Merlin works his magic

The Gelligaer Farmers dominate the Welsh ring, while the Border, Wheatland and Beaufort also take championships

- FRANK HOUGHTON BROWN , MATTHEW HIGGS

FOXHOUNDS

THE Gelligaer Farmers had a clean sweep at this, the blue riband show for Welsh hounds. Having taken the honours in the morning despite some strong opposition from both the Pembrokeshire and the Llanwnnen Farmers, their stallion hound Merlin 21, by Llanwrthwl Gallant 15, was awarded the overall championship ahead of their home-bred entered bitch, Gracious 22.

This was a tremendous tribute to Martyn Arnold, who is celebrating his 25th season as huntsman of the Gelligaer Farmers this year, while it’s the hunt’s 125th anniversary. Ken Markham, an exhuntsman of the Plas Machynlleth, and Jon Meyrick, huntsman of the Vine and Craven, were the expert judges.

“The Gelligaer hounds were outstanding and even though other packs had some lovely hounds, it was just impossible to look past the stallion hound Merlin,” said Jon.

Showing and holding Welsh hounds is an art form, so it was another coup when 15-year-old Thea Stephens was given the prize for the best young handler by the Countryside Alliance’s director of hunting, Polly Portwin. Thea has been helping at the Gogerddan kennels for the last five years and has been tutored by their huntsman, Gwyn Jones.

Many Welsh packs, like the Eryri from Snowdonia, now hunt with Fell hounds and some, like the Conwy Valley, are represented in both rings. While new Teme Valley huntsman Jamie Whittles was in the Welsh ring, Robbie Savage, the ever-smiling brother of recently retired huntsman David Savage, was winning in the Fell ring with Teme Valley Nimrod 20.