2002
December
We have worked closer than ever with Nottingham this year. With the influx of new sabs into our group working with some of the most experienced and knowledgeable sabs in the country is of huge benefit. A combined force visited the High Peak this week. The new huntsman Kevin Farrow (previous whipper-in) has "improved" significantly since the start of the season and had killed one hare by the time sabs arrived shortly after the start of the hunt. His use of the horn was a tactical error however, as a number of sabs are similarly skilled and took control of the pack on a number of occasions. There were no more kills after sabs arrived.
We returned the favour the next week going to help out with their favourite target, the Quorn. The new huntsman simply cannot compete with the best sabs from Nottingham and Derby and kept on the run most of the day, finally packing up early. It is interesting to note that although Nottingham has one of the highest crime rates in the UK, hunt supporters rang in one complaint of "anti's are disturbing the hunt" and they managed to get TWO police cars screaming out of Nottingham at full speed with lights flashing! When the police discovered we weren't the iron-bar beweaponed anarchists that The Daily Telegraph portray us to be, they became rather uninterested and left us to it! There were no kills.
It's been a while since we did the DNS beagles and needing a bit of R'n'R we decided to try our hand at a little kennel watching. There was a small panic at the kennels when they realised they were being watched, and thinking they had given up on the idea of going out, after sitting outside until after 11.30, we went onto the High Peak. This was a bad move as visibility was almost zero in the Peaks, and we never really got close to the hunt. The mist was so dense however that the hunt packed up pretty early at about 1.30.
On Boxing Day we decided to have another crack at the Meynell, at Blithfield Hall. Numbers of riders have dropped significantly over the last 2 years, and the hunt could barely muster 20 riders for this major occasion. Numbers were made up by the hunt support which probably totalled about 300. All this traffic congestion slowed us down, but Greenall was playing it safe and kept his hounds close to him most of the day.
November
We couldn't pass up the opportunity of seeing Charlie again so the group descended on the Meynell's opening meet just south of Yeaveley. The Meynell is getting rather paranoid now and no longer advertises their meets which is rather inconvenient. Fortunately, our luck was in and we found them before they started hunting. Sure enough, the Royal townie couldn't pass up a bit of killing in the Derbyshire countryside and we greeted him with the respect he deserves. Johnny, the huntsman wasn't going to let us make a fool of him again when Royalty was present and kept the hunt on the run all day. There was no risk of a kill with this restricted hunting.
A couple of colleagues from Wolverhampton Sabs joined us the next week and talked us into finding the Meynell again. This week they were hunting at Blore Hall, just NW of Ashbourne. Charlie wasn't with them this week - I think he was busy reading the latest scandal from Burrell's memoirs. The pack was split pretty easily from the start as Johnny was attempting to hunt properly this week. Whipper-in "Paul" wasn't having any of this and attempted to ride sabs down in the field almost from the start.
Later, the pack was split again in a similar fashion and Paul came after sabs again using his whip and horse as a weapon. A Wolves sab who was taking most of the beating managed to confiscate the whip, and the sabs retreated into the Landrover. Other hunt supporters wanted to join in now and seemed to descend on the vehicle from all sides - one was armed with a hammer. We're not really a group that just sits there and takes it and the driver floored it, trying to avoid the people that were coming for us, (the guy with the hammer, after jumping in front of the vehicle, then did a spectacular rugby dive out of the way) and managed to squeeze between a blocking vehicle and a gatepost. He did manage to bounce off the gatepost while he was doing this!
This drama, instigated by "Paul", could have ended so badly for somebody, but thankfully only resulted in a mangled bumper, dented wing and smashed numberplate light for the sab vehicle. The whip was handed into Staffs police who had just turned up and were 1 mile down the road. Sabs took up a viewing point after that and let things cool down for about half an hour before returning to the hunt. The hunt fumbled around until about 2 o'clock and then packed up. We are not sure why this decision was taken - was it because we had been so successful, or the police had told them to, or the hunt master had decided to call it a day?
