Hit report : Saturday 15th December 2018
BSV Hunt meeting at Sturt Farm, Stalbridge Weston
There are no words to adequately describe how much rain fell today but it’s safe to say that everyone was thoroughly soaked by the end of the day. The sabs were pretty wet despite their waterproofs but were cheered up by seeing how sodden the riders were, enough to make their red coats turn their jodhpurs pink anyway ! Leaving the meet just after 11.30am Mark “Lugz” Dogrell took the hounds to search an area beside Eastop Lane before heading north to Harpitts. Hounds were speaking so a foot team went in on a footpath that had a sign saying no riding, before they were half way down they were passed by the field of about 50 riders !!! By the time sabs got to the edge of the wood the hounds had moved away but the huntsman gathered the hounds and brought them back to the wood near an old badger sett. Little did he know sabs had disinfected this area and the hounds weren’t going to be picking up again anytime soon. “Lugz” gathered his hounds and headed towards Basel Bridge area.
We arrived on Caundle Lane to find the field gathered just off the road by a copse called Church Close. The terrier thugs out today, included the bearded psycho who assaulted a female Sab recently and stole our camcorder, he was one of three of them on 2 quads. At the last meet we were informed by Matthew the whipper in that the bearded psycho had been banned from the BSV hunt and as we hadn’t seen him for a few meets we believed this to be true. However, it’s clear that the BSV do, after all, condone violent men assaulting females and thieves – shame on you BSV for allowing thugs to join you !!
The 2 quads were parked up at the bottom of the small field the hunt were waiting in and seeing as they looked more shifty than usual we kept our eye on them for a bit and filmed what they were doing. It soon became apparent they were up to no good so a foot team went in to check it out. As we approached they asked if we were getting nervous ??
One of the terrier boys was on the other side of the small stream that runs along the field boundary and was standing between 2 active badger holes. The hounds were all around him and it was clear that they had marked a fox to ground and were just about to have a dig out ! A sab pointed to the hole and said oh look Alice has just gone down there ….. the terrier thug replied who …. the sab explained she had just seen Alice in wonderland disappear down the badger hole with their trail !
The field were in full view of what was happening and would have all been complicit in the dig out had the sabs not arrived in time !
The Sabs were going no where so the rather disappointed terrier thugs had to get back on their quads taking the bearded psycho with them !!
Knowing their dig out had been thwarted the whole hunt exited the field and headed to the T junction crossing over to the bridleway taking them in to the Park Wood area.
The hunt moved along the south western edge of Park Wood searching an unnamed copse on the way before arriving at Furge Plantation.
The Hunt were wanting to go through a gate on the other side of road but it was locked – if they laid a trail all the gates could be unlocked in readiness for their arrival …., just a suggestion !! Not being able to get through this gate the hounds were taken up the road to the disused quarry.
Hunt support had gathered in the road here and Edward “the rural genius” Doggrell was there looking as charming as ever ! After a quick search of the quarry area the huntsman took the hounds south west to Toomer Farm. Toomer Farm is on the A30 and is an equestrian centre, organic farm, camp site and B&B and it was here that the hunt changed horses.
They followed a bridle way down to copse house and crossed the road going down a track beside Frith wood and leading to Frith Farm.
The Landy hot footed it round to Manor Farm and a foot team jumped out as the hounds went into cry. We believe they picked up in cockhill coppice and the hounds crossed the path of the sabs at great speed heading back towards Frith with no hunt staff or riders in sight.
We are unsure as to the fate of this fox but we soon caught up with the hounds and hunt on the road beside Frith Farm Cottages. The huntsman took the hounds back into Park Wood. The hounds were observed in cry again but with limited access we are unsure as the fate of this fox, we believe it was the same fox chased from cockhill coppice and hope it made it to safety.
We would like to dedicate today to all our donators, we are humbled to see how quickly our GFM for the stolen camcorder hit target and for that we thank you and today was for you !!
Photos and video footage to follow tomorrow.
As ever if you have any info on the hunt please get in touch. If you want to join us please send us a PM or email to dorsethuntsabs@riseup.net