Tuesday, December 28, 2010, 09:30
Crowds turn out to cheer on traditional Boxing Day hunt
The frozen ground made it too dangerous for riders from the Fernie, Atherstone and Quorn Hunts to carry out their planned trail hunting.
However, members did gather to exercise their packs and put on a spectacle for crowds who gathered to mark the most important day in the hunting calendar.
Riders from the Fernie Hunt met at The Green in Great Bowden near Market Harborough in front of more than 500 enthusiastic supporters.
Hunt joint master Chris Parker said the turnout demonstrated that five years on from the ban which made pursuing foxes with hounds illegal, hunting was still popular.
He said the hunting community of Leicestershire were still working to try to get the ban repealed.
He said: "We will do whatever it takes for as long as it takes. "We have maintained the infrastructure of hunting which is vital to the countryside for the day when the ban is overturned.
"It is a shame we cannot hunt today but the ground is iron hard and it would be too dangerous for the horses and the riders.
"The season so far has been severely curtailed by the weather but there is not much we can do about that.
"At least we were still able to come out and put on a show for the public who want to see us."
Lisa Logalbo, 30, from Lubenham brought her son Charlie, eight, to see the riders and hounds.
She said: "It's a Christmas tradition. Charlie loves playing with the hounds but I'm a bit worried he'll want to take one home with him."
Sarah Smith, 25, from Market Harborough, said: "If the ban lasts for another 100 years I think huge numbers of people will still come out on Boxing Day.
"You can't erase hundreds of years of tradition with one rubbish law."
The hounds and horses of Quorn Hunt assembled at Prestwold Hall near Loughborough in front of about 1,000 people.
Hunt spokesman and Countryside Alliance chief executive Alice Barnard said: "We are so grateful to everyone who ventured out in pretty horrible conditions to see the hunt."
Around 1,000 people also gathered in Market Bosworth for the Atherstone meet.
Helen Milner, spokeswoman for the Atherstone Hunt, said: "We've been defeated by the weather in terms of actual hunting but that has not prevented us having a fantastic day."
Some 300 hunt supporters also gathered in Oakham to support yesterday's Cottesmore meet.
The Belvoir hunt met in Grantham.
Louise Robertson from League Against Cruel Sports said: "The bad weather has proved an important point because the hunts have met and enjoyed their traditions but no fox has had to die.
"Given that, it is strange the hunt lobby are so desperate to get a repeal."
However, members did gather to exercise their packs and put on a spectacle for crowds who gathered to mark the most important day in the hunting calendar.
Riders from the Fernie Hunt met at The Green in Great Bowden near Market Harborough in front of more than 500 enthusiastic supporters.
Hunt joint master Chris Parker said the turnout demonstrated that five years on from the ban which made pursuing foxes with hounds illegal, hunting was still popular.
He said the hunting community of Leicestershire were still working to try to get the ban repealed.
He said: "We will do whatever it takes for as long as it takes. "We have maintained the infrastructure of hunting which is vital to the countryside for the day when the ban is overturned.
"It is a shame we cannot hunt today but the ground is iron hard and it would be too dangerous for the horses and the riders.
"The season so far has been severely curtailed by the weather but there is not much we can do about that.
"At least we were still able to come out and put on a show for the public who want to see us."
Lisa Logalbo, 30, from Lubenham brought her son Charlie, eight, to see the riders and hounds.
She said: "It's a Christmas tradition. Charlie loves playing with the hounds but I'm a bit worried he'll want to take one home with him."
Sarah Smith, 25, from Market Harborough, said: "If the ban lasts for another 100 years I think huge numbers of people will still come out on Boxing Day.
"You can't erase hundreds of years of tradition with one rubbish law."
The hounds and horses of Quorn Hunt assembled at Prestwold Hall near Loughborough in front of about 1,000 people.
Hunt spokesman and Countryside Alliance chief executive Alice Barnard said: "We are so grateful to everyone who ventured out in pretty horrible conditions to see the hunt."
Around 1,000 people also gathered in Market Bosworth for the Atherstone meet.
Helen Milner, spokeswoman for the Atherstone Hunt, said: "We've been defeated by the weather in terms of actual hunting but that has not prevented us having a fantastic day."
Some 300 hunt supporters also gathered in Oakham to support yesterday's Cottesmore meet.
The Belvoir hunt met in Grantham.
Louise Robertson from League Against Cruel Sports said: "The bad weather has proved an important point because the hunts have met and enjoyed their traditions but no fox has had to die.
"Given that, it is strange the hunt lobby are so desperate to get a repeal."
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