We returned to the Meynell, 2 weeks later with Nottingham in support. The hunt is now used to one sab group and hunt suporters do update the hunt with our location for most of the day, so they can minimise the potential disruption. Having two sab groups working more or less independently was too much for them however, and very little hunting was done. There were no kills. At the end of the day a sole occupant in the Notts Landrover (the rest were in the field destroying the hunt!) found himself blocked in by two hunt support vehicles. Things were going to turn nasty until the full complement of Derby sabs turned up - never have I seen hunt support vehicles move so fast!
October
The Quorn has a nasty violent reputation these days and seems to attract thugs. It was therefore necessary to arrange a mini-"hit". The combined numbers of Notts, Derby and Leicester allowed us to destroy any chance of them hunting properly. The hunt is a shambles now and sabs managed to control the hounds better than the new huntsman, Peter Collins. Four foxes were directly saved that day and much more wildlife was indirectly saved by completely disrupting their hunting. Our success unfortunately resulted in tempers (they generally have childlike mentalities) being lost. One young female Derby sab was ridden down in the field by "David". Fortunately only suffering from bruising and shock she gamely continued to sab during the day. Another rider attempted to smash Derby's Landy windows and Melton Mowbray Pie's "After" model went around threatening to do this 'n' that to sabs all day. Leicestershire Police showing their neutral professionalism by deciding to ride around in hunt support vehicles, ignoring the threats of violence to sabs, but thankfully leaving the sabs to it.
Notts and Leicester returned the compliment and supported us on the Meynell the next week. Unfortunately the Meynell had got their act together by now and blocked the sab vehicles in at the kennels allowing the hound van to escape yet again. Fortunately we managed to pick up a separate horse box. Realising who we were, they and a few others communicated with the hunt by mobile phone and were told not to lead us to the hunt. They ended up going for a hack along by the Dove - why can't they do this every week?
Notts and Leicester headed home, but realising it was the High Peak's opening meet due to start at 11.30 we decided to continue North and join them at Sparklow. A successful day was had when we directly saved at least two hares and slowed the pack long enough for a fox to get away as well. The beagles once again got away from the huntsman and crossed the busy A515. We want to avoid any animal being hurt - even their animals - so we escorted the huntsman, whipper-in and pack, back across the A515. The hunt support as usual showed how completely useless they were (or not caring) by not helping out their hunt.
The next week Sheffield had their windscreen smashed by a rider at the Grove & Rufford so they asked us to support them the next week. A token force from Notts joined us and we met up with Sheffield at Hexgreave Park just north of Farnsfield in Nottinghamshire. It was a difficult area to sab due to lack of roads but we managed to keep the hunt on the move all day and took the hounds off them a couple of times. Unfortunately they managed to kill one hare.
September
As many people may know, fox cub hunting starts around the beginning of September in the Midlands. Cub hunting is rarely advertised and is carried out much earlier in the morning than normal hunting and at the start of the season meets are usually 6.30am. The Meynell used to advertise their cubbing meets and would get maybe 100 riders out. They no longer advertise due to our successful sabbing sessions over the last 2 seasons. This was reflected in their numbers for their first outing we gatecrashed this season because they were down to 12-20 riders!
Due to their meets being kept secret, it was necessary for us to watch the kennels. To guarantee we didn't miss them we camped out by the kennels from about 5.30am! Successfully following the kennel van (who failed to recognise our new vehicle) we ended up at Snelston Common (128-149412). Due to successful disruption, no kills, and very red-faced annoyed-looking Johnny Greenall it only took them about 30 minutes to work out who we were! They packed up only 2 hours later with no kills.
The next week we attempted the same plan again but unfortunately we were a little slow getting going so we lost the van. The next week the kennelhand came out with a nice new baseball bat (clearly pre-empting the hunt ban by finding an alternative "sport"). This distraction again allowed the hunt to escape. This was starting to get us down, so to boost morale and help Notts we joined them on the Quorn the week after.
