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BALLOT: Thousands support Boxing Day hunts

2:40pm Saturday 26th December 2009 in Local

Thousands support Boxing Day hunts Thousands support Boxing Day hunts

THOUSANDS of people turned out to support traditional hunt meetings across Worcestershire today.

In Droitwich, spectators cheered as huntsmen and women, wearing the red riding jackets, gathered for their annual Boxing Day meet outside the Raven Hotel.

Members of the Worcestershire Hunt were forced to leave the horses behind after deciding that the icy ground was too dangerous, but were still on hand to meet the public with the fox hounds.

Joint hunt master David Palmer said: “It’s disappointing that we have had to come on foot. It was a last minute decision not to bring the horses, but it’s just too icy and there was a good chance that someone would have an accident."

Many supporters hope that this year’s meet will have been the last before the controversial fox hunting ban is repealed.

The ban on hunting with dogs came into force in February 2005 - eight years after MP for Worcester Michael Foster put forward a private members bill for a ban.

But the pro-hunting Countryside Alliance believes that a change in Government in the next year could lead to a repeal of the law.

“We are hoping that this could be the last Boxing Day meet before it all changes,” added Mr Palmer.

It is estimated that more than 300 hunts took place across the UK today.

For more details and pictures see your Worcester News on Monday.

Comments(23)

evadbur says...
8:55pm Sat 26 Dec 09

It's amazing how catching one little pest causes so much fuss. Seems very inefficient. I'm setting a mousetrap in my shed if anyone wants to come and watch.

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Dereck says...
1:46pm Sun 27 Dec 09

While the huntsmen with their mounts and hounds are worthy of note their desire to rip a living wild annimal apart as part of a days fun can only be as a result of their damaged minds. The fight is on to keep the Law as it, rightly, is.

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nebhunting says...
3:00pm Sun 27 Dec 09

And what does the fox do to other living creatures, foxes breed quite well and need some control, the alternatives are far worse then hunting with hounds where if the fox is caught it is a quick death unlike snaring, poisoning, gassing and wounding, all of these are indiscriminate ways of killing and will kill other animals and birds, I know what course of action I would prefer

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jb says...
5:11pm Sun 27 Dec 09

I remember my Dad taking me to see the Boxing Day hunt setting off, the horses, hounds and huntsmen were quite a spectacle, it's a tradition in this country which some seem to want abolished. It is centuries old and at a time when we seem to be losing so much of this countries identity to the idiocy of the European Community can't we just keep something which is part of our history? It seems to me that far more effort is put into this issue by some members of parliament than issues relating to the welfare and care of people.

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pudniw_gib says...
6:11pm Sun 27 Dec 09

I used to get dragged off to the hunt and never thought it was that great.
It is a nasty tradition that doesn't have much support no matter what the pro lobby claim.
There is no need to control the fox population, this is a lie put about by the hunt. If my hens get eaten by the fox it is my fault and not the foxes.

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New Kid on the Block says...
7:16pm Sun 27 Dec 09

If there isn't much support for hunting why are there always huge crowds supporting it every boxing day?

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pudniw_gib says...
7:41pm Sun 27 Dec 09

New Kid, same reason as people buy the xfactor record at xmas. A pointless activity indulged in by people with no wit or imagination.
Hunting will go the same way as bear baiting and public hanging, you used to get big crowds for that as well.

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BarryB says...
8:28pm Sun 27 Dec 09

When I see the like of the "Hooray Henry's", invading Parliament, violently rioting on the streets of London then having the lying effrontery to say that they are the law abiding, salt of the earth, traditional and loyal British people, my stomach frankly churns and I want to heave.
I wouldn't believe a word coming from the pro foxhunting lot, they epitomise everything that is wrong with this country and the sooner they, their hounds and horses are cast into oblivion, the better because they are a foul and bloodthirsty lot who hide behind a facade of "all hail fellow, well met" whilst all they are, are a load of arrogant, bumptious petty criminals who delight in bucking the anti foxhunting law.

