HEREFORDSHIRE'S horseracing community, including leading jockey Richard Johnson, is prepared to risk prison by ignoring any future ban on foxhunting.

Riders and trainers from the county are among more than 40,000 countryside supporters, who have now signed the Hunting Declaration.

The National Hunt fraternity wants to protect foxhunting and point-to-point, which acts as a 'nursery' for racehorses, riders and trainers.

The Hunting Declaration gives anti-hunting bill campaigners the chance to say they will openly and peacefully refuse to accept any proposed law against foxhunting.

Twenty-six-year-old Johnson, a former Cheltenham Gold Cup winner with strong links to the county, has signed the Hunting Declaration.

"I was brought up with hunting, it plays a big part of country life and we need to make sure that we do not lose it," he said.

"I am sure there is widespread support for the campaign in Herefordshire and the racing world, as a whole, because hunting is a big part of National Hunt racing.

" If foxhunting was banned, it would have a massive impact on our community in terms of jobs and people's way of life."

Mr Johnson added: "I would be prepared to go to prison. This is my personal position."

Kilpeck-based Dick Pike, the secretary of the Welsh Border Point-to-Point Association, attended the anti-hunting bill rally in Builth Wells and has signed the Hunting Declaration.

Mr Pike, a steward at Hereford Racecourse, has long been an advocate of hunting and cannot see anyone benefiting from a possible ban.

"If you put this issue into a nutshell, about 90% of people don't give a damn one way or the other, about eight% are interested in foxhunting and about two% are anti-hunting," he claimed.

But Barbara Bodkin, who lives at Mansel Lacy, and is a supporter of eight animal charities, takes a strong stance against any form of hunting.

She said: "In my opinion, the Hunting Declaration is quite a disgraceful response from supposedly law abiding citizens.

"Some landowners, I know, also take a strong stance against hunting and do not allow it on their land. I have no problem with the sport of riding with dogs, but I am an animal lover and preservation should be natural."