It was the will-they, won’t-they, on-off relationship that had the nation gripped for months, but the HSA can exclusively reveal that the Herefordshire-based Ross Harriers have walked out on hunting’s regulatory body, the British Hound Sports Association.
In a social media post, leading light of the Ross Harriers and experienced huntsman Nick Valentine, cited the following three reasons for leaving:
The HSA won’t intrude on this private grief in the hunting world, aside from pointing out that any hunt that remains in the BHSA is associating itself with the violent Blackmore & Sparkford Vale Hunt, four of whose members were recently convicted of killing a fox at Pelsham Farm in Dorset.
Such hunts are, of course, also associated with the BHSA-registered West Norfolk Foxhounds, who mercilessly hunted and killed a fox on a homeowner’s patio in February 2023. To compound the horror of this incident, the hunt despatched a terrierman to trespass on the property to try to conceal their crimes. The scumbag botched this task, leaving entrails for the homeowner to find later. The conviction of four West Norfolk Foxhounds staff for this outrage did nothing to affect the hunt’s standing within the BHSA.
Or what about the BHSA-registered Weston & Banwell Harriers with West Somerset Vale Hunt? Their huntsman recently pleaded guilty to illegal hunting as a result of drone footage from Mendip Hunt Sabs and Somerset Sabs’ handheld footage that showed unequivocal, blatant cub hunting in October 2024. Yet the BHSA still welcome them in their ranks.
And, of course, any hunt choosing to remain in the BHSA shares an association with the Cotswold Hunt, whose terriermen buried a bagged vixen alive so she could be hunted later in the day. Only action by Three Counties Hunt Sabs and Cirencester Illegal Hunt Watch saved her life.
As for Nick’s other points…it is certainly true that BHSA membership is a rip-off! Some of the posher ‘shire’ packs pay thousands of pounds in membership – and what do they get? The expensive and ineffective fiasco that is National Trail Hunting Day! This was a complete wash-out last year and – in a typical lack of judgement – the BHSA have announced they are going to waste more of their members money by doing it again this year!
But we can’t agree with Nick’s final claim of draconian rules at BHSA…as we’ve repeatedly shown, when you join the BHSA you can literally get away with murder.
The government has launched a public consultation on Trail Hunting – this is our chance to stop cruel hunting for good. You can read the HSA’s guidance and take part in the consultation here. The deadline is 18th June 2026 – make sure your voice is heard.
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