The Duke of Beaufort’s Doynton ’09 won the Stallion Hound class at the Peterborough Royal Foxhound Show in 2011. He then went on to take the Champion Dog Hound title over the VWH’s Ptarmigan ’10. Capt Ian Farquhar, his breeder, and joint-master of the Duke of Beaufort’s, is full of praise for the hound. ‘Doynton has tremendous quality, presence and movement, with size-all of which are desirable in a top hound.’
The Peterborough Royal Foxhound Show has been running since 1878, and is now based at the East of England Showground. The Beaufort has been competing there since 1898, winning the championship for the first time the following year, when the 9th Duke was in his first year as Master. The pack now boasts a tally of Peterborough championships, well ahead of any other pack in Britain-13 since 1999, 10 of which were dog-hound wins.
The Beaufort have also won five Peterborough dog-hound championships in a row (between 2002 and 2008), the only pack ever to do so. Its bloodlines are highly sought after, because of the exceptional size and quality of the hounds, combined with their outstanding hunting ability. The Beaufort hounds have only been bred by two people since the 1920s-the late 10th Duke of Beaufort (Master) and Capt Farquhar.
Doynton’s litter brother Doublet ’09 won the same title at the championship in 2009, and his father, Bailey ’03, claimed it in 2004. ‘Winning a championship at Peter-borough is the top accolade for any hound. Bailey was probably one of the most influential stallion hounds of his decade.’ Hounds entered in the class must have hunted for at least two seasons, and be certified as the sire of living puppies. They must also have been bred in the kennel from which they are shown.
As to Doynton’s character, Capt Farquhar laughingly reports that: ‘Like most young men, he can be a little wayward, but he is improving all the time.’ He continues: ‘Doynton is an exceptionally friendly hound, and a great tribute to his puppy walker, Liz Hibbard.’
* Subscribe to Country Life and save up to 41%
