# Changes at The Portman and The Wilton



## Judgemental (2 December 2011)

Can anybody shed any light on the probable successor to Charles Frampton at the Portman?

With the retirement of Mark Hankinson at the end of the season at the neighbouring Wilton, any takers there?


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## Judgemental (4 December 2011)

Some old dog hounds have picked up an interesting scent.

The Baileys map shows that much of the Wilton country is loaned to them by the New Forest.


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## Maesfen (4 December 2011)

I've heard that Charlie Gundry is due to take on the Portman.


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## Judgemental (6 December 2011)

Maesfen said:



			I've heard that Charlie Gundry is due to take on the Portman.
		
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That has instant success writ large at The Portman.

The Wilton is a rather more academic subject. Probably one of the most recent and only contemporary comments is that made by Willie Poole in his CV, which can be found at www.willypoole.com where he says of The Wilton,

"They were charming people and I have always compared them to the 40-year-old virgin - thankful for small mercies. The Wilton was a country of rolling chalk downland and big woods. It was, and is, very feudal and most hospitable".


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## Judgemental (11 December 2011)

The Wilton are quite important in the scale of things, with a just a handful of landowners controlling virtually the whole country, anybody know what is going to happen there? A country where shooting is, unfortunately, predominant.


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## Alec Swan (11 December 2011)

J_M,

thank you for including the Willy Poole blog.  He never fails to raise my spirits,  and I loved The Wilton quote,  very funny!!

Alec.


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## Judgemental (11 December 2011)

Alec Swan said:



			J_M,

thank you for including the Willy Poole blog.  He never fails to raise my spirits,  and I loved The Wilton quote,  very funny!!

Alec.
		
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In that case Alec and assuming you have not recently visited Willie's Blog, may I suggest you further uplift your day at http://www.willypoole.blogspot.com/ where you will find he is still the consummate raconteur and is right up to date with November and December's views!


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## Alec Swan (11 December 2011)

How do we move for Mister Poole to receive a knighthood?  If for no other reason,  than English prose,  he deserves such an accolade.  He's a delightful man.

Alec.


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## LEC (11 December 2011)

I have also heard Charlie Gundry. I know a well known name in horses who got through to the final few but Charlie was handed the job.


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## Izzywizz (12 December 2011)

Charlie is def moving to the Portman. His job with the Kilkenny was being advertised yesterday.


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## Judgemental (28 December 2011)

Sources say that the Wilton are having a professional. A very sound move in that particular country.


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## Aesculus (28 December 2011)

Can I appeal to your collective Christmas spirit and ask everyone to PLEASE stop speculating regarding  'who is going where' it may be a 'bit of fun' for you but for others its their career with ongoing upset to family and potentially the lack of accommodation affecting their futures.

Please remember that until 1st May nothing is set in stone - it could all go wrong with injuries, changes of minds etc affecting your amusing diversions. There are an awful lot of people on the list and until the announcements are official then it really is not fair to use a public forum for what is, in effect, gossip.


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## Judgemental (28 December 2011)

Aesculus said:



			Can I appeal to your collective Christmas spirit and ask everyone to PLEASE stop speculating regarding  'who is going where' it may be a 'bit of fun' for you but for others its their career with ongoing upset to family and potentially the lack of accommodation affecting their futures.

Please remember that until 1st May nothing is set in stone - it could all go wrong with injuries, changes of minds etc affecting your amusing diversions. There are an awful lot of people on the list and until the announcements are official then it really is not fair to use a public forum for what is, in effect, gossip.
		
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Aesculus, that's all very well and I understand where you are coming from.

However, our great leader Kate Hoey MP, rather set the ball rolling when she decided to write to The Daily Mail, as I recollect about the changes at the Heythrop. http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=492623

You cannot supress reasonable comment in these matters. All publicity is good publicity.

So far as your last point is concerned, Masters and Committees should take account of these forums (the media impact of the Internet) and make sure everybody is properly looked after and properly briefed well in advance of any announcement.

Hunting is like any other sport, for example talk of football managers moving hither and thither, is a daily occurance.


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## Aesculus (28 December 2011)

Unfortunately JM Not all parts involved with the 'transfer' of hunt staff move at the same speed if they did then your mitigation might have some validity particularly as it is now increasingly international in scope.
As a staunch defender of the role and duties of Hunt Secs in past posts you will know it is for them and them alone to inform the relevant people when the time comes.

From experience I can tell you that not all Hunt Secs have access to the online media or would want to be involved if they did 

And as for justifying something just because a politician does it... well that is a whole new thread surely?

However where I wholeheartedly agree with you (after a bit of editing which I hope you will forgive)  is that "Masters and Committees should make sure everybody is properly looked after and properly briefed well in advance of any announcement."


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## Judgemental (28 December 2011)

Aesculus said:



			Unfortunately JM Not all parts involved with the 'transfer' of hunt staff move at the same speed if they did then your mitigation might have some validity particularly as it is now increasingly international in scope.
As a staunch defender of the role and duties of Hunt Secs in past posts you will know it is for them and them alone to inform the relevant people when the time comes.

From experience I can tell you that not all Hunt Secs have access to the online media or would want to be involved if they did 

And as for justifying something just because a politician does it... well that is a whole new thread surely?

However where I wholeheartedly agree with you (after a bit of editing which I hope you will forgive)  is that "Masters and Committees should make sure everybody is properly looked after and properly briefed well in advance of any announcement."
		
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Aesculus, this is a very interesting subject and how hunting adapts to what is another Media Group - The Internet.

Interestingly, when the Heythrop thread was in 'full cry' somebody remarked that it was surprising it had been allowed to run.

Whereas other threads have been locked or completely removed. When that happens there is much grumbling and shouts of 'freedom of speech' - seemingly in every instance the subject comes up in another guise which is evident on this forum.

However in the case of the Heythrop thread and the 'example' set by Ms Hoey, it seemed that TFC found it was a good thing to 'put the full pack into the covert', so to speak. Hounds fully drew the subject and then were happy to go on their merry way to another subject. 

Much better folk can air their views, opinions and share information. If the latter is incorrect they can be advised of their error.


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