Festival of Hounds

What other Hounds can you see at the FOH?

Sight Hounds

All sighthounds have coursing in their blood. In the UK, coursing was totally banned by the 2004 UK Hunting Act; in Ireland it is still popular (and legal!) sport with many local clubs and meetings, and National Championships.

Coursing is the oldest of all field sports, with records going back to 4000 BC. It was, until the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, the sport of royalty and high ranking nobility, and illegal for anyone below the Duke to won a greyhound.

Queen Elizabeth I was passionate about coursing and ordered the drawing up of rules, which, amended as required, are basically the rules under which we course today.

Greyhounds

The Greyhound is the second fastest animal alive today, and coursing under National Coursing Club rules is a test of the greyhound’s speed and agility and a joy to watch

Salukis

Salukis are probably the oldest and most romantic of the gazehounds. Bred to hunt in the desert, the Bedouins used to (and still do) hunt on horseback with a hawk on the wrist and a Saluki at heel. They are varied and pretty hounds with great stamina.

Deerhounds

Deerhounds, as the name implies, originally bred to chase deer, but, before the ban, coursed the mountain hare. They have amazing strength and stamina, and to watch them ‘flowing’ across the heather in Scotland was a great sight. They are gentle giants and make wonderful companions- if you have the space!

Whippets

Whippets are loyal, feisty, determined and great hunters, also they are remarkably fast. They will chase anything and now the ban is in place they have great fun chasing a lure.

The whippet makes and outstanding pet, and are renowned as ‘pat dogs’, used to give comfort to patients in hospitals.

Fellhounds

The Blencathra Foxhounds are one of a number of fell packs associated to (but not members of) the Masters of Foxhounds Association. They are one of six Fell packs in Cumbria

Because of the terrain, mounted hunting is not feasible in the Lake District. Lakeland foxhounds are lighter and more agile than hounds bred by mounted packs and they are bred to cope with difficult terrain. During the summer closed season, hounds from all fell packs are shown in competition at annual Lakeland shows including Rydal, Lowther and the Threlkeld Puppy Show.

To find out more about the Blencathra Fellhounds visit their website here

Terriers