Karate prodigy Rosie Jennings is swapping her black belt for jodhpurs to support the National Trail Hunting Day on September 14.

Rosie Jennings, who lives near Builth Wells, is the Welsh national champion in Shushokan Karate, aged just 18.

Her commitment to karate since the age of six has seen her train three times a week, progressing  through the sport and gaining her Second Dan Black Belt.

Now she wants to raise awareness of her other passion – trail hunting.

Rosie said: “There are  a lot of myths about trail hunting but the truth is that it is an incredibly warm and welcoming community that is open to people from all walks of life.

“I ride out with the Hunt as often as I can and I have been warmly welcomed.  I don’t own a horse and I wasn’t a very confident rider to begin with but people will stay with you and ride at your pace.

“There is no animal cruelty – quite the opposite. Any wildlife we see on a Hunt is not chased by the hounds. Hunting people have an innate respect for the countryside and all its wildlife.  The Hunts work hand in hand with local farmers, sometimes maintaining or planting new hedges that will grow to be a challenging jump in the future. It is good for the countryside and good for rural communities.”

Rosie has just completed a work experience placement at a Hunt nearby, where she says she ‘did a bit of everything’, alongside people who have a “huge commitment to animal welfare – not just the horses and hounds but all the animals that live in the woods and farmland round about the Kennels”. 

Rosie said: “I will be joining the National Trail Hunting Day because I think people have a total misconception of trail hunting. It’s something that maintains the traditions of hunting, the jobs, and the joy of the sport, but it has adapted over the past 20 years so that the hounds simply follow a scent trail. I’ve never seen a fox being chased by a Hunt and I don’t know anyone who has. The social side of it is important too, as people young and old follow the Hunt whether in a car or on foot, and come to the social events organised by their local Hunt year-round.  If the new government bans trail hunting it would be a devastating loss to rural communities.”

Rosie has just finished her A-levels and now plans to study nursing. Not forgetting her karate of course - she will compete in the British championships in Sheffield in September.

To find out where there is an organised National Trail Hunt event in your area on 14 September please visit: https://bhsa.org.uk/