A wonderful day in Wales

The Monmouthshire have long been one of hunting’s hidden secrets, with a great grass country and a good deal of support, and hounds are flying this season

- ANDREW SALLIS

GOOD reports from the Monmouthshire had been leaking all season; a new team had bedded in well and was producing decent sport. Happily, the reports are true.

Our generous meet at Gelli-Llwyd Farm, just outside Llanvetherine, was hosted by Dilwyn Tranter and his partner Emma Powell, who hunts mounted. The hounds, a 40-strong mounted field and a host of supporters nestled in a paddock behind the farmhouse, out of which flowed enough food and drink to sustain a small army.

We were in opening meet country, a patchwork of small grass fields, valleys and woodland, cradled by a labyrinth of twisting lanes and stocked with hunt jumps, even a few decent hedges for the eager. The majestic Black Mountains, the theatre for great midweek sport, lay beyond, but in sight.

If subpoenaed by government enquiry, my preday WhatsApp from Charlie Dando – joint master and huntsman, now in his second season – will be found to be wholly accurate.

“You’ll be riding Dibble, a hunt horse,” it read. “He’s a gent, but not great scope, so don’t jump any gates.”

Shamefully, although I knew the Monmouthshire field like to leap across their picturesque vales, I hadn’t really considered gate-jumping a likely option, but it got me thinking.

Although a relatively new recruit to the hunt stables, Dibble was recognised by nearly everyone and was beautifully produced by Elizabeth Williams, the stud groom. Sometimes that isn’t a good thing. However, he was a handsome retired police horse and I felt safe.