At age 76 I have seen continual changes in public opinion on a whole range of issues. As a child I was encouraged to collect pressed flowers, birds eggs, butterflies etc and taught which wildlife were considered to be pests and how to control them. Rabbits, Badgers and Rooks were considered the biggest economic cost to arable and livestock farms in Gloucestershire where I lived. Organised means of controlling them were encouraged. Food was still rationed and the Ministry of Agriculture encouraged and paid for anything (including getting rid of the pests above) that could raise yields and production. As time passed, evidence emerged that such practices were both damaging to the environment and morally questionable as cheap imported food became the norm. Foxes were a pest but the reason why they were hunted was that they were easily found by a pack of hounds and ran fast enough to create a fun sport. My keen interest in wildlife which grew from my earlier activities led me to question fox and hare hunting but I respect those who still carry on with a family tradition. What I find nauseating to watch are the abuses of pets such as cats and dogs that are cooped up in small rooms and then allowed out to terrorise wildlife for the sport of their owners. That would be banned in 24 hours if I was the PM. I would also ban all martial arts that I find no different from the Roman Gladiators who were killed and injured for other people's sick pleasure.

My village might be missing an ejit, but it is blindingly obvious that if you had another brain, you would be twice as stupid.

I am from the north and there are very few, if any hunts up here. I have never heard of any in Derry, Tyrone or Donegal.

Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK where traditional fox hunting is legal.

Dungannon Foxhounds[8]
East Down Hunt[8]
Iveagh Hunt[8]
Killutagh, Old Rock and Chichester Hunt[8]
North Down Hunt[8][9]
South Tyrone Hunt[8]

All those are where there were landed gentry, native Irish do not participate as we do not have to impress anybody.

http://www.banbloodsports.com/latest-blazers.htm

Fine against anti-hunt activist dropped
Originally Published / Monday, 2 Oct 2000
An anti-hunt activist who was involved in a protest over foxhunting on lands owned by the Catholic Bishop of Clonfert at Loughrea in County Galway had a £150 fine quashed in the Circuit Court in Galway this morning. Thomas Hardiman, from Craughwell, said he was delighted with the decision. The Irish Council Against Bloodsports said it was a major victory for their campaign against foxhunting. Mr Hardiman staged his protest in front of Loughrea Cathedral last year, objecting to the fact that the Galway Blazers had been allowed to hunt over land owned by Bishop John Kirby.

It is not my intention to argue with you, so it may be best if we agree to disagree on this matter. With that in mind, have you heard anything about Fakiera in The Albert Bartlett Novice Hurdle. I backed it at 33s NRNB on PP, but now it is only 12s. I know it was tipped on a couple of those podcast things, but have not heard anything else that would lower its price

Billaway won handily enough yesterday, but jumping is very suspect. That said, it is hard to find anything to oppose him.