Every Saturday during the hunting season we will be out monitoring the activities of one of our local hunts. We do this so that we can gain evidence of the cruelty which is involved in hunting and we use this evidence to inform the press, television and radio who can bring these cruelties to a wider audience.

20 March 2004 - Holcombe Hunt Point to Point
Cancelled due to bad weather.

13 March 2004 - Coniston Foxhounds - High Yewdale
First and only trip up to Cumbria this season. Choas in the countryside is the only description that can be applied to this hapless hunt. Hounds all over the place including on an A-road, with no one seeming to have any control of them especially the huntsman. Despite the hunt using two-way radios to keep in touch with each other not one member or follower of the hunts saw a fox even though it ran straight past the hound van. Although a couple of hounds picked up its scent the fox escaped. Thanks to the stupidity of the hunt we got some good media coverage for exposing the hunt's support for the Real CA.

6 March 2004 - Holcombe Hunt, High Moor Restaurant & Rigbye Arms
After losing the hounds twice in a matter of minutes at their previous hunt, the Holcombe played safe and hunted with just nine hounds. Still it needed five huntsman to try and keep them under control and even then the hounds were all over the place. As it turned out this was their last Saturday meet of the season which explained why they had 23 riders out including five children.

28 February 2004 - Cheshire Foxhounds
Frost accounted for several hunts in the region including including the Holcombe Hunt and Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn's Foxhounds with followers and quad riders from the latter joining up with the Cheshire Foxhounds. A good day monitoring as nothing was killed. Anthony Kirkham who has several convictions for violence including serving time for attacking an anti-hunt campaigner was riding with the hunt today.

21 February 2004 - Holcombe Hunt - Working Mens Club, Love Clough, Rossendale
With the Holcombe's huntsman still missing whipper-in Ron Stoup took on the role of huntsman, and the result: total chaos. Whilst shouting and racing around like a village idiot are suitable qualities for a whipper-in they make for a poor huntsman. As a result the hunt didn't so much hunt but charge around leaving hounds all over the place. When, by pure chance, the hunt did put an animal up it resulted in the hounds leaving the hunt way behind. Finally the hounds lost their quarry but the hunt was unable to get them back so the huntsman and whippers-in had to get off their horses and went in search of the hounds. Half an hour later, and with discontent growing amongst the hunters, most of the hounds had been rounded up. As they set off to hunt again the huntsman took the hounds across the path of the old scent and the hounds were off again out of sight. At this the field decided enough was enough and went for a ride leaving the huntsman and whippers-in to round up the hounds again! After twenty minutes most of the hounds were rounded up and where taken back to meet and 'hunting' was ended for the day.

14 February 2004 - Holcombe Hunt - Didn't Hunt
This allowed monitors to join the greyhound campaign in Manchester.

7 February 2004 - Royal Rock Beagles, Great Budworth, Near Northwich
On an extremely wet day they met at 10am. As usual only four or five hunters and two supporters. One hare escaped by running into a church yard and the beagles lost its scent. The hare was seen a short time later leaving the church yard and running back. Unfortunately the hunt returned and the hare was chased again, this time escaping by crossing the road. In a repeat of an incident last year a beagle got caught in a wire fence and had to be released by two hunters. Later the beagles rioted through a flock of sheep sending them scattering.

3 February 2004 - Cheshire Foxhounds
They didn't appear to put up a single fox although their terriermen went into a woods late in the day.

31 January 2004 - Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn's Foxhounds
We cannot name the fox-hunt monitored until the end of the season as we may monitor them again. Due to the terrain we were unable to get close enough to the hounds when they were in cry to determine if they killed or not. Also checked out a Cheshire Beagles hunting in the same area.

