedicated mounted and many more foot followers.

At the recent IMFHA National Hound Show at Stradbally, the Louth hounds alone won five classes, including the best two couple - an extremely difficult class to win - in addition to the Unentered Doghound Championship Open where their Old English Doghounds came out on top over the Modern entries - a feat that I can’t recall had been done before - and a Reserve Championship.

It was also an occasion to honour their senior master Edmond Mahony, marking his 25th season in office and for his enormous contribution to the hunt, with a special presentation by Sarah Angel.

The silverware and rosettes won by the Co Louth Foxhounds this season on display at their Puppy Show at Lisrenny \ Noel Mullins

Expert judges

In the show ring in the Mistresses’ Garden, Edmond Mahony introduced Lloyd Parr and his assistants Daniel Parr, Jack, Darren and Mark McKeever, who presented 10 ½ couple of unentered hounds.

They were expertly judged by David Lalor, master of the Laois Hunt and Johnny Dicker master of the Rockview Hunt. Their decisions were closely monitored at the ringside by two ‘masters of the showing ring’, Ryan Carvill huntsman of the South Tyrone and Kenny Henry, huntsman of the Meath Hunt.

The Louth new entry hounds were remarkable as they were so well developed, athletic, balanced, attentive and they could really gallop when asked to, so it was evident that a significant amount of work went into their preparation.

In the end, the judges put Timber by Waterford Layman ‘19 out of Tackle ’19 as the winning doghound and Ticket, a litter sister to Timber the winning bitch. In the Champion of the Puppy Show, Timber got the nod marginally ahead of Ticket. The walker of Timber, Helena Williams, and the walker of the Ticket, Joan McKenna - their dairy farmer father Sean, a great supporter of the hunt, was unable to attend - were presented with their prizes by Sarah Angel.

Incidentally at Stradbally, Timber also won the Unentered Doghound Couples with Ronald and was the Unentered Doghound Open Champion with Ticket winning The Irish Field Perpetual Trophy for the Best Unentered Bitch ‘Old English’ and Reserve Unentered Bitch Champion.

Chairman of Tattersalls Edmond Mahony and huntsman of the County Louth Foxhounds Lloyd Parr await the decision of judges Johnny Dicker and David Lalor (right) on the overall champion at Lisrenny \ Noel Mullins

Pack enlarged

To everybody’s delight, the whole pack were enlarged in the walled garden dating back to the 18th century, and the adults and children were able to see the puppies as they walked up close and made friends with many more.

With the way the new entry covered the ground in the show ring, it will be an interesting challenge for the followers to keep with them next season!