A wanton, bloodthirsty dervish of 20 to 30 dogs rip hungrily into an exhausted fox. Former Minister for Sport Tony Banks can’t express his disgust strongly enough: “It’s barbaric, it’s unnecessary, it’s dehumanising, and frankly it’s intolerable in a modern society”. British MPs would seem to agree – in early 2002 a majority of 211 voted for a ban on dog-led hunting. But with a ban yet to be enforced in England, the pro-hunting lobby is stepping up their protests with red-coated rides through towns across the country, bringing traffic to a standstill. Meanwhile across the country 250,000 newly stigmatised huntsmen like Jack Waters see the issue as an old class battle, waged by ignorant urban bureaucrats: “they just think you’re a toff”. For him and countless others, the fox-hunt is an integral part of country life, and more humane than the alternatives: “Shooting, digging them out, trapping them”. Many hunters will be prepared to go to jail to protect their traditions, “If the law’s an ass you don’t take any notice of it, do you?” But there is little room for compromise, and as insults fly from side to side, it may just be that the gleaming red coats “will have to find something else to do with their horn in the morning”. An extremely bitter debate which looks set to continue.

Produced by ABC Australia