Farmers' Dinner and End Of Season Awards

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Sadly, with the current restrictions on social events, it is unlikely that our Farmers' Dinner will go ahead.

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We would like to extend a huge ***THANK YOU*** to all of the farmers and land owners that support our Drag Hunt come rain or shine - we are enormously grateful for their generosity and look forward to visiting again next season.

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"But what of the End Of Season Awards?" we hear you cry.

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Well, the good news is that Ash Hambridge, Caroline Bullen and & Johnny Hathaway-White have been carefully considering these behind the scenes and we will be announcing them here and on our social media.

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There are 5 End Of Season Awards that the Masters present:

• Best Cakes

• Best Hunt Tea

• Best Turned Out

• The Masters Cup

• The Tumblers Cup

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Each week, we will announce the nominations on a Monday and the winner of the award on the following Friday!

***BEST HUNT TEA NOMINATIONS***

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Steve Brookman - chicken curry at Stratfield Turgis

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Georgette & Duncan Green - Moroccan lamb at Itchen Down Farm

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Katy & Sarah Hayward - beef and vegetable stew at Farleigh Wallop

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Check back here on Friday when the winner will be announced!

***WINNER - BEST CAKES ***

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The Masters are delighted to announce that they have chosen Brewer Chandler as the winner of the Best Cakes Award. Brewer provided an epic spread of delicious cakes for the Lead Rein Meet and the Minley Meet, and also always stuffs everyone full of cake when she kindly hosts a Meet on her land. Thank you and well done Brewer!

A Message From The Masters

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Dear Subscribers, followers, supporters and volunteers of the Staff College Drag Hunt,

It is with heavy heart that we have made the decision to end our season.

In truth, the decision was made for us in the end. The Hunting Office have advised that best practice in light of the latest government advice is to suspend all hunting activities with immediate effect. Like so many organisations we feel it is important to act as responsibly as we can given the fast changing advice and circumstances.

This has without doubt been one of the hardest seasons that any of us can recall. The amount of work that has gone on behind the scenes against a backdrop of unprecedented rainfall, equine herpes and the latest Coronavirus outbreak has been enormous.

We are very fortunate to have such a committed and enthusiastic following and so many of you have helped out in so many ways during the season. That support is never taken for granted and is hugely appreciated. Thank you to you all.

Our landowners too have been fantastic and have done their absolute best to get us out where we could, for that too we are hugely grateful.

In amongst all the rain and other distractions let's not forget some of the great days that we have had. A fabulous opening meet at the Four Seasons never fails to disappoint as a curtain raiser. There followed more great days out at the likes of Paley Street, Borough Court, Itchen Down Farm and  Moundsmere, alongside old favourites such as Barossa, Minley and Bramshill for Boxing Day and the ever popular Children's meets.

Stephen, Mandy and Ben, assisted by Harry have done an incredible job at kennels over the course of the season. The pack has continued to improve and has been a pleasure to watch hunt, again an enormous thank you to everyone at kennels for all your hard work.

Looking forward, the Hunt Supporter's Club has a full program of activities planned for over the spring and summer. We will continue to follow the latest advice and best practice for events such as these and put them on when it is safe and sensible to do so.

In the meantime, thank you once again to everyone that has come hunting with us this season, days out in the country with horses, hounds and great people are some of the best you can ever spend.

Yours ever,

The Masters

Hunt Ball 2020 - Thanks For Coming!

Friday 17th January 2020 saw us celebrate 150 years of the Staff College Drag Hunt in true glitz-and-glam style at our annual Hunt Ball, held at The Elvetham Hotel.

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As usual, the organisers surpassed themselves as guests were treated to fabulous food and wine, dancing into the small hours, heads & tails, horn-blowing and a rendition of the Post Horn Gallop! Not to mention a raffle with wonderful prizes, a surf simulator and a shooting gallery! Phew - no wonder there were a few sore heads the next day.

