Middleton Hunt to gather despite the Arctic weather (From York Press)

Middleton Hunt to gather despite the Arctic weather

7:46am Friday 24th December 2010 in News

Hunts in North Yorkshire will gather for Boxing Day meets despite being hampered by the big freeze.

Arctic temperatures, snow, frost and ice have meant that hunting has been on hold in the county for four weeks, hitting the finances of the hunts.

Hunts will meet on Monday, December 27, to provide a display with hounds and some horses. But unless there is a big thaw, they will not be hunting.

Joanna Newitt, secretary of Middleton Hunt, which meets in Malton Market Place on Monday, said: “The ground isn’t fit to hunt on. The icy conditions rip the hounds’ pads like any dog. We haven’t hunted for four weeks now, since November 25.”

Sarah Morley, of Derwent Hunt, which meets at the Manor House at Brompton, said: “It affects everything unfortunately, but we will definitely put on some sort of display.”

Nicol Bilsland, treasurer of York and Ainsty North Hunt, which will meet in Boroughbridge, said: “It is just too dangerous to hunt. Certainly it’s difficult. We usually have a few days like this, but not as long as this.”

Paul Roberts, kennel huntsman for the York and Ainsty South Hunt, which meets in Easingwold, said: “We’ll just be meeting and then going home again unless there’s a big thaw.”