Hundreds of people lined the country lanes of Pleasington on Boxing Day to watch the annual Holcombe Hunt take place.
The hunt, which dates back to 1086, is usually held in Rivington, but following two years of restrictions, this year’s event was moved to the banks of the River Darwen.
Meeting in the car park of the Railway Hotel on Victoria Road at 12pm, the hunt involved around 23 horses and riders, and a pack of around 30 Stud Book Harriers – one of only eight packs left in the country.
Following a short briefing, and a glass of port for the riders, the gathering made its way down to the River Darwen, where an artificial trail was laid around the field for the dogs, illustrating how modern day hunts operate, before the hounds were let loose to follow the trail.
After two laps of the field, the group reconvened and then went for a short ride around the country lanes, stopping off at the Boars Head pub in Hoghton, before making their way back to the Railway Hotel in Pleasington.
Master of the Hunt, Sue Simmons said: “The hunt takes place in accordance with the law and provides sport for people that want to enjoy it with the horses.
“We’re very excited to showcase our endangered breed of hounds to the public in the first full Boxing Day meet since the pandemic.”
Members of the public were able to get up close with the hounds, horses and riders once they returned to the Railway Inn, which was open for all to enjoy.
Across the country thousands more people lined streets and market places as further Boxing Day meets returned in all their glory without the restrictions of the two previous years.
It is estimated that more than 200 packs of hounds – including foxhounds, beagles, harriers, basset hounds, draghounds and bloodhounds – held their Boxing Day meets outside pubs, in town centres and on other land suitable for safely accommodating the large crowds of people whose enthusiasm for hunting showed no signs of waning more than 17 years since the Hunting Act was passed.
Polly Portwin, the Countryside Alliance’s Director of the Campaign for Hunting welcomed the return of Boxing Day meets and said: “Boxing Day meets bring thousands of people together - be it families, friends, neighbours or those within our community who may otherwise be isolated over the festive period.
“Hunts play an important role in rural life with Boxing Day meets offering the public a chance to watch hunts showcase their hounds, horses and trail hunting activities.”
The hounds in this years’ hunt are believed to be direct descendants of Blue Gascoignes which were brought to England by the Normans.
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