Hundreds gather to support Droitwich's Boxing Day hunt meet (From Droitwich Advertiser)

Hundreds gather to support Droitwich's Boxing Day hunt meet

11:00am Wednesday 28th December 2011 in News

THE sound of hooves clattering along the streets was welcomed back to Droitwich Spa at the annual Boxing Day hunt meet.

Hundreds of people of all ages turned out to show their support for their local hunt at traditional gatherings.

Horses have been absent from several Boxing Day meets over the past two years because of slippery conditions caused by ice and snow.

But they were in abundance when the Worcestershire Hunt met at the Raven Hotel in Droitwich.

A huge turnout of supporters, who filled the hotel’s car park and lined Queen Street, enthusiastically welcomed their return, cheering and applauding riders as they passed by on horseback with the hounds.

Tash Wheeler, the hunt’s joint master, said: “It looks like we’ve had as big a support as ever, which is just lovely. It’s tradition.

“People show their support and they want to see the horses.

“It’s lovely to have the horses back – I much prefer being on a horse than on foot. We will be doing the same again next year, weather permitting.

“We’ve got the people here turning out and we want to carry on doing it.”

Jenny Lightfoot travelled from Stock Green with her one-year-old son Alex and three-year-old daughter Sophia for the meet.

She said: “We’ve got two young kids and they both love the horses.”

Michelle Ballard, of Stoke-on-Trent, who hails from the county, has been attending the meets since she was a child.

“It’s a family tradition,” she said. “We come for the pomp and circumstance and we meet up with all our relatives.”

The hunts took place as agriculture minister Jim Paice claimed the Hunting Act was not working, renewing pressure on David Cameron to schedule a free Commons vote on repealing the ban.