Hounds and hunting will be widely represented at the annual celebration of rural life which takes place at the Game Fair at Ragley Hall, Warwickshire, over the next three days (25-27 July)

Visitors can expect to see hounds each day in various areas across the showground, with hound parades taking place in the Main Arena and in the Horse and Hound Ring. Different types of hounds including foxhounds, basset hounds, harriers, beagles, mink hounds, blood hounds and draghounds will be representing packs from across the country.

In the Main Arena, the parades will take place each morning at 10:30am and again in the afternoon at 1:50pm on Friday and Saturday. On Sunday, the afternoon hound parade will take place at 4:15pm and this will include a trail-hunting demonstration.

There will be both mounted and foot packs parading in the Main Arena, where hunt supporters and visitors of all ages will be welcome to get up close to the hounds and the hunt horses. Commentary in the Main Arena will be provided by Paul Scott (chairman of the Stowe Beagles), Sam Butler (chairman of the Warwickshire Hunt) and the Countryside Alliance’s Director of the Campaign for Hunting, Polly Portwin.

In the Horse and Hound Arena, a “Meet the hounds” session will take place each day at 10:30am and again at 1:00pm. The packs of hounds will also be exhibiting in hound pens nearby so visitors will also be welcome to greet the hounds and speak to each hunt’s representatives throughout the day. There will also be an opportunity to meet the Sealyham terriers, watch the falconry display and a Pony Club demonstration, see the Suffolk Punch horses, witness horseball in action and enjoy a terrier parade while visiting this dedicated area. The full timetable for the Horse and Hound Arena can be found here.

One of other the highlights of the weekend will be the highly anticipated inter-hunt relay taking place in the Main Arena at 2:50pm on Sunday (27 July). With up to 10 hunt teams from around the UK competing for the top spot, the competition will see riders face off in a course designed to test their skill, speed and teamwork. The relay is being coordinated again this year by the Alliance’s Gail Taylor and will take place just before the final hound parade of the weekend.

If you are attending the Game Fair, as well as seeing the hounds, do call in to the Countryside Alliance stand (E1128, located beside the Carter Jonas Game Theatre and the Main Arena), where we would be delighted to talk to you about our campaign to protect our hounds, our hunts and the hunting community, as well as any other issues relating to our important and ongoing campaigning work.