Trailing resumed on Sunday at Shap following the postponement of the previous day’s meeting at Eskdale.
The trails were sponsored to the tune of £50 a race by Patrick Goode, a friend of the former HTA secretary Margaret Baxter who became interested in the sport and is now the part owner of a hound, Huntsman’s Novice.
There were 11 hounds in the opening senior trail and it was Jenny’s Quest who showed with the lead and held on to beat Winterfell.
A change of kennel seems to have freshened up Jenny’s Quest who is now with Lisa and Edward Crosby and on six wins, along with four other hounds who are chasing long time leader Duchess Ava. She has a three point lead with seven weeks of the season to run.
The second race was a restricted hound race, the first of the season. It is open to all seniors or pups that haven’t won more than three trails in the preceding season. A hound or pup winning for a third time in the current season would not be able to run.
So it’s a slightly different grade than days gone by and should have featured more regularly on the programme but hasn’t been run more than a few times over recent seasons.
The hound that won this one was Summer Spirit owned by Willie and Daphne Mark with Andy, Ashleigh and Arron Horn’s Insider coming home in second place.
Denise Bland’s Huntsman’s Rebel was on form again and came home well to win the puppy trail from former kennelmate Huntsman’s Rally now being trained by Glenis and Raymond Farren from Frizington.
Huntsman’s Rebel is now on 26 wins for the season which is 14 clear of her nearest rival.
To round off the day the puppy maidens race was won by Denise Bland’s Annie May with Christopher Henderson’s Shine On finishing second.
September 11 – Shap
- Hounds – 1. Jenny’s Quest; 2. Winterfell; 3. Kirkhead Rebel; 4. Reebok; 5. Imagine; 6. Sir Robert. 11 ran, time 30.45.
- Restricted Hounds – 1. Summer Spirit 2. Insider 3. Eagle Rock 4. Thorn Snap 5. Eleanor’s Lass 6. High Crag. 12 ran, time 32.57.
- Pups – 1. Huntsman’s Rebel; 2. Huntsman’s Rally; 3. Busy Again; 4. Lady Million; 5. Eagle Girl; 6. Chapel Stile. 6 ran, time 18.11.
- Puppy Maidens – 1. Annie May; 2. Shine On; 3. Sweet Dreams; 4. Huntsman’s Ruby; 5. Meadow Maggie; 6. Eagle Love. 6 ran, time 20.04.
