A LEGAL battle between the New Forest Verderers and a group of commoners led to the cancellation of the first pony round-up of the summer.

The Northern Commoners whose cattle and ponies graze on National Trust owned commons in the Bramshaw area are facing possible court action over the alleged non-payment of marking fees to the Verderers.

The Northern Commoners questioned the rights of the Verderers on the National Trust lands which led to a delay in the Trust agreeing amendments to the New Forest bylaws.

That led to the Verderers cancelling the first round-up or "drift" at Turf Hill, which would have included ponies on Hale Purlieu, which is owned by the Trust.

Sue Westwood, clerk to the Verderers, said: "We cancelled it because at the time we didn't have the approval of the National Trust for our bylaws."

The bylaw amendments cover details such as the cost of marking fees and animal welfare issues.

"We have now received a letter from the National Trust approving our bylaws and therefore the rest of the drifts will go ahead," she said.

As well as Hale Purlieu and in the Bramshaw area, the National Trust owns Rockford and Ibsley commons north of Ringwood.

Richard Manley, chairman of the New Forest Commoners' Defence Association, was annoyed at the Northern Commoners' actions.

"I wrote to Fiona Reynolds who is director of the National Trust. Since we wrote that letter the National Trust have signed the bylaws," he said.

"These commoners have inconvenienced the other commoners, they've inconvenienced the Verderers and put the animals' welfare at risk.

"If we hadn't been successful in getting the actions we did from Fiona Reynolds we would not have had any drifts at all on National Trust land this summer."

"I think it's despicable. I'm not at all happy about their actions. There are only three or four Northern Commoners and they are acting against the other commoners and they should have thought of the greater good."

The 42 drifts held between mid-August and early November are run by Agisters on behalf of the Verderers and involve numerous members of the commoning community.

They provide the opportunity to check the health of ponies, worm and brand them and decide which animals should be sold. The Agisters cut steps in the ponies' tail hair to denote grazing fees have been paid.

First published: August 24