New restrictions and hunting.....

L&M

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Just curious to see what packs are doing within the new 'tier' system in England, especially the ones in the highest risk category?

We hunt in Wales, where we have a proposed 'circuit break', but not holding out much hope for advice from the MFHA considering the Hunting Office website has not been updated since the 14th Sept.....
 

SOS

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I imagine it will completely depend on whether organised outdoor activity is allowed in the tiers or not. I haven’t seen any guidance on this but it must be somewhere.

Will be an awful shame if the whole season is cancelled with hounds and horses finally getting fit and everyone working so hard to make it happy. Repeated breaks will also make it hard to keep the former fit... who knows!
 

Tiddlypom

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It’s going to be especially interesting keeping within the guidelines for those packs who straddle areas with different Covid restrictions.

The neighbouring pack to mine kennels their hounds in Wales, but a substantial part of their country and many of their meets are in a (currently) tier 2 part of England.

As of yesterday, no one from tiers 2 or 3 in England is allowed into Wales unless for defined criteria, which does not include adults playing sport. What happens when hounds cross from England to Wales or vice versa?

Also, crossing locked down county borders within Wales is banned except for limited purposes.


Better keep strictly to those trails, eh.


Hmmm.
 

L&M

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Yes will be very interesting, especially in Wales - our neighbouring pack kennel in Shropshire (medium risk), but do also hunt in Powys (Wales, who are about to have a 2-3 week lockdown/travel restrictions), so imagine they will stick to Shropshire meets. But both MFH live in Powys to add to the complications.

I just hope packs adhere to any restrictions, whether in the 'very high risk' tiers, or if under 'lock down - we cannot afford anymore bad publicity atm......and the anti's would have a field day.
 

ester

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It’s going to be especially interesting keeping within the guidelines for those packs who straddle areas with different Covid restrictions.

The neighbouring pack to mine kennels their hounds in Wales, but a substantial part of their country and many of their meets are in a (currently) tier 2 part of England.

As of yesterday, no one from tiers 2 or 3 in England is allowed into Wales unless for defined criteria, which does not include adults playing sport. What happens when hounds cross from England to Wales or vice versa?

Also, crossing locked down county borders within Wales is banned except for limited purposes.


Better keep strictly to those trails, eh.


Hmmm.
hounds can cross, you're just not allowed to go with them so wait for them to come back ;)
 

spacefaer

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We hunt in Wales, where we have a proposed 'circuit break', but not holding out much hope for advice from the MFHA considering the Hunting Office website has not been updated since the 14th Sept.....

The MFHA/Hunting Office have sent out guidance to officials (ie masters, Secretaries etc) on every change of Govt policy, before and since 14th September. This info has been disseminated amongst the supporters as necessary but I do agree, they could also have updated their website!
 

Shay

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Except right now that isn't in place....

We can only respond to the rules as they are. The Hunting Office has actually been really quick in responding to support packs - but less so in updating their website. TBH - I can forgive them that!
 

L&M

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Except right now that isn't in place....

We can only respond to the rules as they are. The Hunting Office has actually been really quick in responding to support packs - but less so in updating their website. TBH - I can forgive them that!

But may well be in wales from next week.....
 

palo1

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hounds can cross, you're just not allowed to go with them so wait for them to come back ;)

Mmm well yes but trail layers can't cross (unless you can have some on the English side and some on the Welsh...). It is certainly going to be interesting. I just hope that we can keep going and maintain the support of those around us. So far so good but as well as knowing, understanding and following the guidelines tact and diplomacy will be needed.
 

Tiddlypom

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Wrt the Welsh/English border straddling pack that I referred to above, I hadn‘t realised that the kennels are situated in a Welsh county which is already (since Oct 1) subject to a fairly strict local lockdown. English members of the field should definitely not cross from their tier 2 area into Wales, but it’s also marginal at best as to whether the Welsh residing subscribers should leave their ‘locked down’ county to travel into England.

Local Welsh lockdown rules applicable to the above mentioned border straddling pack.

You can leave the area if you have a “reasonable excuse” to do so – this includes going to work where you cannot work from home, or using public services that are not available locally. It also includes leaving your local area to visit family or close friends on compassionate grounds if necessary.

But the basic message is that we want people to stay in the area as much as possible. You do not have a reasonable excuse to leave the area to do something if you could be reasonably expected to be able to do it within the area. This also works the other way around. Those living outside the area should not enter it if at all possible.


