YP Letters: Facts about riders and bloodhounds after near escape on the roads

From: Hazell Burkhill, Kings Road, Swinefleet, East Yorkshire.
Hunts have an uneasy relationship with some members of the public.Hunts have an uneasy relationship with some members of the public.
Hunts have an uneasy relationship with some members of the public.

I WAS out with Highmoor Bloodhounds in the East Cottingwith area when a white Transit van driver lost patience and drove directly at me on my horse at the back of a field of about 30 riders. I honestly couldn’t say why he chose to do that, but would like to take the chance to say on your pages what bloodhounding is all about in case this was an anti-hunt incident.

Bloodhound packs have never caught animals and killed them. The bloodhound is a large, slow dog whose only mission in life is to chase down a human scent. As a pack, they compete against each other in a friendly fashion to find the jogger each hunt employs. This jogger, or joggers some days, runs a pre-planned route over farmland that the hunt has permission to use – and some minor roads.

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We riders follow the same route as the bloodhounds under instruction from hunt staff. It’s called “hunting the clean boot” as no animals are harmed. The horses love it, the hounds love it and of course we riders get to go on land we wouldn’t normally have use of. It’s a genuine thrill.

When will road users respect those who follow country pursuits?When will road users respect those who follow country pursuits?
When will road users respect those who follow country pursuits?

There are several bloodhound packs in Yorkshire, mostly out on Sundays from now until April. Drivers may occasionally encounter them in rural areas. All I ask is that if drivers do happen upon a hunt, they please consider stopping, sitting back and just enjoying the spectacle rather than trying to push past.

Endangering the life of a hound, horse or rider is pointless. We riders are all mothers, fathers, daughters or sons. Many of us wear head cameras, so you will be on film if you drive in an unsafe manner.

If, in my case, the driver was just an idiot who refused to be held up, then shame on him. I’m about the age his mother would be so I do wonder how he would feel if somebody did the same to her.

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Luckily, my horse is very safe on the roads and wasn’t as frightened or shocked as I was, or I could be writing this letter from my hospital bed while the van driver ponders points on his licence or even the loss of it. I hope this letter might make even one driver rethink situations like this and save any hospital stays.

Airport not fit for purpose

From: Phil Brown, Managing Director, Absolute Commercial Interiors, Harrogate.

AM I only one that thinks Leeds Bradford Airport is not fit for purpose and is an embarrassment to the great city of Leeds? On a recent trip to and from Limoges with Ryanair, the following incidents occurred:

As I arrived at 4.45am (yes 4.45) for a 6.15 flight, the security queues were back to the Jet2 desks and it took 60 minutes to get through, even with a boarding pass and no luggage.

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In security, three of the entry points were closed due to ‘‘staff shortages’’.

On my return, we were held on the plane for 30 minutes due to, in their own words, ‘‘lots of planes landing at the same time’’ and the buses were busy.

Passport control queues were back to the apron entrance and two of the desks were un-manned

The ‘‘security gates’’ that lead from luggage retrieval to the outside world were faulty and would not allow anyone to leave, clearly causing a fire hazard

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Upon arrival at the parking exit, I was denied exit because I was late.

I use LBA on a regular basis for both business and pleasure and at least one of the above happens every time.

From: Dave Bell, James Reckitt Avenue, Hull.

I RECENTLY took a party of 10 pensioners to Leeds Bradford Airport. I arrived at 12.37 and left at 12.47, a time of 10 minutes for a fee of £8. I then went back to the airport at 14.11 and leaving at 14.18, a time of five minutes for a fee of £8.

I know there is a car park free for an hour nearby but I don’t expect 10 old people to walk with cases in the rain to the terminal.

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It’s just one big rip-off. If Leeds was the last airport on this planet, I would never use it.

Vets who do excellent job

From: Pauline Wright, Thornborough, Bedale.

I WAS rather surprised by the recent comments made by TV vet Peter Wright regarding the loss of so many newly qualified veterinary graduates from the profession and the reasons given as to why.

I have worked closely with my vets – Bishopton in Ripon – for nigh on 40 years due to running a Persian Cat Rescue and having Irish Setters. I can’t say that I have ever seen a constant “turn-around” in the young vets joining the practice, even though they know they are expected to be on rota for out of hours appointments.

I have met most of the small animal vets and they are compassionate, caring and willing to spend time explaining treatments and doing their best in the worst of cases, for both myself and the cat or dog I have taken in. This rather contradicts the statements suggesting new vets are preoccupied with hours and need to learn more about the emotions involved with the owning of pets.

Battle to win better links

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From: Edward Grainger, Botany Way, Nunthorpe, Middlesbrough.

CAN I be the only Yorkshire-born reader of The Yorkshire Post to admire the daily stand of the regular contributors to your columns, rightly banging on about the lack of investment in the infrastructure of Yorkshire and the Humber compared to London and the South East of England?

Scarborough, still regarded as the Queen of the Yorkshire Coast, is perhaps one of the most difficult places to reach by road, whether from the undulating moorland road from Whitby and Teesside or the A64 York to Scarborough road which has still to be upgraded.