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| Cotswold hunters say guilty verdict won't stop record Boxing Day turnout | Cotswold hunters say guilty verdict won't stop record Boxing Day turnout |
| (8 days later) | |
| Patrick Martin gestures towards 45 yapping fox hounds and breaks into a grin. "Look at them, they are my life. They are also probably one reason why hunting is more popular than ever. People have really stuck together over the issue. What happened at Heythrop won't change that." | Patrick Martin gestures towards 45 yapping fox hounds and breaks into a grin. "Look at them, they are my life. They are also probably one reason why hunting is more popular than ever. People have really stuck together over the issue. What happened at Heythrop won't change that." |
| With Boxing Day, the traditional highlight of the hunting year, approaching it has been a rollercoaster week for Oxfordshire hunts. Twelve miles west from Martin's kennels at Bicester, across undulating countryside, the Heythrop Hunt – local MP, one David Cameron – was last week found guilty of intentionally hunting foxes with dogs. It was the first such verdict since the foxhunting ban was introduced seven years ago. | With Boxing Day, the traditional highlight of the hunting year, approaching it has been a rollercoaster week for Oxfordshire hunts. Twelve miles west from Martin's kennels at Bicester, across undulating countryside, the Heythrop Hunt – local MP, one David Cameron – was last week found guilty of intentionally hunting foxes with dogs. It was the first such verdict since the foxhunting ban was introduced seven years ago. |
| Front page stories duly appeared in most of the broadsheets, accompanied by pictures of professional huntsman Julian Barnfield. Hunt supporters spluttered with indignation. Anti-hunting activists crowed with delight. | Front page stories duly appeared in most of the broadsheets, accompanied by pictures of professional huntsman Julian Barnfield. Hunt supporters spluttered with indignation. Anti-hunting activists crowed with delight. |
| In the prosperous inns and lanes of the Cotswolds, the reaction, predictably, has been one of defiance and solidarity with Barnfield and the Heythrop. | In the prosperous inns and lanes of the Cotswolds, the reaction, predictably, has been one of defiance and solidarity with Barnfield and the Heythrop. |
| There will be more than 300 hunts on Boxing Day, with an expected attendance of 250,000, eclipsing last year's record turnout. The Heythrop hunt itself expects a huge turnout – more than 3,000 – as a show of support for its beleaguered local institution. | There will be more than 300 hunts on Boxing Day, with an expected attendance of 250,000, eclipsing last year's record turnout. The Heythrop hunt itself expects a huge turnout – more than 3,000 – as a show of support for its beleaguered local institution. |
| Polly Portwin, 35, who rode her first hunt aged four, spent last Friday helping Martin at the kennels, as the morning mist rose above the Oxfordshire village of Stratton Audley. She believes the ban is only adding to the popularity of the tradition of the hunts. | Polly Portwin, 35, who rode her first hunt aged four, spent last Friday helping Martin at the kennels, as the morning mist rose above the Oxfordshire village of Stratton Audley. She believes the ban is only adding to the popularity of the tradition of the hunts. |
| "The hunting ban in some ways increased support because people could see it was unworkable." | "The hunting ban in some ways increased support because people could see it was unworkable." |
| According to Matt Fincham of the Countryside Alliance, "no one will be put off by the recent court case involving Heythrop". | According to Matt Fincham of the Countryside Alliance, "no one will be put off by the recent court case involving Heythrop". |
| Martin says the support is tangible when he takes his hounds for a walk. Car horns blare when they pass, and walkers cheer. | Martin says the support is tangible when he takes his hounds for a walk. Car horns blare when they pass, and walkers cheer. |
| Certainly it appears impossible to find anyone in Stratton Audley – certainly not in the Red Lion pub – who hasn't a soft spot for the hunt. Portwin added: "The community support is overwhelming, it feels like people appreciate us more with time." | Certainly it appears impossible to find anyone in Stratton Audley – certainly not in the Red Lion pub – who hasn't a soft spot for the hunt. Portwin added: "The community support is overwhelming, it feels like people appreciate us more with time." |
| There is a profound suspicion in these parts that the Heythrop hunt was singled out for special attention – at least 500 hours of film footage was handed to the animal charity by anti-hunt supporters – because of David Cameron's involvement. | There is a profound suspicion in these parts that the Heythrop hunt was singled out for special attention – at least 500 hours of film footage was handed to the animal charity by anti-hunt supporters – because of David Cameron's involvement. |
