Who needs a ladder for apples when you have a horse

On Saturday 30th November 21 Route Hunt members travelled to O’Harabrook Estate in Ballymoney  for their weekly hunt.  The hunt set off along the back lane of The Estate onto the Drumahiskey Road viewing the jumps that lay ahead on the way. There were several jumps around the estate including  barrels, large fallen trees, planks, rustic poles and banks. The hunt then hacked to Drumskea  for several more fences, some of which were quite challenging, as well as  a  laneway where all enjoyed a good canter. The final hack of the day brought the hunt via Bendooragh to the back of O’Harabrook Estate at 3pm. Despite the fact that 2 riders had parted company with their horses the weather was good and all had enjoyed another good day out thanks to Ian Holmes and Gerard McCloskey who had set up the hunt and to O’Harabrook Estate owners and farmers, Martin Wilson, The Hegarty Brothers and The White family who allowed the hunt the use of their land for the day. Without this the hunt would not exist.

On Saturday  evening some hunt members and friends met at the Brown Trout in Aghadowey for a quiz night with lots of questions, tasting sessions of various crisps and jellies supplied courtesy of The Lodge Hotel, Coleraine and puzzles to solve.  Paul Young of Ashbourne Kennels was quiz master for the evening and Carol Young kept scores. Supper was served at the interval and the evening was enjoyed by all with lots of banter as all were wanting to earn the prize money.

The next  hunt is  at 12 noon on  Saturday  7^th December . The  organisers  hope  to see a good turnout  of members and visitors and welcome anyone who wishes to follow the hunt on foot.  For further details on this or about  joining the Route Hunt  please contact the Hunt Master (Philip White 07732630963) or the Hunt Secretary (Julie Smyth 07793209899)

There was then several hedges to jump and a few more gallops around stubble fields before the jump set up by huntsman Lee Johnson. This was poles and planks built into a hedge at the top of a hill, a jump not for the faint hearted. Most cleared this successfully but on the return jump down the hill Jan Barr managed to take off 2 of the planks leaving the jump much smaller which was appreciated by those who still had to jump.

There was then a pallet jump from 1 field into the next, 2 gates and 2 stone walls. The hunt then hacked along Creamery Road into more stubble fields where huntsman Lee Johnson took the first hedge. From the take off side it looked ok but the drop on the other side was a bit of a surprise.

Campbell Smith and hunt secretary Julie Smyth then decided to have a go and also jumped it. The others declined and instead went for a canter and a couple of smaller hedges. Having exercised for almost 3 hours all returned back to Ballyversal and enjoyed stew provided by Freddie and Lesley. Hunt members thank the organisers for another good days hunting and the landowners for the use of their land.

Hunt organisers hope to see another good turnout for the next hunt on Saturday 19th January at 12 noon.
For further details about The Route Hunt please contact Philip White Hunt Master (07732630963) or Julie Smyth Hunt Secretary (07793209899).