Hound trailing has been a popular sport in the county for over 100 years – but like other country pursuits is having a tough time of it.
I had over 10 years writing a column and thoroughly enjoyed meeting the characters and enthusiasts the sport has thrown up.
It seemed appropriate to highlight one of the current officials for my weekly questions which is why Paul Airey is featured as our man with the answers.
How you got into the sport of hound trailing?
I’m a Kendal lad and I was introduced to the sport by one of Chunky Rodgers’ daughters who was from a hound trailing family. I walked Jackpot and went with the hounds to the local meetings and became very keen on the sport.
Tell us a bit about the position you hold, and what it entails as far as the Hound Trailing Association is concerned?
I took over as the HTA chairman from Barry Laidler this year. Barry had been chairman for 13 years and his brother Roy previously had held the position for 21 years so it will be a really hard act to follow.
As chairman I chair the executive committee which is the governing body of the HTA.
Are there any hounds you’ve had which hold special memories for you over the years?
When asked which are the best hounds you have trained and the most memorable victories they tend to be the same, Meadow Star because she won the International bitch puppy maiden in 1997 at Steel Brow.
Then there was Meadow Izzie as she won the Open Restricted race at Helton Bitch produce day in 2006.
But there has to be a special mention for Meadow Dixie as she had the class to win me my first senior trail after a great many years of trying.
What are the main problems facing the sport in 2022?
Before the advent of computers and social media there was a great deal more participation by people in country sports and country shows.
We aren’t getting enough young blood coming into the sport to replace those who have retired or who are no longer with us.
How would any interested newcomers get started in the sport? Is it expensive for a newcomer and is advice given freely?
To get started in the sport my best advice would be to check out the HTA website and look up the fixtures and advert lists which give you all the information including sat nav directions which will enable anyone interested to attend the hound trail meetings.
Our members are very friendly and all too willing to talk about their dogs and how the hounds are trained.
The best way to get into trailing would be to buy a hound that has been trained and has ran for at least one season.
The new member then can take their hound to the race meetings throughout the season and gain knowledge and experience in the training of hounds.
The cost of purchasing a hound would vary on past performance but would not be nearly as expensive as some pedigree prices. The cost of participating in the sport has gone up with the price of fuel, however it still compares favourably in comparison with many other sports.
There are plenty of young faces on pictures of successful hounds but is there enough young blood in the sport?
Yes we have lots of youngsters coming to the trails with their families and enjoying participating in the sport.
However when they become a certain age there are many other distractions which takes them away. We can only hope that some of them return in the years to come.
Is there still a scheme for retired trail hounds operating in the area?
The Lakeland Trailhound Welfare Trust was founded several years ago to help rehome hounds who are retired from racing or are no longer able to run due to injuries.
The trust ensures the dogs, who make lovely pets, are adopted with suitable new owners. The HTA are extremely grateful to Sue Lloyd, Barbara Leopold and Caroline Allen and many others who give their free time in running the trust.
How does the HTA do for sponsorship and what are the normal prizes like for each trail?
Our members love to race their hounds and the thrill of finishing first or in the first six which allocates points for various cup competitions more than compensates for the relatively small amounts of prize money on offer.
However. throughout the season there are a number of meetings such as Mayday, Dog and Bitch Produce, Festival trails and various sports and Agricultural shows all of which offer hundreds of pounds in prize money.
The blue ribbon event for prize money is the International meeting held in June whose committee, through their links with local businesses this year, were able to provide £2,100 for the six race meeting.
Apart from memories of your own hounds what are the champions which have left the biggest impression on you?
The best hound I have seen run was Hartsop Magic. She had exceptional early pace often leaving the chasing pack well behind and then would drive the trail and win many times on her own. She was senior champion in 1988 with 57 wins one short of the 58 wins record set by Perivale in 1948 and Lady Pat in 1949.
A wealthy benefactor leaves £1 million to the HTA. How would you spend it?
That amount of money would probably cause a plethora of problems as too much or too little money can. However I would spend a sizeable portion on advertising/promoting through a sports media company.
Also I would use them to look at our fantastic sport with fresh eyes and to put forward recommendations that would hopefully allow our sport to prosper for another 100 years.
