Maggie Hattersley, like her brother and sister, was put on a horse at the age of three.  Her father enjoyed hunting from his father’s farm and hoped that all his children would take after him and be keen riders.  Only Maggie got the gene.

A former master of the Farmers’ Bloodhounds in the Cotswolds, she developed a passion for watching hounds work and listening to the rich music of Bloodhounds in full cry.  Hoping to hunt Bloodhounds in and around her home in the Peak Park, at the Millennium she persuaded the late Dowager Duchess of Devonshire and Sir Andrew Buchanan to help her form The Four Shires.  She and her joint master, kennel huntsman, Chris Kane, are indebted to the farmers and landowners who generously allow hounds to hunt over their land.  Her hope is that The Four Shires will enable a wide range of local people – both in the mounted field and as followers – to enjoy this exiting country sport.  

Tel: 01629 640106

Chris has been a keen hunt supporter and follower from a very young age. A popular Mansfield businessman and a former gamekeeper, Chris is a well-known countryman. Blessed with a good eye for a horse, he has bred hunters for many years.

Following his wife, Deb, and daughter, Jenna, for ten seasons he finally caught the bug himself and started hunting.  He quickly became a master.  After years of trekking to the old kennels at Pikehall, our gifted Kennel-Huntsman built magnificent, bespoke kennels at his yard, where the pack moved in 2015. 

He trains and looks after hounds and they adore and respect him and show that they want to please him.

Farmers and landowners appreciate his straight-talking and adherence to the agreed route.  Along with show audiences, they enjoy the spectacle of his parading hounds at all the local shows during the closed season.

With his excellent people skills and sense of humour, he makes everyone feel part of the team and ensures the mounted field and foot followers are able to watch our wonderful hounds at work.

The President of the Hunt is the Duchess of Devonshire DL.

Brought up on a farming estate, the Duchess has a lifelong affinity with the countryside and is a keen supporter of rural pursuits. Having ridden since a child, and hunted most of her life, she is delighted to be President of the Four Shires Bloodhounds.

Since moving to Derbyshire in January 2006, the Duke and Duchess play a key role in running the Chatsworth Estate and that, alongside the Duchess' many charitable commitments, translates into a very strong affinity with the local community and ensures a warm welcome to the thousands who visit Chatsworth each year.

A life-long sportsman, Sir Andrew has always particularly enjoyed country sports.  His grandfather was Chairman of the Pytchley and he agreed to support the Hunt’s creation and become the Four Shires’ founding Chairman.

Since the 18th century, Sir Andrew’s family has farmed at Hodsock Priory, now famous for it magnificent early spring snowdrops.  In 1966 the estate passed to Sir Andrew who moved to Hodsock Priory with his wife, Belinda and the whole estate is run in an environmentally friendly way.  In addition to bringing up their four children and running the farm and estate, they have always been active volunteers involved in many aspects of local and regional community life.  From 1991-2012 Sir Andrew served as Lord Lieutenant for Nottinghamshire, the Queen's personal representative for the County.

Hodsock contains one of the best snowdrop collections and displays in the country as well as hosting weddings.  The five acres of formal gardens containing snowdrops and other fragrant flowering winter borders are open around five weeks during February and early March, and attract visitors from all over the world. www.snowdrops.co.uk.

Sir Andrew and Lady Buchanan host a hound exercise in the autumn.  It is a perfect day for newcomers and novices.