Letters
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IT’S IN HIS GENES
It was fascinating to read Matthew Dennison’s article on the recent history of sporting dogs [Famously fit for purpose, September], both as a Master of foxhounds but also as the happy owner of a labrador with Bolo marks. For those unfamiliar with this genetic quirk, this is a photograph of our labrador Bert’s feet (below). As a descendent of Lady Howe’s famous dog Banchory Bolo, Bert boasts quite pronounced white marks beneath his paws.
One of the joys of learning more about foxhound breeding has been understanding just how strong and long-lived these genetic features are. At the Bicester Hunt with Whaddon Chase, we have a strong line of Welsh breeding that goes back to a single rough-coated bitch called Fairy ‘73, which Captain Ian Farquhar introduced in the 1970s.
Testimony to the strength of the gene is that we frequently have litters where the rough coat re-emerges and is very much part of
