This has been a very wet few weeks and it doesn’t look like changing in the near future! Very many thanks to all our volunteers, Alliance colleagues and partners who spent such a lot of time, in the rain and mud, setting up the stand at the Great Yorkshire show, only to be talking it down again in bright sunshine just after one day.

It was a great disappointment to all concerned, but I do hope that the ‘Virtual Great Yorkshire Show’ that the Alliance set up on the web site will be of some help to all those businesses who lost out on 2 days of valuable trading.

Although the show was cancelled, on the 1 day it ran, I had an interesting and optimistic discussion with Andy Brook who recently launched a Country Sports Tourism web site which can be found at www.royalssporting.com so please have a look and lend your support. If you’re interested in getting involved, please contact Andy at info@royalssporting.com or 07725 753396 or send me an email.

We enjoyed a successful art exhibition with Jeremy Houghton at the Fountaine Inn on the 21st of June. Despite the appalling weather which prevented many from attending, we raised a fair sum on the night. Very many thanks to Individual Inns, the team at the Fountaine Inn and to Jeremy.

The Whitfield Annual Clay shoot was a great success this year and in 2013 we have some exciting development plans which may include using a Hi -tech shooting simulator for novice Guns and having a dinner the night before, so watch this space!

Looking ahead, I’m keeping a watchful eye on the weather for the Cheshire Game and Angling Fair on the 5th of August and the Lowther Game Fair on the 11th and 12th of August. There are over 25 events between now and the end of the year to enjoy – I hope you will all find something of interest!

I’m also looking forward to a series of game diners with trade members Individual Inns and talks by our Executive Chairman, Sir Barney White Spunner over the next few months. There is a great deal going on in the region and we can be doing more with your support. So if you’d like to help out please get in touch by
emailing simon-hamlyn@countryside-alliance.org or call me on 01978 780144 or 07818 553635. 

Why not give me a call from the comfort of your own home on 01978 780144 or 01978 780144 to buy your raffle ticket for this wonderful prize – they only £5 each and the draw takes place on the 16th of November. This is a top of the range trailer which carries two horses up to 17.2hh

will start at 11.30am, over a mile distance and will be followed by a high quality lunch in a private facility within the Paddock Enclosure, adjacent to the Parade Ring at a cost of £45.00 per person. This price includes admission badge, race card and car pass. There will also be live and silent auctions during the course of lunch. There is also a full 7 race card after the Race for Repeal which will start at 12.30. The participating jockeys currently seeking sponsorship are -

• Nick Barratt Atkin
• Charlotte Walker
• Matt Walker
• Sarah Fuller
• Sarah Jane Townend
• Michael Morley
• Rose Till
• Christy Furness
• Faye Stephenson
• Jayne Pimbley
• Tracy Anderson
• Alison Bartle

 

 

The Countryside Alliance’s Game-to-Eat campaign is pleased to announce a dedicated month of game promotion throughout November in its first annual “Go Wild with British Game” month.

Plans for the month involve tying together the various strands of Game-to-Eat, meaning it will be aimed at the sector and consumers alike. Recipe booklets will be distributed to supporters and the Countryside Alliance regional teams will be working with butchers, game dealers, pubs and restaurants to ensure game is widely available and on the menu.

The idea for the dedicated month came from a successful series of game events the Northern region continues to run with Individual Inns. The public have responded well and the chefs enjoyed devising new recipes to showcase game.

Game-to-Eat Director Alexia Robinson commented: “This campaign is one of the Countryside Alliance’s greatest success stories. A marketing campaign aimed solely at raising game’s profile, it continues to spread the word about game meat’s health benefits, local credentials and, of course, to tempt more and more people to try it, cook with it and see it as an alternative to the traditional beef, pork or chicken. In promoting game we also boost our shooting industry, our butchers and our restaurants, and it is a happy fact that Game-to-Eat’s soaring profile has coincided with growing consumer awareness that cheap imported food is not sustainable and actively harms our food sector.

