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2 Hunting is fundamentally a voluntary community activity, with no commercial operators or activities_ While most Hunts may employ one or two, and sometimes more, professional staff not all of whom arc mounted, the activity of is entirely dependent upon a large number of supporters, at a local level, an enormous amount of voluntary work to enable their local Hunt to operate on two, three or four each week throughout the season_ The Rules set above show that the MFHA has wide powers to adopt, instigate and enact new Rules. Proposed new Rules are discussed by the Committee at its regular meetings and, if agreed, are then put to the next Annual General Meeting for the members to approve or otherwise. However; the Committee is unlikely to recommend Rules that it believes would not be widely accepted and adhered to by members and the wider community and in these circumstances the voluntary nature of hunting lends itself better to the issuancc of' Guidance Notes The Association cannot compel members to follow any guidance issued. MFHA Guidance The MFHA has issued guidance in the past relating to health and of Hunt staff; but has never sought to regulate hunting by way of guidance to those who subscribe to Hunts or who ride with Hunts as guests: The MFHA maintains no records of Hunt followers and has no rules about the way in which conduct themselves. We have in the past issued guidance on such matters as headgear; which is relevant both to Hunt staff and to followers. This organisation has no power to compel individuals to follow that guidance, nor to enforce any steps that we might recommend. Bearing those factors in mind, have reviewed the matters of concern set out in paragraph 5 of the Regulation 28 Report have also liaised with the Cotswold Hunt which is a Hunt which is within the membership of the MFHA because am aware that the Hunt has been reviewing its Risk Assessments following the death of Bonamie Armitage. response in relation to each matter of concern (speaking on behalf of the Association) is as follows: MATTERS OF CONCERN There is no mandatory requirement that all child participants in a Hunt are required t0 wear personal protective equipment: Response: note that the Hunt propose to include within the Risk Assessment which relates to trail activities, that all children are to wear headgear and body protectors which conform to current EU safety standards. am prepared to issue guidance to the membership of the MFHA that this is the recommended practice for all Hunts. There is no mandatory requirement that all child participants in a Hunt are required to demonstrate an established level of competence before participating in a Hunt: Response: At present the proposed Risk Assessment states that children 14 to 17 may ride unsupervised provided that hold the Club C Test; or an equivalent qualification, or have demonstrated their competence by previous experience understand that at the Inquest the Health and Safety Authority indicated that children the age of 11 upwards would be able to ride independently if held the € Test: In my experience, an established level of competence can be obtained through children s Hunts and through whilst accompanied by a more experienced participant (often parent). Thereafter; the level of competence is secured by experience, which is the case in many sports which carry an element of risk_ Director: Tim Easby hunting doing days out hunting safety they My hunting aged they Pony from they riding

There are many very competent riders who hunt with our membership and who are too young to actually take the C Test On that basis, would not wish to limit to to those who are 11 or over am prepared to recommend to the membership that follow the approach taken by the Cotswold Hunt to establish that young riders either have the C Test or the requisite experience to participate. There is no mandatory requirement that children are supervised by adult riders when participating in a Hunt, and no ratio of adult supervisors t0 child riders is stipulated: Response: of the most talented riders engaging in hunting will be in the age bracket of 11 to 17. Some of those riders will be of an International standard for equestrian events_ To that extent; it would not be necessary or desirable that riders of considerable ability and experience should require supervision from an adult who may well be less competent In my experience, and the experience of our members, most of the occasions where unsafe is identified, will be amongst the adult contingent: Hunts will determine for themselves whether any formal Rules are required in relation to supervision, but regard the view taken by the Cotswold Hunt is to be a sensible approach. It can be summarised as follows: Children under 5 years of age will be on a lead rein; Children 6 to 13 (although may well change that to 1l given the observation above), will be supervised; and (c) Children 14 to 17 (again this may be altered to 11) may ride unsupervised provided that satisfy the matters set out in 2 above. The category of children from 6 to 11 falls between the other groups. For the first group under 5 there is complete supervision: For the third group there is no supervision on the proviso that there is either a Club C Test held or sufficient experience. Within the middle group there will be extremely competent riders and everything that have read suggests that Bonamie Armitage was in that category. degree of supervision will therefore be variable. There may be when competent 10 year old requires very little supervision_ There may be other perhaps on different pony where considerable amount of supervision will be required. It is because of thosc variables that do not consider that pre-determined ratio is required, The best information available on the proficiency of both pony and rider will almost invariably come from the supervising adult: those supervision arrangements in the hands of those that know the child or children well; is in my view, a far safer option than an arbitrary ratio. The MFHA will obviously continue to issues of safety under review Obviously the death of Bonamie Armitage was tragedy; but accidents involving young riders in the hunting field are very rare. More frequent are the accidents involving adults which reflects the fact that following hounds across country on an undetermined route can never be entirely free ofrisk.