St Hubert's Day, Montague

3rd November 2002

Where Master Claire Miles's daughter, Polly, handed over a cheque to Cancer Research and the large field enjoyed some excellent jumping

A large field gathered at Montague, Hankham to celebrate our traditional St Hubert's day meet, by kind invitation of the Glessing and Hole families. Cannon Sheen blessed us all and then Master Claire Miles thanked the Glessings and Holes, handed over the cheque for the proceeds of the sponsored ride to Cancer Research and gave out the prizes to those who raised the most money (details to follow).

It was a bright sunny day after a very wet Saturday, and the first hunt promised the field an excellent line of hedges, which we had not been able to jump for five years due to the wet ground. The hounds were laid on behind the farm and hunted down the horse's field onto the marsh, with the field already stretched out in their wake. They turned sharp back up the Bramleys past the front of Montague House towards the Hankham Hall Tiger Trap and then hunted down the hill with the field jumping the hedges, which unfortunately took their toll of our host who was trying a new horse for the first time. Undaunted by his impromptu dismount, however, he was soon back on board and hunting on.

Hunting past the clay pigeon field, hounds jumped out onto the marsh over the drop fence heading for Pevensey Castle where they took the quarry. The quarry had sensibly stopped because the cows and calves had got out and they decided it was better that the field walked through them - or they would have joined in the fun all the way down the marsh! Once we were clear of the cattle, the quarry were given ten minutes law and hounds were laid on along the river. Jumping the Badminton Rails they hunted on down the marsh where the lambs got in the way - but hounds, behaving impeccably, hunted through the sheep to take the quarry at Rickney.

The second hunt started past the cattle sheds at Rickney Farm home of our joint master Mrs Clare Miles. The quarry went over the bridge, but the hounds clearly did not believe they could be so feeble and all dived straight into the river and up the other side. Picking up the line they hunted along the river bank and swinging across the fields they crossed the Horse Eye Road at the cattle sheds. There then followed one of those spectacular hunts, with the hounds hunting through the flooded marsh, the droplets /splashing through the water which caught the sunlight. The field, in hot pursuit, were also getting pretty wet! Hounds hunted their quarry down back to Rickney Farm where they were taken in a large puddle.

For the third hunt the hounds were laid back onto Montague at Rickney Bridge, with the prospect of some more excellent jumping for the field - including some hedges which could be jumped two and three abreast. Hunting up over the hill the sheep again insisted they had to stand in front of the jumps but the hounds pushed on through, following their quarry in full voice through the pond and running along the bottom of Montague Hill, over some rails, and then up into the Horse's Field to catch the quarry.

Before the huntsman had blown for home a few of the field started to leave for tea and they were reminded by Claire Miles to wait until the huntsman signalled the end of the hunt.

We then adjourned for an excellent tea in Montague.

The quarry were Adrian and Robbie.