13.2.00

Dear Members of the Inquiry Committee,

Please accept this contribution to your inquiry. It is based, in part, upon two of the questions, published on your web site, to which it is possible to make a personal and substantial response.

9. In what ways, and to what extent, does the existence of hunting with dogs contribute to or impair the social and cultural life of the countryside?

The East Kent Hunt country is small as is the organisation itself. Nonetheless it provides a social and sporting focus for a significant number of people. Each Saturday through the season (November to March) meets are attended by many mounted followers, foot or car followers and even more supporters who choose not to follow through the day. This is repeated every Saturday and Wednesday in this small two days/week country. For some of us it is the absolute focus of our week. The relaxation and social reaffirmation that others seek through football, golf, dancing or any other pastime. For many it is the light at the end of the dark tunnel of a hard working week. It provides a close knit network of friends who rally round to support and help each other in times of need, celebrate each other's successes and provide broad shoulders when life seems beyond redemption.

The touch of this community extends beyond the two days of hunting through the season. A lively Supporters' Club, with a circulation list of more than 160 households and an extended network that multiplies this, organises activities throughout the year: Wine and Wisdom evenings, suppers, a horse show, terrier show, sports matches and treasure hunts feature every year. Recently the supporters have organised a Kennels open day that was attended by more than 700 people from the local community.

The hunt members and supporters organise the South East's largest sponsored ride each year with some 600 riders taking part. During the last 24 years this has raised £120,000 for charity. It is supported by many landowners who allow passage across their land as part of their support of the hunt thus providing access to areas that are not normally available to pleasure riders.

The East Kent, like other hunts holds a Point-to-Point race meeting each year that attracts thousands of visitors. The whole Point-to-Point business is reliant on the hunting community. Indeed horses may only be raced in Point-to-Points if they have been qualified by hunting.

The East Kent Supporters' Club has its own newsletter that is published 10 times each year.

We maintain links with the world fox hunting community. American, Irish and Australian hunting folk regularly visit our hunt country bringing with them economic benefits to the tourism industry.

Additionally the East Kent Hunt supports and maintains close practical links with the East Kent Hunt Branch of the Pony Club. The majority of helpers and officers being drawn from the hunting community. The Pony Club provides an excellent social focus for hundreds of youngsters, some of whom follow hounds regularly while others attend a mock hunt and special Pony Club meet each year.

For some people these events are part of a broader social life but for others it is their only social life.

The hunt supporters and members maintain rides and bridleways for the benefit of the hunt and other riders and walkers. The East Kent has amongst its members and supporters at least two people with considerable expertise and knowledge related to nature conservation. These members are always available to advise on works carried out by the hunt and also to hunting landowners.

In the early 19th century the East Kent Hunt had a period without the support of an enthusiastic Master of Foxhounds. The consequence was that the hunt was, for a while, poorly supported. The lack of a dynamic Master resulted in the Hunt having little influence within the country. Shooting and agricultural interests prevailed and the status of the fox was reduced purely to pest or vermin. It is recorded that the fox neared extinction in this part of the country. Only when H. Brockman Esq. took on the Mastership of the East Kent Hunt did the fortunes of the fox improve. His hard work reestablished the fox's position as a quarry animal and the usual hunting relationship with landowners prevailed. With the enthusiasm for hunting thus rekindled, landowners tolerated a managed fox population.

This short account from history contains a lesson for today. Without the support of the hunting community and its positive working relationship with landowners and farmers it would not be unreasonable to conclude that the Kentish rural fox population would be severely hit by keepers and farmers who would have no reason to tolerate foxes on their land. Fox hunting acts as a control on fox populations - a way of managing foxes without their eradication. The function of hunting with hounds varies in different parts of the country but in mixed agricultural economies with shooting and livestock playing an important part the Hunt is likely to be the greatest advocate for maintaining a tolerable fox population while providing a service to landowners and farmers in terms of fox control where necessary.

The Hunt recently opened a new kennels building in Elham and as part of this project carried out an extensive tree planting scheme. This consisted of two hedgerows and a small block, all comprising native species (native to the area) that will support a good diversity of wildlife. This project was entered into a recent conservation competition.

When considering the consequences of any ban on hunting it is clear that those who seek to achieve a ban would move on to their next objectives. While this would not be a direct consequence and it would be difficult to substantiate or accurately predict it is clear that such a far reaching policy as a ban on hunting with hounds would have further ramifications. Those who have lobbied for a ban clearly state their opposition to shooting and fishing. Both policies of the RSPCA as well as more extreme animal rights groups. Indeed the RSPCA even oppose the sale of livestock at market. For the animal rights lobby to succeed with a hunting ban would provide impetus to the movement which would then go on to deeply affect other aspects of rural life.

A related consequence would be the feeling amongst hunt supporters that those people who regularly dress in masks and disrupt the currently legal activity of fox-hunting would have had their actions sanctioned. While one could be confident that these people did not have public or mainstream political support the feeling of anger and outrage that such suspicions would engender would be extreme. It would add another burden of despair to a hard pressed, significant, minority of rural minded people living in town and country. This is not an issue of politics but of effects on an element of society - within the remit of the inquiry.

In addition to its role in the conserved countryside and social fabric of the area, the hunt provides a direct service to local farmers and small holders. The supporters' club raised sufficient funds to purchase an incinerator thus allowing the hunt to provide a collection service for fallen stock. A service that is widely used by commercial agricultural interests as well as many horse riding people who may thus avail themselves of a sympathetic and effective means of dealing with the tragedy of a horse that has come to the end of its life.

Many of us keep horses for no other reason than to hunt: in my circumstances for my daughter to ride to hounds. The cost is met by dint of allowing no other social or hobby expenditure. In the event of a ban there would be no justification in keeping the horse and so she would have to be sold. The market would be flooded by such animals. Many of these horses, like ours, have been bred and schooled solely for the purpose of hunting. One can only conjecture as to consequence of such an event.

In the event of a ban the countryside would be a poorer place, culturally, socially, financially and historically. It would be devastating to those of us for whom it is a way of life. Should this country be deprived of its sporting heritage there would be nothing left in my life except the demands of a career in Special Education. A life devoid of any recuperation or recreation to restore the spirit after working weeks that are filled with ministering to the casualties of modern society. This is stated, not for dramatic effect, but as a personal and honest gauge of the prospect that a ban holds.

One asks only that the significance of the proposed ban be recognised in its effects on the countryside, the lives of individuals and a vital segment of our community .

Yours faithfully, Nick Onslow

24/05/00

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Uploaded to site 6 June 2000