About us
About us
The New Forest Hounds are a committee-run bloodhound pack, based in the New Forest. Our committee is headed by Pamela Baker as Chairman with its Executive Committee members drawn from the New Forest Hunt Club. The New Forest Hounds are a member of the Masters of Draghound and Bloodhound Association (MDBA) who represent bloodhound packs across the UK.
There are currently 3 Joint Masters who all help to run the hunting day, Carol Lovell, Will Day and Tom Blachford. Pamela Baker is the Chairman of our Hunt Club and Penny Rendle is our Honourary Secretary.
Our Professional Huntsman, Jack Jennings joined us at the start of the 2023/2024 season and is supported by a dedicated team at kennels, continuing on with our pack of bloodhounds from our previous Professional Master Huntsman, Michael Woodhouse.
A successful exciting fresh start
The New Forest Hounds (the Hunt) have converted to a bloodhound pack from a trail hunting pack (see below). From 2022 we have been hunting the “Clean Boot” i.e., the natural scent of a Human Runner. This is practiced by hunting a pack of bloodhounds which we now have in Kennels. This is a fundamental shift in the type of hound being hunted by the hunt.
Trail hunting was practiced since 2005 and was fast and exciting. Before that, when foxhunting was legal, that was the practice carried out since the hunt’s formation in 1791.
The New Forest Hounds have always been a forward-thinking Pack. In The 1970s the Master of the Hunt, brought in Welsh Foxhound Blood into the breeding programme. This was very successful and lead the way for many packs. The most famous hound was New Forest Medyk. He was used across the UK for breeding.
The New Bloodhound Pack
We have been very lucky to draft in a full pack of Bloodhounds. We are extremely grateful to the Coakham, The Kent and Surrey, The South Downs and The Hamilton Bloodhounds for the drafts given to us and their support and guidance.
Our Previous Foxhound Pack
This pack has now been split between other Trail hunts. We are pleased that they went in large groups to hunts in Wales, the Cotswolds, and the South East to continue trail hunting. Some older hounds have been retired in our kennels,to enjoy the retirement that they deserve. They exercise daily, alongside our Bloodhound pack and you may well see them on exercise.
