ORGANISERS of the doomed Waterloo Cup last night said they are determined to hold one last event - even if plans to make hare coursing illegal are approved next week.
The controversial pledge came less than 24 hours after Rural Affairs minister Alun Michael told the Daily Post the long delayed Hunting Bill will come into force in time to stop the staging of the UK's largest hare coursing event.
The Bill, due to be debated by MPs next Wednesday, would allow fox hunting to continue for two more years, but would outlaw hare coursing within three months of the end of this Parliamentary session.
Yesterday, Westminster announced the last day Royal Assent could be granted to the Hunting Bill is November 18, meaning hare coursing would become illegal on February 18 next year.
That is just four days before the scheduled start date for the 2005 Waterloo Cup, on February 22.
But organisers yesterday told the Daily Post they are determined the event will go ahead, even if it means moving the event forward several days to "squeeze in" one last Cup.
Last night a defiant Charles Blanning, secretary of the national coursing club spoke on behalf of David Midwood, chair of the Waterloo Cup Committee, who is abroad on holiday.
He said: "I spoke to David this morning and that determination is categorical. The 2005 event will happen.
"Perfectly law abiding people are being criminalised by this Bill and we will not be bullied in the last three months of its existence.
"It will end a whole way of life for the trainers and people who go to the events, it is not just a sport - imagine if football was banned.
"It is quite clear that coursing is being used as a sacrificial lamb to save fox hunting. It is not difficult to guess the Government's motives in the run up to the general election next spring."
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