Horse_amp_amp_Hound__06_February_2018

Hon secretary Major Nick Thomas at the meet at Rookwith Farm
Starting young: Chloe Page with her three-year-old son Max
Mikey Francis, Holly Bourne-
Arton, Siona Tomlinson and her
daughter Jemima, Brian Robinson
and his grandson Charlie. Tim
put his hounds into Lindale Bog,
encouraging them with a lovely
tone to his voice, but it was soon
obvious that there was no trail,
so we moved on.
BREEDING SUCCESS
SIONA and Jemima were full
of praise for the experience of
being “up front” with Tim. They
had bought the day as a lot in
the hunt auction. Tim himself
seemed philosophical about what
had been a frustrating day. He is
retiring at the end of the season
and it is a massive shame to see
another amateur huntsman fall
by the wayside.
“I’ve got to earn some money,”
he says ruefully.
Throughout the day, many
people expressed their regret
that Tim is going so soon, but
they are all getting behind the
next man, Tim’s kennel-huntsman
Mikey Francis, who will take over
next season.
One of the things that Tim
anticipates he will miss most is
the breeding of the hounds.
“I brought some hounds
from Scotland, one of which,
Lauderdale Anvil, I put to
Middleton Golfer, which
produced the winning dog and
bitch at this year’s puppy show.
The bitch Google went on to win
reserve unentered championship
at Harrogate. I used Tynedale and
Middleton lines at the Lauderdale
to great success and it’s only now
[at the Bedale] that I’m starting to
see a real type emerging from this
strategy,” he said.
From Lindale bog, we hacked
past Aysgarth School and were
greeted by a mob of boys waving
frantically. Opposite the school,
Joint-master Jo Lambert,
who owns eventer Nicola
Wilson’s European gold and
bronze medallist Bulana
Tim drew Newton Beck on his
feet, handing his horse to Holly
Bourne-Arton. Tim told me
later that Holly is a great help on
a hunting day — as you might
expect of someone whose mother
Daphne hunted hounds —
although Holly modestly told me:
“I’m just the one with the drinks
and the fags.”
Bedale people may not carry
hunting whips but everyone
carries a flask, there are a good
number of smokers and the party
vibe continues all day. Sadly,
hounds were unable to pick up a
trail on our forays on to Dalesend,
home of the Ropners. Nor was
there any sign of a trail at Grange
Farm or Craikhall Beck. It was
starting to get dark as we headed
back to the lorries; apparently
there was a party that night.
“There’s a party every night,”
volunteers a jolly man on his feet.
“Except on Sunday when we all
have a rest.”
It wasn’t the greatest day’s
hunting — apparently I should
have gone last Saturday, which
was fantastic — but they made the
best of it. The Bedale country is
not what it used to be (whose is?),
but they are a friendly lot who go
well and if you worry about the
future of hunting, a visit to this
part of North Yorkshire should
allay your fears. H&H
A modest Holly Bourne-Arton:
‘I’m just the one with the drinks
and the fags’
8 February 2018 Horse & Hound 45