Colne Valley Beagles and other things of interest.: MY BEAGLING REVIEW IN THREE PARTS OF THE YEAR 2006

The middle of the year 2006 – BETWEEN THE SEASONS.

Hounds in the big exercise area where once there was some quarrying.

Dozy days of warm sunshine at the end of April.

Come on! We want out dinner!

The remains of the tripe.

The kennels and part of the large enclosed exercise area.

Preparing for Wensleydale Show. Bathtime.

Apart from exercising and loafing about in the sun, there is some participation in hound shows. It rather depends on the inclination for showing, or otherwise, of the huntsman as well as finding the supporting help and the time. Here the CVB were at Wensleydale Hound Show at the end of May. Copyright image by David Swanbury

There were luchers showing too.

A couple of well known characters from the Nantcol Valley in Wales.

Honley Show in the early part of June is the big local agricultural show. The Colne Valley Beagles had a small display inside one of the big marquees. Copyright image by David Swanbury

Honley Show was on the 10th June in 2006 and like many Honley Show days was blessed with fine weather. The fields used are silaged shortly before the show and the ground is hard from a long dry spell.

The local packs of the Colne Valley Beagles, the Holme Valley Beagles, and the Pennine Foxhounds are paraded in the main ring. On and off the Rockwood Harriers did too but not now. Copyright image by David Swanbury

As is customary , after the hounds parade, the deluge of children appear to meet the assembled packs of hounds to enjoy each others company.

The Pennine Foxhounds huntsman

The Holme Valley Beagles huntsman.

As if that wasn't enough they parade again at the Harden Moss Sheepdog trials a couple of weeks later and are again swamped with the available children and one or two older ones. It says something that three packs of hounds that live in kennels can be completely trusted to enjoy this level of close association and friendship. Copyright image by David Swanbury

For some reason the weather is rarely as good as that of Honley Show and Harden Moss is as the name sounds - hard, high up, and inclined to be damp. Copyright image by David Swanbury

So when this enjoyable time is over the hounds find their own huntsman and 'go home' Copyright image by David Swanbury

Summer months mean puppies from those chosen to have them. These photos were taken on the 25th June. Copyright image by David Swanbury

6th July and a bit bigger.

At the beginning of July there is usually a Puppy Show where last year's puppies are judged by a couple of visiting judges. As it happened there were no puppies to judge in 2006 so the CVB had an Open Day at the kennels. Copyright image by David Swanbury

The older generation believe in looking smart for Puppy Shows and Open Days - well some do. Copyright image by David Swanbury

And there were some puppies to play with that would be competing the following year. Copyright image by David Swanbury

The Colne Valley Beagles showed hounds at the Great Yorkshire Show on the 11th July 2006. Copyright image by David Swanbury

The Late Ken Everington on the left was a fine old gentleman and a keen supporter. One of the nice shiny brown boots he used for beagling once fell apart, the upper separating from the sole section. I daresay they would be treasured good old English made boots and the welt stitching had gone with age. Being of the make-do and-mend generation he glued it back together with superglue and they saw him through. Copyright image by David Swanbury

One event, held on two summers, was the Musical Afternoon. It was designed as a typical English garden party with guest musicians.

Some had instruments.

Others were singers.

And the rest enjoyed the ambiance in the lovely country gardens of Knowle Top Farm. Copyright image by David Swanbury

Jimmy Two Dogs was there with his band.

The late Fred Langfield, seen left with his son, a longtime and very knowledgeable hunt supporter, passed away at the beginning of the following year and has an annual memorial hunt event in his memory. Copyright image by David Swanbury

The sun shines on the righteous, well it did on the 30th July.

Our hosts provided a magnificent buffet in one of the pristine outbuildings. Copyright image by David Swanbury

There was no limit to the participating talent.

Wet refreshment.

The late George Woodrow made a gracious presentation speech and provided a bouquet to Pauline , our hostess. Copyright image by David Swanbury

And hounds were brought to enjoy the atmosphere.

