The BHB and the Jockey Club have jointly submitted evidence to the Committee of Inquiry into Hunting with Dogs chaired by Lord Burns. The submission concentrates on explaining the likely impact on Racing and Point-to-Pointing of a ban on hunting with dogs.

The main points are:

? The number of Point-to-Point venues and the volume of the sport in terms of participants and horses would reduce by at least 25%
? Employment opportunities for stable staff would be reduced and the livelihoods of a variety of professionals and tradesmen vital to Racing, predominantly in rural areas, would be damaged
? A reduction in Point-to-Pointing would reduce the demand for young bloodstock and for racehorses at the end of their careers, thus damaging the British breeding and bloodstock sales industries and increasing the difficulty of finding a suitable occupation for former racehorses
? Point-to-Pointing currently produces and nurtures horses, riders, trainers and officials who subsequently move on to professional careers in Racing. A reduction in Point-to-Pointing would reduce the pool of human and equine talent available for transfer to Racing
? A decline in the number of owners would lead to a reduction in the number of horses in training under Rules and a consequent drop in the number of runners, which would damage both levy and Government revenue
? A reduction in interest in and association with horses would undermine the overall level of interest in Racing and employment within the Racing and Breeding industries.

Copies of the full submission are available on request.

For further information, contact Annie Dodd on 0171-343-3309