By Richard Griffiths
Gordon Ronald Jones, the former master and huntsman died on 4 February, aged 96.
Gordon was the son of Ronald Percival Michael-Jones and Jacqui, née Brooks. His father was hunting hounds in Northern Ireland at the time, but his mother returned to Wales for the whelping. His father came back and hunted the Llangibby and Pentyrch Foxhounds.
He was educated at Abergavenny grammar school, after which his first jobs were in racing stables and helping his father who was at the Holkham Harriers. In 1946, encouraged by his father, Gordon went to the the Happy Valley race track in Hong Kong as a jockey.
Gordon left Hong Kong and joined Royal Navy frigate HMS Alacrity, where he became a signwriter. He also boxed for the Navy and played football for them. On his return to Portsmouth, he declined an offer to play football professionally. In 1952, he was helping his father at the Holkham Harriers when he married Kathleen. They had four daughters – Sue, Wendy, Viv and Mandy.
In 1953, Gordon moved to Monmouthshire under the mastership of Colonel Harry Llewellyn as whip and terrier man. Unfortunately, he had a fall over a cliff; the horse survived, but he was paralysed for six months. He was soon back in action from 1954 to 1957 as second horseman for Mr Towler, MFH of the South Shropshire.
From 1957 to 1958, he was at Kelso racing stables, then from 1958 to 1959, he was whip to the Badsworth. The following season, he was whip to the Dartmoor where there was no jumping until, on the last day of the season, a gate was too much of a temptation and he fell and broke his leg.
He went to the Tedworth from 1960 to 1963 then North Shropshire until 1966. He was with the Weston Harriers, as they then were, from 1966 to 1967, the first time as huntsman.
Next came the West Shropshire from 1967 to 1972, during which time they amalgamated with the Tanatside, then he had a slight change, hunting the North East Cheshire Drag Hounds from 1972 to 1974, followed by a year out.
In 1975, he became huntsman at the Cotswold Vale where he met Diane Turner who lived in Cambridge, Gloucestershire, mainly hunting with the Berkeley, competing in triathlons and involved with the Pony Club. They married on 7 July 1977.
The Weston and Banwell Harriers had amalgamated, and Gordon was master and huntsman from 1979 to 1983. He moved on to the South Herefordshire from 1983 to 1994, Di joining him in the mastership in 1990. Gordon hunted the hounds for five seasons then Diane took over for the remaining six.
Baily’s Hunting Directory says the most notable mastership was Mrs Simmons from 1931 to 1951 and 1956 to 1961. “However, Mr and Mrs Gordon Jones’s 11 seasons proved to be a very successful period.”
From there followed two years’ retirement in Herefordshire, followed by the move to Dolycoed, Llanfallteg in 1996. Here they hosted shows, hunter trials and dressage events for the Carmarthenshire and South Pembrookeshire hunts. They also accommodated the Vale of Taf branch of the Pony Club. They were kept busy with bed and breakfast and the holiday cottage, where Diane’s mother had lived.
Sadly, Gordon’s back stopped him riding eventually, but Diane persuaded him to follow by car with his friend Richard Griffiths.
At Richard’s housewarming party at Llwynrheol, Pembrokeshire, Gordon was introduced to Celia Cook, a former master of beagles. It led to a number of happy years travelling all over the country, mainly for race meetings.
Amazingly, when Gordon retired to Llanfallteg, he didn’t know how to put a bridle on a horse. For all his life, others had done it for him.
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