*** Ledbury host Belvoir Hunt at very large meet * hunt master incites riders to use violence against sab * blatant fox hunting * four badger setts blocked ***

Big thanks to one of Cirencester Illegal Hunt Watch who drove for us all day.

Visiting huntsman, John Holliday, who was huntsman at the Ledbury for 14 years, brought the Belvoir hounds down to Ledbury country.

First draw was at Horsehill Covert which was blank. Fox hunted in Corse Hill was filmed by a sab who was threatened with being punched in the face. Do you know this man? He was the reason she chose a different route and was perfectly placed when hounds chased a fox towards her, so we thank him for that, but will not stand for threats and unreasonable force used against our sabs.

They crossed over towards Limbury, Prestberries Farm and Carter’s Grove, drawing blank. At Catsbury Cottages Edward Philipson-Stow, joint master, told the rest of the field not to bother if they trampled on another sab!

They spent some time going over Tweenhills hedges and then on to Mixhill where a fox was holloa’d but they decided to leave well alone, going on into Corse Grove instead where they got away from the cameras long enough to hunt back to Corse Hill. One lost hound told his woes to one sab’ at the top of his voice! Air ambulance was also up as a rider had had a bad fall – the hunt hunted a fox straight past them and carried on – so much respect…

Then Haw Bridge, Town Street, the grass near the Yew Tree pub (which was flooded and so hounds drew blank!) before packing up at 17.30 back at Town Street Farm.

Four badger setts were found to be freshly blocked. One sett even had thorns mixed in with the soil used to block it. These badgers have endured 9 years of the badger cull in what is Gloucestershire zone 1.

We have a video on facebook of one of several hounds who the hunts left behind at various points throughout the meet. Stray hounds ended up in fields of sheep, cows and on roads.

This hound found his way back to the rest of the pack having found a sab to explain all of his woes to (edit 1: this is just a phrase, dear pro-hunt followers, no need to start imagining that we’ve accused the hunt of things we haven’t. You sure get upset over a simple video…)

Edit 2: some confusing and ridiculous accusations being made (and, as usual, not backed up with any evidence) by our pro-hunt followers, so just to quickly combat a couple:

1. If sabs called / enticed hounds away from the hunt, hunt staff should still do their jobs properly and gather the pack before moving off again. We don’t do this, but even if we were to do so, that doesn’t excuse hunt staff for failing to do their jobs – in the same way that they should have control of the pack if they riot on a non-target animal, the scent they’re following is foiled by something else, etc.

2. It would be incredibly difficult to just call a singular hound away from the pack. Do you read what you’re writing prior to posting? Even the hunts are laughing at you…

But, on that note, we may as well also share a recent expose by Ecotricity which includes actions relating to hound welfare and use: