AND ANOTHER!!
Thursday, 9 May 2013
Countryside Alliance Executive Chairman Barney White-Spunner writes: Another week, another spurious prosecution from the RSPCA, another long trial scheduled at great cost to the tax payer and then, surprise, surprise it all collapses. On Tuesday the RSPCA abandoned a high profile Hunting Act prosecution against the Avon Vale hunt on the first day of a scheduled seven-day trial. The charity had spent £50,000 bringing the private prosecution to Chippenham Magistrates Court, but the RSPCA backed down at the last moment dropping what District Judge Simon Cooper described as "not a strong case".
READ MORE HERE
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AND YET ANOTHER RSPCA STORY......
Friday, 12 April 2013
The RSPCA has dropped a private prosecution of two supporters of the Cheshire Forest hunt in the latest in a series of embarrassing cases involving hunts.
Brian Nuttall, 78, from Holmes Chapel and Justin Schofield, 42, from Crewe were out with the Cheshire Forest hunt on 3 March 2012 near Croton, in Cheshire, when they were filmed covertly by anti-hunting activists.
READ MORE HERE
Thursday, 11 April 2013
Countryside Alliance Executive Chairman Barney White-Spunner writes: This week brought more good news from the courts when the Hunting Act prosecution against the joint-master and huntsman of the Weston and Banwell Harriers, George Milton, was thrown out by Magistrates in Taunton. They ruled not just that George Milton was not guilty, but that he had "no case to answer" and that no jury could reasonably convict him having heard the prosecution evidence.
READ MORE HERE
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Local Girl Jennie wins the Silver Shears award
At a catwalk show at the Merchant Taylors' Hall on London's Threadneedle Street on Monday evening [18th March] the Silver Shears trophy was won byJennie McWalter from Keswick.

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The picture above is of Mr John Hitchcock, Managing Director of Anderson and Sheppard, Jennie and her Silver Shears award, model wearing Jennies outfit inspired by the Blencathra and David Gandy
For more pictures of Jennie Mcwalter and her winning Outfit click here and scroll down the news page
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Here's another RSPCA story! [18th Feb]
RSPCA private prosecution collapse reinforces need for scrutiny of charity
An RSPCA private prosecution brought against a Cheshire hunt supporter, his partner and their nineteen year old daughter has collapsed on the first morning of a scheduled three day trial at Crewe Magistrates’Court.
Keith Watson, a farmer, Tanya Norlander and Hannah Watson had been accused of interference with a badger sett on 16th February last year when Mr Watson was assisting the Cheshire Hunt . On the first morning of the trial RSPCA prosecutors admitted, despite knowing all the facts of the case for over a year, that there was no realistic prospect of conviction on the evidence and the case was dismissed. In March last year Mr Watson’s farm was raided by RSPCA employees and police officers who searched outbuildings and barns removing mole traps, clothes and Mr Watson’s legally held firearms.
The costs of the three defendants, which are likely to exceed £10,000, were awarded from ‘Central Funds’ which means the taxpayer will pay for the defendants costs as well as those of the aborted three day trial.
Tim Bonner, Director of Campaigns at the Countryside Alliance, said: “It is simply disgraceful that the RSPCA is using the criminal justice system to pursue a vindictive campaign against the hunting community. The Watson family have suffered more than a year of stress over a prosecution so unjustified that it fell apart within minutes of the trial starting.
“There is no way on earth that the police and Crown Prosecution Service would have prosecuted on such flawed and weak evidence, but the RSPCA pursued Mr Watson and his family simply because they were part of the Cheshire Hunt.
“Fundamental questions about the RSPCA’s use of private prosecutions were raised in the wake of the scandal over the £326,000 prosecution of the Heythrop Hunt. This case only reinforces the need for proper scrutiny of a charity which is using money donated to protect animal welfare to pursue a political, animal rights campaign.”
For the previous story :
Why did the RSPCA shoot dead more than 40 sheep in a grisly dockside massacre? The Daily Mail investigates horrific slaughter of animals unloaded from French lorry
Click here & scroll down the page to see it in full
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If you want to be kind to animals bring back fox hunting
Countryside Alliance animal welfare consultant Jim Barrington has written for leading political website Politics.co.uk. Jim's article is entitled "If you want to be kind to animals, bring back fox hunting". Jim makes the vital point: "Critics say that hunting cannot possibly be a form of pest control as they kill so few compared with other methods. This is to fundamentally misunderstand hunting and wildlife management. Wildlife management is not about numbers killed, but the health and size of the population left alive. A hunt is perfectly suited to achieving this, being a combination of sport, wildlife management and pest control and not just any one of those things."
Click here to read this article by Jim Barrington
Jim Barrington is a former executive director of the League Against Cruel Sports and is now an animal welfare consultant for the Countryside Alliance and Council of Hunting Associations. he is also an advisor to the all-party parliamentary middle way group and an honorary member of the Veterinary Association for Wildlife Management. |
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DIARY DATES
For galleries of the 2012 shows go to the shows page
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| June 11th |
Supporters Group meeting 7.30pm ----Threlkeld Sports Pavilion |
| July 28th |
Duck Race River Caldew 2pm |
| August 6th |
Supporters Group meeting 7.30pm ----Threlkeld Sports Pavilion |
| August 10/11th |
Lowther Game & Country Fair |
| August 15th |
Rydal Hound show |
| August 21st |
Threlkeld sheep dog/hound show |
| October 2nd |
Supporters Group meeting 7.30pm ----Threlkeld Sports Pavilion |
| October 12th |
Race night 7-30 pm Keswick Golf Club |
| October 20th |
Lunch 12-30 pm – speaker Sir Johnny Scott – Caldbeck Village Hall |
| November 28th |
Flower Demo - Keswick Golf Club 7-30pm |
| December 4th |
Supporters Group meeting 7.30pm ----Threlkeld Sports Pavilion |
| February 2014 |
Auction of promises – details to be confirmed |
Supporters Group
Only a few 2013 calendars left
Get Yours Now - £8 each or 3 for £20
Contact a member of the Supporters Group or Hunt Official to get yours while stocks last!!!

Also available cards and new for this year a range of mugs @ £6 each or 4 for £20
NEWSLETTER No 9 [20th MAR]
is here
click here to visit the Supporters Group page and read the Latest newsletter
check it out for forthcoming social events!!
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click on picture for 2013 results

Contact Stan or Marg
Should you wish to join the
'new' & 'bigger' 2013 draw

If you missed the Radio 4 programme 'Outfoxed' it is now available via YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=vVsv-6vP6uo
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| SPONSOR a HOUND
2012/13 Season
We are continuing with Hound Sponsorship for the coming season. Each hound can be sponsored for £20 - or more! and will include a mug featuring a photograph of your sponsored hound.
Contact a member of the Supporters Group or Hunt Official to renew or start your Hound Sponsorship
click here for a full list of all the 2012/13 Hounds to choose which hound to sponsor
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Kennels Coffee Morning:: Last of the Season

Click here to read
Extract from August edition of
FIELD magazine
featuring Barry & Ruler |
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