For the full round up of fun and frolics go to the Hunt Ball page here:

Remembrance Day

On Sunday 10th November 2019, we held a special Remembrance Day Meet at Moundsmere Estate. The Meet was well attended with over 50 riders, including a large military contingent on this special day. Before we set off, we observed two minutes silence to honour the fallen. Horses and riders then enjoyed riding around the beautiful estate in the sunshine, cantering round the headlands and hopping over the hedges. The final line finished with a rather poignent cavalry charge up the last field, led by Major JJ Hathaway-White MDH.

“They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.At the going down of the sun and in the morningWe will remember them.”

Celebrating 150 Years!

The 2019/2020 season is our Drag Hunt's 150th year and as part of marking this momentous occasion, we are changing our name back to the original name of our pack. The Staff College Drag was formed in 1870 by officers of the Staff College along with staff and cadets of Sandhurst. The fun was furious and the sport exhilarating. At Sandhurst, the Drag was considered to be ‘quite the most important part of the curriculum’. Rumour had it that those who did not go hard with the Drag stood little chance of a staff job. So to mark our 150th year, we feel it is a fitting tribute to once again be called the "Staff College Drag Hunt".

The name change was first announced to our loyal Subscribers at our Subscribers' Dinner on 11th October 2019. Everyone enjoyed a fabulous white tie dinner in the Former Army Staff College at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.

And then we spread the good news at our Opening Meet on 13th Ocotber 2019! The Four Seasons Hotel, Dogmerfield, kindly welcomed us back for another year to kick off our season in great style. Over 100 horses and riders joined us for a wonderful day crossing the beautiful Hampshire countryside and jumping the famous Swan's Farm hedges.

Are You Coming Drag Hunting With Us This Season? If So, Please Read:

1. Please book in for all Meets by emailing Jess the Hunt Sec the week before the Meet. We need you to do this so we know numbers to arrange space for parking, how much Hunt tea to make...plus it’s the polite (and correct!) thing to do if you wish to attend.
2. Everyone please complete a disclaimer which can be downloaded from the Meet Card page. You need to complete a new one of these each season you come out, so please bring one to the first meet you attend and hand to Jess with your cap. We don’t keep disclaimers year to year (data protection) so even if you have done one in the past, please bring us a new one. Thanks.
3. Please have a look at the About Draghunting pages for information on what to wear, how to turn out your horse (please plait!) & etiquette to keep you safe & having fun on the day.
4. Before you leave for the Meet in the morning, double check the Meet Card page in case there have been any changes to where you need to go. The website will always be up to date.
5. Newcomers - always very welcome! Please contact Jess in advance of coming out with us.

If you have any questions please drop Jess an email

Meet Card Published!

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Please have a look at the Meet Card page of our website to see where we will be Drag Hunting this coming season. If you'd like to join us, please make sure you book in for each Meet with Jess our Hunt Sec by emailing See you there!

Summer Show & Inter-Hunt Relay

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We had a whale of a time over the August Bank Holiday weekend running our Summer Show, Inter-Hunt Relay and various displays at Wellington Country Fair and Horse Trials.

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Sunday saw an army of beautifully presented horses and riders turn out for our Summer Show. There were 19 classes over 3 rings, including Working Hunter plus various Ridden and In Hand classes and associated Championships. Most classes were qualifiers for Royal London Show and we also ran a group of Equifest qualifiers - it was lovely to see grinning competitors leaving the ring clutching their beautiful rosettes and qualification cards. Our generous sponsors also provided some fabulous prizes to the winners of each class - thank you to all the companies that supported our show.

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On Monday, 20 teams from Hunts, Riding Clubs and Pony Clubs across the country came together to battle it out in our Inter-Hunt Relay for the spectacular first prize of £1000! Huge thanks to Little Red Rooster PR for sponsoring the relay. It was a tightly fought contest, but the overall winners were the New Forest Hunt (Team Ipley) consisting of Tristan Ingram on Salsa, Alisha Coombes on Peaches, Lucy Fairman on Custard & Nicola Denness on Dollar. Well done!

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Throughout the weekend we also paraded our Hounds and ran Side Saddle and Skill At Arms displays and demonstartions, plus a Chase-Me-Charlie competition - all of which drew large crowds and were enjoyed by everyone.

