Prep school pupils earn their hunting colours

Eight keen young hunt followers received their school colours for hunting - smart Countryside Alliance ties - at a special event at the Ledbury hunt kennels on Friday.

Pupils from the Elms School near Malvern can elect to hunt with the Ledbury as part of their games lessons and classics teacher Sarah Austen takes a different year group out each Monday, joining the trail hunt at second horses.

Last Friday (6 June) those brave souls who put their riding skills to the test last season had a barbecue at the Ledbury kennels, some were awarded their school colours and they met the hounds they now sponsor - Lampton and Makeup.

Mrs Austen said: "We were shown the hounds in lodges before being seated round the ring for our own puppy show. All 40 children all had lists of the hounds and pens to mark their choices. The master, Louise Daly, explained what they should be looking for in a good hound and one of our hunting fathers was the judge! When we had seen all the young hounds, Mrs Daly brought in six older hounds, all with different coloured collars on, and the children had to place them in the order of which they thought the best. Two children got all six in the order on which the master and huntsman had agreed!"

As well as their colours, one boy, Hugh Ralli, was given a special prize by Mrs Daly for being the most helpful child on the hunting field last season.

Mrs Daly said: "It was a great practice for our puppy show next month. The children were unbelievably well behaved and now know a little about what goes on at the kennels out of the season.

"Lampton and Makeup are both easily identifiable hounds so we should be able to spot them quite easily next season."

Pictured, from left to right - Zac Robertson, Hugh Ralli, Caroline Daly and Georgie Voelker receive their hunting colours (Countryside Alliance ties) with sponsored hounds Lampton (right) and Makeup