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Inside, we ordered a round of drinks in lieu
of the traditional stirrup cup. Rory and Sean,two members of the Blazers, were already
sitting there. They shared a cottage at Lough Cutra Castle near Gort and made us feel
welcome immediately. Both were great fun and friendly and, within minutes, had everyone
laughing at their repartee and stories. Slowly the pub filled up with hunting folk
rubbing their hands from the cold and shouldering their way through to the bar. Then Doug
Sloan, a fellow Canadian from Toronto, came in, followed by Warren Harrover and Randy
Rouse, both Masters from Virginia. The great thing about Ireland is that it attracts the
true hunters from all over the world. Every year they return to their Irish Mecca to
experience the thrill, danger, excitement and camaraderie that is created in its hunting
field.
It never seems that a whole year has passed since we last saw each other, for Warren
will often start a conversation by saying, "Hello, you long bugger. Have you heard
this one?" and carry on with a hilarious story or joke as if we had never left the
bar since the year before.
The Galway County is a little stiff and starchy, and some of its young lady members who
hunt seem to have been born unable to smile. However, the Hunt is extremely well run and
has an excellent rapport with the farmers because of an established practice of
re-building immediately during the Hunt any walls that are knocked down. Two or three wall
builders follow the field precisely for that purpose. |
| We left the pub at eleven and
there was my great friend, Michael Dillon, with his pretty daughter, Geraldine, each
holding five horses. "Welcome back. It's lovely to see you all," he grinned
warmly. Getting horses from Michael is an absolute joy. His hirelings are always
immaculate - clipped, braided, hooves oiled and dressed in clean, high-quality tack. Not
only that: They are fit, will gallop on, jump anything you put them at and will be there
at the end of a hard hunt.
We mounted and trotted down the road after the hounds. I was on a big bay horse about
17 hands high, with Donna beside me on an enormous Grey draft horse and Rory and Sean
behind us. Donna, trying to look the efficient master, was very stiff in the saddle,
attempting to create a good impression and put on a brave face in front of our Irish
friends. |
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