Sales and Fox hunting go together

image The Guardian

I have two consistent dislikes queuing for sales on boxing day and fox hunting, which was always a boxing day event. I consider both past times barbaric. The latter, fox hunting is obvious in the fact the thrill of the chase is to scare a creature out of its wits and then when eventually it dies of a heart attack or is caught, the hounds are allowed to maul the creature and rip it asunder.

I know you thought I was talking about the sales, the thrill of the chase and the grabbing of an item out of another human beings hand.

In fact it wasn't that long ago a Wal Mart employee died as bargain hungry humans stampeded into a store. The opening of Primark on Oxford St also took casualties as gathered crowds pushed open the doors because they were tired of waiting for it to officially open.

I know there will be those of you who indulge in or support one or the other. Mainly sales participation I suspect but for those of you who support fox hunting I have to say before you think I'm some lefty city dweller, I would like to point out I grew up and lived on a farm. I've pulled calves out of cows, hunted for new born lambs who's mothers have died in the night to save them and hand rear them. Equally, I've fed pigs to be slaughtered and bred grouse to be shot. It's all in a days work. When it comes to pest control i.e. rabbits and rats then the guns come out and the same goes for a fox. If the farm dogs ran off and caught something then so what. But we never ever went native and barbaric - looking for the kill, savouring the chase, riding in a wild frenzy wearing red and blowing horns, yuk! It always struck me as undignified to be a hunter in a group all brazen and vindictive pursuing just one poor lowly fox.

I don't miss living on a farm, it was a hard life in the wild west of Wales as is farming anywhere. I I do love the countryside but I cannot reconcile eking a living from the land with bunch of folk chasing a fox. It is those same folks who turn their nose up at city folk as they queue in a pack to run and bag a bargain.

Moi, you'll find me on boxing day with a glass of red wine or two, a book in hand and some family and friends. The only hunting we'll be doing is for the remote control when we've tired of conversation and eating.