NEWS
The Fernie Point-to-Point
has been rescheduled to
Saturday, June 2, 2012
1st. Race @ 2.00pm
The Master’s Blog ……………..
Has 4 months really passed that quickly since I put pen to paper for the previous edition of this column, or have we all been so immersed in the season that it has, as usual, passed in a flash?
It turned out to be a very good season, with precious few interruptions from the weather, and some particularly good sport as the season drew towards a close. There were a handful of very enjoyable days before Christmas – with perhaps the highlight being the Arnesby Lodge afternoon in early December when the mounted crowd lost count of the number of fences that they jumped after 2nd horses all too quickly. Whether on a horse, à pied or en voiture, it was difficult to keep pace with the hounds that day! The Children’s meet at Christmas provided a record number of people in the mounted field, showing the tremendous levels of support for the hunt from the younger generation, and the current strength of our Pony Club which is such a credit to their Committee. A great deal of work goes into virtually every day’s hunting, and it is always a joy to go home when you know that it has all paid off. Few of us will forget the Stockerston Hall day, or the 2 horse midweek day from Nevill Holt which was concluded with a memorable gallop from Glooston Wood to Noseley and Tugby, finishing in the dark after 6pm; The meet from Rolleston provided plenty of action for mounted and unmounted followers (and some medics too!), and the closing meet at Laughton showed our wonderful hounds at their very best as they flew around the Saddington Vale, Laughton Brook, Gumley and Laughton Hills areas for most of the day to provide a memorable conclusion. Sandwiched amongst all of the hunting in the last 6 weeks of the season we also moved the hunt horses into their state-of-the-art new bedrooms (apologies, stables!), for which huge thanks must go to all of the hunt staff, the 3 hunt Trustees and particularly Sarah Cowen for her coordinating eye! We must also thank Jack Bevan for the fabulous sport which he has provided throughout the season whilst standing in for Derek.
The end of the season is one of the busiest times of the year, with the Rolleston Ride, the Knight Frank Harborough Ride and the Team Chase all in successive weeks. They are all very important fundraising events for the hunt, but each of them has a different emphasis and requires a lot of help for it to be successful. You could be forgiven for thinking that once the Team Chase has passed, we await the start of next season but that is certainly not the case for the Masters as it is now that the hard work and planning for next season begins ……. with covert laying to be completed, new fences and bridges to build, the Puppy Show and Hound Shows to be arranged, next season’s meets to be considered and so on. But there will be some particular highlights this Summer, including:
Hounds parading at Kelmarsh Country Fair on Saturday 21st April; The Fernie point-to-point at Dingley on Sunday 6th May; Jake Oppenheim (our whipper-in) riding in the Charity Race at Newmarket Countryside Raceday on Friday 8th June; The Fernie (Masked) Summer Ball on Saturday 16th June and both the Fernie Puppy Show and Blaston Hound Show on the weekend of 23rd/24th June.
I have not had the opportunity of publicly thanking everyone involved with the Hunt Supporters Club for their very generous donation of £21,000 to the hunt, which was reported at the FHSA AGM, last October. We really are incredibly grateful for this amount, as without the support of everyone it would be very difficult to run the hunt to the same standards as we are able to achieve. As I know most readers will be aware, we use this money primarily to help with the annual running costs of the hunt, in whatever way is appropriate as each season progresses. This year the major items of expenditure which we have been able to purchase as a result of this generous contribution have included 2 new hunt horses, and a substantial amount of new fencing materials for the country to ensure that we are able to deliver the improvements which are so important for our farmers and landowners, and to enable hunting to thrive.
Finally, as detailed above, Jake is very boldly going to ride in a Charity Flat Race “Ride for Repeal” at Newmarket’s Rowley Mile course in June – which we hope he might win! He has worked very hard all season and now deserves our generous support – and hence please sponsor him in his quest at www.countryside-alliance.org.uk/ca/article/race-for-repeal-the-2012-challenges. It is a thoroughly worthwhile cause, which means more to Jake at the beginning of his career than anyone, and I know that he would also like all of our support on the day as he takes on representatives of other local hunts.
We look forward to seeing you at as many of the Summer events as possible …… Happy holidays!