31 January 2004 - Holcombe Hunt, Hunt Ball at the Dunkenhalgh Hotel, Clayton-Le-Moors

24 January 2004 - Holcombe Hunt - Bentley Wood Farm, Hapton
Another meet at a Brewers Fayre's chain of pubs owned by Whitbread. 21 Hunters hunted the exact same area as on 22nd October 2003 with the same result - nothing. Two rabbits were put up but escaped, and several old scents were followed causing sheep to scatter everywhere. As on the previous meet here, dead sheep were simply left where they had died. In all we spotted four including one very recently which died looking like it was taking shelter from the rain the previous day. Guess hares will get the blame for these sheep dying.

17 January 2004 - No Meet due to frost

10 January 2004 - Holcombe Hunt - Ashworth Valley, Rochdale
16 riders covered the wet ground conditions with ease, in contrast following on foot was hard going. Within minutes they put a hare up and although it initially appeared to have got away safely the hound picked up its scent again and chased it all the way down to Ashworth Moor Reservoir. Neither hunters, sabs, or hunt monitors had any chance of keeping the hounds even within sight. Later another hare bolted right across the back of the hunt and even though it was spotted the hounds failed to pick up its scent. After crossing the road the hounds picked up another scent headed off in all directions with the hunters having no control of them. After twenty minutes they rounded up the hounds but lost them almost immediately when the hounds went after a deer. The hunt simply didn't have a clue what was being chase, but were unconcerned when told. Impossible to say whether the deer got away. After 15 minutes the most of the hounds were rounded up and hunted was ended.

400 metres up the road the Colne Valley Beagles met at Nutters Restaurant, Edenfield Road, Cheesden, Greater Manchester OL12 7TY (01706 650167) at 12. Heavy mist on the moors caused them to move on without hunting.

7 January 2004 - Holcombe Hunt - The Mulberry Tree, Wrightington
Not monitored

3 January 2004 - Holcombe Hunt - Shoulder of Mutton, Holcombe
Hunt cancelled due to ground conditions.

1 January 2004 - Holcombe Hunt - Dressers Arms, Wheelton, Nr Chorley
Hunt cancelled due to ground conditions.

29 December 2003 - Holcombe Hunt - The Pack Horse, Affetside
Hunt cancelled due to frost.

26 December 2003 - Holcombe Hunt - Rivington Hall Barn, Rivington
Hunt cancelled due to heavy rain. Both the Vale of Lune Harriers and Coniston Boxing Day hunts were also cancelled due to the weather.

24 December 2003 - Cheshire Foxhounds
Sadly a fox went to ground and was dug up and killed after most of the riders had finished for the day.

20 December 2003 - Holcombe Hunt - Cavendish Arms & Brindle Community Hall, Brindle
19 members of the hunt terrorised several hares but all appeared to escape. The hunt was abandoned after only 90 minutes due to fog.

13 December 2003 - Holcombe Hunt - Yew Tree, Anklezarke, Rivington
Despite hunting the area already in October and being here again on Boxing Day the Holcombe decided to hunt Anklezarke moor. Heavy overnight rain probably meant they couldn't hunt their planned meet so switch to the moors at the last minute. Fifteen member of the hunt out today which is higher than some of their recent meets. The hounds quickly picked up a hare scent but lost it after a few minutes. Unfortunately they picked up another scent soon afterwards and terrorised a hare for several minutes covering a large area quickly. Several hounds even went into a wooded area in pursuit. Due to the amount of mud on the hounds it was impossible to say whether they had any blood on them as they left. The remaining part of the day went off with much incident apart from the disturbance of several birds until the very end. As the hunt headed back to the area where they had chased hares earlier in the day the hounds killed a hare. A few minutes later the hunt lost control of their hounds on a footpath close to Anklezarke Reservoir.

10 December 2003 - Holcombe Hunt - Grey Mare, Belthorn
No monitoring

6 December 2003 - Holcombe Hunt - Hare and Hound, Wardle, Rochdale
Back hunting hares on United Utilities land again, this time around Watergrove Reservoir. As with other moorland meets in recent times there was a noticeable lack of hares. Despite covering a huge amount of land along Wardle Brook to Higher Slack Brook, only one hare was seen by the hunt, two scents were picked up by the hounds but the hares had long gone.

