life
EQUESTRIAN - Sponsored by Brickfields and Froghill Tack
Successful ball
in idyllic setting
This year’s Isle of Wight Foxhounds Hunt
Ball at Kings Manor, by kind permission
of Jamie and Susie Sheldon, was, by all
accounts, ‘the best ever’. The weather was
perfect, the setting idyllic and the 300 or
so guests were able to enjoy the champagne
reception, sponsored by Medina Wines, on
the banks of the River Yar as the sun set
over the salt marshes.
Huntsman Rick Dolphin and Joint Master
Malcolm Purcell greeted the guests on
arrival in full hunting kit which made the
event very special. Rick blew the horn to
draw attention and Nick Ward, MC for the
evening, asked everyone to gather at their
tables for Grace read by Jamie Sheldon.
Each table was named after a foxhound
and a picture of the hound was displayed.
Where possible, guests were placed on
‘suitable’ tables – ‘Garlic’ for the guests
from the Garlic Farm, ‘Barrister’ for the
table of lawyers, ‘Cocktail’ and ‘Barmaid’
for the guests that enjoy a tipple and ‘Music’
for the dancers.
The Heads and Tails competition, which
has guests standing on their chairs to play,
and always starts the evening in a light
hearted way, had a winner’s prize of a
case of champagne, kindly donated by the
82
Island Farriers, while the Horn Blowing
Competition, judged by Huntsman Rick
Dolphin saw a high level of entries with a
challenge cup going to the winner.
David Rogers and his team from All About
Catering served a delicious supper with
many ingredients generously donated by
Island growers including the Garlic Farm
(starter), Brakes (pudding), Farmer Jacks,
the Isle of Wight Cheese Company and
Wight Milk.
Dancing to Late Night Sound and the Tony
Martin Music show kept the dance floor
full until the very end. At 2am, there were
still 100 revellers begging for the music to
continue.
The Hunt Ball is now established as a
premier event in the Island’s social diary,
but its main function is as always, a major
fund raiser for the Isle of Wight Foxhounds.
Around £6,000 was raised in total for
essential Hunt funds and a donation of £275
was made to the Earl Mountbatten Hospice
from the proceeds of the auction of the
limited edition Ben Wood image.
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