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FEATURE
FEATURE
HUNTING
HUNTING
Hunting’s great
ambassador
Baroness Mallalieu, President of
the Countryside Alliance
“Patrick’s love of, care for and rapport
with his hounds is matched only by
his outstanding ability to communicate
with other people and to make
the case for hunting. An articulate
diplomat with the highest standards
in all he does, he has been, and I hope
will continue to be one of our greatest
champions.”
➺ P A T R I C K M A R T I N is set to retire after 23 seasons as
Huntsman of the Bicester Hunt with Whaddon Chase.An
exemplary frontline ambassador through some testing times,
P O L L Y P O R T W I N looks at Patrick’s career
P
atrick Martin’s working
lifetime has been committed
to service. His hunting
career began when he
started work in the Dulverton East
kennels under huntsman Walter Perry as
a 16-year-old. With no riding experience,
it was a baptism of fire so Patrick joined
the Kings Troop to improve his riding in
1975. It was here that his hunting career
really took off as he began whipping-in to
the Royal Artillery (RA) in 1978.
As a young man, he went to the
Linlithgow and Stirlingshire in 1979 as
first whipper-in for two seasons before
taking on the first whipper-in position
at the Berkeley. During his time at the
Berkeley, Patrick met his future wife
Susannah, a local farmer’s daughter.
“PATRICK IS RIGHTLY
INCREDIBLY PROUD OF THE
PACK THAT HAS... CLAIMED
NUMEROUS CHAMPIONSHIPS.”
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COUNTRYSIDE ALLIANCE l SPRING 2015
After 11 seasons at the Berkeley,
Patrick’s next chapter began when
the Bicester with Whaddon Chase
(BHWC) were recruiting a kennelhuntsman to share the horn with Ian
McKie MFH in their four day a week
country. Patrick hunted the dog hounds
two days a week in the northern parts
of the Bicester country, whipping in to
McKie in the formidable Thursday and
Monday countries
The role itself would have been
challenging enough for most, however
within the remit, Patrick had to oversee
McKie’s introduction to hunting hounds.
This was a task that Patrick relished and
only a man of his special character could
really have made it work as well as it
did, showing utmost professionalism at
all times, even when it was at its most
testing.The relationship between the
two huntsmen has created a lifelong
bond and they share a mutual respect
for each other.
When McKie moved to hunt the
“FAMOUSLY HE TOLD ALUN
MICHAEL “WHAT WE HAVE
HERE IN THESE HOUNDS IS
LIKE A PRECIOUS ANTIQUE.
WE’RE GOING TO CHERISH
AND STORE IT UNTIL WE CAN
BRING IT OUT AGAIN.”
College Valley/North Northumberland
in 2003, the hunt committee appointed
Patrick to hunt both BHWC packs,
hunting Mondays,Tuesdays,Thursdays
and Saturdays.
Aside from providing consistently
good sport in the BHWC country
for 23 seasons, Patrick has also been
heavily involved in the breeding and
development of the pack during his time
at Stratton Audley.The distinctive “Bicester
type” is larger than the average Modern
English foxhound and they are extremely
powerful, a quality that Patrick believes
helps them cross the country as it is
today, with plenty of wire.
Success on the flags was not
something the Bicester was familiar
with and it was a steep learning curve
for those involved when they first
took their hounds - without success to Builth Wells in Patrick’s early days.
Patrick is rightly incredibly proud of the
pack that has since claimed numerous
championships at all of the major hound
shows including Peterborough.
No doubt it was during his years in
the Kings Troop that Patrick had instilled
in him the discipline that would stand
www.countryside-alliance.org.uk
him in good stead throughout his career.
Meticulous about standards, Patrick’s
kennels have always been run with
military precision and although those
under his tutelage may not necessarily
have appreciated it at the time, those
who have gone on in hunt service
themselves quietly credit Patrick for
teaching them so well.
Patrick was heavily involved in the
redevelopment of their magnificent
kennels and often advises other packs on
improvements that can be made within
their own set up.
An eloquent spokesman, Patrick has
become an ambassador for our sport
throughout the campaign for hunting.
A great moment of pride came when he
blew Albert Buckle’s hunting horn on
stage at the first Hyde Park Rally in July
1997, a time when most of us couldn’t
believe that hunting was threatened quite
in the way it was.
Leading up to the enforcement of
the ban, Patrick was interviewed by
television and radio on a regular basis; he
gave evidence to the Burns Enquiry and
appeared before Alun Michael’s various
www.countryside-alliance.org.uk
select committees. He was also one
of the plaintiffs in the legal challenge
to the Labour government’s use of the
Parliament Act. Famously he told Alun
Michael “What we have here in these
hounds is like a precious antique. We’re
going to cherish and store it until we
can bring it out again”.
A natural and capable sportsman,
there is no doubt that Patrick could
have become a professional sportsman
or a professional actor. Golf has become
one of his releases from the pressure of
hunting under the ban and he has played
polo alongside the Prince of Wales, raising
money for the Hunt Staff Benefit Society
(HSBS). Patrick and Susannah’s son John is
a professional polo player and enjoys great
support from them both.
A true showman and entertainer, Patrick
has played a starring role in many of the
hunt’s fundraising activities throughout
the years and can be relied upon to act as
MC at any event while Susannah has been
a key player in the very active Bicester and
Whaddon Chasers supporters club. Her
catering skills are legendary.
Patrick calculates that he has hunted
an amazing 2,500 days since coming to
the Bicester with Whaddon Chase – that
is the equivalent of hunting every day of
the week for seven years.That is truly a
commitment to service. ●
“PATRICK CALCULATES THAT
HE HAS HUNTED AN AMAZING
2,500 DAYS SINCE COMING
TO THE BICESTER WITH
WHADDON CHASE.”
Simon Hart MP, former
Chief Executive of the
Countryside Alliance
“Ten years on and we forget the
high drama which went with the
hunting debate. We won the debate
in the media because we had brilliant
advocates who put our case with
humility, humour, conviction and with
passion. Patrick epitomised those
qualities then just as he does now.
Hunting’s survival is as much to do
with his input as anyone’s”
Tim Bonner, Countryside Alliance
Campaigns Director: “Over years
of passing journalists and television
cameras on to Patrick I think there is
only one word that I have never heard
him utter, and that is ‘no’. However
late the request, however obscure the
newspaper or channel, Patrick made
the case for hunting without complaint.
He is one of the finest advocates
hunting could ever wish to have”
Robin Hanbury-Tenison, Chief
Executive of the Countryside
Alliance 1997-1999
“It’s all a long time ago now, but
I well remember Patrick as the
staunchest and most convincing
voice for hunting back in those
heady days of rallies and marches.”
Patrick’s testimonial fund
Former joint-master John O’Neill is
coordinating the fundraising effort
for Patrick’s fund to which any
donations are most welcome. Please
send cheques, made payable to
“Patrick Martin Testimonial Fund”, to
J G O’Neill Esq, Hall Farm, Stratton
Audley, Bicester, OX27 9BT.
SPRING 2015 l COUNTRYSIDE ALLIANCE
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