Crawley and Horsham Hunt

The Crawley and Horsham Hunt is a United Kingdom fox hunt,^[1] with hunting country of around 23 miles by 20 miles within the ceremonial county of Sussex.^[1][2]

History

The precise date of establishment of hunting in Sussex is uncertain,^[1] but in the 17th century the Duke of Richmond formed the Old Chariton Hunt covering a huge territory later to be divided between the Goodwood Hunt and Colonel Wyndham's. The Merstham Hunt used to periodically hunt the area until these hounds were given up in 1835, whereupon the local Henry Steere turned his harriers in to foxhounds, hunting the forest country north of Horsham until around 1842, when the hounds were soild to Charles Bethune and extended the hunting country out to Findon and Dial Post.^[3]

In 1851 the hounds moved to Warninglid and this pack continued until 1967 when the hounds were sold. A new hunt was then formed, with kennels at Staplefield and large improvements were seen in the hunt. The Findon country was made permanent and additional country was donated by Lord Leconfield. In November 1877 the hounds were moved to new purpose built kennels at West Grinstead, where they remain to this day.^[3]

Pony Club

The hunt has an active section of The Pony Club, founded in 1932 and now with over 170 members.^[4]

Legal action

In 2008, the Crawley and Horsham hunt launched a legal action in the High Court against Simon and Jane Wild of West Sussex Wildlife Protection and West Sussex Badger Protection Group, for trespass, nuisance, and harassment. The aim was to bring a representative action that would allow an injunction against all those associated with these groups.^[5] The test case was backed by the Countryside Alliance and Master of Foxhounds Association, but this was dropped a year later with costs estimated at over £120,000 being paid by the plaintifs.^[6] The defendants claimed to have evidence of illegal hunting taking place and were asking the court to accept this as a defence to the Harrassment Act action.^{[7][unreliable source?]}

In August 2011 prosecutions began against four members of the Crawley and Horsham Hunt for offences under the Hunting Act 2004.^[8]

See also

• List of fox hunts in the United Kingdom

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} "Crawley and Horsham". Master of Foxhounds Association. http://www.mfha.org.uk/directory/crawley-and-horsham-hunt/view/sussex/. Retrieved 2010-04-01. 
2. ^ "Hunting countries of UK and Ireland". BBC News. 1999-09-16. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/431934.stm. 
3. ^ ^{a b} "The Crawley and Horsham - A History". 1965. http://www.foxhunters.net/crawleyandhorsham/about.htm. 
4. ^ "Crawley and Horsham Hunt Branch of the Pony Club". The Pony Club. http://www.pcuk.org/Branch-Websites/crawleyhorsham/Crawley-Horsham-Hunt-Branch/Home-Page.html. 
5. ^ "Hunt's court action is adjourned". BBC News. 2008-10-22. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/sussex/7685156.stm. 
6. ^ White, Charlotte (2009-07-25). "Crawley & Horsham hunt drops fight against saboteurs". Horse and Hound. http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/competitionnews/392/286742.html. 
7. ^ http://www.fromdusktildawn.org.uk/News/2009/July09/hunt_lose_court_case.html
8. ^ "Hunting ban put to test as four face court in landmark case". The Daily Telegraph. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/countryside/8718689/Hunting-ban-put-to-test-as-four-face-court-in-landmark-case.html. 

External links

• Crawley and Horsham Hunt Official Website