Today we piled the landy full of sabs and started the new season with a visit to the South Tetcott’s opening meet at Tetcott Manor. With foot teams at the meet and to the south we watched as they spent the first part of the day drawing the slopes and coverts around Beardown Plantation, Lana Lake and Mill Wood. Here some of the hounds ran on a scent and crossed the Tamar into Cornwall! This threw the hunt into a confusion they never really recovered from. Hounds and riders were scattered all over the place between Luffincott Wood and Bradridge Copse, with redcoats trying for ages to call hounds across the river.
Meanwhile some rather unpleasant and dangerous driving from South Tetcott followers saw our sabs being driven at several times and while we were sat on the side of the road waiting for other vehicles to go past, one knuckle-dragging supporter got out of his Volvo and smashed our wing mirror. Judging by the slice of flesh he left behind in the glass, he’ll be dragging his knuckles a little more tonight.
The hunt eventually doubled back to the east and in fading light we caught up with them around Lanamoor Plantation, just in time to witness hounds run in full cry across the road. Was this the same trail-layer who must earlier have dragged the trail across a wide river? Or could it be that the mythical trail-layer does not exist? Sabs were well-placed to call hounds up into the fields north of Lana Bridge and a battle of calls ensued, which distracted the hounds long enough that they lost the scent. Huntsman Jamie Parish eventually had to ride round to where sabs were to retrieve his lost hounds, by which point it was time to hack back to the kennels.
On the way back some riders angrily accused us of having been inside the kennels, a rumour that seemed to have been doing the rounds since the morning. We weren’t in the kennels at any point, although if the hunt want to spend hours going through their CCTV footage, they’re welcome to do so. In any case, we’ll be seeing them again soon!
One thought on “South Tetcott opening meet, 4.11.2017”
Comments are closed.