Post from Staffordshire Hunt Sabs
16th January 2022
Yesterday one of our field sabs was hospitalised by John Phillip Webb of the North Shropshire Hunt, who rode into the sab deliberately at speed before fleeing the scene, laughing.
The sab has since been released following a CT scan, with severe neck and upper back pain and swelling on his temple from direct impact with the horse.
Our footage (see below) shows our sabs monitoring the hunt along a footpath adjacent to Meadows Farm, Ash Magna where behind the camera two female sabs are alarmed at almost being ridden down by members of the hunt at speed. Our male sab then ensures he is facing the hunt and filming for his own safety, before Webb rides straight into him.
Thankfully the horses’ hooves somehow missed the sab’s body as Webb ploughed over him and his injuries are consistent with severe impact. The sab attempted to walk but fell to the ground repeatedly, at one point losing consciousness briefly. He was then able to walk for assistance and wait for an ambulance where he was told he was lucky to be alive.
Many members of the hunt including Webb were seen swiftly returning to the meet point to box up and go home before police arrived on the scene. Several were seen laughing and shouted to sabs they were allowed to ‘canter up and down our fields’.
John Phillip Webb is owner of A.P. Webb Plant Hire Ltd , Stafford. While some members of the public may be shocked at the sight of a business professional risking killing a hunt monitor, unfortunately this hunt’s behaviour has deteriorated under recent sab pressure preventing them from illegally hunting as they wish.
John was accompanied by his partner Louise Gore, who also rode dangerously close to sabs at speed and attempted to push a sab out of the road in recent weeks using her horse. She is a veterinary nurse at Shires Vets Pets. (Footage forthcoming.)
Also at the scene was rider Mark Gilbert who earlier in the day dismounted from his horse to threaten a lone female sab.
We believe much of the anger from the hunt yesterday came from sabs successfully moving hounds away from woodland where a fox had been sighted, which the huntsman was attempting to flush with hounds.
Consistent pressure from local sabs and monitors has repeatedly kept the hunt from killing this season.
The illegal hunt were hosted by Twemlows Hall Stud Farm AI & ET Centre, who we can only hope do not wish to be further associated with such dangerous acts and a hunt who brazenly attempted to hunt foxes yesterday.
Thank you to every one who has wished our sab a speedy recovery. We hope he will be back in the field soon, and we will continue to work alongside the police in their investigation.
As much as I suggest Sabs carry simple plastic shopping bags to deter horses being ridden at them, it seems injury is the preferred option.
Sod the horses and the riders, protect yourselves, you are no use to anyone, not least yourselves, in plaster.Or at the crematorium.
Good luck to the sab who I hope is feeling better, they are such brave people, these hunt scum do not give a toss about life except their own, they are pure evil bastards. Still breaking the law this Philip Webb needs to be arrested for attempted MURDER he needs locking up, hope the sab takes him to court.