British Group Plans March to Support Agriculture

Details

Martha Drum

Farmers for Action, an organization created to promote the farming industry in the United Kingdom, has organized a March from Waterloo Place to Trafalgar Square, and then on to Downing Street in London on March 23, 2016. Farmers for Action is chaired by David Handley, a dairy farmer and ex-MFH of two local hunts. Mr. Handley notes that the interests of agriculture and foxhunting are often connected, as much of our hunt country is also farmland.

Across the Pond: Local Hunts on Hand at Badminton Horse Trials

Details

Marianne van Pelt Self

Here across the Pond our lives have been full of incident.

Badminton Horse Trials ran May 5-10 in Gloucestershire, England, attracting over 250,000 spectators, the second-largest number for any paid-entry sporting event in the world. The lanky William Fox-Pitt won against his old rival Andrew Nicholson, also known as the ‘Silver Fox’, who was leading until the Sunday show jumping. Thrilling.

Gloucestershire local Bill Levett, who had a top-ten finish at Rolex, finished a respectable 15th at Badminton. But I raised my glass to Bill for his top-three placing on the best-dressed list for the trot-ups – which at Badminton draw a huge crowd of frenzied fashion bloggers - with plenty of credit given to his sponsors, A Hume Country Clothing, friends who also supplied me with the (not sponsored, just bought online) elegant heather and green tweed Coat I wore on the day. Here in my household we say a top-three placing is a win; I feel a bit of reflected glory.

Conservative Party Wins Majority in UK Elections

Details

Katy Carter

David Cameron of the Conservative Party won England's election with a clear majority. That means the conservatives do not have to form a coalition government with the liberals. Hunting should become legal in England since a vote in parliament was promised on the conservative platform.

Baily's Announces the Publication of Three New Books

Details

Octavia Pollock

THE ‘BIBLE’ OF HUNTING IS PLEASED TO OFFER

Baily’s Hunting Directory Quiz Book
Baily’s Hunting Directory Activity Book
Baily’s pre-annual directory, 1870–1883

Baily’s Hunting Directory has for decades been regarded as the ‘Bible’ of the hunting world. Now, three new books will be launched in the UK at the Peterborough Festival of Hunting on July 17 and the CLA Game Fair, Ragley Hall, Warwickshire, on July 19–21.

In Appreciation of Commander Bill King, 1910-2012

Details

Noel Mullins

William Donald Aelian ‘Bill’ King died recently at the magnificent age of 102 at his home, Oranmore Castle, in County Galway, Ireland. He was a highly decorated submarine commander, a world renowned sailor, boxer, athlete, organic farmer, writer, and a family man.

In addition, he was a lifelong follower of the Galway Blazers, and Lady Molly Cusack Smith’s Bermingham & North Galway Foxhounds with his late wife, the author Anita Leslie who he met in the Lebanon during the war in 1940. She was a daughter of Sir John Randolph Leslie and Marjorie Ide a daughter of General Henry Clay Ide, a former American Ambassador to Spain, and Governor of the Philippines. Anita had been previously married to the well known Russian cavalry officer Colonel Paul Rodzianko who was appointed chief instructor of the Irish Army Equitation School in 1928. She wrote seventeen books, including Lady Randolph Churchill, The story of Jenny Jerome, the life of Sir Winston Churchill’s mother, and Sir Francis Chichester, the biography of the famous round the world yachtsman. Bill held the distinction of being the only submarine commander to command a British submarine on the first and last days of World War II, such were the perils of such a dangerous command. He was also the last surviving submarine commander of the British Navy from the last war.