By Ray Ryan
LEGENDARY huntsman Thady Ryan returned to the RDS yesterday from his home in New Zealand to launch his autobiography.As the celebrated former Master of the Scarteen Hunt, the renowned Black and Tans from Knocklong, he continued the Ryan family link with the Limerick pack that goes back more than 300 years.

A man with a passion for the rural way of life, he demonstrated his hunting skills over the decades as he and his horses tackled the testing ditches and tantalising banks across the Munster countryside and elsewhere.

He went to live in New Zealand 16 years ago, but returned for his book launch to the Kerrygold Dublin Horse Show, where, in years past, he paraded hounds.

In his book, entitled My Privileged Life: With the Scarteen Black and Tans, he introduces his ancestors and recounts his own personal sporting life.

As he signed copies of the book in the RDS Members Room, he met up with friends from all over the world, recalling memories of a great life hunting and predicting that the tradition must, and will, continue.

But he also checked out how his brainchild, the inter-hunt chase, one of the most exciting events at the show, had matured in his absence.

"That's my baby," he laughed, adding that he had never expected the event to last as long as it has.

Thady Ryan, aged 79, who was Master of the Scarteens for 40 years, was clearly delighted to learn that 64 people are to again go steeple chasing in the centre of Dublin during this year's show.

They will form the 16 teams from registered hunt clubs around Ireland who will compete in the hunt chase in the main RDS arena tomorrow and Sunday afternoons.

The hunt chase is the fastest, most exciting and crowd pleasing event in the main arena at the show.

Divots fly, hooves thunder, and adrenaline pumps in this high-speed relay knock-out.

All the riders are amateur and no current competition riders are able to take part.

Each team consists of four members of a registered hunt club.

Rules require one rider to be a female and another to be a male of 14 stone or heavier.

Two identical courses are built on the main arena.

Fences are built like the solid like obstacles the rider and horse would encounter in the country such as logs, water, brush fences, gorse hedges and bank.

At the signal, two teams jump head-to-head, each rider passing a riding crop to the next in the team before they can start the course.

The team whose last rider crosses the finish line first is the winner and they progress to the next round.

No jumping penalties are incurred but the rider must successfully negotiate each obstacle.

Before the event begins the teams will parade around the main arena, led by the hounds of the North Down Harriers a sight that will bring joy to Thady Ryan and his legion of admirers.

It will revive even more memories from the rural hunting tradition he cherishes so much and from what he describes as his 'privileged life' with the Scarteen Black and Tans.