“And in the spirit of celebration we are asking that members and supporters get together to hold a game lunch or dinner party for friends, or organise one for their village to bring everyone together. Eating seasonally is by far the best way to ensure great taste, so in November when the game is really delicious, what better reason to get together to enjoy it?”

Wood Pigeon 'on a croute'

Wood pigeon pan fried with pancetta and tarragon served on a ciabatta bread croute with a layer of tomato, mozzarella and red onion, drizzled with a balsamic reduction and finished with a tossed leaf salad.

Serves 2

8 pigeon breasts, cut into strips
1 ciabatta bread (10cm long)
8 slices of pancetta, cut into strips
Fresh chopped tarragon
2 tomatoes
2 mozzarella cheeses
1 small red onion - finely chopped
7ml balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp red currant jelly
Assorted small salad leaves
Little oil and butter
Salt and peppermill

Cut the ciabatta into 2 halves and on each half place thinly sliced tomatoes, top the tomatoes with thinly sliced mozzarella, drizzle with a little oil and a few twists of the peppermill, grill until lightly brown

Place a little oil in a frying pan with the butter, pan fry the red onion until soft, adding the pancetta and cook until the pancetta is crispy, add the pigeon breast strips, season with the salt and peppermill and cook until the pigeon is tender, add the tarragon and stir through, remove from the heat and leave to rest.

Add the balsamic vinegar, red currant jelly and sugar to a small sauce pan and bring to the boil until the liquid starts to reduce a little. Place a handful of salad leaves onto 2 plates, put the ciabatta croutes on top and place equal quantities of pigeon breasts on top of the mozzarella and drizzle with the balsamic reduction.

Not wishing to forecast further bad weather, but just in case the Countryside Alliance is pleased to offer Shoot Cancellation Insurance, to both members and supporters, through our insurance providers R K Harrison.

The length of time between the purchase of a day's shooting and the actual day can be many months. There is no way of knowing what will happen to the weather in that time. If you purchase a day's shooting, and are concerned that the weather may cause that day to be cancelled, Shoot Cancellation Insurance is the key.

The Shoot Cancellation Insurance through R K Harrison covers the cost of a day's shooting in the event of cancellation through adverse weather, such as fog, snow and torrential rain making shooting unsafe or impossible, as well as organised disruption. This provides the purchaser with peace of mind that if the weather turns bad or they are unable to shoot due to protestors, they will not lose out financially.

To get a quotation for your days shooting, simply follow the link below to the R K Harrison site, fill out the form and get an instant quote.

National Shooting Week 2012 saw 74 grounds taking part, offering nearly 300 days shooting, and a significant increase on previous years. It is estimated that approximately 3000 people took part in the event. The event was initially promoted by taking a class of young school children from Stockwell to West Kent Shooting School. The event was covered by the Independent and Fieldsports Channel TV. Work is now commencing on the 2013 event, so keep an eye on our website for developments.

To graze or not to graze? That is the question that comes up when managing marshes is discussed. One of the marshes I shoot is part of a SSSI and has not been grazed for many years on the request of Natural England. However things are changing and recent research is pointing the way to grazing. There is however grazing and there's grazing. Traditionally sheep have been used in large numbers with the result that the marsh is like a bowling green. Recently cattle have been introduced to marshes in the North West. Cattle grazing is not as intensive and does provide a boarder habitat than sheep grazing. I recently heard that experiments on a Norfolk marsh used horses, with one horse per 50 acres, which provided a greater variety of plant life than if it had not been grazed.

Grazed areas on marshes certainly attract wigeon but a variety of habitat could benefit other species and add to the biodiversity of a marsh. The policy of no grazing is in my opinion counter - productive and results in the marsh becoming rank. My wildfowling association will certainly be considering our management plan again and it may well see some traditional grazing being proposed on our SSSI marshes and creating some artificial flashes.

The BBC gets criticism for being a bit too sympathetic to the antis. I have just been filming with them recently and I have to say that wasn't the impression I got. I dare say there are pockets of antis as in any large organisation but the people I met were very nice and perfectly sensible about field sports.

