Meet The Comittee
Chairman - Keith Long
President - Bobbie Edwards
Treasurer and Vice Chairman - Rob Franks
Secretary - Sam Clark
Chief Steward & Cup Steward - Elin Richards
Show Manager and Working Trials Secretary - Rob Manley
Regalia Secretary - Darren Mortimore
Other Committee Members:
Jo Franks
Christine Green
Dave Scrivens
Peter Whiteside
Our Chairman
Keith Long
Keith first joined the club in 1965, he joined the committee in 1986,
and became chairman in 2008.
Special Memories - Spending many days over the years out in the field competing, judging, assisting or just enjoying watching the hounds hunt and the company of fellow enthusiasts.
Future Vision - The continuation of our ancient breed and the hope that all breed enthusiasts can live in harmony.
Our Secretary
Sam Clark
Sam has been a club member since 1991, and already served on the committee in the past.
Sam, with her Farlap Bloodhounds is actively involved in both the showing and working side of the breed and has a special interest in breed health.
Special memories: Has to be the three ‘Farlap’ best of breed wins at Crufts.
Future Vision: Ensuring we have a healthy dual purpose breed, that is fit for function.
Photograph ⓒ Alan Walker
President
Bobbie Edwards
Bobbie Edwards is the Club's longest serving officer. She was secretary from 1968 until standing down at the 1984 AGM, after more than 15 years in the role, but remained on the committee.
After recharging her batteries she became Chairman in 1986 and continued in this role until she stood down from the committee in 2001.
At this point she was invited by the committee to become the Club's President so that her vast experience could be put to use in an advisory capacity.
Treasurer & Vice Chairman
Rob Franks
When did you first start to be involved bloodhounds – 30 years ago when Jo Franks (mum) took me to my first working trials where she hunted a line with ‘Biggles’ in record time – I was hooked from then on!
Best memory of bloodhounds – Achieving second in the Junior Stake on Tuesday, competing in the Intermediate Stake on the Wednesday and winning – all with the great ‘Biggles’
Vision for the future of the club – To grow the club by embracing the members’ enthusiasm, innovation and strong traditions both at working trials and the show ring
President
Bobbie Edwards
Bobbie Edwards is the Club's longest serving officer. She was secretary from 1968 until standing down at the 1984 AGM, after more than 15 years in the role, but remained on the committee.
After recharging her batteries she became Chairman in 1986 and continued in this role until she stood down from the committee in 2001.
At this point she was invited by the committee to become the Club's President so that her vast experience could be put to use in an advisory capacity.
Chief Steward & Cup Steward
Elin Richards
David and I bought our first Bloodhound from Mrs. Joy Piper (Abingerwood) in 1967 as a pet. We were lucky and she turned out to be both a Champion in the show ring and a senior tracking hound.
Our last hound (Ch. Cilgwri Starlight of Chasedown) died in 2016 at the age of almost 11 years.
We bred and showed over 20 Show Champions including a Group winner and a 3rd place group winner at Crufts, 2 W/T Champions, one a Dual Champion, and 5 International Champions .
Although I don’t think the dog world will ever be the same as it was when we started breeding, I hope the Club will go from strength to strength promoting the Pure Bred Bloodhound and looking after its members
Show Manager & Working Trials Secretary
Rob Manley
I started on my journey with Bloodhounds in 2004, my partner, Evelyn and myself began looking for our first Bloodhound and saw a couple at Weston Game Fair after initially spotting one whilst walking our German Shephrds in Dimmingsdale.
After 2 years we bought our first hound from the Trailfinder kennel, before that though I had already spent my first day at trials in Derbyshire and attended many shows, we went on to have a second Bloodhound who became our first Show Champion and our first hound to compete in Senior Stakes at trials.
Our second hound to go on to compete in Senior Stakes is one of our homebred girls who also won Best Bitch at Crufts in 2019.
We believe in breed type and function so enjoy showing and trialling, I have competed at trials and shows for over 13 years and have taken on the role of Working Trials Secretary and Show Manager for the last few years.
Some of my best memories in the breed are winning the Novice Stake with our first hound Logan, Winning the Intermediate Stakes with Carter and Lorna and Carter becoming Champion at the Bloodhound Club Championship Show.
My vision for The Bloodhound Club is to encourage new people into the breed who will also enjoy trials and shows, for the Club to act with continued honesty and integrity in all that it does and for events to prosper into the future to ensure the longevity of this beautiful, noble, working breed, keeping dual purpose of the breed at heart.
