Equestrian world reacts to new Government: what will this new era bring?

The equestrian world has reacted to the election of a new prime minister and Labour Government by reaffirming key areas of focus for this new era.

The British Horse Council (BHC), which has spent years engaging with ministers and government officials on issues affecting the horse world, set out its priorities in three questions to candidates ahead of the election (news, 4 July).

These focused on equine ID, ensuring riding is available to everyone and road safety.

Following the result, BHC chairman and vet David Mountford told H&H the council is “excited by the opportunities that a strong new government may offer”.

“[These include] the chance to kick-start resolutions to the outstanding problems around horse identification and international movements,” he said.

“However, we are also conscious of the need to ensure that everyone in Government is aware of the size, scope, and importance of our industry to the UK and the rural economy and to society as a whole.”

The Labour manifesto had pledged to ban trail-hunting but the party will not ban drag-hunting (news, 4 July).

British Hound Sports Association (BHSA) chairman Viscount Astor told H&H: “While we await to see what the new Labour Government proposes we have time before any legislation to show to the Government and MPs that trail-hunting follows strict protocols and is a legal sport operating within the law and not, as some have claimed, a loophole.”

He reiterated that the BHSA will put on a national trail-hunting day on 14 September at 30 venues, to which MPs, the police, and press will be invited.

“We want as many people as possible to turn out and show their support for trail-hunting. Full details will be available on the website and the BHSA app,” he said.

“We will prove that trail-hunting operates within the Hunting Act. After all, it was the Labour Government in 2005 who, when the ban was passed into law, proposed that hunting should continue following a laid trail.

“We have to show that there is no reason to change the law, wasting valuable parliamentary time and jeopardising the future of thousands of hounds, not to mention the rural communities that trail-hunting brings together. The Labour Government should concentrate on the key issues that affect this country.”

The British Horseracing Authority’s (BHA) public affairs team has worked extensively to engage the Labour Party. H&H understands that the authority was set to immediately start contacting and working with the new relevant Government ministers following the election.

BHA chief executive Julie Harrington congratulated prime minister Keir Starmer on his appointment, adding: “The BHA will build upon our already extensive engagement with Labour while in opposition and we look forward to working constructively with the new Government. As the nation’s second most-popular spectator sport and one of Britain’s cultural cornerstones, we will encourage Labour to do everything it can to support racing.”

The Countryside Alliance has also pledged to seek early discussions, to ensure the rural voice “is heard from the start”.

Chief executive Tim Bonner noted that at some stage in the next couple of years, we will learn more about the Government’s proposals for hunting legislation and its approach to other rural issues.

“In the meantime, hunting in particular must take the opportunity to address the perceptions that lie behind Labour’s pledge to legislate,” he said. “There is a clear path towards a sustainable future for hounds, hunts and our community, but to follow that we must show at every opportunity that hunts are operating legally and legitimately. Anything else will fuel the inevitable campaign to strengthen the Hunting Act to eliminate hunting entirely.”

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