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Forfoxsakedontvotetory says...
9:20pm Sun 27 Dec 09

Hunters should tell the truth and admit they do it for the thrill of the kill. That doesn't justify making the barbarity legal again. Paedophiles enjoy their hobby but thankfully that is also illegal, though of similar moral standing,

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New Kid on the Block says...
9:25pm Sun 27 Dec 09

Perhaps BarryB would like to tell us exactly when the hunt supporters are supposed to have been violently rioting on the streets of london.

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BarryB says...
2:15pm Mon 28 Dec 09

New Kid on the Block, perhaps you forget the mass demonstration of the Countryside Alliance and it's followers outside the Houses of Parliament which resulted in some of the most violent confrontations with the Police that the capital had seen for many, many years. Numerous officers were injured, and, as is their habit, these diabolical liars made the most numerous (and many unfounded complaints against the Police) allegations against "Police brutality" for many years.
The Police Commander, Cressida Dick came in for serious personal complaints which were "thrown out" after enquiry by the IPCC.
Please don't tell us that you did not see these events on TV, they were headlines for day's afterwards. If you did see it and did not class it as a "riot" then there is something seriously wrong with your judgement and perception of mass, extreme public disorder, because many other people did.
At heart, vile "hunters" are worse than the "antis" when it come to villainy and public disorder.

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molecat says...
4:35pm Mon 28 Dec 09

I'm not a fan of hunting with dogs, so I don't do it. My morals may be different to those who do hunt, but my own personal morals are neither more right nor more superior to anyone elses. If you don't like something, don't do it. Politicians and other politically correct "do gooders" must trying to force their own moral codes on others. As Voltaire said "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it. "
With only hours left until China executes a mentally ill British citizen let's worry about the way we treat other human beings rather than who's opinion on controlling vermin is the most morally superior.

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seagull says...
4:43pm Mon 28 Dec 09

These low lives are killing my foxes. We are being thrown back centuries when we were barbarians. We still are. It is us, the human race, that need culling. There are far too many of us. We have destroyed this planet and we kill its animals. Who the hell do we think we are?

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BarryB says...
8:29pm Mon 28 Dec 09

molecat, from what you say, your "morals" would appear to be "sitting on the fence" in all cases of "right and wrong".
Those are not the "morals" I respect and when it comes to foxhunting and the cruel persecution of animals and lesser beings, my morals in this regard are far "superior" to those who take delight in doing so.
As for Voltaire, totally irrelevant, it is not only what these sadists "say", IT IS WHAT THEY "DO" and you would appear to follow Voltaire and "defend" that. Sorry, your morals, if that's what you call them are utterly wrong. There can be no compromises when it comes to animal cruelty, one is either for it or one is against it. I would class you in the latter.

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molecat says...
9:04pm Mon 28 Dec 09

So BarryB, your morals are superior to mine are they? They are are not. They are different. I do not have the right to impose my morals on others, but apparently you do. I bow to your superior arrogance.

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New Kid on the Block says...
10:39pm Mon 28 Dec 09

BarryB why is it that you assume that if people complain about being hit on the head by police officers who are wearing no identity numbers they are diabolical liars?
Cressida Dick is no stranger to having complaints made against her. Does she perhaps have a tendency to authorise excessive force?
Some of the largest demonstrations seen in recent years have been organised by the Countryside Alliance with no trouble at all. There have also been hundreds of smaller gatherings every year. Perhaps you would like to explain why every year in Droitwich the police feel it necessary to contain the small number of anti hunting protestors behind a metal barrier (paid for by the Hunt) whereas the hundreds of supporters freely wander in and out of the area?

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Forfoxsakedontvotetory says...
11:26pm Mon 28 Dec 09

Molecat, do foxes get a choice in whether or not to participate? If hunters want to sit around playing marbles or spotting trains I would quite happily let them get on with it without participating but murdering foxes is not a victimless crime.

