104 Lovers of the Horse 



h\ many who are always loud iu their praise of the surrouiidiuos. (ileuinore is situated 

 in the centre of a clump of trees; on the one side of it stands an old orchard, while on 

 the other side are two first-class tennis courts, which are seldom or ever idle during the 

 tennis season. To the back of the house are well-laid-out <i;olf links, well bunkereil and 

 banked, making them difficult to play over. The approach is through a long avenue 

 of fir and lilac trees, which adds to the lieauty of the place, (ilenmore is built on the 

 old colonial style and from the broad balcony can l)e .seen the tennis games as well as 

 the golf. The members take great deliglit in spending tlieir afternoons in this wav 

 wliil(> not in the saddle. 



I'he London Hunt and Country Club was hrst launched in the vear 1885, 

 shortly after the closing of the rebellion in the Northwest. It was due to the 

 efforts of tlie late John Fulcher. who at that time was the ridinii' and driving master 

 at the Ilellnnith Ladies" Colleije. that this Club was oriranized. 'Lhat <>'entleman was 

 alwavs an enthusiastic horseman, and owned a first-class lot oi hunters. On returnino- 

 from the Northwest he suggested the forming of a hunt club, which met with a great 

 deal of success, and as the years have gone by it has grown so that twice thev ha<l to 

 move to larger ])reniises until the ])resent location was chosen. 



The original members of the Clnl) were: the late Col. Peters, who was the first 

 Ma.ster; Doctor Xiveji. the late Henry Beecher, Col. A. M. Smith, W. T. Strong. Col. 

 Dawson. Robert \\ allacc. and the founder of the Club. In the yi'ar lcSS.> there were onlv 

 al)out twenty members, and in the original pack of hounds there were only four to 

 be used at the first season's meets. U'his.like the Club, has been increased from season 

 to season until now it is known as one of the best packs on the continent of America, 

 owing to new blood being imported to this kennel each year. 



TIk' fiist meets of the Club were held at the old race-course in East London, of 

 which j)lace many good hunting stories are told even at the time of writing. For the 

 finst couj)le of .sea.sons there was no encouragement for the original members, but after 

 the social element was added to the Club in the year 1887 it branched out and has been 

 on the increase ever since. Through the social element other lines of sport were taken 

 up, .such as golf, tennis, and snowshoeing, which all went to make the place more attrac- 

 tive; notwithstanding this fact, hunting has always been the ])rimary object of the Club 

 and a more ideal country than the township of London could not be found for the 

 sport. The beautiful lundxapc llic rolling couiilry. with the hedges and water-jumps, 

 go to make it perfect. Fox hunting is next to impossible. I>ul trail hunting, as in most 

 Canadian cities, is thoroughly enjoyed, and the attendance at each run is large. 



One of the most j)lea.sant features of the London (Jlub is the fact that there never 

 occurs any friction with the farmers over whose places the chase is held. Many of 

 these take as much interest in the Club as the members themselves, and even go so far 

 as to attend the meets. Each fall a dinner is tendered the farmers and their families, 

 while a gymkhana is held for their aunisement, and in which they take part in the numerous 

 events. The Club offers every inducement to the farmers of the surrounding country 

 to breed .saddle horses and hunters by purcliasing from llicni u lien good ones are offered 

 for sale. 