3 December 2003 - Holcombe Hunt - Robin Hood Inn, Mawdesley, Chorley
Half the field parked on Robin Hood Inn's car park (OS SD505183) and rest on a farm on Tinkers Lane near Tinkers Lane Cottage. Unable to say if they killed today as very wet conditions made following on foot difficult. By the end the small field of 11 were scattered all over the place with some finishing on Tinkers Lane and others at the top of Syd Brook Lane.

29 November 2003 - No Monitoring
Strong winds and heavy rain meant that even fewer than normal Holcombe Hunt members would be out so monitoring was cancelled. The Holcombe went to Deerplay - United Utilities land - near Bacup, but packed in after only an hour.

22 November 2003 - Holcombe Hunt - Jolly Crofters, Wallsuches, Horwich
The Holcombe's huntsman was not a happy chap today as the first hare the hunt put up went passed a locked gate so the field of 23 couldn't follow and the second hare they put up headed straight passed a hunt sab who distracted the hounds and ended the chase. The last hour of the hunt was totally pointless from a hunt monitoring point of view as the Holcombe hunted in an area know for not having any hares. Nevertheless several riders provided everyone with great entertainment by attempting and failing to jump a fence several times.

19 November 2003 - Holcombe Hunt - Duke of York, Waterside, Hoddlesden
Just seven Holcombe Hunt riders our today, and very little for them to get excited about. One farmer whose land they were hunting on didn't even know the Holcombe hunted hares and when told said, "but there aren't any here."

15 November 2003 - Holcombe Hunt - Holden Arms, Helmshore
Back hunting hares on United Utilities land again. Another early finish with just one animal providing them with any entertainment. After several failed attempts to catch it they headed home. Seems they didn't have permission to hunt on land that in previous years provided them with much entertainment.

8 November 2003 - Cheshire Forest Hunt - Great Budworth
Starting off where they left off at the end of last season, the Cheshire Forest Hunt followers (we use the term loosely) made monitoring impossible. Threats and violence are now an integral part of a hunting day for the Cheshire Forest Hunt.

8 November 2003 - Holcombe Hunt - Love Clough, Rossendale
Highlight of the day, much to his embarrassment, was Joint Master and Huntsman Alex Sneddon falling off his horse without a fence insight. Of course at his age this could be serious but it appears only his pride was hurt. Several hares chased but luckily all got away.

1 November 2003 - Countryside Alliance's Desperation Day
Declaration Day or Desperation Day who cares as long as there was little or no hunting.

25 October 2003 - Holcombe Hunt, - Duke of York, Waterside, Near Darwen
Another hilly meet which makes keeping up with the hunt extremely difficult. The sabs were kept very busy keeping the hunt away from the hares. No fewer than three riders fell off their horses. By the time the hunt had finished in driving rain only six riders remained.

22 October 2003 - Holcombe Hunt - Old Barn Farm, Hapton (OS 801 309)
On a miserable cold wet day the Holcombe Hunt were kept waiting due to the late arrival of the hound van driven by Alex Sneddon. Starting at 12.45 pm, 45 minutes late, just 19 riders set out and even some of these finished early. With only one whipper-in they had even more trouble controlling the hounds and at one point lost them over the ridge and it took twenty minutes for them to be round up. Very few hares evident today and we don't think the hunt killed but due to the terrain it is hard to be too sure.

18 October 2003 - Holcombe Hunt - Pack Horse, Affetside
No monitoring due to preparation for United Utilities campaign

15 October 2003 - Holcombe Hunt - The Mulberry Tree, Wrightington
A larger than normal meet for the Holcombe Hunt as it turned out to be their first meet of the season. The biggest threat today was to several riders who had great trouble controllingl their horses. A couple were dismounted and the whip was much in evidence. No hares killed today luckily.

11 October 2003 - Holcombe Hunt - Crown Point Road, Near Bacup
United Utilities allowed the Holcombe Hunt to hunt hares on moorland near Clowbridge Reservoir for nearly two hours. Not much distance was covered, instead they hunted the same areas repeatedly. After hunting was finished they ate pies by the side of Crown Point Road.

4 October 2003 - Holcombe Hunt - Yew Tree, Anglezarke, Rivington
The Holcombe's planned meet at the Scotch Piper at Lydiate was cancelled because they didn't have permission to hunt from tenant farmers. Instead a small field of 17 chose the easy alternative of Anglezarke. Unfortunately we didn't arrive until the hunt was well underway so can't say whether they killed any hares or not. What was unusual was a couple of riders were aggressive, and even offered to fight a couple of hunt sabs at the end of the meet. Sensibly the hunt sabs ignored these pathetic threats and those of a young lad who was following the hunt in a Land Rover.

27 September 2003 - Holcombe Hunt - Edgerton Arms, Ashworth Valley, Nr Rochdale
A field of 22 riders was met by a large number of hunt sabs determine to end the Hunt's recent killing spree. After an hour the hunt put up a hare which was chased down into the valley. The huntsman then spent the next twenty minutes calling his hounds back in with the hunt a the top of the valley waiting to resume hunting. Amusingly the huntsman, Alex Sneddon, claimed it was great to see the hounds working when in fact they were ignoring his and the whippers-in attempts to round them up. One hound was injured when it was kicked by a riders horse, despite the huntsman's wife seeing the injured dog no attempt was made by her or any member of the hunt to determine the seriousness of the hound's injury. Two further hares were chased for a short distance but luckily they escaped. Shortly after two hours the hunt finished in the glamorous surroundings of what can only be said to be a rubbish tip.

24 September 2003 - Holcombe Hunt - Jesters Inn, Love Clough
A field of 17 riders set off from the Jesters Inn to hunt the hills and moors on the west of Love Clough. After a twenty minute uphill walk to catch up with the hunt the hounds picked up a scent of a young hare who flew passed us and was forced to jump several stone and wire fences to try and escape the hounds. The fences, hill and wet moor proved less of a problem to the long-limbs of the pursuing hounds than the unfortunate hare. By the time we caught up with the hounds it was impossible to say whether the hare had escaped. Three other hares were put up but we are sure these escaped. A young girl rider fell off her horse whilst trying to jump a fence and was later kicked by a horse when heading down a narrow lane.

20 September 2003 - Holcombe Hunt Kill at Dressers Arms, Wheelton, Nr Chorley
The hare killers of the Holcombe Hunt are always guaranteed a warm welcome from the Dressers Arms so it was no surprise to see them meeting here so early in the season. Unfortunately a hare got trapped against a fence on land belonging to the Townfields Cross Country Course whilst trying to flee then simply froze with fear as the hounds descended on it. The hare's carcass was then picked up by a whipper-in and passed to another rider who attempted to hide it under his coat before galloping off to stop the carcass being filmed. He then threw the carcass away well out of our reach. The riders, including two with blood on their clothes, celebrated with refreshments a short time later.

13 September 2003 - Holcombe Hunt Kill at White Crow, Coppull
A hare was killed at Coppull today, unfortunately no monitors were present due to our information stall in Liverpool City centre. Eye witnesses tell us that despite being shown the evidence of the kill, in the form of what little remained of the hare, several hunt members still denied that the hunt had done it. But then again would you own up to such a cowardly killing?

10 September 2003 - Holcombe Hunt - Prince William, Dalton
A field of just 15 riders hunted for 2 hours. One hare was chased for some distance but it was impossible to say whether it had escaped or not. Much of the hunting was done out of sight from monitors but our impression was that no further hares were chased.

6 September 2003 - Holcombe Hunt at Bretherton
In what appears to have been a hunt for the over 65s, a field of 27 gathered in showery conditions for 90 minutes of hare hunting. Two hares chased but both escaped. Riders rarely broke into a gallop and a pointless day was had by all.