Sir Mark Prescott faces charges
 

Editorial comment: Ridiculous ...

http://sport.guardian.co.uk/horserac...177095,00.html
Prescott faces hare coursing prosecution
Ron Cox
Wednesday September 26, 2007

Sir Mark Prescott, the Newmarket trainer, is to face charges at Scarborough magistrates court in November relating to alleged hare coursing, which was banned in Britain at the same time as hunting foxes with hounds in February 2005.

Prescott, and celebrity chef Clarissa Dickson Wright, who featured on the BBC food show Two Fat Ladies, face a private prosecution by the International Fund for Animal Welfare. Both face allegations of hunting hares with dogs and attending two events near Malton, North Yorkshire, in March, one at the village of Nunnington and the other at nearby Amotherby.

Prescott, who has continued his interest in coursing in Ireland, where the practice remains legal, will not attract the attention of the British Horseracing Authority should he be found guilty following the IFAW prosecution. "This is not in connection with racing and wouldn't impact on Sir Mark's status as a licensed trainer," said the HRA's Paul Struthers.

I'm sorry Riot but I'm kinda a moron... what exactly is hare coursing?

Hare coursing is having sighthounds (greyhound, saluki, borzoi, whippet) chase hares (not rabbits, not cottontails) while the hound is judged on it's speed, agility, endurance. Did you ever hear of the Waterloo Cup? It no longer exists. Animal rights proponents got foxhunting and hare coursing banned in England in 2005. Prescott and Wright are being made examples of, due to their national fame.

Oh okay got it. Thanks.

I'm sorry, but you are completely wrong here. Everyone, and i mean everyone caught doing this now face charges.

Their national fame has just caught the media attention, nothing else.

It is wrong, it is illegal, and damn straight that he should face charges.

I hope that animal rights "anti" bandwagon, squashing the rights of others as they force their personal beliefs down the throats of all, continues to ride as smoothly for you when they eliminate horse racing in England as "cruel sport". Because that's next in their sights.

As far as i'm aware there is a big difference between horse racing and seeing hares and foxes ripped apart by hounds of different sorts...... some of them just left to die a slow and horrible death.

Ah, now you are wrong. I have foxhunted, and I have hounds that I course.

The Anti's see little difference between any sport that "exploits" animals in their view. Horse racing is indeed within their sights. Do not underestimate that threat.

I think you are entitled to your opinion on coursing and foxhunting, and whether I think your opinion is "right" or "wrong" should be of no consequence or significance to you in arriving at your own logical and considered conclusions regarding same.

Thus I have a big problem when people who don't participate in these sports, and never have, tell me that I can't, either.

I do indeed think that Prescott and Wright are being singled out for punishment only to gain national attention and publicity. It is likely the 2005 legal decision will be removed within the next 3 years.

I base my opinion on my contacts with people who course (legally, now, in England using hawks and hounds), and knowledge of how individual local constables deal with people found observing or participating in what has been defined as illegal.

Unfortunately, i too know of people that have done this and still carry it out when they shouldn't. I have seen pictures of hares and foxes being left for dead after being ripped apart.

I also know of hounds being shot after they cannot do their job.

There are big differences between those activities and horse racing. Some might see horse racing as cruel but that argument cannot really be justified.

I do not agree with either coursing or fox hunting, and i never will.

However, the fact that it is illegal here now tells me that Prescott deserves the charges that he will be getting. More and more people are getting caught and most are getting charged no matter who they are.

Trying again to re-post under my own name (at a friends house ... he doesn't have greyhounds)

Illegal is illegal, I agree with you on that.

However, I do not think this has nothing to do with Sir Mark being nationally known on two fronts (racing and coursing), having owned coursing greyhounds for years and spent three decades being a driving force in the sport, and having co-authored, "The Waterloo Cup: The last 150 Years" ;)

Why are not the other people involved being prosecuted?

This isn't English law prosecuting these people - it is a private prosecution brought by the International Fund for Animal Welfare. Google that group.

Wright used to be a Barrister. If it goes to court it may be quite interesting. I hope so.