Draghunting at Moncrivello

The Milanese Society for Hunting has gone to Piedmont for one of the most beautiful days of draghunting: at Moncrivello – not far from the Dora Baltea that flows down from Ivrea towards the Po, host to Villa Bodo.
Unfortunately the dank November day hid in part the natural beauty on those planes and in those woods but the 50-odd riders were spared the rain, after a strong glass of ‘la staffa’.The whippers Paolino Biasia, Alessandro Berlingieri and Filippo Pirera swiftly unleashed their hounds through the autumn colours.An entertaining hunt with few obstacles, some ditches but nothing too taxing; even if the dogs set a sustained pace from the start because the pack had been distracted by the wide-spread scent of the  wild animals that populate the area, with the damp conditions further intensifying the odours. The pack found the true course after the first of four check points, followed by the kill at the end of a thrilling gallop towards the hill that leads to the villa. A high number of invitees awaited the field’s arrival and after the dogs received their justified reward from the master, everybody retired to Lady Sommarva’s table.