
After two years away, Grasmere Lakeland Sports and Show enjoyed a sunshine-filled renaissance.
The event, on Sunday, was packed with visitors and the women’s fell racing record tumbled in the under-17s race, when Charlotte Rawstron, from Skyrac club in Guiseley, came in at 11 minutes and 34 seconds, beating the previous record by 16 seconds when she finished third.
Meanwhile, in the Under-12s fell race, Isla Jebb led all other runners home, coming first overall and beating Oliver Goodman, into second place.
This was just one success for the Jebb family, who run for Helm Hill Runners in Kendal. They also took third in the same race (Jos Jebb), third in the Under-14s race (Millie Jebb) and the Men’s Veteran title in the Senior Guide Race, where Rob Jebb finished fourth.
The show’s directors marked the 2022 Grasmere Sports with the announcement of a new Pete Bland bursary, in honour of fell race manager, Pete Bland, who contracted COVID and died during the pandemic.
Chairman John Hibbert announced the bursary and dedicated the prestige event of the Senior Guides’ Race to Pete. The annual bursary, of up to £500, will be awarded to one young fell runner each year, to assist their development in the sport.
Fostering grassroots talent development was close to Pete’s heart and his wife, Ann, said she was delighted that up-and-coming runners will be supported by a bursary that bears Pete’s name. Pete’s son Matt, supported by Ann, organised the fell races at Grasmere Sports this year, so it was an emotional moment for all.
John said the name ‘Pete Bland’ was synonymous with fell running, leaving a huge hole in the fell and trail running community. He was first and foremost a racer and a champion at many famous fell events, from Ambleside Sports to the elite KIMM (now OMM). There, he and Ann, a 2:50 marathon runner in her own right, also won the mixed team event.
For 40 years, Peter organised the Kentmere Horseshoe race and for a decade he was the manager of the England Mountain Running team. He was also a member of the FRA committee and, through his own business, sponsor of the British Fell Running Championships and various other events.
The winner of the Pete Bland Senior Guides’ Race, the final race of the day at Grasmere Sports, was 18-year-old Grant Finlay, in a time of 13 minutes and 32 seconds. He brought home a field consisting of 146 runners, which included Westmorland and Lonsdale MP Tim Farron.
Whilst the long-standing 44-year-old record of Fred Reeves was not broken, the winning time by Grant, a member of the Dark Peak Fell Runners Club in Sheffield, was a very respectable one.
Grasmere Sports also created a new hound trail trophy, in memory of former hound trail manager, Chris Swainson, who also died during COVID.
In the Cumberland and Westmorland wrestling, there were more categories than ever at Grasmere Sports, proving how much support this traditional sport still rallies. A highlight of the programme was the Under 10s World Championship, which was won by Ollie Stainton.
The day was filled with joy and keen competitiveness in every event, whether children were taking on the challenge of a sprint or an egg and spoon race, or whether teenagers were throwing themselves into the much-loved Long Leap contest.
In the wake of the athletics World Championships, Commonwealth Games and European Championships, young athletes seemed keener than ever to compete for medals and Grasmere Sports organisers were delighted when three-time 1,500 metres gold medallist, Laura Muir, ‘liked’ a tweet on its Twitter channel that highlighted the grassroots nature of its sporting programme.
Dog owners also enjoyed watching prizes being awarded in the fun dog show, as well as seeing the hounds racing over the fells in the hound trail races. A Little Nippers terrier racing display added to the canine programme and also provided have-a-go doggy heroes with the chance to try to follow the Little Nippers’ example and chase the lure, some having more success than others.
A new Wheelbarrow Garden competition was won by Sadie Street from Grasmere, whose garden design represented Wordsworth’s description of Grasmere as “the loveliest spot that man hath ever found.”
Music from the Fat Cat Brass Band added an upbeat atmosphere, which started the moment the Bellman, former fell runner, Tommy Sedgwick, rang his bell.
Children relished the opportunity to try out a huge array of bikes from Wonder Wheelers and to meet a variety of birds of prey from Ridgeside Falconry.
Slightly older visitors from the local area, were keen to review photographs by former Westmorland Gazette photographer, James Hardman, in a display arranged by the Armitt Museum. Trying to spot relatives proved extremely popular.
Grasmere Lakeland Sports and Show field manager, Deborah Black, said: “The show truly re-established itself in 2022 and we were delighted to see thousands of visitors pouring through the gates to support us.
“It proves how much the show was missed and that two years of being away did not lead to people forgetting about us. It also demonstrates that there is still a real passion for traditional sports and events, despite all the gadgets and modern distractions that there are in the world.
“We were so pleased to be able to remember both Pete Bland and Chris Swainson through our initiatives and also to crown an Under-10s Cumberland and Westmorland wrestling champion. Fostering the future sporting generation is very much what we do, as well as giving older athletes a chance to shine. We feel we have achieved all of our objectives.”