On New Year’s Day we sabbed the DVSPMH at their usual New Year’s meet at Coleridge Farm just north of Chillington. The hunt started the day by drawing the large valley at Battle Ford.
Sabs saw a fox breaking north out of the valley almost immediately and were on hand to sprint across and cover the scent before hounds could get on to it. While the hounds were still drawing the valley, another fox was seen heading north from Lower Coltscombe with hounds close behind. Fortunately sabs were again well positioned to cover the scent. As hounds approached, sabs rated them back onto the heel line (ie the opposite direction of the fox). These foxes thankfully made it to safety.
Shorty afterwards, yet another fox was seen running for its life at Water Gate while hounds were busy terrifying a herd of sheep.
The hunt then turned around to hunt both sides of the valley. A fourth fox broke right in front of sabs on the south side of the valley near Darnacombe Farm. Sabs were once again able to cover scent while the pack of 30 hounds rioted through locals’ gardens in Start. One landowner became particularly angry as huntsman Reubo blatantly gathered hounds straight through his garden.
Hunt thug George Bailey (who is currently on a suspended sentence for smashing a fish tank over his girlfriend’s head) made a number of appearances, threatening sabs, blocking public roads and showing off his tattoos (see pictures). The hunt would have you believe that they are all “upstanding members of the community” – we’re not so sure given the company they choose to keep.
Landowner Richard Darke and his son Matt also tried to make nuisances of themselves by attempting to prevent sabs from accessing their land but ended up doing nothing more than incriminating themselves. Apparently “you don’t need to train the hounds to hunt a trail”, in the same way you “don’t need to train a lion to kill a zebra”. Matt couldn’t hide his internal facepalm as he realised what he’d said. His dad chipped in that sabs should leave because they are hunting “probably within the law”. Someone needs to tell Tweedledum and Tweedledee to stop talking to the sabs… Video to follow.
The hunt packed up early at around 3:30 and expressed their displeasure with sabs as they left the meet. Just what we like to see – another hunt’s day thoroughly ruined.
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