This Saturday we once again visited the dying Stevenstone Hunt at Milton Damerel to watch huntswoman Jessica Harrison lose her hounds. Make no mistake, despite being a terrible huntswoman, Jessica and her hounds still pose a huge danger to wildlife. With hounds scattered widely across the countryside we spent all day watching deer, hare and foxes get flushed and run for their lives.
She started the day in the valley north of Down Farm, immediately splitting her pack and then struggling to regather them, before moving on to Berry Wood where she would spend a significant time. Hounds were seen on the line multiple times, as small groups ran round the woods causing chaos and chasing multiple foxes. Fortunately, sabs were located strategically around the wood and were able to intervene to stop any kills.
Hounds then became stuck on the north bank of the fast-flowing River Waldon and Jessica had to leave the area and go round on the road back through Milton Damerel to try to gather them, before going back in from the east to try to put them back on the lines they had hunted earlier.
After finally leaving Berry Wood the rest of the day was spent around Park House near Whitebear Cross, just beside a busy A road. Again hounds got on to multiple foxes in the area (mostly a disgusting dairy farm that floated ankle deep in cow shit) and sabs had to intervene. Multiple foxes were seen around Horrellsford but sab teams in and around the valley were able to give them valuable time to get in front of hounds, while in the woods Jessica and her supporters pathethically hunted on.
Sabs on the road had to watch in horror and disbelief as kennel huntsman/whip Sean Watts asked his horse to jump a half-fallen metal gate from a virtual standstill. They didn’t make it. The gate collapsed, trapping the horse’s legs in it. This is one way to break a horse’s leg. It’s a miracle they got away without doing so. Video below:
The hunt packed up at around 4, though we stuck around to check some setts the hounds had marked and could still hear Half-Pack Harrison gathering in the dark at around 5.30. A long, extremely muddy but successful day for us.
Gallery
