Boxing Day hunt drama as woman is injured by horse

8:25am Thursday 27th December 2012 in News

RIVINGTON Pike’s traditional Boxing Day hunt was marred with drama after one of the spectators had to be airlifted to hospital.

The 64-year-old woman suffered a head injury when one of the horses knocked her over and stepped on her head.

The incident took place just moments before the Holcolmbe Hunt members and hounds were due to parade in front of hundreds of spectators.

Most of the crowd were unaware of what had happened.

Paramedics tended to the woman, who was face-down in the grass at one end of the field, while waiting for the air ambulance, which arrived at noon.

Master of the Hunt Sue Simmons announced to the crowds that the annual parade around the field would not go ahead, before she started the hunt minutes before the helicopter arrived.

The woman was taken to the Royal Preston Hospital and was said to be conscious and stable.

The rider of the horse said she was “devastated”.

The woman, who asked not to be named, said: “The horse just sort of exploded because of the excitement and there was not a lot I could do.

“Unfortunately, she knocked the lady because she was spinning around. She knocked her off her feet and she stood on the back of her head.

“My concern is that this lady is okay.”

About 70 riders took part in hunt, and hundreds of families came to watch.

The Holcombe Hunt is one of the oldest in the country, dating back to about 1086. Its hounds are believed to be direct descendants of the Blue Gascoignes, which were brought to England by the Normans. The hunt began to shouts of “Merry Christmas”

from the crowd and the riders, and a round of applause.

The fox hunting ban came in seven years ago and hunts can now only hunt to artificially laid trails.

One million people are thought to have taken part in about 300 hunts across the country yesterday.

It comes as the Environment Secretary Owen Paterson told a national newspaper there were no imminent plans to repeal the 2005 hunting ban.

The hunt included 11-yearold Sophie Bowen-Howard, who rode alongside her mother and grandmother, and has taken part in the annual event since she was aged five.

Her mother Sarah Bowen, aged 38, said: “It is a tradition and you get to gallop across a field, which you don’t get to do every day.”

Lucy Stinchcombe was part of a group of 25, from Ormskirk.

The 40-year-old, who has watched the hunt every year since she was aged four, took her two young daughters to watch and said it was a family tradition. She added: “We would support the lifting of the ban on hunting.”

But spectator Kerry Bradshaw, from Hindley Green, said she had only started coming to watch the hunt after the ban was enforced.

She said: “I love it, you have the tradition, but without the cruelty.”

Comments (11)

10:31am Thu 27 Dec 12

bolton-born-n-bred says...

well said by Kerry Bradshaw, 'tradition, but without the cruelty.' I would say needless cruelty.
well said by Kerry Bradshaw, 'tradition, but without the cruelty.' I would say needless cruelty. bolton-born-n-bred

1:17pm Thu 27 Dec 12

berushka says...

bolton-born-n-bred wrote:
well said by Kerry Bradshaw, 'tradition, but without the cruelty.' I would say needless cruelty.
well, as someone who obviously knows nothing about hunting or the countryside in general, you would say that, wouldn't you? Lesson one; read all you can, study first hand, talk to those who know, then engage brain and put mouth in action, not the other way round.
[quote][p][bold]bolton-born-n-bred[/bold] wrote: well said by Kerry Bradshaw, 'tradition, but without the cruelty.' I would say needless cruelty.[/p][/quote]well, as someone who obviously knows nothing about hunting or the countryside in general, you would say that, wouldn't you? Lesson one; read all you can, study first hand, talk to those who know, then engage brain and put mouth in action, not the other way round. berushka

5:45pm Thu 27 Dec 12

taverner says...

surely the elite of society can amuse there selfs with a virtual online blood hunt and also stay safe along the way.
surely the elite of society can amuse there selfs with a virtual online blood hunt and also stay safe along the way. taverner

6:31pm Thu 27 Dec 12

Hough64 says...

berushka wrote:
bolton-born-n-bred wrote:
well said by Kerry Bradshaw, 'tradition, but without the cruelty.' I would say needless cruelty.
well, as someone who obviously knows nothing about hunting or the countryside in general, you would say that, wouldn't you? Lesson one; read all you can, study first hand, talk to those who know, then engage brain and put mouth in action, not the other way round.
Do you have to stick your ugly beak into everything?
[quote][p][bold]berushka[/bold] wrote: [quote][p][bold]bolton-born-n-bred[/bold] wrote: well said by Kerry Bradshaw, 'tradition, but without the cruelty.' I would say needless cruelty.[/p][/quote]well, as someone who obviously knows nothing about hunting or the countryside in general, you would say that, wouldn't you? Lesson one; read all you can, study first hand, talk to those who know, then engage brain and put mouth in action, not the other way round.[/p][/quote]Do you have to stick your ugly beak into everything? Hough64

9:08pm Thu 27 Dec 12

dougie kay says...

