Thrills, spills and a hound named Laughter

Champion hounds and interesting country keep the field on its toes during a convivial day with the Waveney & Norfolk Harriers

- Polly Portwin

THE hunting correspondent's job is always varied: meeting new faces, riding different horses and crossing unfamiliar country while trying to remember where you've been and who you've been introduced to can be challenging.

Changing into my hunting kit after a three-hour drive, I wondered what the coming hours would have in store. Within moments of arriving at the Waveney & Norfolk Harriers' kennels near Ilketshall St Andrew in Suffolk it was clear it was going to be a fun-filled day, full of laughter and surrounded by people who are passionate about their hounds.

Remarkably, these kennels are home to all three packs of harriers based in East Anglia, including the Waveney & Norfolk's studbook harriers and their pack of West Country harriers, which they hunt when in the former North Norfolk country. The Dunston Harriers are also kennelled there, enabling resources to be shared to ensure that supporters of each pack are still able to enjoy watching their hounds crossing their traditional hunt country. With three packs of hounds in kennels, hunt horses to be exercised and a busy flesh round, there isn't much spare time for their professional huntsman Luke Newton – who also hunts the Dunston Harriers – but he immediately emphasised how everyone pulls together and assists in kennels, in stables and on a hunting day.

During the short hack from kennels to the Meet at the farm of former chairman John Whyte, current chairman and former Master of the Waveney Becky Baker pointed out a hound called Laughter (2015) who is somewhat of a celebrity in these parts. Having won the supreme harrier title at the Festival of Hounds in 2016, 2018 and 2021, it's clear that she's held in high regard. Her daughter Lapwing took the → bitch hound title at the Great Yorkshire Show in 2024, while her litter’s offspring have picked up various championships at the major hound shows too.