The Team
Who's who and Contacts
Quarry Captain
Amateur Whipper-in
Jeremy Whaley MBH
Founder, Master & Huntsman 2002
Jeremy founded the pack as The Borders Bloodhounds inScotland in 2002, before brining them South to Hampshire and renaming the pack The South Downs Bloodhounds, under which name they operated for 20 years. Then in 2025, Jeremy decided to rebrand the hunt as The Wessex Bloodhounds.
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Having hunted foxhounds for 23 years and bloodhounds for the last 21 years, this probably makes him one of the most experienced Master/Huntsman in the country. At 75 years old, he is also possibly the oldest, but only those who like hospital food are likely to remind him of this!
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07557 963338 || Jeremy@WessexBloodhounds.com
Sam Heighes
Master & Honorary Secretary 2015
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Seen here wearing a WB Master's coat, Sam is the daughter of Jeremy and never stood a chance really being press ganged into being Honorary Hunt Secretary before also taking on the role of a Joint Master in 2015.
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Sam has also spent many years working with horses and turning them out to a very high standard for hunting, before coming to her senses and getting a better paid, warmer and drier job in marketing. Nonetheless, in her 'spare time' she not only prepares her own horse, but her father's as well. As if this is not enough, she does all the tack as well.
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There are those who say her temperament takes after her father, but never within her hearing.​
07920 108162. || Secretary@WessexBloodhounds.com
Master 2022
Kate Robinson
In 2019, Kate's husband, Symon, joined the Mastership and played a major role in developing the hunt to where it is now, before his tragic death in 2022. During that time, Kate worked closely with Simon and we are very lucky she agreed to take on his role in 2022.
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Kate has not only continued to manage the country Symon opened up, but she is also opening up exciting new country as well.
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Kate is also our main jumping Field Master (seen here wearing the WB jumping Field Master's coat) on Brewster and has that knack of giving the Field a good ride without interfering with the hound work. When Kate shouts "hold hard", you stop or you go home!
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Kate has also been amazing at organising the jump building. She hasn't yet mastered the art of mortise and tenon joints, like Simon did, but, give her time..........
Jack Jennings
Master & Whipper-in 2025
Jack started his hunting life as a child hunting with the South Downs Bloodhounds, eventually becoming a very effective amateur whipper-in. It was clear from this early age that Jack has a natural affinity with horses and hounds, more so than he did with academia! On officially leaving school, rather than the days he played truant, Jack went into hunt service with foxhounds for 8 years, and then as professional huntsman to the New Forest Hounds (Bloodhounds) for a very successful 2 years. and through his hunt service he learned how to live permanently broke and tired. Jack decided professional hunt service was not for him and he might have an easier life outside hunt service - that was until he accepted joining the WB as a master and amateur whipper-in which will bring him a whole new level of pain!
07955 222609 || Jack@WessexBloodhounds.com
Gemma Maughan
Joint Honorary Hunt Secretary 2025
Gemma left school at 18 and started her own livery yard in the New Forest, from where she also evented until she had a "naughty accident" that left her unable to ride. So after 12 years of doing the livery yard she decided she needed a change and started working at LeMieux. Then Gemma met our Jack, who "got me into the hunting" as she puts it, and it's all been downhill since then, as I put it!
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Jack and Gemma have been welcomed into the hunt, as it has reduced the average age of hunt officials by 20 years!​​
07732 394389 || Gemma@WessexBloodhounds.com
Nick Hudson
Quarry Captain
Nick started off with the hunt as a mounted subscriber, riding a brute of a horse called Cobi (named after the 1992 Olympic mascot). Regularly seen out of control, eventually passing the Field Master, the Huntsman, the hounds and the Quarries, Nick decided he might have a bit more control of the pace if he got off his horse and ran!
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I'm sure Nick would be the first to agree that he does not have the body of an olympian athlete, and he may not have the speed of Usain Bolt, but he has two qualities that make him an ideal Quarry - stamina and he will turn up every week come rain or shine.
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The Senior Master has frequently questioned Nick's map reading skills - slightly worrying as he's also a pilot - but Nick has printed out and framed the words the SM used in an article about Quarrying - "Quarries are the most important people on the hunting field........."
07973 550741 || Nick@WessexBloodhounds.com
Amanda Pole
Amateur Whipper-in
In 2016, Amanda started going to the kennels to help exercise the horses - little did she know what this would lead to! Having ridden as a child, there had been a long break in her riding experience, and over her time at the kennels she has gone from being able to ride, to being able to 'make' good hunt horses.
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It was not long before Amanda started hound exercise and then on to whipping-in. Jeremy is the first to admit that he is not an easy person to whip in to, and if you last more than one season, you must be doing something right!
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Amanda has not only built strong bonds with the horses she rides, but has also a strong bond with the hounds, who are happy to follow her if they get left behind - not easy when working with bloodhounds.
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But perhaps Amanda's biggest claim to fame is that she has shouted back at the SM, and yet still has the use of both of her legs!