Route Hunt Meet at Ballyversal

Ballyversal home of Freddie & Lesley McDowell was the venue for the Route Hunt meet on Saturday 12th January. 13 hunt members and 4 visitors gathered at Ballyversal and enjoyed mulled wine before a few practice jumps in the McDowell’s arena. Hunt master Philip White welcomed everyone before the hunt set off. There was a short hack before a canter around a stubble field. This left everyone ready for the first jump which was a fallen tree. The next jump was a fence in the hedge between 2 fields.

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).

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