Today it was Herefordshire country show at Caradoc Court. With it being bang in the middle of South Herefordshire Hunt country, owned by former master Major Darling, attended by 2 of the other packs we frequent – the Ledbury and the Ross Harriers – AND in the middle of the Herefordshire Badger cull zone it would have been just plain rude not to attend.

Within minutes of us entering the show we were stopped by security accompanied by police and told to leave. We pointed out we were on a footpath. They said that all footpaths were closed. We asked to see the paperwork, they then said we could stay but only if we behaved. He added that the SHH were not parading.

So off we trotted bumping into one of the masters of the Ross Harriers who said, somewhat darkly, that the cull was going to be rolled out very widely this year. We also bumped into the chairman of the SHH and some SHH members who didn’t know what they were going to do come cubbing. They all seemed to scuttle off to the beer tent a bit quickly.

The Ledbury paraded late afternoon with commentator Richard Leeke not wasting the opportunity to promote his hunt as the bestest in the world, and his farm. Oh yes the Ledbury is a vastly superior pack and no mistake parading in the heart of another packs country he laid it on a bit thick tbh but at least didn’t embarrass himself by blathering on about trail hunts like they often do at these things. The Ross Harriers looked on sagely seemingly well satisfied with their lot. Meanwhile security, with an air of puffed up self importance glared at us whilst ruining the ambience by standing in high viz in the ring. Master, Louise Daly, stood between where we sat and the hounds. Not sure what they thought we would do…

We saw some very nice landrovers and looked on in horror as someone walked past with a goldfish in a bag.

All in all they were a bit jumpy