Tradition, Crawfordsburn style

It's not every village that has a hunt meet up at the old inn for a port before chasing hounds.

Olde Inn waiters brought round mulled wine and mince meat pies.

Fox hunting was made illegal in 1990, however that's no reason to stop getting out with your friends for a good gallup through the fields.

Hundreds of people lined the streets for the New Year's Day tradition.

I say old girl, jolly good show.

Full disclosure: I hunted when I was a teenager. I don't ever recall any foxes being caught. I remember being smitten by the son of the master of hounds--Roderick Smythe. Sigh. And I remember having the ride of my life on every hunt. Horses are pack animals and they love to run together. Put a horse at a fence in the ring and it's work. Take him into a field on a hunt and he will jump over the Empire State Building. An adrenaline rush for the dogs, horses, and riders.

Happy New Year!
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