By Richard Griffiths
Gordon Ronald Jones, the previous grasp and huntsman died on 4 February, aged 96.
Gordon was the son of Ronald Percival Michael-Jones and Jacqui, née Brooks. His father was searching hounds in Northern Eire on the time, however his mom returned to Wales for the whelping. His father got here again and hunted the Llangibby and Pentyrch Foxhounds.
He was educated at Abergavenny grammar college, after which his first jobs had been in racing stables and serving to his father who was on the Holkham Harriers. In 1946, inspired by his father, Gordon went to the the Glad Valley race observe in Hong Kong as a jockey.
Gordon left Hong Kong and joined Royal Navy frigate HMS Alacrity, the place he turned a signwriter. He additionally boxed for the Navy and performed soccer for them. On his return to Portsmouth, he declined a proposal to play soccer professionally. In 1952, he was serving to his father on the Holkham Harriers when he married Kathleen. That they had 4 daughters – Sue, Wendy, Viv and Mandy.
In 1953, Gordon moved to Monmouthshire beneath the mastership of Colonel Harry Llewellyn as whip and terrier man. Sadly, he had a fall over a cliff; the horse survived, however he was paralysed for six months. He was quickly again in motion 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 next season, he was whip to the Dartmoor the place there was no leaping till, on the final day of the season, a gate was an excessive amount of of a temptation and he fell and broke his leg.
He went to the Tedworth from 1960 to 1963 then North Shropshire till 1966. He was with the Weston Harriers, as they then had been, from 1966 to 1967, the primary time as huntsman.
Subsequent got here the West Shropshire from 1967 to 1972, throughout which era they amalgamated with the Tanatside, then he had a slight change, searching the North East Cheshire Drag Hounds from 1972 to 1974, adopted by a 12 months out.
In 1975, he turned huntsman on the Cotswold Vale the place he met Diane Turner who lived in Cambridge, Gloucestershire, primarily searching with the Berkeley, competing in triathlons and concerned with the Pony Membership. They married on 7 July 1977.
The Weston and Banwell Harriers had amalgamated, and Gordon was grasp and huntsman from 1979 to 1983. He moved on to the South Herefordshire from 1983 to 1994, Di becoming a member of him within the mastership in 1990. Gordon hunted the hounds for 5 seasons then Diane took over for the remaining six.
Baily’s Looking Listing says probably the most notable mastership was Mrs Simmons from 1931 to 1951 and 1956 to 1961. “Nonetheless, Mr and Mrs Gordon Jones’s 11 seasons proved to be a really profitable interval.”
From there adopted two years’ retirement in Herefordshire, adopted by the transfer to Dolycoed, Llanfallteg in 1996. Right here they hosted reveals, hunter trials and dressage occasions for the Carmarthenshire and South Pembrookeshire hunts. Additionally they accommodated the Vale of Taf department of the Pony Membership. They had been stored busy with mattress and breakfast and the vacation cottage, the place Diane’s mom had lived.
Sadly, Gordon’s again stopped him driving finally, however Diane persuaded him to observe by automobile together with his good friend Richard Griffiths.
At Richard’s housewarming social gathering at Llwynrheol, Pembrokeshire, Gordon was launched to Celia Cook dinner, a former grasp of beagles. It led to quite a lot of glad years travelling all around the nation, primarily for race conferences.
Amazingly, when Gordon retired to Llanfallteg, he didn’t know methods to put a bridle on a horse. For all his life, others had accomplished it for him.
H&H senior information author
Since becoming a member of H&H in 2018, Becky has coated a broad vary of equestrian information together with welfare issues, veterinary research, FEI Tribunal hearings and street security campaigns. She has additionally interviewed high riders together with Scott Brash, John Whitaker and Ian Stark, to call just some. Becky’s reporting has taken her to Canada for Spruce Meadows and France for Pau five-star, in addition to the Royal Highland and Blair Fort Worldwide Horse Trials nearer to house. She was additionally a key a part of the distant reporting group for the Tokyo Olympics and the Europeans.
