On Saturday the Torrington Farmers Hunt had planned to hunt the area west of Dolton Beacon, a stone’s throw from where we sabbed Eggesford Hunt just two days prior. We say ‘planned to’ because not much hunting happened once we showed up, much to the frustration of the old boys who had come along to watch foxes being chased to their deaths.
Perhaps the hunt realised that the performative trail-laying they experimented with the other week only really works if they can actually get their hounds to take an interest in the rag, which they clearly weren’t able to last time. You’d think twenty years on from the Hunting Act they’d have at least mastered the smokescreen!
The hunt left their meet opposite the garage at Dolton Beacon and rode north along the busy A-road that goes to Beaford Moor. The moment they noticed sabs had arrived, they pulled off into a lay-by for a conflab. All the riders bar one then made their way back to their horse trailers and boxed up. Steve Craddock, his lackey Steve Burton and one rider carried on with the hounds towards Down Farm and West Villavin, trying in vain to get away from sabs. One blocking manoeuvre after another failed, as we simply passed the hunt between our various foot teams.
Continue reading “Torrington Farmers Hunt & Eggesford Hunt, 09.11.24”
