Sue is the new master of traditional Boxing Day hunt
9:50am Friday 25th December 2009 in News
Sue is the new master of traditional Boxing Day hunt
THE Holcombe Hunt will be heading out for their traditional Boxing Day hunt at Rivington Pike on Saturday under the leadership of new master Sue Simmons.
Sue, aged 44, took over from the previous master, Arnold Greenhalgh, earlier this year, although her official tenure only started in May.
A Horse of the Year show finalist, Sue’s equestrian background is impressive — as is her ability to juggle mastership of the hunt with a full time job and two young sons.
“I’ve done that thing that most people can’t — I’ve managed to get 48 hours into every day,” she says. “I never have a day off, but then I wouldn’t ever want to not be doing anything.”
The Holcombe is reputedly one of the oldest hunts in the country, dating back to around 1086. Its hounds are believed to be direct descendants of the “Blue Gascoignes” which were brought over to England by the Normans.
They have 40 hounds, referred to as 20 couple, which are looked after by professional huntsman Steven Ashworth and his wife Diane at the hunt’s kennels.
Now Sue aims to help the hunt thrive.
“The hunt is very well supported,” she says. “There are a lot of horse owners in Lancashire and we aim to give them the opportunity to ride cross country across farmland that they wouldn’t normally be able to.
“There is a trickle of history left in the hounds — I want to keep that going within the law. The worst thing would be if we were wiped out because people didn’t adapt.”
Hunting live quarry with dogs was banned in 2005, after the Speaker of the House of Commons controversially invoked the Parliament Act to force the legislation through.
Five years on from the ban and Sue believes that hunting is healthier than ever.
“Change has made it easier and better because you can plan, you can use smaller areas of land and it is easier to control the hounds near the roads,” she says.
“All the farmers and landowners are still supportive of the hunt going over their land. I think they like to see us, they take it as part of the countryside way of life.”
As for the people who claim that hunting is an outdated sport and purely the domain of toffs on horseback, Sue says they couldn’t be more wrong.
“Everyone has a right to their opinion but we have farmers, builders, schoolteachers — people from all walks of life,” she says. “We’re a family friendly hunt.”
And she has stern words for people who think that computer games are a substitute for getting off the sofa and being active.
“One of my pet hates is people who sit indoors playing on their Wii when they should be outside in the ‘green gym’. And then people wonder why they’re overweight!”
For more information about hunting: contact the hunt secretary Kath Smith on 07963 836982.
