Boxing Day hunts create a spectacle despite bad weather (From Gazette & Herald)
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Boxing Day hunts create a spectacle despite bad weather
10:40am Tuesday 28th December 2010 in News By Dan Bean
SOME of the annual tradition of Boxing Day hunts went ahead in North Yorkshire, despite freezing conditions.
This year, the hunts were postponed a day as Boxing Day fell on a Sunday, but yesterday, riders turned out at Malton and Easingwold.
The pack of the Middleton Hunt, at Malton, gathered in the town’s market place at 11am. In Easingwold, the York and South Ainsty Hunt also turned out.
However, David Jukes, of the Zetland Hunt in Richmondshire, said weather conditions were too dangerous for hunting to go ahead.
Mr Jukes, 51, assembled with the hounds on the green in Aldborough St John, but was forced to do so on foot.
Last year, several of the regions’ events were cancelled due to similar conditions, with ice and snow making it dangerous for horses and hounds to take part. Joanna Newitt, secretary of the Middleton Hunt, said this year’s turnout had been impressive, considering the weather. Mrs Newitt said: “We had a few more out last year, but couldn’t actually go out. This year the meeting went ahead, and a few of the riders even decided to go out on a hunt.
“It was mainly as a bit of exercise for the horses and hounds really, rather than an actual hunt.”
As well as the riders turning out for the event, the show drew a small crowd.
Mrs Newitt said: “There were about 15 riders all together, but on a good day we can usually get 80 or 90. The numbers will have mainly been due to problems with the weather and transport.
“The crowd were very supportive and very generous too, with their contributions to the collection for the hunt staff. We’d like a nice thaw now, after 33 days of snow and being unable to get out.”
Comments(24)
again
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11:29am Tue 28 Dec 10
Woody Mellor
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11:36am Tue 28 Dec 10
West
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12:48pm Tue 28 Dec 10
THE REAL COUNTRYSIDE ALLIANCE-
http://www.youtube.c
om/watch?v=YccRUc2SD
Bs
They are nothing but thugs who are to scared to fight with men of their own size so have to pick a fight with a tiny little fox instead & even then they get their dogs to do the hard work.
There is no place for such behaviour be it from a chav or a fux hunter. They both belong in the gutter. Disgraceful behaviour.
Why don't these thugs get off their horses and fight with people their own size rather than a little fox.
Oh hang on a moment, they try & do that aswell, only against little old ladies out dog walking.
It was Camerons two main men that bought his way for him into the leadership of the CON party that beat up an elderly lady out walking her dog who they mistook for a hunt monitor.
They are just violent thugs, regardless of how important they see themselves in society.
Disgraceful behaviour from people that really should know better.
leninwasright
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1:15pm Tue 28 Dec 10
yourkidding
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2:52pm Tue 28 Dec 10
Whistlejacket
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2:57pm Tue 28 Dec 10
Lots of huffing and puffing on here from those on the moral high ground.
I hope you all insisted that your Christmas turkeys hadn't spent their short miserable lives crammed into a shed up to their chests in filth and barely able to walk or stretch their wings.
It seems that the public is happy to tolerate a lifetime of suffering when there's a couple of quid to be saved, but get all indignant about a fluffy little fox being killed.
Incidently, one of the reasons that free-range poultry is more expensive than battery farmed birds is due to the losses to foxes and other predators.
bikerbitch
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3:47pm Tue 28 Dec 10
leninwasright
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4:10pm Tue 28 Dec 10
bikerbitch wrote:I take it that you're not actually a member of the fox-hunting fraternity, or sorority. Fox hunting did not keep the population of foxes down. As I said, foxes were actually protected in order to be hunted. What do you think fox coverts are ? As for the countryside being overrun with foxes, it is estimated that there are far more urban foxes than rural ones, living off scraps and rubbish from the take-away society, though you don't often see them. Oxford University has an urban fox study project. English Heritage (note spelling please) does not and has never sponsored, participated in or endorsed fox hunting but is an agency charged with conserving and protecting historic monuments in England.
I agree with whistle jacket everyone is quick to point a finger at fox hunting when there is so much more cruilty to animials out there. since fox hunting has been banned the coutry side is now over run with them the next thing people will moan about is that foxes are coming into towns and stealing food/live stock and demand the culling of them all. I don't like to see the suffering of any animal but part of me thinks fox hunting is part of English Heratage which was only allowed at certain times of the year and kept the poulation of foxes down. I am sure that people would not moan if they ever saw the damage a fox can do to chickens and new born spring lambs
Woody Mellor
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4:26pm Tue 28 Dec 10
leninwasright wrote:Well put leninwasright !!
bikerbitch wrote:I take it that you're not actually a member of the fox-hunting fraternity, or sorority. Fox hunting did not keep the population of foxes down. As I said, foxes were actually protected in order to be hunted. What do you think fox coverts are ? As for the countryside being overrun with foxes, it is estimated that there are far more urban foxes than rural ones, living off scraps and rubbish from the take-away society, though you don't often see them. Oxford University has an urban fox study project. English Heritage (note spelling please) does not and has never sponsored, participated in or endorsed fox hunting but is an agency charged with conserving and protecting historic monuments in England.
