AN ANNUAL rural hunt saw a ‘fantastic turnout’ despite the frozen conditions meaning the full event could not take place.
Organisers of the Meynell and South Staffs Hunt Boxing Day meet said they were ‘delighted’ with the public’s support for the annual event which this year took place a day later due to the group’s tradition of not hunting on Sunday’s.
Due to the treacherous conditions at Blithfield Hall near Abbots Bromley the full hunt couldn’t take place but members were able to ride and parade the hounds to please the crowds.
Master Huntsman Richard Parrott told the Advertiser they were ‘pleasantly surprised’ by the numbers who turned out in the cold.
He said: “We had a fantastic turnout. I’d say we were not far off how many we would usually have — about 500-600 people I would say which we were very pleased with considering the prolonged period of bad weather we have had.” Preparations are going ahead for the hunt’s New Year’s Day meet in Uttoxeter, the first in the town in decades.
The hunt did hope to hold an event last winter in Uttoxeter but was hit by the big freeze which made the hunt potentially dangerous because of the icy conditions underfoot.
It is hoped the thawing conditions will continue and allow the full hunt to go ahead as planned in Uttoxeter.
Mr Parrott added: “We are looking forward to New Year’s Day and hope the thaw continues and we can have more of a full hunt.
“It is quite special for us to have an in-town meet as the opportunity does not arise very often. New Year’s Day is one of the few days we can do it without disrupting the traders.”
