'You couldn't want for more

The Ludlow's peaceful country makes for a day in "hunting paradise"

- POLLY PORTWIN

Cleestanton, Shrops

IT'S not often that you're lucky enough to experience the sight and sound that makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up within moments of leaving the meet, but this was one of those days. Members of the field had barely tightened their girths when hounds picked up the trail that had been laid earlier in the day.

Under the guidance of their professional huntsman, Chris West, hounds were in full cry as they came away from Kitesnest.

Our field master, Fred Powell a four-star international event rider in his second season in the mastership stylishly led the field in pursuit of hounds.

As we pulled up some minutes later, I overheard Davina Daly say: "I'm definitely wearing one layer too many!" The daughter of trainer Henry Daly - whose stables are situated on the magnificent Downton Estate where we had met - and his wife Clarissa, who is a former master of the Ludlow, Davina had ridden out one lot before hunting, putting the rest of us to shame.

IDYLLIC COUNTRY

ON the way to our next draw, Fred, keenly followed by a handful of others including senior master Georgina Owen, popped a hedge with a decent drop as competition started hotting up for the prize for the most hedges jumped.

We'd met at a farm on the magnificent "hunting paradise" that is Downton Estate by kind permission of Mark and Philippa Wiggin, a meet that was held specifically to raise funds for keeping the hunt staff well mounted.

Hounds went on to draw Saunders Rough while the field could take in the glorious Shropshire countryside, then watch hounds draw into Jubilee covert on the top of the valley opposite.