Spring/Summer
This is a period where we mainly attempt to raise as much funding as possible for the next hunting season. This year we again ran a stall at Ecofest which was very successful, raising a significant amount of money and generating new members. Members also found the time to assist DAWN in a protest outside the newly opened "Walkabout" Australian theme pub in Derby. This pub chain sell the controversial "exotic" kangaroo meat. There is no closed season for kangaroo hunting and many Joeys (baby kangaroos) are killed, left to starve or beaten to death when their mothers are shot. At the current escalating numbers of kangaroos killed, many species will become endangered within the next 10 years.
July and August has also seen some members involved in disrupting the local Derbyshire / Stafforshire badger cull. Badgers are a fully protected species since 1992 (a bill put through by the previous Tory government!) yet DEFRA (Department of Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs) consider themselves above the law. Groups and dedicated individuals from Derby, Nottingham, Sheffield, Stoke and as far afield as Liverpool(!) have joined forces and saved hundreds of badgers in the designated killing areas. This was despite a heavy police presence including dogs and helicopters! (I wonder how much that cost the tax payer?). Thanks must be expressed to the surprisingly large proportion of the local rural population - including farmers - who are against the cull and helped the activists.
tching. There was a small panic at the kennels when they realised they were being watched, and thinking they had given up on the idea of going out, after sitting outside until after 11.30, we went onto the High Peak. This was a bad move as visibility was almost zero in the Peaks, and we never really got close to the hunt. The mist was so dense however that the hunt packed up pretty early at about 1.30.
On Boxing Day we decided to have another crack at the Meynell, at Blithfield Hall. Numbers of riders have dropped significantly over the last 2 years, and the hunt could barely muster 20 riders for this major occasion. Numbers were made up by the hunt support which probably totalled about 300. All this traffic congestion slowed us down, but Greenall was playing it safe and kept his hounds close to him most of the day.
March
After a weekend off (even sabs deserve a rest) the next weekend we again decided to pay the Meynell yet another visit, with a couple of friends from Wolves. To our surprise old Charlie was present yet again (doesn't he have anything better to do?)! This was the first Saturday after Tony's announcement of a revival of the hunting ban and the press was out in force. Unfortunately if they wanted to witness a wonderful day of gentle riding through the scenic Derbyshire countryside, they were disappointed. There was probably a half mile procession of cars packed with grunting in-breeds wanting to get a sight of HRH. Sabs in their one vehicle managed for most of the day to negotiate around this freak-show and took control of the hounds on three seperate occasions and split the pack a number of times as well. The first time we split the pack so badly, the Support loaded the straggling hounds up in their vehicles and drove them back to the hunt! We were also illegally blocked in so many times I lost count, so we must have been doing a good job!
It is customary towards the end of the hunting season for the most violent hunts to host 'sab hits'. Other sab groups from around the country descend onto the one hunt with the local group and just through sheer numbers it is possible to shut a hunt down. A hit was called on the Woodland Pytchley in Northamptonshire. We picked up a trio from Wolves on the way and other groups which made the trek were Notts, Leicester, Reading, Chiltern, Southampton and a couple of others (sorry - no idea where from). Unsurprisingly the hunt packed packed up by 2 0'clock with no kills. We decided to go onto the Fernie. The Fernie has its own private security force called Market Harborough Police. This was evident after some hunt scum drove at sabs, hit one and then rammed Southampton's Landrover. We got the full treatment - cars, riot vans and even a helicopter! There were multiple sab arrests.
The next weekend we intended to say hello to the High Peak for their last meet of the season which is traditionally held on the tops above the kennels in Bakewell. Unfortunately we were short on numbers. It is likely they killed at least one hare that day but then nobody gives a stuff in Derbyshire, otherwise we would have no problem with numbers! The last meet of the season we supported Notts and Sheffield on the Grove and Rufford (based near Sherwood Forest). This was a nasty bunch who assaulted one sab. Unfortunately the police were no better - the first one ignored the bleeding sab sitting at the road edge and went up and shook the guy's hand who had just punched him! The super eventually turned up and claimed "it isn't the right time to make an arrest - we'll arrest him tomorrow".
