LAST Thursday’s Irish Masters of Foxhounds Association (IMFHA) seminar at The Horse and Jockey Hotel in Co Tipperary was hailed a huge success and a good chance to discuss important issues ahead of the 2019/2020 hunting season which is kicking off around the country.

Among the speakers was barrister Liam Nolan who gave legal advice surrounding trespassing and how landowners can protect themselves from unwanted hunt protestors, a matter which is normally civil rather than criminal.

In an increasingly challenging vegan-oriented time, with plenty of challenges facing rural life and hunting, CEO of Countryside Alliance UK, Tim Bonner, spoke at length about the battles hunts are facing in the UK with anti-hunt campaigners.

Bonner, who is to the forefront of the battle with animal right activists who aim to stop all kinds of hunting, shooting and fishing, said these campaigners are often times better funded than the Countryside Alliance UK is.

While the problem so far has been mostly confined to the UK, Bonner encouraged the Irish hunts to steer clear of confrontation with protesters on the hunting field. “They will do all they can to provoke mounted followers to get into a physical confrontation which will get filmed on their bodycams,” he said, adding that the real battle is being fought online, where damaging pictures and videos are posted.

The meeting also confirmed the fact that it is becoming increasingly difficult to get younger people to become office holders in the management of hunting and the IMFHA reveals that they have so far failed to seek out a young professional to handle their PR.

Full report from the seminar on 117.