I agree with whistle jacket everyone is quick to point a finger at fox hunting when there is so much more cruilty to animials out there. since fox hunting has been banned the coutry side is now over run with them the next thing people will moan about is that foxes are coming into towns and stealing food/live stock and demand the culling of them all. I don't like to see the suffering of any animal but part of me thinks fox hunting is part of English Heratage which was only allowed at certain times of the year and kept the poulation of foxes down. I am sure that people would not moan if they ever saw the damage a fox can do to chickens and new born spring lambs
redr
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5:33pm Tue 28 Dec 10
sayitasitis
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5:52pm Tue 28 Dec 10
Shooting is indescriminate, and doesn't always kill, but wounds leading to slow painful death - but hey don't let facts spoil your argument !
Woody Mellor
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6:03pm Tue 28 Dec 10
sayitasitis wrote:"Shooting is indiscriminate (I wont mention the spelling), and doesn't always kill, but wounds leading to slow painful death"
Lenwasright "they often claim to take out only the sick and elderly foxes, which presumably cause little trouble anyway" Well that just shows your ignorance of teh subject - they are usually the worst culprits because they can't catch wild prey such as rabbits etc..
Shooting is indescriminate, and doesn't always kill, but wounds leading to slow painful death - but hey don't let facts spoil your argument !
.
OK sayitasitis, should we ban shooting of Rabbits, Deer, Pheasants, Partridges, Rats, Grouse etc etc etc?
TT
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6:52pm Tue 28 Dec 10
I would like to see the reaction if a pack of foxes turned on just one of these slaughterers . A dose of their own medicine.
lels
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6:53pm Tue 28 Dec 10
Boatie
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8:57pm Tue 28 Dec 10
bikerbitch
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10:58pm Tue 28 Dec 10
sayitasitis
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11:40pm Tue 28 Dec 10
But foxes are generally shot from much further away and a re small targets for most amateur marksmen
As Bikerbitch says above - dogs dispatch their quarry quickly or it gets away completely.
MrChuckles
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11:43pm Tue 28 Dec 10
As for the petty comparison to christmas dinner by whstlejacket, thats just pure comedy.
The huntsmen just appear to crave power and are keen to look more important, in a position of higher class. Its a sorry state of affairs when they only feel that this can be achieved by slaughterin animals of which can't defend themselves.
I understand its tradition but times change and I think this is outdated.
hazedandconfused
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1:11am Wed 29 Dec 10
MrNasty
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8:36am Wed 29 Dec 10
Woody Mellor
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8:46am Wed 29 Dec 10
sayitasitis
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4:41pm Wed 29 Dec 10
Woody Mellor wrote:Proves nothing of the sort Woody - It proves that the ground conditions are far worse than a few years ago and nothign more. - but if it makes you feel happy carry on believing whatever you want.
This article proves how unpopular this vile past-time has become. A few years back there is no way the weather would of put so many hunters off attending the hunt. I wont be surprised if this is the last we will see of the Middleton Boxing day meet. Its banned and its staying banned. End of.
As for Mr Chuckles - guess he doesn't care too much for animal welfare. Torture is not in the killing - it is in the amount of suffering experienced.
Whistlejacket is correct - foxes are not tortured they are chased and killed (or escape) factory farmed animals on the other hand probaly see death as a welcome release from the torture they endure for you cheap food.
Woody Mellor
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5:21pm Wed 29 Dec 10
sayitasitis wrote:Sorry but your wrong. I'm a country lad born and bred, and country folk get on with it whatever the weather, not like us softy townies (which I am now).
Woody Mellor wrote:Proves nothing of the sort Woody - It proves that the ground conditions are far worse than a few years ago and nothign more. - but if it makes you feel happy carry on believing whatever you want.
This article proves how unpopular this vile past-time has become. A few years back there is no way the weather would of put so many hunters off attending the hunt. I wont be surprised if this is the last we will see of the Middleton Boxing day meet. Its banned and its staying banned. End of.
As for Mr Chuckles - guess he doesn't care too much for animal welfare. Torture is not in the killing - it is in the amount of suffering experienced.
Whistlejacket is correct - foxes are not tortured they are chased and killed (or escape) factory farmed animals on the other hand probaly see death as a welcome release from the torture they endure for you cheap food.
The lack of numbers was due to lack of interest, period.
Fox Hunting I'm glad to say IS history.
pedalling paul says...
11:07am Tue 28 Dec 10