'Today, something extraordinary happened'

The "jinx of a decidedly dodgy season" has been broken, says Tessa Waugh - hounds are running and a half-term hunt sees the children flying. Even an early home-time doesn't quell spirits

- Tessa Waugh

IT finally happened, a mega day, one to write home about. Hounds barely stopped from the beginning to the end and Adam is happily plotting their route as I tap: 17 miles as they ran has already been mooted by someone with a tracker.

The day began with a lawn meet at the home of one of Adam’s joint masters and her husband. The gracious old house, previously home to a hunting lady who wrote for this magazine, provided a photogenic backdrop to the hounds, the horses and a throng that included cute kids on ponies, characterful oldsters and everything in between.