History of the Isle of Man Bloodhounds Drag Hunt
The following is only a shortened version of the history of the hunt. For a more detailed account please contact Walter Gilbey. There is also a video detailing the hunt history from 1975 to 2000 with some excellent footage of the hunt.
Illustrations © Alison Lingley - www.alisonsanimals.com
Recent history of Drag Hunting in the Isle of Man dates back to the 1960’s when Colonel and Mrs Riggall, of one of the Island’s oldest families, formed a drag hunt. This disbanded a few years later and in 1974 a committee comprising various prominent members of the Manx equestrian world formed the Isle of Man Bloodhounds Drag Hunt. One of its founding members was Walter Gilbey, who became its first Master. Walter is a well known figure on the Isle of Man. He is a partner of G.G.H. Equitation Centre and a Director of Gilbey Farms Ltd. He has served for 19 years in Tynwald (the Isle of Man Parliament) as MHK for Glenfaba. He still remains the Master (and Secretary) of the Isle of Man Bloodhounds Drag Hunt and is also Treasurer of the Masters of Draghounds and Bloodhounds Association. Roy Kermeen joined as Linesman in 1990, a role in which he continues today. In addition, Roy became Chairman in 2008.
Hunting actually commenced in 1975 with six couple of hounds. A priority was that land had to be obtained to hunt across. Many local landowners were agreeable to this, for which the hunt was, and is still, very grateful. Without their help there would be no hunting.
The hounds were originally fed carcasses, offered by farmers, thus saving the very considerable expense of purchasing feed, the Hunt having an official knackers licence in the 1970’s. The using of flesh to feed the hounds was, however, given up in 1981 due to the expense of collecting and handling.
Volunteers were drafted in to run as ‘quarries’ and no difficulty was usually found in finding someone, perhaps in training for local running competitions, who would be happy with a couple of pounds for a drink afterwards!
The seasons commenced in September with a few weeks of cubbing, carried on throughout the winter, usually losing two or three weeks due to snow or ice, and finishing in the following March. Children’s meets usually took place twice in the season and joint meets with other clubs often took place on an annual basis. In 1980, at the end of the season, the Hunt held it’s first ever Hunt Ball, a tradition which has continued to this day very successfully.
Over the years there have been good seasons and bad. 1986 saw a particularly long spell of severe weather, causing the loss of several days hunting. 1996 similarly saw bad weather and poor turnout, making it difficult to justify the great effort that goes into running a hunt. 2001 was the wettest since the formation of the hunt and there were only five out of a possible twenty four hunts due to waterlogged land. From February 2001 to December 2001 there was no hunting due to the foot and mouth epidemic in the adjacent Isles.
The hunt still remains today and a good season for 2010 is anticipated with Mr Theo Whittaker, the new amateur huntsman hunting hounds.
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