Philip Cowen
The Harborough Ride
The Knight Frank Harborough Ride took place on a gloriously sunny and warm Saturday (March 24) over the delectable grass of the Saddington Vale. Thirty intrepid riders faced the starter and set off over a 3½ mile circular grass course from the middle of the vale past Furnivals, Foxons and John Ball to finish almost where they had started. The going was almost perfect which meant the pace was hot from the start, and it soon became clear that before the last of the 27 fences had been jumped, there would be a number who found the pace too hot, although in the end there were 15 finishers. Three lightweight ladies broke away from the field at an early stage and when Liz Harris from Joan Tice’s stable in the Pytchley country jumped a big hedge near Furnivals to cut a corner and take the lead the race was on. She was pursued all the way to the bottom of John Ball and the huge drop fence there by Zoe Gibson and Annabel Bealby who had both previously won the Ride. Experience and class then just began to tell in Zoe’s favour and she had a few lengths to spare at the finish over Liz Harris, with Annabel Bealby for the Quorn about a dozen lengths away in third, with the remainder still more than a field behind, such had been the pace. Zoe Gibson, who hails from the Cottesmore, was winning the Ride for a record sixth successive time, and once more she has this year done the Leicestershire double, as she had won the Melton Ride a couple of weeks previously. Jaffa, who is Irish bred, was the third horse on which she has won the Ride, but on this occasion she was certainly made to race by her two pursuers. Her achievement of winning six Rides has never been done before and will be very difficult for anyone to repeat in the future, although Annabel is one of three riders to have been placed in five Rides.
Rory Bevin from the Quorn at the age of 16 rode a marvellous race on his father William’s thoroughbred to finish fourth and win the heavyweight prize (the Reggie Paget Cup), Giles Newton was fifth for the Fernie on his mother’s superb hunter to win the middleweight class, although Liz Harris won the Farmers Cup for the leading rider from the two promoting hunts, the Fernie and Pytchley – the third successive time it has gone to the Pytchley. Both the two weight classes resulted in a clean sweep for the men, with Nick Evans and Henry Nicholson, the latter from the Fernie, filling the minor placings behind Giles Newton amongst the middleweights, and David Pease and Ian Marsh, both from the Fernie, doing likewise behind Rory Bevin in the heavyweights.
The only serious casualty of the day amongst the various tumbles was Natalie Painter, who sustained a broken collar bone from a fall in the 18 fence fun ride, led by Philip Cowen, who had organised each of the courses, on his field master’s horse Saxon. An excellent barbecue provided by Bill Turcan, Rob Almond and the hunt supporters brought to an end an exciting and thoroughly enjoyable day, both for those taking part and also the many spectators basking in the sunshine.
JC
The Fernie Team Chase – Sunday 1st April
This year’s event may prove to be the last occasion on which the Fernie host the National Team Chase Championship at Tur Langton in the next few years, as it is the turn of another hunt to take on the challenge for a 3 year stint from 2013 onwards. If that does happen, the huge crowd who enjoyed the wonderful countryside at Tur Langton Lodge on April Fool’s day will remember it as a glorious Championship finale in fabulous weather, with the competition attracting the usual large entry of competitors all of whom were enjoying near perfect underfoot conditions.
The Material Change National Team Chase Championship 2012 was one of the most exciting competitions ever seen at this course, with Relentless having to post the fastest ever time recorded (in 11 years) over the Championship track, beating the previous record from 2003 by 1.27 seconds, in order to overhaul the 2011 Champions Art Hotel Chasers who ran first of all in this year’s competition. The 2006 Champions, Point Two Top Spec Hair Raisers, led by the remarkable Allen Brown who is celebrating his 25th year riding for the team, were only 5.5 seconds adrift in third. Pete Mason led Relentless for much of their round, although it was ultimately William Grant who claimed the plaudits for racing home on Fox Grant Ferrari to provide the crucial scoring time, and land his first National Championship after 20 years of attempts. There is hope for us all yet!
The Welland Valley Feeds Novice Class was as popular as ever with 44 teams enjoying Roger Whitehead’s new variations to the course. Masta Pave (consisting of Rachel Tudor-Davies, Helen Hawker and Timonie Jones) took the spoils with the local family team of Nicholson Novices (Henry, Lily, Cara and Maya Nicholson) landing the runners-up spot. Despite a minor wobble by their father when trying to locate the penultimate fence, the girl’s immaculate round at a perfect hunting pace was a joy to watch.
