JUNIOR HANDLER CLASSES CROSS THE POND

New classes for junior handlers gain popularity in England.

BY DEIRDRE HANNA

Adapted reprint from Hounds magazine

IT’S NOT OFTEN that something that started in America is adopted across the pond. Classes for junior handlers at hound shows broke the mold and set sail to England.

By summer 2019, young people participated all over England. The classes were, geographically, held in the far north, the southwest, and the east of England, giving children opportunities to take part wherever they lived.

HISTORY HEADING EAST While visiting the Virginia Hound Show in 2014, I met Major Tim Easby, director of the Masters of Foxhounds Association in England. He saw the value — and the popularity — of the Junior Handler classes. Later, back in England, I met Richard Walton, director of the West of England Hound Show.

“Having seen photographs in Hounds magazine and write-ups of Junior Handler classes in America,” Walton says, “I was inspired to consider if we could introduce a class in the English-style of showing hounds, off the lead.” Walton, Great Yorkshire Hound Show Director David Wallace, and Peterborough Hound Show Secretary Jeremy Staples became the architects of the junior classes in England. Wallace incorporated the first Young Handler classes at the West of England Show in 2016. He presented the

Winner: Sam Watkins (center) tipping his hat. Competitors pose after the Young Handlers’ Class at Peterborough.

Ronnie Wallace Perpetual Challenge Cup at Honiton Hound Show and put on two Young Handlers classes at the Great Yorkshire in 2019. The Peterborough Young Handlers class now features a presentation of the Perpetual Challenge Cup by Captain Ian Farquhar, who recently retired from the Mastership of the Duke of Beaufort’s Hunt.

The Ronnie Wallace and Farquhar Cups, named for two hunting luminaries who have been passionate about encouraging the young to get involved in hunting, are prestigious awards established for young handlers. A SUMMER OF JUNIOR CLASSES There were some criteria for all Young Handlers classes at the shows. The hound shown by the child had to be from a pack competing the same day. Hounds were to be shown off the lead, without help from hunt staff. The competitor was asked about the hound they were showing; how long they had helped in kennels; the work they did in kennels; how far they lived from kennels; and how they envisaged their future careers. The Great Yorkshire Show at Harrogate saw the first class of the year and generated enormous interest. The Beagle and Harrier Junior Handlers Class was won by Lucy Maddison, who has been whipping-in, in full livery, since she was fourteen. She performs any duties required of her — one of which was worming hounds, a skilled job for any handler.

The second class at Harrogate was the Foxhound Junior Handlers, won by Ruby Wyld. She gets to the kennels on her bike and hunts with the West Percy in Northumberland — a mountainous and tough country used by soldiers to train for battle and well known for the very worst of weather. Fifteen-year-old Ben Jennings also These classes have showcased the echelon of the young involved in hunting today. We are reassured and heartened that these children and teenagers — and their all-important mentors — are devoted to seeing hunting continues in England.

Winner Ruby Wyld (center) and competitors gather after the Foxhunter Junior Handlers’ Class at the Great Yorkshire Show.

showed in the Foxhound class and received enormous applause from the crowd when asked what his career would be; he wishes to enter the hunt service to save hunting for his generation and for the generations that would follow him. These were inspiring words from a young lad already whipping-in and shoeing ponies.

From the north of England, we traveled southeast to the Lycetts Festival of Hunting at Peterborough — the crème de la crème of English hound shows. Here, a strong class of fifteen juniors made judging enormously difficult. An extremely high standard of turnout led off, and some very skilled showing of hounds was noted. Class winner Sam Watkins works in the kennels on Sundays and has for the last three seasons, only missing two Sundays in all that time. Other handlers showed equal dedication with early mornings, long round trips, and challenging jobs.

The last show of the year was the West of England Hound Show at Honiton in Devon. Here, we had an even stronger class of 18 juniors. Bailey Board won the class and was awarded a blue rosette, which was quite puzzling to the show crowd — red being the usual color for first prize in Britain. Personally, this led me to wonder if we were moving nearer to the American way of doing things. Perhaps it could be said (imitation being the sincerest form of flattery), that we were copying American tradition where the winning ribbon is blue.

Rounding out at Peterborough, two young handlers were Masters of the Radley College Beagles at the ripe young ages of 15 and 16. Young Handlers Luke Kilsby MH and William Stubbs MH have taken on the life of Masters while still in the iron grip of vital exams.

These classes have showcased the echelon of the young involved in hunting today. We are reassured and heartened that these children and teenagers — and their all-important mentors — are devoted to seeing hunting continues in England. Thank you, America, for showing us the way with the Young Handlers’ classes — and putting stronger hearts into us all.

Deirdre Hanna is based in the UK and has been a rural journalist for more than 10 years. A version of this story appeared in Hounds magazine in England. on 500 acre equestrian estate 10- 30 ACRE LOTS AVAILABLE WITH UNIQUE TRAIL ACCESS HORSE FARMS Beautiful

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