*** NCH cause chaos around Badsey * Heythrop cause chaos near Blediington ***
Tuesday 11th Jan: the Heythrop were causing chaos at what appears to have been a joint meet with either the Kimblewick or the Berkeley Hunt near Bledington (the huntsman was wearing yellow/mustard so it was one of these hunts). We were told, “They briefly rode past Pebbly Hill shortly after 3 and headed up the bridleway towards the B4450. Two hounds were left behind and just seemed to be doing their own thing. All was quiet. Then at 4 all hell broke loose. One Huntsman (yellow jacket) with hounds at the back of our property, no other riders, the hounds had gone ahead of him. About 15 hounds got onto our land and into the paddock with my 3 horses, which wound them up. The rest of the pack ended up in next doors (the stud) stable yard. Owner gives them permission onto her land but pretty sure it wouldn’t include the yard with her very expensive dressage horses! I ran across to the boundary hedge, by the time I’d got there the lone Huntsman had vanished and left some young chap with a quad to get the hounds together. Words were exchanged and minutes later more words exchanged out on the lane between myself and my mum and riders and quad men. The hounds and Huntsman seemed to just vanish. 4.30 there was one lone hound out on the road. 6pm (pitch black) we could hear the horn, presumably still trying to get his hounds back.”
Wednesday 12th Jan: West Midlands sabs stopped the NCH on a fox near Downrip farm as stalkers attempted to stop a 3C sab walking on a footpath. They then came towards Badsey Lane on a scent but called the hounds back when they saw a sab stood there with a camera. Then on to the old railway where sabs were in the right position to make sure that they did not hunt foxes. Ten minutes later they were in a factory hunting 2 foxes in front of lorries, workers and passers by. One fox went to ground and hounds were gathered up and moved away very quickly. It was then a matter of Ollie Dale trying to put hounds along hedge and then back along the old railway for an early pack up at 15.00. A very successful day and thanks to West Midlands Sabs for joining with one of us.