| The prime minister is friendly with Barnfield and has ridden with the hunt, once describing his "terror" as his horse careered out of control through the Cotswolds. Barnfield, 49, now plans to write to Cameron, his constituency MP, articulating his concerns about the ban. | The prime minister is friendly with Barnfield and has ridden with the hunt, once describing his "terror" as his horse careered out of control through the Cotswolds. Barnfield, 49, now plans to write to Cameron, his constituency MP, articulating his concerns about the ban. |
| A week after his conviction, Barnfield is fairly bursting with indignation: "[The letter] will also include my thoughts on how we are being persecuted. By and large we are about the most law-abiding people on this planet and we are being put through courts on rubbish evidence and badly drafted legislation." | A week after his conviction, Barnfield is fairly bursting with indignation: "[The letter] will also include my thoughts on how we are being persecuted. By and large we are about the most law-abiding people on this planet and we are being put through courts on rubbish evidence and badly drafted legislation." |
| Martin claims the legislation creates acute stress for hunts as they attempt to ensure the hounds chase the trail of fox scent rather than the animal itself. The problem is, says Martin, the artificial scent is identical to that of an actual fox. Mistakes, he says, can happen. | Martin claims the legislation creates acute stress for hunts as they attempt to ensure the hounds chase the trail of fox scent rather than the animal itself. The problem is, says Martin, the artificial scent is identical to that of an actual fox. Mistakes, he says, can happen. |
| "You get five people following you in five different vehicles filming you with five different cameras in case you break the law. Everything you do is recorded, it's like operating in a goldfish bowl. | "You get five people following you in five different vehicles filming you with five different cameras in case you break the law. Everything you do is recorded, it's like operating in a goldfish bowl. |
| "I cannot think of any instance in public life where a group of people can follow, harass you, in case you break the law. We are being stalked, victimised in the countryside, traumatised by people following us just in case we do something wrong," said Martin, 54. | "I cannot think of any instance in public life where a group of people can follow, harass you, in case you break the law. We are being stalked, victimised in the countryside, traumatised by people following us just in case we do something wrong," said Martin, 54. |
| Barnfield admitted to the Observer that the stress of being constantly followed by anti-hunt monitors was nudging him "to the point of a nervous breakdown". | Barnfield admitted to the Observer that the stress of being constantly followed by anti-hunt monitors was nudging him "to the point of a nervous breakdown". |
| He said: "I was trying to do my job, trail hunting, but at times I couldn't do it. All of a sudden you fear for your livelihood." | He said: "I was trying to do my job, trail hunting, but at times I couldn't do it. All of a sudden you fear for your livelihood." |
| Now retired after 30 years hunting, Barnfield said: "It wasn't fair on my family. That was why I decided to call it a day. I do feel incredibly angry." | Now retired after 30 years hunting, Barnfield said: "It wasn't fair on my family. That was why I decided to call it a day. I do feel incredibly angry." |
| The coalition government has indicated the possibility of a free vote in parliament on hunting at some point. In the immediate future, last week's prosecution will affect little. But the verdict, and the publicity which it generated, has brought the simmering resentment in the shires to the boil. Portwin, who in 2004 was invited into Chequers by Tony Blair after she picketed the Buckinghamshire property in protest at the hunting ban, is keen to emphasise that this is not just a "toff's cause". | The coalition government has indicated the possibility of a free vote in parliament on hunting at some point. In the immediate future, last week's prosecution will affect little. But the verdict, and the publicity which it generated, has brought the simmering resentment in the shires to the boil. Portwin, who in 2004 was invited into Chequers by Tony Blair after she picketed the Buckinghamshire property in protest at the hunting ban, is keen to emphasise that this is not just a "toff's cause". |
| "People want to make it into a class war", she said: "but we have people from all walks of life who support the hunt, lots of farmers, lots of children. We have a dustman." | "People want to make it into a class war", she said: "but we have people from all walks of life who support the hunt, lots of farmers, lots of children. We have a dustman." |
| All will be expected to be present and correct on Boxing Day. | All will be expected to be present and correct on Boxing Day. |
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