Claire Wright
Along the River Bank
As with all British minkhounds, the Eastern Counties continue to practice with artificial lines along the river banks in the anticipation that the Hunting Act 04 will be repealed in due course.
Claire Wright © Alastair Wharton
Claire Wright is a 26 year old trainee land agent who lives, works and hunts in Cambridgeshire. She whips-in to the Eastern Counties Minkhounds, and also hunts with the Fitzwilliam (Milton) on a bike, or goes beagling with the Trinity Foot & South Herts. Claire is Cambridgeshire County Chairman for the Countryside Alliance.
Eastern Counties Minkhounds - Bagel, Marquis, General, Bashful | © Alastair Wharton
Many people who hunt as many days as they can during the winter are often unaware that hunting can indeed carry on all year round. No sooner has the huntsman of our foxhounds blown for home on the last day of the season, my thoughts turn to days out on the river with the mink hounds.
When last year the joint masters asked for volunteers to whip-in for the pack there appears to be quite a few aspects of the job they failed to mention. For example, they never advertised that commando training would be advantageous, nor that the new hunt uniforms would make us look like Smurfs; or indeed that on some summer days you can be as wet stood on the bank as the huntsman is in the river! Despite all this I am loving every minute that I spend out on the river or elsewhere with the hounds.
I am now two months into my second season turning hounds and having become more familiar with some of the rivers and the various hazards that await the unwary whipper in, I felt better prepared to tackle the new season. I was just thinking to myself how well I was getting along this season: I hadn’t strangled myself with my hunting whip trying to cross the unfinished bridge Indiana Jones style, nor had I stunned myself on an inconveniently placed electric fence; nor indeed had to be fished out of the river by my huntsman. It was clear that things were going too smoothly, and the river soon conspired to bring me back down to earth.
We were enjoying a wonderful draw down the River Wid. The weather was perfect, and everything was going to plan. Then I managed to get myself stranded on the wrong side of a thicket: it seemed the best plan would be to cross the river and get back into position, as soon as I could. Unfortunately, I picked the worst possible place to cross the river, sinking up to my waist in freezing cold water, before finding that I was in danger of being stuck fast in the silty bottom, beaching myself inelegantly on the far bank before squelching off to try and catch up with the pack. So much for knowing what I am doing…
If geographical features didn’t present enough of a hazard to the summer hunter, then we also have to contend with a variety of vegetation that seems intent on scratching, stinging and sticking to any hunt staff who dares to cross it. At this time of the year my arms can look like I have been self-harming following a serious argument with a thorn bush, or barbed wire fence.
Huntsman Anthony Ringe | © Alastair Wharton
If you think the role of a whipper-in sounds tough, then spare a thought for the huntsman who spends the entire day in the freezing cold river, the water rarely below his waist. Not only does he have to combat the various hazards whippers-in encounter on the land, there are unexpected holes, nettles and bridges, but he also has to battle against the debris of fly tipping that seems to be prevalent in the rivers of East Anglia, clambering over fridges, furniture and other discarded items. He once joked that he was certain he had walked past at least one dead body; at least I assumed he was joking…
This may not read like the perfect advertisement for the mink hounds, but it is also enormous fun. We have built up good teamwork among the staff who work well together on the river bank, are always up for a laugh afterwards in the pub, and who are willing to get stuck into anything thrown at us.
Unlike the packs who hunt during winter, the show season clashes with our hunting activities. We do our best to get to as many shows as time permits, even if it means two days on the road in the hound van. We are always proud to show off our beautiful pack to show visitors, and answer questions about the shaggy hounds penned next to the sleek foxhounds and beagles.
So far this year we have been to four shows, with plenty more in the diary for the rest of the summer. These can be just as challenging to an inexperienced whipper-in, presenting a whole new range of hazards. There might not be a risk of drowning, electrocution or strangulation, but there isn’t a chance to relax as you have to be constantly alert for hounds making a break for the nearest burger stall, children being knocked over by boisterous hounds, and mounted staff from the foxhound packs who think it is a good game to chase the foot pack staff round the ring!
Another aspect of the summer season is the round of hound shows. There are just a handful of shows that welcome hounds of a hairy variety onto the flags. This presents a whole new challenge to the amateur staff. Collars and couples are rarely worn by our hounds after puppyhood, so they seem to delight in wriggling out of their collars, dragging the unfortunate staff across the showground to investigate a nice smell, or sabotaging our chances in the best turned out class by smearing muddy paws over our best uniforms.
Yet despite an incredibly busy diary of shows, parades and hunt meets, we still manage to cram in a programme of social events that would do a far larger pack credit. Just three weeks ago we celebrated our tenth anniversary in fine style with a Ball for 100 local followers. As well as raising valuable funds to keep the pack running, we also had a brilliant night with the younger members finally being persuaded to leave the dance floor at 1am…
So for anyone who has never thought of getting involved with a pack of mink hounds - why not make this summer the year you come and see what we do. Just be warned that when the masters ask for volunteers there might be more to their generous offer than first meets the eye...
Claire Wright