According to the antis, they were out cubbing yesterday in the border area, saying that they could cross the border as they were ‘working’, though I do not know how accurate that report was.
 

L&M

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Welsh gov 'fire break' states no outside gatherings or organised activities, thats' hunting scuppered for the next 3 weeks then.

Oh well, for the greater good and all that and at least they have made it clear.....keep safe all.
 

L&M

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Just had a random text for the Hunting Office, with an update on hunting in Wales during the 'fire break' (or 'not hunting' as expected).

But how weird - I am not on any hunt commitee and just a subscriber.......do you think they read my post lol?!

The powers of this forum......!
 

Parrotperson

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our local hunt is having "opening meet" tomorrow but with more than 30 people and two covid Marshalls who are supposed to keep it all safe. Not sure its within the rules though. Can't see anything online from the Hunting Office about it.
 

Tiddlypom

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From the hunting office‘s most recent update:-

https://thehuntingoffice.org.uk/covid


It starts off promisingly, then there a load of waffle about the risks being low even with larger numbers of participants. So is the rule of 30 max in any area going to be adhered to or not? If not, how is hunting going to justify that?

Good luck with keeping more than 1 field of 30 completely separate from another over a whole day.

Numbers in attendance is stipulated by the current Government guidance on numbers meeting outside, however we remain confident that due to the very nature of hunting activities (their occurrence outdoors in rural open spaces and the continuous movement of followers across an open piece of country) the risks are significantly low even with larger numbers of participants.

In line with the Government advice for Providers of grassroots leisure activities, and the Government advice on Staying alert and safe, the Hunting Office has issued guidance to hunts regarding organising activities for larger groups of people.
Hunting activities for larger groups will be organised in accordance with the Covid-19 Secure Guidance which will include the completion of a risk assessment, and all reasonable steps will be taken to mitigate the risk of transmission.
 

Goldenstar

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We have to book in to hunt before five the day before .
It’s subscribers only .
Our field won’t be over thirty and we keep in groups I have been closer than two metres from someone when Fatty was being naughty but only for a few seconds it’s easier than I thought it would be .I hunt with an anti viral snood round my neck atm so if I had to get off and help someone it’s there and I have a small sanitiser with me
cant do much more than that .
I think it’s likely we will get stopped at some point as a English lockdown sadly looks likely .
The country is facing economic disaster I might as well try to have fun while it’s possible .
 

Fred66

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our local hunt is having "opening meet" tomorrow but with more than 30 people and two covid Marshalls who are supposed to keep it all safe. Not sure its within the rules though. Can't see anything online from the Hunting Office about it.
Just checked the government website. So in England outdoor activity that is organised under a ruling body is allowed subject to it following their guidance. There is no restriction on numbers. Depending what Tier you’re in would then determine how the field can interact. ie you could ride closely with members of your own household but should maintain a larger distance from others
 

Tiddlypom

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So in England outdoor activity that is organised under a ruling body is allowed subject to it following their guidance. There is no restriction on numbers
Please can you give a link to that.

ETA I can see this, which applies to tier 1 areas in England.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publi...-on-the-phased-return-of-sport-and-recreation



Large gatherings
See team sport guidance.

People should continue to socially distance from those they do not live with wherever possible. Social interactions should be limited to a group of no more than 6.

Businesses and venues following COVID-19 Secure guidelines can host larger groups. This is also the case for events in public outdoor spaces that are organised by businesses, charitable or political organisations, and public bodies, provided they take reasonable steps to mitigate the risk of transmission, in line with COVID-19 Secure guidance and including completion of a risk assessment. Any other gathering in an outdoor space must not be any larger than 30 people.

Is a pack a business? It’s not a charitable or political organisation, or a public body.
 
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L&M

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Or live in Wales and watch your hunter get fatter and hairier by the day.......if Wales get another firebreak in Jan, (assuming we are not all in National lockdown), will find it very hard to keep motivated for the rest of the season.

What a muckle.
 

Goldenstar

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Looks like we all will be in the same boat soon.
I will keep mine in work they are not stabled over night yet and I will try to leave them out an extra month .
Then I suppose I will have to do some decorating .
 

Steerpike

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Our local pack think they are exempt, they had a meet next door and there was lots of people turning up, one of the masters last week said they have had more people joining them recently than in previous years and basically said if they are in groups of 6 and socially distance they can have as many as they like out.
 
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