After Rory Bevin from the Cottesmore had taken the spoils in the lunchtime Roger Helmer MEP Foot Chase, the Intermediate and Hunt Teams took centre stage during the afternoon. The Art Hotel Racers gained a consolation victory in the Intermediate class, after the riders’ narrow failure in the Championship on their Open horses, just fending off the efforts of Verdina’s Angels who were the very last team on course after a disrupted journey from Cheshire. The much coveted prize of £1,000 to the winner of the UK Hunt Team Chase was collected for their hunt by the Quorn Hedgehoppers of Paul Hubbard, Becky Mills, Sally Newton and Abby Newton. They beat a team from the High Peak Harriers who promised to avenge the defeat in 2013. The best Fernie team (Fernie Fillies and Giles) weren’t far behind in 4th place overall, consisting of Chloe Shann, Lucy Walker, Giles Newton and Patrick Millington, who proved to be a fine late substitute as a filly!
The Fernie Team Chase involves a vast number of people giving up their time to serve in their capacity as either officials, volunteers, sponsors, advertisers, competitors or spectators. Sally O’Sullivan’s traditional old pasture is the ideal venue for an event of this size, and all of our thanks must be passed to her for hosting such an enjoyable and successful event once again this year. For some teams, we know that the planning has already begun for the 2013 renewal next Spring!
Philip Cowen
Obituaries
Pat Higgs (1927 – 2012)
(née-Anne Patricia Burrows)
Pat was born at Hill Farm, Quorn, in 1927. Shortly afterwards the family moved to Cropston House Farm , bordering the Charnwood Forest, where they ran a large herd of Shorthorn Cows. Pat went to Loughborough Grammar School, but was occasionally diverted from her school books if the Quorn Hunt were anywhere in the vicinity. She went to Sutton Bonnington Agricultural College and was a prominent member of the Young Farmers’ Club. In 1952 she won a club competition and the prize was a visit to America and Canada for six months. She obviously went by ship, but whilst she was there, she was offered a flight in a light aircraft which she accepted but found it to be a fairly terrifying experience and vowed never to fly again: she did of course, but only to Edinburgh for the Countryside Alliance march!
She married Eric Higgs in 1954 and went to live at the Cedars in Skeffington, and as a Fernie farmer’s wife became a member of the Fernie Hunt, but that didn’t stop her, occasionally, crossing the A47 to join the Cottesmore Hunt if they were nearby. She was passionate about horses and hunting, she kept her own horses at home, and also was responsible, for a number of years, for the sourcing of horses for the Fernie Hunt. She had all the work of a normal farmer’s wife, looking after the home and the family, and also live-in farmworkers, as well as various jobs about the farm. She helped out at the Fernie Pony Club, becoming secretary, and then District Commissioner for many years.
She was a lady with very strong opinions, especially regarding anti-hunt propaganda, but also about politics and the church. Her husband Eric died after a short illness through which Pat nursed him, but she got on with life without him, continuing to hunt, but eventually decided to keep her horse elsewhere in the village, although exercising every day herself. Her health deteriorated, and she gave up hunting in 2001, but continued to follow the hunt by car while she was able to drive, and when she couldn’t drive, friends would take her.
In 2005, she decided, with the help of her family, to leave the Cedars and to downsize to a cottage in the grounds of Belton House. She was determined that this would work, and it did, thanks to the neighbours and the villagers of Belton who did so much to make her welcome. She loved to have visitors, and would always insist on them having tea, or coffee and some of her home-made cake. She was renowned for her cakes and particularly for her mince pies which were a feature when she had a Meet at her house in Skeffington. She was able to live independently at her cottage until very recently, (due to the care given to her by Dr Pickering, the district nurses and the staff at Belton House), but she then realised that the time had come to move into Belton House full-time, where she had a very nice room (with a view of Allexton Wood), and people were still able to visit her there. However, she suffered a severe stroke and died shortly afterwards.
Pat was level minded, intelligent, with strong opinions. A good homemaker, a wonderful mother, and grandmother and good company – she will be sadly missed by all those that knew her.
WCG
A.N.Stewart (1934 – 2011)
With the death in December of Andy Stewart, the Fernie has lost a keen hunting supporter, and someone who, also used his interest in, and knowledge of, racing – in helping to run the Dingley Point to Points.
Andy was born in Scotland, and worked in Canada, and Glasgow on the export side of Stewarts and Lloyds (later part of British Steel). In 1966, he was moved to their London office. As a young bachelor the size of his claim for removal expenses surprised his boss, as it included the cost of moving one horse from Scotland, to Anthony Steward’s yard at Brigstock, where Andy kept, and acquired good hunters for many years.
