Morning of horses and hounds out on hunts
PEOPLE from across the country enjoyed spending Boxing Day morning in the company of horses and hounds.
Boxing Day hunt meets took place in towns and villages up and down the UK, including in Market Bosworth and Great Bowden in Leicestershire.
The Atherstone Hunt gathered in the town square in Market Bosworth before trotting off to the cheers of the large crowd.
One person at the meet said: “The hunt didn’t have as many hounds or horses as usual because they don’t do much any more but they did promise to be back again for a Boxing Day meet next year.
“They all gathered in the town square before trotting back to the old folks’ home down the road, as they usually do.
“Everyone stood on the side of the road and cheered them as they went by.”
The Atherstone Hunt decided in October to cease hunting activities for the 2019/20 season.
Ahead of the Boxing Day meet, it confirmed the group would be visiting old people’s homes in Market Bosworth before parading in the square, but would not be going trail hunting.
There was also a hunt meet at Great Bowden, near Market Harborough, where the Fernie Hunt gathered on the village green and mingled with local people and supporters from across the area.
The Countryside Alliance, which represents rural traditions, said that even after 14 years of the hunting ban, Boxing Day meets were as popular as ever.
The alliance’s head of hunting, Polly Portwin, said: “Boxing Day meets offer hunts the perfect opportunity to showcase their legal hunting activities to the public and the media.
“Yet again hunts have been welcomed by vast numbers of supporters who have gathered in town squares, outside pubs and in fields surrounding stately homes, to welcome hounds on Boxing Day.
“This has been an incredibly wet season so preparations have been made more difficult than in recent years. However, it is testament to the determination of hunts and the generosity of landowners that so many meets have gone ahead again today to ensure that the thousands of those who turned out to support were not disappointed.”