By Julian Whittle

Published at 10:38, Friday, 30 December 2011

HUNT supporters in Cumbria are increasingly confident that the ban on hunting with hounds will be lifted.

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They were in good spirits on Boxing Day, traditionally a red-letter day in the hunting calendar.

At Uldale, at least two dozen followers turned out on horseback and 100 or so on foot when the Cumberland Foxhounds met at the Snooty Fox pub.

Joint master John Brockbank said: “We are determined that the ban will be repealed. It was a bad law to start with.

“I’m 84 now and I’ve been hunting all my life. If anything it is probably more popular now than it ever was. A lot of children like to ride and they bring their ponies along. Because of the ban, the hounds hunt a drag [scent]. The followers don’t know where the drag is so it’s good sport.”

The followers included Anne Phillips, 46, of Carlisle, on her horse Mr Bojangles.

She said: “This will only be my third time and the first time he’s seen hounds.

“I’ve always wanted to hunt and never had the opportunity until now. I was new to Carlisle and met these people [the Cumberland Foxhounds].

“Contrary to what some people think, the attraction is certainly not killing the fox.

“The appeal is the social aspect and getting out on the horse in beautiful countryside. I hope the Hunting Act will be repealed. I’d never been hunting [when it came into force] and it dismayed me. I can only imagine how these people must have felt. It’s their way of life. To have it taken away must have felt like the end of the world.”

Also at Uldale was Janet Lee, 51, who grew up in the area – her mother Ann Lister still lives at Bridekirk, near Cockermouth – but who now lives in South Africa.

She said: “As a little girl I used to come on my pony, which is why I’ve come back. I have two children who have never seen a traditional hunt and I wanted them to experience it.

“As far as the ban goes, my feeling is that foxes need to be killed. They kill lambs and they’re a nuisance.

“It’s kinder to hunt them because they have a sporting chance of getting away. None of us is here because we like to see animals being killed.”

The Government has promised a free Commons vote on repealing the Hunting Act. That pledge was underlined when Agriculture Minister Jim Paice visited the Fitzwilliam Hunt near Peterborough on Boxing Day. He said: “The current law simply doesn’t work. I am in favour of hunting with dogs – and the coalition agreement clearly states that we will have a free vote.”

Hunt saboteurs claim that the hunting ban is routinely flouted, a view rejected by the hunts who say they operate within the law. A veteran hunt saboteur from Carlisle, who asked to be named only as Andrew, said: “They flout the law with impunity and intimidate to try to deter people from attending hunts in the county.

“As long as they are out hunting, we will be out getting in between hounds and hunted wildlife. We ask the public to look beyond the scene on Boxing Day with hounds on the village green. What happens later and why do they go to great length to conceal their activities?

“If the mounted packs are following a trail, why are terrier men going out with terriers and spades as witnessed by saboteurs this month and reported to Wigton police?”

Among the other Boxing Day hunts was the Melbreak Foxhounds, one of Cumbria’s smallest fell packs that hunts on foot. There were 80 followers when it met at Lorton, near Cockermouth.

Published by http://www.cumberlandnews.co.uk