There are some people who look at life through negative eyes and others whose toast always seems to land buttered side up. For many of the former getting up out of bed or passing a smile can often be difficult. Some call the Samaritans, the sorry few jump off bridges and the majority are shaken vigourously, slapped around the face and encouraged to eat meat by the optimistics amongst us. If only, before giving into the illness that is depression, some of these unhappy people came ratting on a Sunday their sorry pitiful lives may gain some worth or direction.

So as many times before, the Malton & Norton Rugby Ratcatchers met up at the Spotted Cow to partake in this increasingly popular Sunday activity. Such was the eagerness of a certain stickman he had made a real effort to dress up for the occasion, wearing the dress shirt, smart trousers and party shoes from the night before. His fellow team mates were impressed with the respect he was showing his quarry. Mindful that the meet was likely to be a hard fought battle, the ratting troops took advantage of the kind hospitality offered by the clubs main rugby coach and his young attractive family who were neighbours to the event and keen to learn the ways of the force.

Troops amassed, the first drive was attacked with gusto. After moving a number of roofing sheets from a half buried pallet, an endless flow of rodents seemed to almost ‘Lemming like’ bolt the soft loamy soil; as if pleased to be offering their lives in the pursuit of entertaining the circle of rugby followers. Many of the spademen appeared to find a higher level of being from turning the rich soil to such great effect. “Minty” made her intensions clear from the start, that today was to be her coming of age. With Cobra-like efficiency she struck and finished off rats at a pace some struggled to witness without the use of slow motion photography. The terriers blended one dispatch into another linking into the next drive, where ratters handballed a heap of timber onto the hosts fork lift to be relocated to another area of the farm. Sitting tight the inhabitants played a battle of nerves with the terriers. Younger less experienced rats would literally chance their arms in bolting to the adjoining crop. Unluckily for them “Billy” & “Sydney” were on hand to pick them off. Stickmen of all ages armed to the nines with short coshes and long hoes reeked havoc upon the sprinting pests. The discovery of a nest of young rats gave, dog handler and Insurance expert, the perfect opportunity to commence training “Coco” the black and tan puppy. Not satisfied with roughing up babies “Coco” made a spirited tackle on a considerably larger rat that failed to see the pup through the ankle high grass.

As the day progressed a couple of late arrivals complimented the terrier team. Local legend and recent father “Elvis” and the terrier/badger cross, with the broadest shoulders in Ryedale, “Guinness” helped the tally bag overfill the first bucket and made the host find another. A circuit of the farm found battles among the roots of an Oak tree with mechanical help from an old grey Fergie who although retired from land work still had puff in its lungs to gas the rat holes. Energy was drained from a long drawn out battle under a diesel tank and moving a selection of animal feed troughs. However to appreciate the rich times one has to taste the lean.

The final drive was one stumbled upon almost by accident. To the irritation of the hunters “Toffee” refused to be put off yapping under a stacked pallet of corrugated roofing sheets. Persistent barrages of aggressive threats and the occasional soil missile did nothing to wilt this tenacious terrier. By way of humouring the canine a couple of the ratters proceeded to poke under the sheltered heaps only to start a wave of running rodents that seemed never ending. Flanked with open yard and an antiquated cement mixer few rats escaped. Performances of note came from “Minty” wearing the number 15, full back shirt. Her handler showed their excellent working relationship and hand to eye co-ordination by releasing the terrier from hand as if following the code of Falconary. “Guinness” pushed the Laws of Biology with his ability to survive after losing three quarters of its blood volume. An onlooker made comment that perhaps he had been victim of a Halal Butcher visiting Castle Howard from the West Riding. “Billy” showed a lack of self preservation by trying to tap tackle a high speed rodent as it leapt to the sanctuary of a yard of pigs. The dull thump of the dog crashing into the building’s gable end could clearly be heard from Hovingham.