Regalia Secretary
Darren Mortimore
My journey with Bloodhounds began back in 2016, when my partner Daisy and I were sat ringside watching the Bloodhounds being judged in my first ever trip to Crufts. We were debating if this would be a good breed for us. I remember one hound who was sitting near us, come up to check us out and stood up on our legs, we both loved how affectionate they were.
Daisy went to see a couple who had 3 hounds with them, she came back saying they had swapped details and we were meeting them at another show the following month.
Fast forward to 2017 and we picked up our first Bloodhound Ralph (Houndseeker Alaric).
My Favourite memory was seeing Ralph come first in class at Crufts, just three years after I first sat ringside, and just 18 months after having our first Bloodhound.
Since then I have become a firm member of the committee with lots of fresh ideas and influences.
My Future Vision for the club is help bridge the gap between the traditional club ways and the ever enhancing digital age we find ourselves in, as to encourage younger people to be involved with the breed, at the same time being careful to maintain the traditional ethics which is what has made the club so successful.
Peter Whiteside
When did I get Involved with Bloodhounds?
I aquired my first Bloodhound in 2011 but before that I had 2 Bluetick Coonhounds that I used for detection work. When I left that job I decided that it was time for a Bloodhound because as well as being a vital family member I could still do what I loved which is being outdoors at one with your hound working a trail.
Best Memory:
One of my best memories was with my first hound Eden. It was her first win at working trials. We were at Emblehope in Northumberland and the weather was just about as bad as you could get. We had gale force winds with driving torrential rain. Eden set off from the flags and dragged me the whole mile of her line doing the most amazing job. She was awarded first place and I felt so proud of her in what were really adverse conditions.
Vision For Future Of Club:
I am the newest member of the committee and along with offering my support to my fellow members I want to participate in evolving the club. My passion is working trials so I especially hope to assist in advancing this area. of the club.
Jo Franks
I got involved with bloodhounds due to emotional blackmail from my husband, Tony, following a heart attack. He had secretly yearned from childhood for a Bloodhound (whilst recovering from meningitis he used to cycle over to Tring Museum just to gaze at stuffed Chattley Blazer), so, in a moment of weakness and misplaced affection, I succumbed and bought him ‘Hubert’. This was the first stage of Bloodhounds taking over my life.
The second stage was when, having only been a member of the Bloodhound Club for a couple of years, I found myself pitchforked into the role of Working Trials secretary which dumbfounded a lot of people and me. I had made the fatal mistake of letting on I could map-read and survey land for Trials. I was doomed and stuck with the job for in excess of 20 years. I loved it though it had its moments. Line-walking at night, when stuck waist deep in a muddy ditch at 03:00 hrs in rain and pitch blackness, I did question my sanity.
I suppose my best Bloodhound moment was owning and making up a working Trials Champion, to wit, the infamous Biggles (aka Brumbies Eclipse). A bloodhound known to make arrests if the line-walkers moved away after being ‘identified’.
The Bloodhound Club has always been a happy club and I should like it to continue to be so. We are very lucky in our new younger (to us oldies everything is relative!) and enthusiastic committee. A big thank you to them.
Christine Green
Before I married my husband Robin I realised he came with strings attached as he kept on saying ‘we must get a bloodhound’ (his father had bloodhounds from the 1920s).
My first meeting with bloodhounds stole my heart. Working Trials always attracted me. I enjoy walking lines (even in the middle of the night). I learned to map read at school, which came in handy. I started to handle hounds when Robin had to give up. Working a hound is exhausting, exciting and unpredictable!
One of my most exciting moments was when Walnut (Marksbury Humility) following a line went into a field of sheep (she was correct) and completely ignored them, and did not turn a hair. Fabulous!
The Club has always promoted bloodhounds and with the keen new ‘blood’ joining the committee, I am sure will continue to do so.
Dave Scrivens
I got my one and only Bloodhound when I was 21. She lived to the grand age of 13 years and was my constant companion.
My interest is mainly the working side of Bloodhounds and this is why I’ve remained a member of the club.
I regularly help at trials either line walking, assisting the judge or as a judge.
I live in Salisbury on the South coast with my wife and two daughters. I run my own company working in TV and theatre lighting. I’m a keen runner, mountain biker and canoeist and love being in the outdoors.
