| The
Rand Hunt has its origins in the Germiston Hunt Club, which was founded
in the summer of 1886, the year of the discovery of the Rand Gold
Fields. Although they must have had to use a motley collection of
hunting hounds, these early pioneers set about to develop an African
version of what was their favourite equestrian sport. |
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When
Queen Victoria disbanded the Royal Buckhounds of Windsor, a Mr Cohen
was asked to buy some of the hounds at the Tattersalls sale on behalf
of the Hunt. He bought the third draft and employed Mr Smith, who
was Second Whipper-in to the Royal Buckhounds, to bring them out to
South Africa. Smith stayed on and hunted the hounds for a season at
a fee of £100. The hounds proved unsuitable for South African
conditions as they were too heavy and had soft feet. This together
with the expense of Mr Smith's fee led to the disbanding of the pack
and the sale of the hounds. |
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In 1914,
most of the members of the Germiston Hunt moved to Johannesburg
and re-grouped as the Rand Hunt Club, hunting from Langlaagte. In
1919 Mr C A Hadley was appointed Master and the Hunt carried on
mainly as a social club as the hounds were quite useless.
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| When C
A Hadley died in 1934, Bob Keegan took over as Master and Peter Wilson
as Huntsman. The task of building a strong pack was begun in earnest
and serious hunting started again. Peter Wilson was to prove to be
the foundation stone to build the pack we depend on today. He succeeded
Bob Keegan as Master in 1945 and served the Hunt in this role for
46 years. |
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In 1934
the Rand Hunt and the Johannesburg Polo Clubs joined forces to form
the Inanda Club and the hounds were moved to new kennels at Inanda,
north of the outlying country area known as Rosebank. For many years
the hunting territory covered what is now Sandown, Wendywood, Buccleuch
and Petervale. With the urbanisation of Sandton, the hounds had to
be moved to Inanda Country Base, making access to open hunting country
a lot easier. Encroaching urban development has followed though, and
good hunting ground in this valley is becoming more and more difficult
to find. |
| South
African conditions require hounds with good feet to withstand the
hard and stony ground. The first Fell hound was imported in 1934.
The Blencathra Hunt has proved to have ideal hounds for South African
conditions as they hunt in rough mountainous country. In all about
45 hounds have been imported to date. |
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In
1973, as it was felt that the hounds were losing their cry, so a
Welsh hound called Vernon was imported from the Pentych Hunt in
the Cardiff area. Welsh hounds, like their human counterparts are
renowned for their good voices. The cry of the pack is essential
to both hound and huntsmen to ensure efficient hunting. The Welsh
hound's long wiry coat is still evident in a few of the Rand Hunt's
pack. |
Without
doubt the Rand Hunt now boasts the best pack in the country. Although
these hounds are capable of hunting live quarry, and are often bought
by farmers for the control of jackal, the Rand Hunt Club hunts a
drag. This is a trail of jackal scent laid by a rider about 10 minutes
ahead of the pack.
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| The
dedicated efforts of the three Joint Masters, the Hunt Committee and
a small team of their helpers ably guide the Hunt. Conor Doak was
appointed Master in 1975, Earl Seals in 1987 and Sue Goodman was recognised
for her outstanding commitment to the Hunt when she was appointed
a Joint Master in 1997. |
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The excitement of hunting ensures the continued popularity of this
sport and the Rand Hunt continues to grow from strength to strength. |
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