Hough64 wrote:
berushka wrote:
bolton-born-n-bred wrote:
well said by Kerry Bradshaw, 'tradition, but without the cruelty.' I would say needless cruelty.
well, as someone who obviously knows nothing about hunting or the countryside in general, you would say that, wouldn't you? Lesson one; read all you can, study first hand, talk to those who know, then engage brain and put mouth in action, not the other way round.
Do you have to stick your ugly beak into everything?
hmmm ,let me see now whats the first thing the hunt master must do .I remember,1; make sure any badger setts over the hunt course have been blocked, can;t afford the vicious beast to go to ground. 2,To give the quarry an even chance use no more 15 pair of hounds ,3 Try not to include any wooded/water sources on the course in case the hounds lose the trail at specified positions, station beaters just in case. If during the chase any domestic pets get killed , blame the owners and explain that their pet attacked first. Seen the results of The Vale of Belvior hunt twice it ain't a quick kill and its not quiet, the hounds have to be whipped of the corpse of the fox before it it is shredded
[quote][p][bold]Hough64[/bold] wrote: [quote][p][bold]berushka[/bold] wrote: [quote][p][bold]bolton-born-n-bred[/bold] wrote: well said by Kerry Bradshaw, 'tradition, but without the cruelty.' I would say needless cruelty.[/p][/quote]well, as someone who obviously knows nothing about hunting or the countryside in general, you would say that, wouldn't you? Lesson one; read all you can, study first hand, talk to those who know, then engage brain and put mouth in action, not the other way round.[/p][/quote]Do you have to stick your ugly beak into everything?[/p][/quote]hmmm ,let me see now whats the first thing the hunt master must do .I remember,1; make sure any badger setts over the hunt course have been blocked, can;t afford the vicious beast to go to ground. 2,To give the quarry an even chance use no more 15 pair of hounds ,3 Try not to include any wooded/water sources on the course in case the hounds lose the trail at specified positions, station beaters just in case. If during the chase any domestic pets get killed , blame the owners and explain that their pet attacked first. Seen the results of The Vale of Belvior hunt twice it ain't a quick kill and its not quiet, the hounds have to be whipped of the corpse of the fox before it it is shredded dougie kay

9:34pm Thu 27 Dec 12

gymnast says...

Ah yes a video of an Air Ambulance, just in case we'd forgotten what one looked like. Thanks BN!
Ah yes a video of an Air Ambulance, just in case we'd forgotten what one looked like. Thanks BN! gymnast

10:52am Fri 28 Dec 12

Hunt Sabs says...

What the readers maybe don't know is that the Holcombe Hunt used to cahse and kill hares before the ban was introduced.

Can anybody please tell me what harm the lovely creature does to the countryside that it need to be chased across the moors in fear of its life?

The brown hare has become increasingly rare. It is second only to the water vole as the British mammal which has shown the greatest decline during the past century. Yet still they want to repeal the ban so they can be hunted, WHY?

I await the answer!!!
What the readers maybe don't know is that the Holcombe Hunt used to cahse and kill hares before the ban was introduced. Can anybody please tell me what harm the lovely creature does to the countryside that it need to be chased across the moors in fear of its life? The brown hare has become increasingly rare. It is second only to the water vole as the British mammal which has shown the greatest decline during the past century. Yet still they want to repeal the ban so they can be hunted, WHY? I await the answer!!! Hunt Sabs

10:58am Fri 28 Dec 12

Hunt Sabs says...

PS - 'One million people are thought to have taken part in about 300 hunts across the country yesterday.'


That's nearly 3,500 at each hunt, I don't think so.
PS - 'One million people are thought to have taken part in about 300 hunts across the country yesterday.' That's nearly 3,500 at each hunt, I don't think so. Hunt Sabs

9:46pm Fri 28 Dec 12

dougie kay says...

