Crowds expected for annual New Year hunt meet in Melton

Riders and horses with The Belvoir Hunt gather in Melton last January foir the New Year hunt meet

A large crowd is expected to gather in Melton Mowbray’s Play Close Park for the annual New Year’s Day hunt meet.

Melton Mowbray Town Estate is once again hosting the meeting, which will take place between 10.30am and 11.30am on January 1.

The town is the middle of three territories used for hunting by The Quorn, The Belvoir and The Cottesmore and they take in turns, on a rota basis, to meet at New Year.

This year, the 41st the town estate has held, it will be riders and horses from the Cottesmore Hunt coming to Play Close.

Riders usually drink whisky from the stirrup cup, according to tradition.

The Rutland-based hunt is then expected to set off at 11.30am on a ‘trail hunt’ around local fields, where hounds follow the scent of a fox.

Hunts have been prevented from hunting foxes with dogs for nearly 20 years although there has been more than 400 court prosecutions for the offence since 2010.