FANTASTIC — that was the verdict following the big Boxing Day hunt meet held in Tavistock's Bedford Square last week. Spooners and West Dartmoor Hunt chairman Helen Silcock said there were more than 80 riders taking part in the hunt, who followed a pre-laid scent from Whitchurch Down towards the open moorland. Helen said: 'I would say it was certainly a bigger meet than normal, both from the point of view of the public on foot and the riders. 'I would say you are normally looking at about 50 riders on Boxing Day — but you have to remember that the weather was kind to us. 'The atmosphere for the meet was really fantastic. Boxing Day is the big one of the year and when you are outside the Bedford Hotel and there are hundreds of people lining the street, many of whom have come not purely as supporters but because it's a tradition, it really is fantastic. 'And also later on, when we were up on the moor, I think the traffic up on Pork Hill was just about at a halt, there were so many up there.' This is the third Boxing Day meet since hunting with dogs became illegal following the passing of the Hunting Act in February 2005. But according to Helen, hunting has become even more popular in West Devon. She said: 'We've actually gained more people — more children and more families come now — whether the ban has just raised awareness of hunting I don't know, but people aren't worried about coming out any more. 'We are working under a ban and it's very different. We can only hope in the future the ban will be repealed and we will continue to work towards that, but there is not the tension and the bad feeling that there used to be. 'People can come out and relax now — and people can also come and watch and enjoy without worrying about the risk of tension and confrontation. I don't think I heard one anti voice at all on Boxing Day.' Spooners and West Dartmoor Hunt has 25 couples of hounds based at its kennels at Sampford Spiney. They employ just one paid member of staff — new master of foxhounds Claire Bellamy, who joined the hunt recently after spending several years with the Dartmoor Hunt. Helen said the hunt was 'delighted' to be able to offer Claire the job — and she paid tribute to the many unpaid volunteers, without whose help the hunt would find it difficult to operate. 'There is a tremendous amount of support at the kennels and on hunt days. None of the hunt servants are paid, they all do it voluntarily because they want to,' she said. A similarly popular meet took place at the Arundell Arms in Lifton, when Lamerton Hunt set off on Boxing Day. Hunt chairman Michael Bickell said: 'It went extremely well. We had 60 horses out, which is more than usual, and there was a real buzz coming off the crowd which I've never known before — there must have been hundreds of people out there to support us. 'Although we are doing it within the law, the support for hunting is greater than ever before — people are really getting behind us.'
