Busy Competition Season Ahead for Mid Antrims
Saturday 4th October Mid Antrim Hunt Point-to-Point at Higgins Estate, Moneyglass, 1pm.
Saturday 11th October Jump Cross at Castlehill Equestrian Centre, Ballymena. Classes suitable for every level. Phone Beverley on 07960699161.
Saturday 25th October Hunter Trials at Hamiltons’s farm, Knockan Rd, Broughshane. Novice singles and pairs, Open singles. Phone Judith on 07904342222
These are exciting times for the Mid Antrim Hunt who have a busy programme of events leading up to the hunting season.
The Race Committee members of the Mid Antrim Hunt are hard at work at the moment as they are preparing for their Autumn point-to-point at the Higgins Estate, Moneyglass on Saturday 4th October. Davy Crawford, Clerk of the Course, his assistant Paul Ferguson and their team have re-birched all the fences and the course is looking good. It will be very well watered if there is not enough rain leading up to 4th October. The new running rail was a great success in the spring, adding to the professionalism of an already smart course. For this point-to-point, schooling will be allowed after the racing has finished, subject, of course, to the weather, and the organisers are delighted to welcome several exciting new sponsors of the event. The first race starts at 1pm.
Not only are the point-to-point fences and course being prepared, but work is also well under way for two more events as the following week on 11th October there will be a Jump Cross competition at Castlehill Equestrian Centre with classes for all levels of horses and ponies including lead rein. The children involved in the Inter Schools jumping will hopefully be able to compete this too as the start time will not be too early. In addition to this there will be a Hunter Trials at the Hamilton family’s farm in Broughshane on 25th October with additions to the very successful course built last year and classes for singles and pairs .
Following this, the hunting season proper will begin with the Children’s Meet on Wednesday 29th October and the Opening Meet on Saturday 1st November at Connor village. The Mid Antrim Hunt are delighted to welcome their new huntsman, Colin Brown, who has been hard at work preparing the new hounds for the coming season and reminding the old ones of their job. Autumn Hunting started several weeks ago, and great progress is being made with the hound training and integration of the new hounds into the pack. This has been made even more pleasurable with the beautiful autumn weather and hounds, horses and riders have had some very early starts to avoid the heat of the day. The huntsman has been well assisted by the new kennelman Matthew Andrews who has been a great help with the hounds when not busy on his fallen stock duties. The many farmers who have been into the kennels with their fallen stock will have met the new team, and been impressed with all the changes at the kennels, including the smart new fallen stock shed, as were the many members and supporters who attended the Barbeque in early September to meet the new huntsman and kennelman.
So there is plenty to look forward to for the Mid Antrim Hunt members this coming season and they would also like to welcome the new members to the club.
For enquiries about the Jump Cross at Castlehill on 11th October please phone Beverley on 07960699161. For the Hunter Trials on 25th October please phone Judith on 07904342222.