Stephen Thompson is Chairman of the Walney Island Wildfowlers

28th July - Percy Hunt Clay shoot
This will take place at Friars Well off the B6346.
Entries are from 9am to 1pm - 3pm finish. There is prize money for the Percy cup, High Gun, Side by Side, Ladies and Novices. Single entries, 40 bird sporting, £10 per entry on the day - no need to book.
• Pool trap
• Fibre wad cartridges only
• Cartridges available to buy on the day
• Food and refreshments available.
Tuition is available for novices if notified in advance. Contact Gary Whitfield on 01665 606341 or 07980 630923

 

1st August - Cartmel Agricultural show, Cartmel, Cumbria
Enjoy a great day out and meet our delightful and industrious CA volunteer, Alison Bolt from the North Lonsdale Foxhounds. For more information, please go to www.cartmelagriculturalsociety.org.uk/

5th August - Cheshire Game and Angling Fair, Peover Estate, Over Peover Cheshire
Visit the Countryside Alliance stand and enjoy game cookery demonstrations from fishing guru, Charles Jardine and from ‘Wild Chef’ Ralph Skripek, meet the Cheshire Forest hunt hounds and enjoy some country craft with Ian Burn, Lancashire stick maker.

11 – 12th August - Lowther Game fair, Lowther Castle, Penrith, Cumbria
Enjoy a great 2 days out in the beautiful Cumbrian countryside and please do come along to meet the Alliance team and experience our game barbeque run by and the world number 2 BBQ Champion, Andy Annat.
For more details please click here.

16th August - Rydal Sheep dog trials and hound show
This year, the 109th Vale of Rydal Sheepdog Trials and Hound Show will be held on in the spectacular setting of Rydal Park, by kind permission of Mr Richard Le Fleming. Come along and meet the CA team and enjoy a traditional day at this wonderful venue.
The Park is approximately a mile north of Ambleside in Cumbria – The Lake District. The Show is steeped in traditional but with a friendly and relaxed atmosphere. For more information, please go to www.rydalshow.co.uk

19th August - The Lakeland Country Fair
This will be held at Torver (near Coniston), starting at 12 noon. It is a traditional country fair with classes for terriers, lurchers, foxhounds, beagles, ferrets, pet dogs and sheepdogs. There are senior and junior fell races, Cumberland & Westmorland wrestling, a stick show, a horn-blowing competition, Young Farmers tug-of-war, terrier racing and much more, including displays and demonstrations of traditional Cumbrian skills and interests. The website is www.lakelandcountryfair.co.uk


31st August – 2nd September - Chatsworth Country Fair, Chatsworth, Derbyshire
The Countryside Alliance is delighted to be attending the Chatsworth Country fair again this year, where you can come and meet the CA team, the hounds from the High Peak Harriers and the Derby, Notts and Staffs beagles, the ferrets, the falcons, Colin Williams, the stick maker and enjoy a game pie or 2 from Mettrick’s of Glossop! You can also experience our game barbeque run by and the world number 2 BBQ Champion, Andy Annat.
There's a lot going on, so we all look forward to catching up with you at the show and for more information, please go to www.chatsworthcountryfair.co.uk/

8th September - Simulated shooting day for beginners and novices in Cumbria
This simulated shooting day is being held at Brackenbank Lodge, Lazonby, Cumbria and is organised by the CA Cumbria County committee. The whole day is being sponsored by Longthorne Gunmakers - www.longthorneguns.com
There will be full instruction, all equipment, including shotguns will be provided and there will be a variety of simulated 'birds' on the Brackenbank estate. Sir Johnny Scott is the special guest and the day costs £220 per person. There will be refreshments on arrival, lunch and afternoon tea and to book your place please call 01768 898241. For more details log on to www.brackenbank.co.uk

