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The origin of this Welsh pack was the renowned Lianharran
kennel, established by the celebrated Welsh hunting Squire,
Richard Hoare Jenkins, of Pant-yr-Awel, in 1805. Mr. Jenkins
shortly afterwards took up his residence at Llanharan House,
and augmented the pack by a yearly importation of fresh
blood from some twenty of the then best Welsh and English
kennels, and continued this procedure for upwards of
fifty-two years. The old Squire had some grand, big,
all-white hounds, which colour was at first the
predominating one in his pack. At his death in 1856, the
hounds and country passed to his niece, Mrs. Blandy Jenkins,
and Mr. John Blandy Jenkins, the present Squire, and were
hunted during the latter's residence in Berkshire by the
Thomases, of Brach-y-cymmer, and the Tate Air. William
Morgan, of Penylan. Latterly, Mr. Jenkins came to reside in
the district, and took up the Hunt again, and after a while
the Llanharan and the Ystrad were amalgamated, with kennels
at Ty Robert. Mr. George Davies and Mr. J. D. Williams, of
Ystrad, carried the horn, Messrs. Edwin Price and Morgan
Davies being joint Honorary Secretaries.
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This continued for some time with much success, fresh blood
being regularly imported from the Glamorganshire, Llangibby,
and Carmarthenshire kennels. About ten years ago, Mr. Blandy
Jenkins found that his time was too occupied with estate and
county matters to allow of his continuing in the mastership,
and accordingly retired. The partnership of the Hunts was
thereupon dissolved, and both packs reverted to their old
status, becoming separately the Llanharan and the Ystrad.
This latter pack still exists, in that it is amalgamated
with the Pentyrch, under the Mastership of Colonel Henry
Lewis, of Greenmeadow, near Cardiff.
The Llanharan then became
the Llangeinor, with kennels at Pant-yr-Awel, Ogmore Valley,
and a strong Committee and membership (Mr. Blandy Jenkins
being still one of the chief supporters, and almost the
mainstay of the pack). Mr. William Lewis was elected Master
(1895), and Mr. J. T. Salathiel Honorary Secretary. These
hounds retain all their Welsh characteristics, and hunt a
country that is very varied, consisting of uplands and rough
mountains - indeed, a truly Welsh country, which they hunt
in true Welsh fashion. They have plenty of cry, and show
excellent sport, almost invariably accounting for their
fox.
Mr. William Lewis hunts the
hounds himself from the King's Head Hotel, Tynewydd. Evan
James whips-in to the Master, and is deserving of no small
praise for his share in the success of this trencher-fed
pack of twenty-five couples of rough and smooth-coated
hounds. Mr. Morgan Morgan, of High Corner House, Llanharan,
is now the Field-Master, and one of the oldest and most
active supporters of this Hunt. The uniform is the old
Llanharan green, and there is a nice hunt button for
members.
The hunting days are
Tuesdays and Fridays. Bridgend is the best centre, from
which the meets of the Glamorganshire are
accessible.
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