Route Hunt celebrates at The Lodge Hotel, Coleraine

The event this year was particularly significant as it was a celebration of 200 years of the hunt and also at the event Tori Kennedy celebrated her 18th birthday with her friends and family and Joanne Nevin And Colin Montgomery celebrated their engagement.

The evening started with a drinks reception at 7pm.

Huntsman Jonny Butler blew the hunt horn just before 7.30pm to call everyone to the ball room for dinner.

The huntsman and hunt masters were led into the ballroom by the piper and toasts were then made before dinner was served.

The first course was a delicious chicken and potato salad with Caesar dressing.

This was followed by a roasted red pepper soup served with homemade breads.

The main course was a carvery with turkey, ham, roast beef, chipolatas, stuffing, gravy, Yorkshire puddings, roast potatoes, champ and sautéed potatoes, cauliflower and cheese sauce and mixed vegetables and well as a salad table and sauces.

For dessert it was an individual Nutella cheesecake on an Oreo base with raspberries and cream and the meal was finished off with tea and coffee.

Once again the Lodge food and service was excellent.

After dinner raffle tickets were sold and Hunt Master Gerard McCloskey conducted the auction.

Thanks to the generosity of local businesses and friends of the hunt there were numerous auction items and raffle prizes:

Auction Items:

Dinner, B&B at the Slieve Russell Hotel Cavan – Philip White

Food and drink Hamper – Hunters, Limavady

Barry Williamson Oil on Canvas – J and L McCollum Island Equestrian

Noel Mullins Dublin Horseshow Signed Book – Noel Mullins

Galgorm Resort B&B and Thermal Spa – Brian Turtle

Roy Wallace Farrier Painting – Lee Johnston

Marine Hotel Ballycastle B&B – Lodge Hotel

Salt House Ballycastle Dinner, B&B and Thermal Suite – Lodge Hotel

7kg bone in rib roast – James Gillespie

Two horse rugs – Gordon Cunningham

£50 McKeever Hotel Group voucher – O’Kane, Kennedy and Turtle Estate Agents and Auctioneers

Fruit basket – First For Fruit Coleraine

Raffle prizes:

4 course Sunday Carvery for 2 – Lodge Hotel

Dinner, Daiquiri and dance for 2 – Lodge Hotel

Sunday lunch for 2 – Royal Court Hotel

Sunday lunch for 2 – Brown Trout

X Country Hire – Dirraw Farm

Padded body warmer and saddlecloth – Richmond Stores

Hamper – Desmond Hill

Cut wash and blow dry voucher - Moods Hairdressers

Back massage – Treatment Room at The Lodge Hotel

Brown Trout Gift Voucher – Rosemary Moffett

Tides/Urban/Newbridge gift voucher – Anthea Moffett

Paco Rabanne Lady Million Empire Eau du Parfum - Brendan Gormley

Issey Miyake Eau do Toilette – Eamon O’Connor

Lodge Hotel Vouchers – Meencraig Irish Moiled Cattle

Chivas Regal Extra Scotch Whiskey – Gillian Meban

Moet and Chandon Champagne – Alison Millar

Hair By Gemma voucher and Danielle Loughlin make up and beauty voucher – Shane O’Grady

Venison freezer pack, hunting with Tynan and Armagh for two – Jonny Butler

Case of wine, Chocolates, Prosecco, M and S Biscuits, Large Yankee Candle – Ma and Ba Kelly.

The hunt thanks all those local businesses and friends who support the and request that you support those who support us to help others.

The two charities this year receiving support from the event are RDA Coleraine and Dementia NI and cheques will be presented to the charities within the next few weeks.

After the raffle and auction it was time for dancing and the band Legacy played before the evening finished with their DJ.

Thanks goes to all those who supported the event with raffle and auction items, to all those who attended the event and bought raffle tickets and auction items and to The Lodge Hotel for hosting the event.