13th September - Westmorland County Show
The County show will be held at Lane Farm, Crooklands, Kendal, Cumbria LA7 7NH so come along to the Country Pursuits area and meet the Countryside Alliance team. The Westmorland County Show is one of the largest one day Shows in the Country and certainly one of the oldest, given that the Society was founded in 1799 and is still going from strength to strength. The Show attracts over 30,000 people. We pride ourselves on being a major livestock Show, with its heart firmly in agriculture. Sections include cattle, sheep, goats, horses, pigs, heavy horses, alpacas, dogs and poultry, as well as marquees for The Women's Institute, Learning or Life, Crafts from Cumbria, local produce Food Hall, Rural Crafts and over 350 trade stands. For more information, please go to www.westmorlandshow.co.uk

5th and 6th of October - Enjoy a glass of Fizz on the 5th of October - Art Exhibition for the Countryside Alliance
Jeremy Houghton ‘Official BT Olympic artist’ and Prince Charles’s artist in Residence is holding an exhibition of his work courtesy of Mrs Jilly Higgin at Physonhayes, Woore, Cheshire. Jeremy has joined forces with the Countryside Alliance to help raise campaign funds through exhibitions of his wonderful paintings. There will be an invitation only viewing and reception on the 5th of October from 6.30pm – 9.00pm, followed by an open viewing on the 6th of October from 10am – 1pm. To reserve places for the reception on the 5th of October, please e – mail simon-hamlyn@countryside-alliance.org or call 07818 553635 or 01978 780144.

 

9th October - Sir Barney White Spunner – Holiday Inn, A1 Darlington, County Durham
This is a terrific opportunity to hear first hand from Executive Chairman of the Countryside Alliance, starting at 7.30pm, including a free drink on arrival and canapés. There will also be an auction of promises and a raffle in aid of the Zetland Hunt and the Countryside Alliance. Tickets are £15 per person and to book please call Helen Orton on 07763 118896.

 

11th and 12th October - Enjoy a glass of Fizz on the 11th of October - Art Exhibition for the Countryside Alliance
Jeremy Houghton ‘Official BT Olympic artist’ and Prince Charles’s artist in Residence is holding an exhibition of his work courtesy of Mrs Anne Marie Trevelyan at Netherwitton Hall, Netherwitton, Near Morpeth, Northumberland. Jeremy has joined forces with the Countryside Alliance to help raise campaign funds through exhibitions of his wonderful paintings. There will be an invitation only viewing and drinks and canapés reception, sponsored by Bon Coeur Fine Wines, on the 11th of October from 6.30pm – 9.00pm, followed by an open viewing on the 12th of October from 10am – 1pm.
To book your place please call Simon Hamlyn on 07818 553635 or email simon-hamlyn@countryside-alliance.org

13th October - Wasdale show, near Gosforth, Cumbria
Come along to the Countryside Alliance tent and meet the CA Cumbria show volunteer, Sandy Guthrie. There will also be dog and terrier classes; Cumberland and Westmorland wrestling; hound trailing; fell races and the obligatory beer tent!

20th October - Sir Barney White Spunner - Northumberland Hall, Market Square, Alnwick
This is a terrific opportunity to hear from Executive Chairman of the Countryside Alliance, starting at 7.00pm, in aid of the Percy Hunt and the Countryside Alliance with tickets costing £10 per person. Afterwards there is a dinner at Blackmore’s restaurant [£25 per head] and those wishing to book need to contact Julia Bucknall on 01668 283057 or email jarbucknall@btinternet.com

20th October - Game dinner with Clarissa Dickson Wright and Individual Inns – Yorkshire

 

Please encourage all your friends, family, hunting, shooting and fishing contacts to register for the Northern region Grass e Route newsletter – it’s absolutely free and will keep you abreast of what’s happening in the region. The service is free and provides subscribers with the latest news on countryside issues directly. By registering subscribers receive all UK messages and other information appropriate to their local area. Registration is simple just send an email to news@countryside-alliance.org and include "register North" in the subject box. To unsubscribe from Alliance grass e-route at any time, simply send an email to news@countryside-alliance.org and include "Unsubscribe" in the body of the email.

If you’ve any news that you would like to be considered for inclusion in future grass e route newsletter, please do get in touch

 

Regional Chairman Nick Morrall nick.morrall@kingsdowneconsulting.co.uk