No protesters at hunt event
MORE than a thousand supporters gathered at Galleywood Common for the traditional Boxing Day hunt, and for the first time in years no saboteurs turned up to protest.
The 10 mile square event, which began beside the Horse and Groom pub in Galleywood, was again organised by the Essex Farmers and Union Hunt.
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CROWDS GATHER: Ken Hand joins the Essex Farmers and Union Boxing Day Hunt which met at Galleywood Common, Chelmsford.
It has attracted more and more spectators since the controversial Hunting Act of 2004 made hunting with dogs a criminal offence.
However, exercising hounds, chasing a scent trail and flushing out foxes to be shot are all still legal and the Essex Farmers and Union Hunt say the Boxing Day meeting is firmly within the law.
Veteran huntsman Ken Hand, who took up the sport in 1977, believes he will become the longest serving professional huntsman in the country when the current season ends.
He said: "I've thoroughly enjoyed hunting and the crowds here today show how popular it is. The ban has done nothing to improve the situation for foxes, they are still being shot left, right and centre."
2 Comments
by Alan, Shenfield
Wednesday, December 31 2008, 10:37AM
“As I understand it not many foxes died as a result of this form of hunting. More escaped than were caught.
The anti-hunting bill was brought about as part of the Labour govenment's relentless campaign to undermine our traditonal way of life, or as they see it, the class system.
Their intention was to bring an end to "toffs" in red coats on horseback etc enjoying their traditional outdoor country pursuit.
It is just a part of their political envy to attack the Shires and all their activities and values.
There aren't many votes for the Labour party there anyway.”
by Simon Hacker, GLOS.
Tuesday, December 30 2008, 9:55AM
“This headline does suggest a certain naivety and journalistic indolance: why on earth would hunt monitors, who are busy monitoring hunts, waste time "protesting" at a hunt meet? There's nothing illegal about a hunt meet and no one's sought to ban people meeting in this way. The ban, in case you forgot, pertains to pointless cruelty. And detecting that entails activity a little more subtle than waving placards. I'm sure the Essex Farmers realise this, but as with this paper's unquestioning assumption that the press release is kosher (a thousand eh? Who's counting?), the truth of what's now going on behind the pretty pictures is something the hunters would rather keep under wraps.”