Barrie

Hi Strongbow You're quite correct about that larger print, it does have an accompanying index print which names every single person, hound and terrier. It's a "proper job" as they say. However, it's the Eastern Counties Otter Hounds, rather than the Border Counties and no I'm not on there I'm afraid. Around that time, a number of the packs had prints produced as a way of raising funds and they were quickly snatched up. Below is the Border Counties version, I was lucky enough to be there that day (although not in the picture) and just out of interest it relates to the same day the photograph of Bert Gripton, with his terrier Thatch under his arm and an otter pad in his hand, was taken. Kindest Regards - Barrie

That old Bucks Otter Hounds print is one of my absolute favourite otter hunting prints. They were originally produced as a fund raiser for the B.O.H. and if my memory serves me right were at that time were being sold by the supporters club for the princely sum of £6 (I should be so lucky now). I have one hanging on the wall right now and never tire of admiring it.... and another one stored away in a tube to be passed on at some point. A.T. thank you for sharing and my very best wishes to the gentleman in question. Long may he enjoy his memories, they will ALWAYS be very special times no matter what lesser beings may decree !!!!

Tommy Dobson..... http://www.lakelandhuntingmemories.com/HuntsmenNew.html http://www.lakelandhuntingmemories.com/Dobson2New.html http://www.lakelandhuntingmemories.com/Dobson_ObNew.html

Border Counties Otter Hounds 1895

God bless him and all those good old 'uns

Which just goes to prove that facts and opinions (no matter how well intentioned) are all too often a million miles apart LOL Kindest Regards - Barrie

Hi Andy In that case I suspect her grandma is probably "Tam" (I hope my grey cells aren't letting me down on names here), if so she is the red bitch in the foreground and very much of a similar type. She was a good all round honest bitch, I'm pretty sure her mother was "Mopsy" who came down from the Blencathra several years before, but once again MN would know far better than I. Kindest Regards - Barrie

It is indeed..... I did the terriers for M's father (J) and his successors for 18 seasons, but we "occupied ourselves" with the terriers pretty much all year round. I guess we were very fortunate to have lived during somewhat more relaxed times

Unless I'm very mistaken, I suspect there's at least one of her ancestors in this photo, which was probably taken somewhere in the 1980's. But M.N. will definitely know better than I do on both of those scores She's a nice bitch and I know you'll enjoy.

Hopefully this may help...... https://www.terrierwork.com/taildocking.htm

You have a PM.

Sorry Kaizer.... what I should also have added is that in those days there was no internet either. As a result, it's fair to say that in the main a man's reputation (for better or worse) and those of his dogs were based on what they did in the field, rather than how prolific a poster they were on Facebook and the number of likes and dislikes they got.

I can only speak about those dogs I saw work for myself and both Billy and Chalky were 110% (as was the man himself). What I can say with some certainty is that they were very much different times, if there were any doubts about a dog's working ability, it normally resulted in an invitation to see the dog work. That's provided it was phrased correctly of course.... the alternative being a smack in the mouth LOL. Kindest Regards - Barrie

Amen to that mate.... I'm sorry we didn't get chance to chat, I only just saw the back of you as you were heading down the hill. But it was one hell of a turnout and fair play to those biker lads they gave him a proper send off, the likes of which I've never seen before. I've attached some pictures from way back then. The first one is when he won the original F&M Champion of Champions (as it was then) at the Midland Game Fair with his Lakeland Dog Billy. The Reserve was Gary Middleton's Border and the judge David Jones. The second picture is from when we travelled down to Sevenoaks, Kent and judged together, I'd say both date back to the mid 1980's. The third is when he won the old F&M show at Llangollen with Chalky and "Taff" Mitchell's Lakeland was Reserve. R.I.P. Old Friend