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FALCONRY
Falconry first originated in Asia , and was brought back to England after the following the crusades . Falconry and Ferreting are the oldest field sports in England , and there is some confusion and arguements to which actually came first .
It is still practiced by many people to this day , as where before it was considered as a regal sport , it is now practiced by people from many different walks of life . Personally though I consider that as a bad thing , it is far too easy to acquire a bird-of-prey , as they are cheap to purchase and no licence is needed to keep them ( the birds have to be registered though ). Also the many unscrupilous breeders out there don't help the situation , with many just out to make easy money , the very good breeders are few and far between. The same situation arises in what I participate in , and that is Falconry Displays. There are around 2000 Falconry Displays in England alone . And there is a lot of those that come to see another good display , and think " I could do that " without even had held a bird-of-prey before. This sadly falls back on the good displays. The display team that I assist ( Chris Tuffrey - The International Falconer ) are one of the few Falconry Displays that are recognised by the B.F.S.S. ( British Field Sports Society ) . The B.F.S.S. lay down strict guide lines to which the displays must follow , thus ensuring a quality display.
