Karen Davison-White
Special Report on the Percy Hunt
Huntsman Robert McCarthy who has hunted the Percy since 2005
The Percy country is indeed “a bit special” and it must be a great privilege for huntsman Robert McCarthy to hunt hounds in this wild open country. Robert knows this country very well, having returned to hunt it after previously whipping in to Martin Claxton in his youth.
Situated in Northumberland, the hunt country extends some 23 miles north to south and 20 miles east to west, around the areas of Alnwick, Alnmouth, Chathill, Seahouses, Chatton and Belford.
It’s a part of the country that has barely been discovered. A wilderness with a rugged beauty. It looks to have never changed for hundreds of years (apart from the wire), there’s the old type slotted post and rail, and there are some lovely stone walls.
On my visit on 2 December I was made so welcome. Our hosts, Mr and Mrs Freddie Telford were celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary, and the house was open to all for the meet. A roaring log fire was welcoming, on what so far, had been a very wet morning. However, “rain before 7am – fine by 11” was true to the old adage.
The “Percy Special” stirrup cup is legendary, comprising of whisky and cherry brandy mixed, does indeed warm the cockles of your heart. But be warned, they go down easily; it is not advisable to over-indulge “lest ye will be flat on yer back”
Mrs Telford introduced me to Joe Vickers a farmer who follows these hounds religiously, his brother Harry who I remembered race riding at point-to-points in the 70’s. Harry Vickers is one of the Field Masters for this pack, and was riding a lovely steel grey Irish horse he had just bought the day before, a useful type and looked totally settled to its job.
Alan Morris
Later in the day I saw Joe ride up over the hill on a grey cob, a grand sight, a farmer complete with his flat cap! Joe said he had not sat on a horse for five years, I asked about the horse, he said it wasn’t the best of rides for him, preferring something with a little more blood.
I met Alan Morris who was riding up with the huntsman and assisting as amateur whipper-in. His wife Alison had hacked to the meet. Emma Howie is secretary; she was riding a nice grey thoroughbred sort. There is a warmth and friendliness that comes from these predominantly farming/hunting people and I am sure it is not just because we have the same accent.
Edward and Ian hunt six days a week
Edward Patterson (retired farmer) and Ian were following in their four wheel drive and gave me a lift up a hill to view these lovely old English hounds from a craggy top. Edward and Ian hunt six days a week and when not out with the Percy are out with the West Percy with George Trotter.
Unfortunately for my visit, there was that blue haze. However, there are “no bad days in hunting” as the saying goes and I enjoyed being out. Ground was very wet. On their coastal side, inland from the town of Seahouses, east of the A1 Robert has to contend with the main Newcastle to Edinburgh line and the trains run every 25 minutes - “fast”!
Percy Foxhounds await at the meet
I watched hounds working just beneath the railway line; it would not be for the faint hearted. This would be as far east as they come, and west of the Al is much wilder, open and hillier terrain. Huge boulders nestle in the old turf in parts having stood the test of time.
The Percy hunt 3 days a week, Monday, Wednesday and Saturday and there were 17 mounted the day I was out. The enthusiasm of the footies meant you had 15 vehicles following and eight quads.
They almost need a field master for the quads, they probably have one, they were synchronized that is for sure and following them through one of the villages it was a rum sight, or rather a “Percy special” sight. There is plenty of room in these parts for them to be well distanced from hounds working and still be in touch watching proceedings. You get grand views.
Here come the Percy quads
Farmer, John Manners on his quad, stopped to talk to me, they were all keen for a group photo shoot and had all lined up, earlier in the day. A friendly bunch if ever you saw them, and they have sound knowledge of the countryside.
Boys and girls of the Percy hunt
Robert had eighteen and a half couple at the meet; Giles Bennett is their professional whipper-in. These old English hounds made a fine picture; they are about 90% Od English lines and one of the truest to type in the country. They always look to my eye, to have a demure stature, an aloof-ness, solid in build (not all) and yet they are athletic on these hills. I think old fashioned faces, fittingly in what is quintessentially still an old fashioned piece of country.
Karen Davison-White