JenHunt
Well-Known Member
as some of you may know the bilsdale had a falling out with itself about 5 years ago. I was at uni at the time, but I've hunted with them all my life, and you soon hear about these things even 300 miles away, and as I took no part or side I heard both sides of the story too. Anyway, the fighting lead to the hunt splitting in 2, and new mastership on both counts. The fraction that broke away formed a scratch pack from drafts and called themselves the Bilsdale farmers and hunted as an unregistered pack.
Over the course of the last 5 years the 2 hunts have co-existed, albeit not hugely peaceably. With the hunt staff (on both sides I'm sure) deliberately hunting over land they knew the other pack wanted for their next day.... bloomin' childish if you ask me.
Then at the end of last season the mastership of both packs changed, along with huntsmen. The new master of the bilsdale had offered a hand of friendship to the farmers pack and had his generosity spat back at him. He worked away at it with the new master of the farmers over the summer and almost had her on side. Then to put a spanner in the works the major landowners (8, covering 95% of our land) for our country clubbed together and formed a letter, with the approval of the MFHA, to effectively ban the unregistered pack from hunting their land, and to urge the two packs to reform as one once more.
The 2 sets of followers were allowed to hunt with the 'other' pack for free, but as most of the Bilsdale's field don't really like hunting on the moor their turnout was thin on those days to say the least, meanwhile the farmer's turned out in abundance for every meet.
This season has been a logistical nightmare for the 2 masters as they have worked hard with the MFHA, the 2 huntsmen and the land owners to broker some sort of deal. Just when they thought it was going smoothly the 2 huntsmen fell out again, over the 2 packs of hounds not working together (they're not kennelled together and they're quite different packs altogether anyway). Strangely enough, 3 days later there was an article in the local rag about the proposed merger where the huntsman of the farmers pack declared that the previous huntsman and master had been "doing things they shouldn't have been" (they moved the hounds under cover of darkness to another kennels on welfare grounds, so not how it should have been done, but hardly something they shouldn't have been doing!). The only piece from our master was very polite and said they were working hard to bring the 2 packs together.
It turns out that the major sticking point now is the hounds, both field's are more than happy to hunt together again, but the farmers huntsman cannot or will not accept to move "his" hounds to share kennels with the hurworth with whom the bilsdale currently share. But our mastership and huntsman are not prepared to return the hounds to kennels that they feel are unsuitable, and were causing welfare problems previously (much longer story, but I'll leave it there).
The reunion committee (both masters and the MFHA rep for our area) are putting some proposals forwards to the committees of both packs this week... what the outcome will be I don't know. One of these proposals is to merge with the hurworth to pool resources and country as theirs is very fragmented with roads and suburban sprawl. One is to merge completely and investigate kennelling options over the coming year. One is that we go our separate ways, but that to keep landowners happy the unregistered pack have to cease hunting. In any case the farmers' field are more than welcome to hunt with the bilsdale but will have to pay subs like the rest of us.
It makes me so sad that 2 grown men can be so childish. I'm sure most of it is foolish pride, but surely to hunt is better than to not hunt? and surely, as long as it all works out sharing kennels with another hunt who have awesome, purpose built premises and a great and experienced kennel huntsman, and sharing the costs of keeping hounds is so much better for everyone than using unsuitable premises, or running 2 packs?
Now I'm sorry if my thoughts make sense, or seem to be helping another hunt to continue, but if we can't be united with ourselves how can we possibly present a united front to this government? I just wish that those involved and those causing this process to get ever more complicated could see how foolish, petty and ridiculous they appear to those of us standing outside their childish squabble.
Please, gentlemen, pull your fingers out, stop fannying around like a bunch of school kids, and get hunting!
Over the course of the last 5 years the 2 hunts have co-existed, albeit not hugely peaceably. With the hunt staff (on both sides I'm sure) deliberately hunting over land they knew the other pack wanted for their next day.... bloomin' childish if you ask me.
Then at the end of last season the mastership of both packs changed, along with huntsmen. The new master of the bilsdale had offered a hand of friendship to the farmers pack and had his generosity spat back at him. He worked away at it with the new master of the farmers over the summer and almost had her on side. Then to put a spanner in the works the major landowners (8, covering 95% of our land) for our country clubbed together and formed a letter, with the approval of the MFHA, to effectively ban the unregistered pack from hunting their land, and to urge the two packs to reform as one once more.
The 2 sets of followers were allowed to hunt with the 'other' pack for free, but as most of the Bilsdale's field don't really like hunting on the moor their turnout was thin on those days to say the least, meanwhile the farmer's turned out in abundance for every meet.
This season has been a logistical nightmare for the 2 masters as they have worked hard with the MFHA, the 2 huntsmen and the land owners to broker some sort of deal. Just when they thought it was going smoothly the 2 huntsmen fell out again, over the 2 packs of hounds not working together (they're not kennelled together and they're quite different packs altogether anyway). Strangely enough, 3 days later there was an article in the local rag about the proposed merger where the huntsman of the farmers pack declared that the previous huntsman and master had been "doing things they shouldn't have been" (they moved the hounds under cover of darkness to another kennels on welfare grounds, so not how it should have been done, but hardly something they shouldn't have been doing!). The only piece from our master was very polite and said they were working hard to bring the 2 packs together.
It turns out that the major sticking point now is the hounds, both field's are more than happy to hunt together again, but the farmers huntsman cannot or will not accept to move "his" hounds to share kennels with the hurworth with whom the bilsdale currently share. But our mastership and huntsman are not prepared to return the hounds to kennels that they feel are unsuitable, and were causing welfare problems previously (much longer story, but I'll leave it there).
The reunion committee (both masters and the MFHA rep for our area) are putting some proposals forwards to the committees of both packs this week... what the outcome will be I don't know. One of these proposals is to merge with the hurworth to pool resources and country as theirs is very fragmented with roads and suburban sprawl. One is to merge completely and investigate kennelling options over the coming year. One is that we go our separate ways, but that to keep landowners happy the unregistered pack have to cease hunting. In any case the farmers' field are more than welcome to hunt with the bilsdale but will have to pay subs like the rest of us.
It makes me so sad that 2 grown men can be so childish. I'm sure most of it is foolish pride, but surely to hunt is better than to not hunt? and surely, as long as it all works out sharing kennels with another hunt who have awesome, purpose built premises and a great and experienced kennel huntsman, and sharing the costs of keeping hounds is so much better for everyone than using unsuitable premises, or running 2 packs?
Now I'm sorry if my thoughts make sense, or seem to be helping another hunt to continue, but if we can't be united with ourselves how can we possibly present a united front to this government? I just wish that those involved and those causing this process to get ever more complicated could see how foolish, petty and ridiculous they appear to those of us standing outside their childish squabble.
Please, gentlemen, pull your fingers out, stop fannying around like a bunch of school kids, and get hunting!
Ron is already counting down the days til hunting starts again, and once our first event is over I will too!