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BarryB says...
2:37pm Tue 29 Dec 09

New Kid, the points you make are to purile to even reply. Typical fox hunting stance.
Yes, molecate, call me what you will, arrogant, you name it, I worry not in the slightest. When it comes to being anti bloodlust and anti downright cruelty, my morals are far, far superior to those that indulge in these pastimes. If you hold that your morals are not superior to these low-lives, then I am sorry but you cannot hold that there is anything wrong with fox hunting which is what this argument is all about.
My morals when it comes to paedophilia is far, far superior to those who again indulge in this practice, what would you say yours are on this subject. Analyse and compare with this example and then realise how silly your comments are.
And no, I do not "impose" my morals on others, albeit I would like to on some subjects, I go along with the law on the moral and legal subject of fox hunting with dogs and the law say's it is illegal. You apparently don't.

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New Kid on the Block says...
7:41pm Tue 29 Dec 09

“Now that hunting has been banned, we ought
at last to own up to it: the struggle over the Bill
was not just about animal welfare and personal
freedom, it was class war.”
Peter Bradley MP, PPS to Defra Minister Alun
Michael, Sunday Telegraph, 21st November 2004.
At least Peter Bradley was honest about the reasons for wasting 700 hours of parliamentary time on a bill that could not be passed by democratic means, needing to be forced through by the use of the Parliament Act.

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pudniw_gib says...
12:01pm Wed 30 Dec 09

class war? I doubt it, there are plenty of working class who enjoy bloodsports a well as the toffs.
This government has shown it sucks up to the rich so it is unlikely it was an act of spite against the rich.
Why can you not accept it is a case of preventing, or at least in hope of preventing animal cruelty.
We may have heard similar voices against the abolishing of slavery. There will always be arguments against any law, I know why I support the abolishment of hunting and am quite clear about the arguments.

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New Kid on the Block says...
11:25pm Wed 30 Dec 09

Pudniw-gib I didn't make up the quote. It came from an MP who was obviously much closer to the voting process than either of us.
That is unless your big windup is that you are Mike Forster in disguise.

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Vertis says...
1:20am Thu 31 Dec 09

I would hardly call the quote of one MP an arguament, he can speak for himself and not everyone else...and we all know what some MP's tend to speak.

Any form of 'fear' hunting is disgusting in my books. Scaring the hell out of an animal so it runs, either to be ripped apart or worse, escape injured to die in one of the worst ways possible...slowly and painfully. It's vile and sickening and should stay banned.

All these people who shout "heritage" well just remember that before this hound hunting our race killed just what it needed for food, quietly, sneakily and respectful of the prey. So if you want our countries heritage, then go back to a time before these blood thirsty twisted hunters wrecked our real heritage.

Fox Hunting is no more our 'heritage' as nazi-ism is Germany's. Both groups killing in vile ways because they believe they have the right to.

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country lad says...
9:15pm Fri 1 Jan 10

what people fail to see is the foxes are not often had by the hounds.

its the persuit of them once they have gone to ground people dont like and is classed unfair.

when a fox go's to ground it should be left ! not terriers released down the hole and then dug out to be killed.

im not for foxing hunting but i dont go telling people they should or shouldnt be doing this.

i do fox control on a number of farms with high powered rifle which i have a firearms ticket for.

i respect the fox and i can see why people like them. there nice and not seeing them in the countryside would be a really shame.

but like rabbits they need to be controled. i dont believe in traps or baits for them so the rifle is the perferd choice. its quick and painless for them.

well i no everyone wont agree with this no matter what reasons you put forward for them. this is apart of life

and sometimes these things happen. you ask most farmers who have a lively hood to make. they need them controled. and believe it or not ive seen the damage they can do to young lambs when 1st born.

they kill them and there worth alot of money to farmers. before anyone says this is rubbish its true.

why would they chase a healthy rabbit when they can take a new born lamb. which cost upwards of £30 a time to a farmer

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