The late Donald Bamforth, our host, is not about to whack the chap in the yellow shirt, but is auctioning a thumb stick. I have given a fair bit of space to this event as the Musical Afternoons of 2006 and 2007 were quite unique and also made a good contribution to hunt funds. Around that time there was a fair bit of effort by members to restore the balance of the hunt kitty.

Lowther Driving Trials and Hound Show were held at the beginning of August in the grounds of Lowther Castle. Here hunt servants are being judged for their sartorial perfection. I might add a pic or two of the driving trials lower down so you know what they are. Copyright image by David Swanbury

A big parade of hounds - Can't remember who this very young huntsman was but a feature was made of his age.

And the Colne Valley Beagles were part of the parade of hounds.

Fell Foxhound huntsmen from the Lake district.

Three celebrities - the late Clarissa Dickson Wright TV personality and countrywoman, writer and former barrister, Sir Walter 'Johnny' Scott 5th Baronet, broadcaster, historian countryman, farmer etc. and Kate Hoey MP, Chairman of the Countryside Alliance at that time.

Colne Valley Beagles Whipper-in.

The inevitable children and hounds.

The CVB striding out.

The main showground at Lowther is a large flat area with a big grassy banking along one side which is ideal for the crowds that went to view. Beyond was an expanse of trade tents and food stalls etc. The Lowther Driving Trials and Hound Show of that time was a three day event with a pleasant caravan park beside the river for those of us who stayed.

So a short departure from the hunting type scene -The Duke of Edinburgh, four in hand, just passing.

A water splash at the driving trials

The Duke negotiating an obstacle

Jean Francoise Pignon performing his bareback riding and jumping with several unharnessed horses.
Copyright image by David Swanbury

Worth a watch on YouTube. LINK

The Colne Valley Beagles had a 'Terrier Race Day on the 12th August. Actually it wasn't just terriers. Good fun though. Copyright image by David Swanbury

The Late Ken Green, former long time huntsman of the Colne Valley Beagles, a window cleaner by trade, showing a couple of his treasured possessions, two ancient curly hunting horns. I can't remember for certain which huntsmen used them in the days of the Harriers before the CVB were beagles. I think one belonged Charlie Pearson huntsman 1916-1936 and the other may have belonged to the huntsman before Ken, Frank Teasdale 1936-1951, but I stand to be corrected on that. Ken had a huge collection of CVB memorabilia with just about every newspaper cutting back to the year dot as well as photographs and other things of historical CVB interest. Where they have ended up and whether they will see the light of day again I don't know, but it would be good to allow them to be seen and appreciated by others. I was lucky to get a glimpse of some of his archive and scan a very small selection of photos while he was still active, His collection is an important record of the history of the hunt.

The traditional puppy christening was held at the Tunnel End pub on the 13th August with Ken in his usual role performing this ceremony. It has been mentioned a few times on this blog how these puppies are christened and there is somewhere a link to the words, which have to be spoken in Yorkshire Dialect or it doesn't work! In fact Barry Bridgewater, a past Holme Valley Beagles huntsman once performed a christening on TV.

Singing 'Drink Puppy Drink' and other hunting songs then follows.

I suspect this song might be about a ship in distress as the singer has a nautical bent and was wont to entertain us with it. Copyright image by David Swanbury

The punch, having been used to anoint the puppies, and had a paw dipped in it during the process, is now decanted into glasses to be consumed by those in attendance. The puppies now christened can go to homes where they will be raised to maturity until next year, or as it is termed - 'Walked', then they will come back to compete in next year's Puppy Show. Copyright image by David Swanbury

Rydal Hound Show is my last event of the summer on the 17th August. The CVB showed there. There are three rings, one for Lakeland Fell Hounds and terriers primarily, one for Beagles and one for Harriers in a most delightful setting. Hound trailing takes place when the sheepdog competition has finished and there is a fell stick competition.

Colne Valley Beagles in the ring.

Someone always ran a large lunchtime buffet beside the beagle ring to gather friends and associates for some conviviality. Copyright image by David Swanbury