He started hunting with the Fernie whilst he was still living in London and became one of the, then, quite numerous London subscribers, who provided income, variety and in their own opinion, style to the Leicestershire Hunts!
Andy became Commercial Director of British Steel at Corby, and in 1996 he married Lucy, and they moved, with her children, Emily and Henry, and a large collection of horses and ponies to Coplow Lodge at Billesdon, from where the whole family hunted regularly with the Fernie.
Andy succeeded Dick Watson as “Clerk of the Scales” at the Fernie Point to Point, and later took over as Secretary of the Harborough Race Club. He was very thorough, and knowledgeable about the rules of racing, and very determined that nobody at Wellingborough or Dingley would make a mistake over the weights, or the race card, on his shift!
After he retired from British Steel, he took on another role with the Fernie – that of organising the collection of car caps and subscriptions from the “foot and car followers”. He had a great team of ladies to help him, and they built up a good rapport with the “Footies”, who appreciated Andy’s good humour, and his interest in hearing all about their days out with other packs.
He will be very much missed by his many friends in the Fernie, and Quorn countries.
Aileen Rogers (1937 – 2012)
It is with great sadness, that we announce the death of Aileen Rogers, who after a short illness in hospital, passed away on March 19, 2012.
Both Aileen and Tony Rogers were, for many years, ardent supporters to the Fernie Hunt and FHSA.
Aileen was born in Coventry, the daughter of a Jaguar engineer, and was fortunate enough to have a private education. She met Tony in 1958. Tony, who having served in the Household Cavalry from 1947 to 1953, had set up a landscape gardening business specialising in turf laying. When they married in 1960, Aileen would drive one of his lorries, and was very much involved in his business. In 1963, Mandy was born, followed two years later by their second daughter, Nicola.
They moved to Lawnsbrooke Farm in 1964, where they spent six happy years developing their business, raising their family, whilst hunting with the North Warwickshire Hunt.
During this time, Tony was riding “point to pointers” for Jack Jones, a well-known hunting farmer in Warwickshire. He raced 68 times, and won 32 races on “Mythical Ray”, which led to the creation of the “Mythical Ray Challenge Cup” in the Atherstone Men’s Open. When Jack Jones died, he bequeathed his racing colours to the Rogers family, and Aileen always raced in these colours.
In 1970, they sold their Landscape business and moved, “lock stock and barrel”, to Jedburgh in the Border Country. They had bought a “training yard” with a house and some 15 acres. It was their intention to stay there for two years. They remained there for fourteen very happy, and blissful years – during which time they brought on horses, hunted with several adjacent Hunts, and Aileen (at the age of 36) rode her first point-to-point, and proceeded to ride in, and win, five races on the great stalwart, “Half a Sixpence”.
Aileen also competed in Hunter Show classes with her exceptional horse, “Three to One” (trained by the late Kenneth Oliver). She won the championship at the Royal Highland show, which was presented to her by Dick Francis. “Three to One” went on to finish fourth in the Grand National in 1981 (the year Aldanti won against the odds!).
In 1984, they moved to Leicestershire, when Tony was offered the position of “Stud Groom” with the Fernie Hunt. Aileen assisted Tony in running the Fernie Hunt stables for some 16 years.
Aileen always took great pride in ensuring that all the horses were turned out immaculately – her standards were always extremely high – an attribute that ran throughout her life.
Aileen enjoyed many days hunting with the Fernie, when Bruce Durno was hunting hounds with his whipper-in at that time, Peter Collins, and subsequently Derek Hopkins.
One of Aileen’s favourite annual events was the Fernie Point-to-Point at Dingley, where she was in charge of Declarations, with her daughter Nicola for some 20 years. Always ready to lend a hand, Aileen was a steward at Burley Horse Trials, and many other equestrian events. She was devoted to all equestrian activities.
Eventually, they retired in 2000, and moved up to Ravenstone, near to their daughter, Nicola.
Aileen was immensely proud of her three grandchildren, Ben, Thomas and Joanna. As a devoted wife, mother and grandmother, Aileen had a very fulfilled and sociable life – always filled with laughter amongst a large circle of friends.
Our deepest sympathies go to Tony, her two daughters, Mandy and Nicola, and her three grandchildren – she will be sadly missed, by all those that knew her.