Edna Philp
Edna Philp Returns
Edna Philp is joint-master and huntsman of the De Burgh and North Essex Bassets and farmer's wife near Saffron Walden.
Edna Philp
Greetings to you all. It is good to be back with TMV again after a short break. So much has gone on since I last wrote, it is hard to know where to begin. Much of it at home, as well as matters with the Bassets.
We are now under new kennel management at the East Essex Kennels, where we reside. Andrew Leighton has come in as KH and already things are very ship-shape in kennels. Hounds too, look exceptionally well and the flesh round is beginning to pick up again. There are three new Masters too, and so much enthusiasm after an excellent Hunt Ball in May. It is so good to see the support coming back to a pack who has some lovely country to offer their subscribers.
We have had some Basset pups out of Audrey in April. They are by a doghound from the Albany & West Lodge pack and the resulting puppies are of good substance: if they hunt as well as their mother, I shall be delighted.
She whelped here at our farm, as is customary for our bitches, and this - her second litter of five - are all out at walk now. They had to go back to kennels early as we went away. There, they managed to get their picture taken and into Horse & Hound a few weeks ago - so are already famous!
We had our Cheese & Wine party to thank all our farmers and landowners who have made us so welcome over the past season. This to me is one of our most important events to start the summer: without their support we would not have our activities, and I know how much the farmers appreciate being "appreciated". The weather was a glorious evening - one of the few so far this year, and it all went well.
Our first show to parade at in June at Euston Park near Thetford was also good. Run to make money for the local church, it is held on the Duke & Duchess of Grafton Estate and has everything from classic cars, steam engines and ferret racing, with six different packs of hounds representing the hunting world.
‘tradition that should be allowed to continue, and admire us for doing so’
We all parade together so the public can view the different types in one ring and all in uniform: it makes a wonderful spectacle, and is very popular. It rained all morning but the clouds parted for the parade and we saw that ‘lovely yellow thing’ for a while. Talking to people who visit the show it is very evident that we have much support from the majority of country folk, a tradition that should be allowed to continue in their view, and admire us for doing so. The hounds of course are the real stars of these events, as everyone wants to take them home.
Sadly our designated trip to parade at the South of England show with all the footpacks on the Thursday was scuppered by a diesel leak in the car just as we got onto the A12, so we had to return to kennels. But we plan to visit the Game Fair in July for all three days, so I hope we get lots of TMV visitors.
Dare I mention the word ‘holiday’. We've had two this year which is very rare for us: not long ones, but short breaks. One to Italy, where the Italian drivers frightened the living daylights out of us! This one had an agricultural theme to it, as we went in a party of our branch of the WFU. A vineyard, a Yellow Kiwi producer, an Organic Water Buffalo Farm producing it's own Mozzarella, a Marble quarry to name but a few of the places we visited. And some stunning history at the Sistine Chapel in Rome made it a very memorable time.
The second little holiday was to Normandy in France. For pleasure, but mainly for taking Biscuit, one of our Basset bitches, to her French BAN doghound near Le Mans. I have seen this hound working at Brevets de Chasse; I have also been to where the hounds are all judged individually on their hunting ability. Uster, the hound has received ‘tres bien’ marks so I wait in hope of a truly French connection.
My work with WFU continues as we endeavor to support the campaign for our dairy farmers, many of whom have been affected by the devastating collapse of the company Dairy Farmers of Britain. All of these farmers have lost out, not just in terms of lost income for all of May’s milk cheque, but in their own initial capital outlay too, adding up to a very substantial amount. You can support the campaign by purchasing a Farmers Guardian paper and signing the petition.
If the retailers don't soon wake up we will not have a dairy industry; nearly 50% of our milk now has to be imported. You can support the campaign by purchasing a Farmers Guardian paper and signing the petition.
Thoughts are quickly now turning towards the Festival of Hunting at Peterborough on July 22. The choices of hounds to represent our pack are made, and now the hard work that goes into showing them well.
Years ago, I have many times sat in the foxhound enclosure with my father whose love of hounds and hunting knew no limits. To watch the professionals at work is a joy: so much at stake in the prestigious title of a Peterborough' Champion; there is nothing to top it.
So it is the same for the Basset hunting fraternity. Although we are mere amateurs, we still aspire to produce the best out of our hounds; there's a saying I repeat to my offspring. If a job’s worth doing - then do it well.
I love the day, and all it brings. So many different types of Hounds being shown. Also the re-uniting of old friends who live in far flung corners of the country, and agree to annually meet up here. The gossip, of course; and men are just as good at gossiping as women… don't you know!
Peterborough epitomises everything about hunting to me. Standards are high and so they should be. There is nothing wrong in the discipline of looking the part. Whether you are showing or spectating, it is our show case to the world and we quite rightly are very proud to be there.
This year we have no young entry so most of what is going to be shown has been before. This makes life quite a lot easier, as hounds with a season’s hunting under their belts are very confident little individuals. Still, there is no room for being complacent, and Matthew and I will practice as often as time allows with the hounds, which will be a little easier for him, as he’s now working in Suffolk.
Peterborough also gives us the opportunity to look at the hounds of other packs and decide if they might be suitable to improve your own stock. It is an important date in our calendar; there’s a buzz about the place like no other, and we relish the chance to show to others our own type of hound. I bet the judges are already having sleepless nights! See you there.
Edna Philp