𝗙𝗼𝘅𝗲𝘀 𝘀𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗱, 𝘀𝗮𝗯 𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗮𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗹𝗲𝗻
𝑪𝒐𝒕𝒔𝒘𝒐𝒍𝒅 𝑽𝒂𝒍𝒆 𝑭𝒂𝒓𝒎𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝑯𝒖𝒏𝒕 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑪𝒓𝒐𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑾𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝑾𝒂𝒓𝒘𝒊𝒄𝒌𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒓𝒆 𝑯𝒖𝒏𝒕 – 𝑴𝒐𝒕𝒆 𝑭𝒂𝒓𝒎, 𝑻𝒂𝒚𝒏𝒕𝒐𝒏
While hunts across the country cancelled today due to the frozen ground and forecast snow, the Cotswold Vale and Croome and West Warwickshire Hunt were determined to go ahead with their joint meet. Leaving horses at home – and most of their support – they went out on quads. We joined Welsh Borders Hunt Sabs for the day, who have been putting pressure on the Cotswold Vale for several years now, and who have the benefit of knowing their country really well.
The hunt were taken inland from the meet, andsabs caught up with them going across field towards Huntley drawing hedges on the way. Welsh Borders sabs headed inland moving the hunt on to Adam's Wood. Splitting into two teams, Welsh Borders stopped hounds on three deer, our sabs noted a fox casually walking across a field away from the wood, likely a fox who had been hunted before and knew when to make themselves scarce.
This fox was not hunted but shortly after a second fox popped briefly out of the wood just in front of sabs on the same line. Hounds were on this one and when sabs intervened a quad was driven at one sab before the driver got off and shouted at them. In the ensuing chaos, we are sure this second fox made it away to safety.
Hounds were gathered and the hunt crossed the road at Huntley, where we caught them just about to draw a roadside covert at Yew Tree Farm. When sabs caught up by vehicle, the hounds were quickly pulled out of here and taken back into Adam's Wood.
From here the hunt must have moved swiftly east. Sabs lost them for a while but found them, along with a number of car support near The Grove. Hounds were seen in cry in an orchard behind the farm, sabs headed round but were slowed by the number of supporters on foot. One of our sabs caught up with the hounds, started to rate them, sending them back towards the huntsman (nice biddable hounds).
Suddenly the same red quad which had been driven at them earlier in the day, was driven towards them at speed again. The sab jumped behind a tree to avoid being driven down, but they were assaulted with their whip stolen along with a body cam before the quad drove off again.
A decision was made to call 999 as the hounds were being hunted on, and there was a likelihood of the violence escalating. Thank you to Gloucestershire Police who attended within half and hour (even apologised for taking 28 minutes to get there as they'd had to come form Coleford) took our details, before going to look for the hunt at the meet and in the surrounding area, as we thought it likely they had packed up at this point.
Unfortunately the hunt had not packed up, but had continued to hunt, possibly the same fox, through Grove Wood crossing over the road near Poplar Farm. Here we caught up with Welsh Border Sabs after speaking to police. It was nearly 3.30pm now and with concerns about one of our sabs making it home safely before the snow started, we headed for home, satisfied we'd watched one fox to safety, intervened to save another, and bought precious moments to escape for a third.
We now need to replace a body cam before next Saturday, approximate cost £100. We appreciate it's just after Christmas but if you are able to donate it will be much appreciated.
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