Foxhound bitch judging in full swing

What was in the small glass jar the lady in car park gave me to open? ‘The top is very stubborn’, she insisted. Without looking at the label, a gentleman always averts his eyes, I gave it a twist and off it came.

No fish paste here - it was caviar!

It could only be the day of the Peterborough Royal Foxhound Show. And so with my umbrella recovered from the car now dwarfed by Jeeps and Land Rovers, I picked my way through the picnic tables and rugs to the gate and enclosure hosts the main foxhound event.

It was flanked this year by more trade stands than before and a revised layout offered visitors more stand space to view the judging of hounds and harriers. How sad to see a ‘Museum of Hunting’.

The usual feature of the hound parade featured Salukis, deerhounds and Irish Wolfhounds which a day earlier had been part of the East of England show. Here once again an informed commentary keep the ringside amused.

In the Foxhound enclosure dogs were judged in the morning and after a civilised one hour break for lunch the bitches took to the ring in the afternoon.

It was, as ever, a very British affair with a dress code for judges, masters and kennelstaff and a garden party atmosphere which attracts visitors year after year. This year it was publicised as the Peterborough Festival of Hunting and once again the main championship show was given an honorary mention as part of the whole event.

Bill Moores