Wednesday, June 23, 2004
MASTER MAKES SHOW PLEA OVER HUNT BAN
THE EVENING TELEGRAPH JUNE 2004
THE joint master of the Fitzwilliam Hunt has criticised the Government for its continued efforts to ban fox hunting.
George Bowyer said he and his members will never give up their fight to keep the sport legal.
Huntsmen and their hounds paraded in the main ring at the East of England Country Show at the weekend, and Mr Bowyer used the opportunity to give a passionate speech to the crowd.
The Fitzwilliam Hunt has been taking part in the show since the 1960s, and Mr Bowyer said it would be a great loss if the participation of the hunt had to end.
He said: "The Government is doing its best to stop us, but, come hell or high water, we will be parading here with hounds in the future.
"Hunting has been a part of country life for centuries, and to destroy it now would be very wrong.
"We are not barbaric, and we have nothing to hide.
"We do not force people to participate, so why should anyone force us to stop?
"There is no justification for a ban."
The hunt, which was set up in Peterborough in 1750, meets twice a week between September and March, and, at each hunt, up to 100 people ride horseback, and up to 400 follow on foot.
The current Labour Government has been attempting to ban fox hunting. In 1999, Tony Blair said he intended to make it illegal, and, in 2001, MPs voted in favour of an outright ban, but the Lords voted against the bill, and the time limit during which it must be settled expired.
In July, 2003, MPs again voted in favour of the ban, but the Lords ran out of time to debate it.
The Government has, however, hinted it might use the Parliament Act to force the legislation on to the statute books.
The Fitzwilliam Hunt was given a warm reception at the show, held at the East of England Showground at Alwalton, Peterborough.
Mr Bowyer added: "Two years ago, 400,000 pro-hunt supporters gathered in London to protest against a possible ban.
"There is a strong feeling among many people that we should be allowed to continue doing what has been done for hundreds of years.
"Thousands of people, such as farriers and feed suppliers, would also lose their jobs if a ban was brought into force."
But Gail Record, an animal rights campaigner, from Werrington, Peterborough, today said she hoped a complete ban was introduced.
She said: "Fox hunting is barbaric and must be banned.
"They say it is a tradition, but so was dog fighting, and that has been banned, so why not fox hunting?
"Not only is it cruel to the foxes that are ripped apart, many horses get injured jumping over stone walls and barbed wire.
"I hope we soon see the end of hunting."
21 June 2004
THE joint master of the Fitzwilliam Hunt has criticised the Government for its continued efforts to ban fox hunting.
George Bowyer said he and his members will never give up their fight to keep the sport legal.
Huntsmen and their hounds paraded in the main ring at the East of England Country Show at the weekend, and Mr Bowyer used the opportunity to give a passionate speech to the crowd.
The Fitzwilliam Hunt has been taking part in the show since the 1960s, and Mr Bowyer said it would be a great loss if the participation of the hunt had to end.
He said: "The Government is doing its best to stop us, but, come hell or high water, we will be parading here with hounds in the future.
"Hunting has been a part of country life for centuries, and to destroy it now would be very wrong.
"We are not barbaric, and we have nothing to hide.
"We do not force people to participate, so why should anyone force us to stop?
"There is no justification for a ban."
The hunt, which was set up in Peterborough in 1750, meets twice a week between September and March, and, at each hunt, up to 100 people ride horseback, and up to 400 follow on foot.
The current Labour Government has been attempting to ban fox hunting. In 1999, Tony Blair said he intended to make it illegal, and, in 2001, MPs voted in favour of an outright ban, but the Lords voted against the bill, and the time limit during which it must be settled expired.
In July, 2003, MPs again voted in favour of the ban, but the Lords ran out of time to debate it.
The Government has, however, hinted it might use the Parliament Act to force the legislation on to the statute books.
The Fitzwilliam Hunt was given a warm reception at the show, held at the East of England Showground at Alwalton, Peterborough.
Mr Bowyer added: "Two years ago, 400,000 pro-hunt supporters gathered in London to protest against a possible ban.
"There is a strong feeling among many people that we should be allowed to continue doing what has been done for hundreds of years.
"Thousands of people, such as farriers and feed suppliers, would also lose their jobs if a ban was brought into force."
But Gail Record, an animal rights campaigner, from Werrington, Peterborough, today said she hoped a complete ban was introduced.
She said: "Fox hunting is barbaric and must be banned.
"They say it is a tradition, but so was dog fighting, and that has been banned, so why not fox hunting?
"Not only is it cruel to the foxes that are ripped apart, many horses get injured jumping over stone walls and barbed wire.
"I hope we soon see the end of hunting."
21 June 2004