Hunt Sabs wrote:
PS - 'One million people are thought to have taken part in about 300 hunts across the country yesterday.'


That's nearly 3,500 at each hunt, I don't think so.
yeah and 60.000.000 didn't
[quote][p][bold]Hunt Sabs[/bold] wrote: PS - 'One million people are thought to have taken part in about 300 hunts across the country yesterday.' That's nearly 3,500 at each hunt, I don't think so.[/p][/quote]yeah and 60.000.000 didn't dougie kay

6:09pm Thu 3 Jan 13

berushka says...

dougie kay wrote:
Hough64 wrote:
berushka wrote:
bolton-born-n-bred wrote:
well said by Kerry Bradshaw, 'tradition, but without the cruelty.' I would say needless cruelty.
well, as someone who obviously knows nothing about hunting or the countryside in general, you would say that, wouldn't you? Lesson one; read all you can, study first hand, talk to those who know, then engage brain and put mouth in action, not the other way round.
Do you have to stick your ugly beak into everything?
hmmm ,let me see now whats the first thing the hunt master must do .I remember,1; make sure any badger setts over the hunt course have been blocked, can;t afford the vicious beast to go to ground. 2,To give the quarry an even chance use no more 15 pair of hounds ,3 Try not to include any wooded/water sources on the course in case the hounds lose the trail at specified positions, station beaters just in case. If during the chase any domestic pets get killed , blame the owners and explain that their pet attacked first. Seen the results of The Vale of Belvior hunt twice it ain't a quick kill and its not quiet, the hounds have to be whipped of the corpse of the fox before it it is shredded
a few correct statements, but 'not a quick kill'? You have obviously never been close enough to see the jaws of the hound as it bites the fox's neck. Death is instantaneous. Now we have land owners, with the approval of Labour councils and the labour government's approval, gassing and trapping foxes. Now, that is a slow death. And just one for the road; did you know that the Labour party actually owned and hunted their very own pack of hounds, to appease their working class membership in Wales. And at the many Hunt meets that I have had the pleasure of attending, there were a great number of Labour supporters, even an MP, frequently in attendance. The Hunt Sabs are quite happy to attack and injure animals involved in hunting, such as maiming horses and blinding hounds, but they think this is justified in their defence of the vermin thy purport to love so much. Don't believe or trust them, they are dangerous and anarchic. Repeal this stupid ban and get Britain back to what is once was, GREAT.
[quote][p][bold]dougie kay[/bold] wrote: [quote][p][bold]Hough64[/bold] wrote: [quote][p][bold]berushka[/bold] wrote: [quote][p][bold]bolton-born-n-bred[/bold] wrote: well said by Kerry Bradshaw, 'tradition, but without the cruelty.' I would say needless cruelty.[/p][/quote]well, as someone who obviously knows nothing about hunting or the countryside in general, you would say that, wouldn't you? Lesson one; read all you can, study first hand, talk to those who know, then engage brain and put mouth in action, not the other way round.[/p][/quote]Do you have to stick your ugly beak into everything?[/p][/quote]hmmm ,let me see now whats the first thing the hunt master must do .I remember,1; make sure any badger setts over the hunt course have been blocked, can;t afford the vicious beast to go to ground. 2,To give the quarry an even chance use no more 15 pair of hounds ,3 Try not to include any wooded/water sources on the course in case the hounds lose the trail at specified positions, station beaters just in case. If during the chase any domestic pets get killed , blame the owners and explain that their pet attacked first. Seen the results of The Vale of Belvior hunt twice it ain't a quick kill and its not quiet, the hounds have to be whipped of the corpse of the fox before it it is shredded[/p][/quote]a few correct statements, but 'not a quick kill'? You have obviously never been close enough to see the jaws of the hound as it bites the fox's neck. Death is instantaneous. Now we have land owners, with the approval of Labour councils and the labour government's approval, gassing and trapping foxes. Now, that is a slow death. And just one for the road; did you know that the Labour party actually owned and hunted their very own pack of hounds, to appease their working class membership in Wales. And at the many Hunt meets that I have had the pleasure of attending, there were a great number of Labour supporters, even an MP, frequently in attendance. The Hunt Sabs are quite happy to attack and injure animals involved in hunting, such as maiming horses and blinding hounds, but they think this is justified in their defence of the vermin thy purport to love so much. Don't believe or trust them, they are dangerous and anarchic. Repeal this stupid ban and get Britain back to what is once was, GREAT. berushka