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As always, these events only run so successfully due to our wonderful team of helpers who give up their free time to muck in. We couldn't do it without you - THANK YOU to everyone who helped!

Festival Of Hunting, July 2019

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Report by Johnny Hathaway-White MDH

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Our pack entered hounds at the Lycetts Festival of Hunting again this year, the summer's premier gathering of hounds of all varieties. The Masters of Draghounds and Bloodhounds Association show was well attended, and the standard of hounds was high. It was reassuring to see.

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Excellent work with hounds by Stephen Hall in preparation for our own hound show paid off in the ring at Peterborough, where he was ably supported by Mandy and Ben Hall. All three immaculately turned out, and brilliantly professional. Harry Denovan was a huge help behind the scenes on the day, and the team worked really hard in stifling conditions.

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The hard work paid off with great results, which bodes well for future days in the field and shows on the flags.

-Tenant took third in the unentered dog hound.

-Status was pipped to the top spot in a very close split judges' decision to take second in the unentered dog class.

-Textile got a third in the entered dog.

-In the entered bitches we took second and third with Tender and Daydream, respectively.

-We then put this same dream-team into the couples, where they took second place, again on a split decision.

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Hounds showed really well in hot conditions (so hot that static judging was done on the grass, not the flags, as they'd become too hot!  As you may have seen and heard, the whole lot was topped off by a splendid (and slightly boozey) picnic! Perfect!

Hound Show and Kennels Open Day, July 2019

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We had over 100 people attend our annual Hound Show and Kennels Open Day on 14th July. The Hunt Supporters' Club had pulled out all the stops in organising such a great day. Adults & children enjoyed browsing a range of stalls, a raffle, a bouncey castle, face painting, pony rides, a fun dog show and hound racing. A delicious afternoon tea was served featuring the cakes from our cake baking competition, won by Katherine Marshall with her wonderful raspberry muffins! All this ran alongside the main event, the Hound Show, with our hounds kindly judge by visiting Master of the South Downs Bloodhounds - Jeremy Whaley MBH. Jeremy cast a close and expert eye over the hounds on show, and decided that our Champion Hound was Strident, with Tender running a close second. Tender then put in her own winning performance by storming to victory in the hound racing.

Congratulations to all the winners in our Fun Dog Show:
 

Best Terrier - Sonny with Havoc
Best Gun Dog - Stuart with Jack
Best Any Other Breed - Jackie with Fergus
Waggiest Tail - Siobhan with Lulu
Prettiest Bitch - Daniel with Inca
Most Handsome Dog - Jason with Rex

With Best In Show going to Daniel with Inca!

Thanks to everyone who took part & to our lovely judges Amanda Stewart & Georgette Green.

Heritage Day, RMA, June 2019

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We had a fantastic time taking part in Heritage Day on 16th June 2019. We paraded our hounds, led by Huntsman Stephen Hall, followed by a hound meet & greet for onlookers. We then gave a Draghunting demonstration with runner Stuart Bruce laying a line which the hounds hunted, hotly pursued by Huntsman, whips, and a small field led side-saddle by Caroline Bullen MDH. The final part of the afternoon was an exciting gate jumping competition where we were represented by Rebecca Hardman, Sarah Elliott, Perdy Dabliz & Katya Browne. Thanks to everyone who came along to support and help, and to Johnny Hathaway-White MDH for co-ordinating the day and providing excellent and informative commentary on the proceedings!

Royal Windsor Fun Ride 2019

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What a fantastic couple of days at the Royal Windsor Fun Ride! Huge thanks to everyone ‘behind the scenes’ without whom this ride could not go ahead. Thank you to Amanda Stewart & her team for their top organisational skills, to our fence builders for the fabulous selection of jumps that the riders enjoyed and last but not least - to everyone who gave up their free time to steward the ride. We couldn’t have done it without you! The result of all the effort? 650 smiling riders having a great time in the beautiful setting of Windsor Great Park.

For more info on our Fun Rides, click here: