Have just this minute got back from London where we represented the many factions of the racing industry, and there were plenty of us! Lots of owners, trainers, jockeys and stable staff all made the journey...so much for the "morons" many of them are respectable people, who as a racing fan you will probaly follow.
After starting work earlier than the usual ungodly hour I usually do, set off with at least another 150 people from Lambourn. We didn't really see what went on with the police, but the rumours were drifting round that it wasn't mainly hnt supporters getting stuck into the police but the "rent a mob" NF and skinheads who always turn up for the chance of a fight. Most of the day was very peaceful, it was just like a get together of friends discussing a familiar subject.
The violence was just an outburst of sheer desperation from people who are at risk of loosing their whole lives, job, house, hobbies. For those who belive p2p wont be affected by a ban, they are living in cuckoo land, spoke to some people who had come all the way from the borders who told me the Scottish ban had greatly decreased the numbers of horses, and money to run the meetings that without help it would fold within 10 years. And I'm with you SL, it is impossible that anyone can be anti hunting but go pointing.....do you not realise that everytime you step onto the track you are supporting the hunt, the entrance fee will go towards wages, or publicity or dogfood.....
From what I can tel (antis please tell me if i'm wrong) your main gripes about hunting is that a. Its cruel and b. the class thing.
Do you agree that foxes need to be controled? The Burns Inquiry proved that it is necessary, how about the cruelty that will be caused when thousands of beautiful hounds have to be put down, or are the government going to provide the costs involved of keeping them until they die naturally? Or what is going to happen to the horses who are primarily used for hunting? It probably wont affect those current horses, but it will those in future. No one will buy a horse to hunt anymore, so all those people who go to Ascot to buy a nice ex-racer wont bother....what will happen to those horses? I'll guess at pedigree chum.
I think the tragic death of the young boy the other day shows the difficulties with other methods of control, shooting only is NOT an option.
And well, SL, JinnyJ and myself have already described that the majority of people who will be affected by a ban will be the workers,