THE RACE OF BELVOIR 



teresting information. He says, " For years I have kept to 

 the Weathergage strain. I do not think they have anything 

 to beat it at Belvoir since he came on the flags. I have also 

 used Gambler, Watchman, Forecast, Gordon, Dexter, Nomi- 

 nal, Batchelor, also Pirate and Fencer, but like the former 

 better. In years gone by Senator, Warrior and Comus were 

 very celebrated. There is no kennel in England where you 

 can get so much quality, substance, and colour combined. 

 Gillard must have studied them well to carry it out as he did, 

 and they reflect the highest credit on him." No less emphatic 

 is the approval of the huntsman of the York and Ainsty, and 

 of the Morpeth, both kennels which have earned a great and 

 just reputation. 



William Dale, now huntsman at Badminton, was formerly 

 with the Brocklesby, and is well known as a thoughtful 

 student of hound-breeding. His letter is of peculiar 

 value, as showing the opinion of an able man who has 

 bred and hunted hounds. " I always maintain that there 

 were no two packs that hit so well together as Belvoir and 

 Brocklesby, or showed such a family likeness." He then 

 refers to the fact that " Rallywood's descendants, however 

 remote, always showed signs of their descent. The Weather- 

 gage strain proved successful at Brocklesby, also Fencer. I 

 think that Weathergage was one of the most wonderful sires 

 that ever existed ; his offspring were always good workers, 

 and the same of his son Gambler." Then referring to Brock- 

 lesby Rally wood, he goes on, " I could trace his good qualities 

 in the hounds I used years afterwards, showing clearly how 

 hounds strain back." Returning once more to the north, Lord 

 Zetland's hounds show a considerable infusion of Belvoir 

 blood. An important contribution to the subject under con- 

 sideration comes from Arthur Wilson of the Essex and 

 Suffolk, whose previous experience in the York and Ainsty 

 and Atherstone and Belvoir kennels gives weight to his opinion. 

 " To give you a history of hounds I have known in the 

 Belvoir kennels would fill up a book, and I have notes of the 

 Belvoir hounds for the last twenty years. My favourite line 

 is Warrior, the son of Weathergage, and every hound I bred 



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