For Steve Key- Two Seasons In Pictures
he Croome paparazzi are a thing of wonder to behold for anyone who isn't used to them. While I grew up on stories (however true) of MFHs sneaking their mistresses into the woods for a quickie, no one at the C&WW could ever imagine such debauchery, not because our subscribers are especially pious, but because no sooner would the mistress have lowered a zip with a murmur of "Yes master you are right, I do need some horn blowing practice" than one of our photographers would have appeared, long lens in hand, posed to capture the field coming in over a rail. Of these photographers Steve was something of a leader, and so here are some of the photographs he took of Bluey and me over our first two seasons with the Croome and West Warwickshire, and the story behind each one.
29 Things That Happen At Every Hunt Ball
Someone usually decides that the entire hunt needs to see them take off their shirt. Spoiler alert: this is rarely the scrumptious new subscriber, and almost always the aged terrier man with a beer belly and a dodgy tattoo
Which Jilly Cooper Heroine Are You?
Side Saddle Q&A
You can do anything aside that you can do astride, with the exception of jousting (or so I am told). For generations of women riding side saddle in the hunting field gave them their sole opportunity to be equal to men
10 People You Meet at Hunt Balls
The Young Blood
Thinks he's Rupert Campbell- Black, when actually he has a 2:2 from Bristol and a gold- plated signet ring.
Oh Jilly.....
I can confirm that at the age of sixty, Rupert Campbell- Black is still the handsomest man in England. And in Wales. And everywhere. Even if he is a bit of a prat.Nobody reads Jilly for its great literary credentials, but be assured, R C-B is now a Shakespeare lover. No more will Helen call him and Billy (oh sorry Jilly killed him) a philistine.
Time To Cut Greedy Farmers Down To Size? No, Emma Duncan, No
That's the thing with farming- you can be wholly removed from it, understand nothing, completely hate it and yet your very survival hinges on it
In Defence of Horse Racing
Around three hundred years ago three stallions made their way from the sun- baked Middle East to the grey shores of Britain. Known by the names of their owners, they were the Darley Arabian, the Godolphin Arabian, and the Byerley Turk. Today every single thoroughbred alive can be traced in direct male descent to one of these stallions. You may be able to marry a place in Burke's Peerage, but the Weatherby's stud book is closed.
Blue For Bonnie
Tonight across the country hunting mothers will hold their children a little closer. In every pack someone will remember another rider lost to the chase. Those who are still hunting will take an extra swig of port before a big jump and reassure themselves today is not my day.
25 Things You Know If You Grew Up On A Farm
On Farm Animal Welfare
22 Things You Know If You Work With Farmers
20 Things That Happen When You Are Forever Single
At college someone started a rumour that you had a significant other living at home. There was no other way that you could have been single for so long.
36 Hunt Followers You Might Meet in the Field
The Hunt Ball Organiser
Starts advertising the hunt ball at meets two months before the date. A week before is still begging people to pay up, especially the terrier men who have ten seats booked for themselves and the local foot pack, but have paid nothing and are all claiming that their phones don't work. Spends the day of the ball blowing up balloons, crying over the wine list, and dealing with frantic phone calls from the MFH who has just realised that both his wife and leggy girl groom mistress would like to sit on his right hand side.