Aah ... Roll on next season - I can't wait (sarcasm)...
February
To make sure they got the message this time, the High Peak received yet another visit the following week, this time with Sheffield and a token force from Leeds and Nottingham in support. Not being used to anywhere near as many sabs as this, the hunt fumbled around for one and a half hours and then packed up due to, quoting the huntmaster "too wet under foot
" or quoting the one remaining whipper-in "too windy
". Despite the large number of sabs the hunt "put-up" about a dozen hares but were unsuccessful. Sadly, one hare which escaped under its own steam, was picked up by a Notts sab and had to be euthanased by a Buxton vet due to its horrific injuries.
The second weekend in February was, as many sabs will know, the 11th anniversary of the death of Mike Hill. Mike (only 18) was killed while sabbing the Cheshire Beagles. All the Beagle packs are aware of the numbers we can pull together for this anniversary and dutifully cancelled. The Cheshire Forest Foxhounds however, ignored this important anniversary and we joined Manchester and Liverpool to show them the error of their ways. The Cheshire Police were their normal unbiased selves of course and invoked a section 60 on the day. Despite the large and unfriendly police force, the day was successful and sabs prevented any kills.
We felt it necessary the next week to remind the Meynell that we still existed. A couple of Wolves Sabs also joined us. We honestly did not expect them to go out as visibility was poor due to thick fog. We were surprised and horrified to witness the meet unchanged which was on a main road (A515) and twice as dangerous because of the fog. We were honoured to be escorted by at least 5 different police cars during the day! When the hunt moved away from the main road it was relatively easy for sabs to split the pack and the hunt spent most of the rest of the day trying to find them again! (Which is a good job as the driver ran the car into a ditch - he needs some R'n'R - and it took nearly half an hour to drag it out!) They packed up about 4.30 with no kills.
The group also managed to find time in between sab trips to protest outside The Great British Circus temporarily based at Toton in Nottinghamshire. The protest was run jointly with Nottingham Animal Rights and we were aided by members of the newly formed DAWN (Derbyshire Animal Welfare Network). The show has horses, tiger cubs and is also rumoured to have a llama. Thanks must also go to the Derby Evening Telegraph who instead of giving away promotional tickets (as they did the previous year) actually ran a good story on the protest! Hopefully many people were put off by the bad publicity and of those that were not, some turned around at the gate and went home.
January
The New Year was celebrated by going down to cheer (or should I say jeer?) the Meynell on in the centre of Tutbury. Every other hunt in country was meeting outside built-up areas to comply with DEFRA's disinfectant procedures. Not so with the Meynell - perhaps due to the frozen ground stopping hunting yet again?
We felt it was time to say hello to the High Peak Harriers. After almost a year they must have been missing our company! Unfortunately this did not seem to be the case. The new huntsman was not quite as polite as old Barry was, and a little bit too cocky as well. He must have been warned about us though, as for most of the day he kept his hounds so close to him, he was almost stepping on them! This was an effective day's sab for just this reason - if the huntsman does not cast his hounds - he's unlikely to find anything to kill. It all turned nasty towards the end of the day when a car drove at sabs and hit one. Fortunately the sab got away with just some very nasty bruising. There were no kills.
We returned to the High Peak the following week to show that violence would not deter us. (We rarely do the same hunt two weeks running.) This time the huntsman was slightly more reckless with his hounds resulting in our splitting the pack successfully. Later on in the day he lost complete control of them when they ran through a field of sheep. Yet again violence erupted when a sab was assaulted by one of the whippers-in. The hunt master who was there at the time decided enough was enough. He gave the whipper-in a written warning and decided to call it a day with no kills.