10:58pm Thu 3 Jan 13

VictoriaJane87 says...

berushka wrote:
dougie kay wrote:
Hough64 wrote:
berushka wrote:
bolton-born-n-bred wrote:
well said by Kerry Bradshaw, 'tradition, but without the cruelty.' I would say needless cruelty.
well, as someone who obviously knows nothing about hunting or the countryside in general, you would say that, wouldn't you? Lesson one; read all you can, study first hand, talk to those who know, then engage brain and put mouth in action, not the other way round.
Do you have to stick your ugly beak into everything?
hmmm ,let me see now whats the first thing the hunt master must do .I remember,1; make sure any badger setts over the hunt course have been blocked, can;t afford the vicious beast to go to ground. 2,To give the quarry an even chance use no more 15 pair of hounds ,3 Try not to include any wooded/water sources on the course in case the hounds lose the trail at specified positions, station beaters just in case. If during the chase any domestic pets get killed , blame the owners and explain that their pet attacked first. Seen the results of The Vale of Belvior hunt twice it ain't a quick kill and its not quiet, the hounds have to be whipped of the corpse of the fox before it it is shredded
a few correct statements, but 'not a quick kill'? You have obviously never been close enough to see the jaws of the hound as it bites the fox's neck. Death is instantaneous. Now we have land owners, with the approval of Labour councils and the labour government's approval, gassing and trapping foxes. Now, that is a slow death. And just one for the road; did you know that the Labour party actually owned and hunted their very own pack of hounds, to appease their working class membership in Wales. And at the many Hunt meets that I have had the pleasure of attending, there were a great number of Labour supporters, even an MP, frequently in attendance. The Hunt Sabs are quite happy to attack and injure animals involved in hunting, such as maiming horses and blinding hounds, but they think this is justified in their defence of the vermin thy purport to love so much. Don't believe or trust them, they are dangerous and anarchic. Repeal this stupid ban and get Britain back to what is once was, GREAT.
You are one sick murderous individual
[quote][p][bold]berushka[/bold] wrote: [quote][p][bold]dougie kay[/bold] wrote: [quote][p][bold]Hough64[/bold] wrote: [quote][p][bold]berushka[/bold] wrote: [quote][p][bold]bolton-born-n-bred[/bold] wrote: well said by Kerry Bradshaw, 'tradition, but without the cruelty.' I would say needless cruelty.[/p][/quote]well, as someone who obviously knows nothing about hunting or the countryside in general, you would say that, wouldn't you? Lesson one; read all you can, study first hand, talk to those who know, then engage brain and put mouth in action, not the other way round.[/p][/quote]Do you have to stick your ugly beak into everything?[/p][/quote]hmmm ,let me see now whats the first thing the hunt master must do .I remember,1; make sure any badger setts over the hunt course have been blocked, can;t afford the vicious beast to go to ground. 2,To give the quarry an even chance use no more 15 pair of hounds ,3 Try not to include any wooded/water sources on the course in case the hounds lose the trail at specified positions, station beaters just in case. If during the chase any domestic pets get killed , blame the owners and explain that their pet attacked first. Seen the results of The Vale of Belvior hunt twice it ain't a quick kill and its not quiet, the hounds have to be whipped of the corpse of the fox before it it is shredded[/p][/quote]a few correct statements, but 'not a quick kill'? You have obviously never been close enough to see the jaws of the hound as it bites the fox's neck. Death is instantaneous. Now we have land owners, with the approval of Labour councils and the labour government's approval, gassing and trapping foxes. Now, that is a slow death. And just one for the road; did you know that the Labour party actually owned and hunted their very own pack of hounds, to appease their working class membership in Wales. And at the many Hunt meets that I have had the pleasure of attending, there were a great number of Labour supporters, even an MP, frequently in attendance. The Hunt Sabs are quite happy to attack and injure animals involved in hunting, such as maiming horses and blinding hounds, but they think this is justified in their defence of the vermin thy purport to love so much. Don't believe or trust them, they are dangerous and anarchic. Repeal this stupid ban and get Britain back to what is once was, GREAT.[/p][/quote]You are one sick murderous individual VictoriaJane87

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