Hound trailing is back with the start of the March trials ready for the Championship meetings which will begin next month.
There’s always interest in a new crop of pups coming into the sport and this year there will be 61 newcomers made-up of – 30 Bitch Produce; 22 Dog Produce; 4 non Produce dogs and 5 non Produce bitches.
A major change this year is that the majority of members with the Border Hound Trailing Association have transferred to the HTA.
They have brought with them an additional 22 hounds to run, plus a number of additional venues with some excellent open running for the hounds.
In addition Keswick Area have also joined the Cockermouth and Workington Area so there has been a reduction of Areas again this year from six to five.
The first Official March trial took please on Saturday at Middlemoss, a new venue which was previously part of the Border Hound Trailing Association.
They had a good turn out with 14 puppies taking part and it was Ashley Horn and Sarah White’s Flightline who came home first. He’s bred out of Spring Rascal by Spring Dazzler in the Borders.
Anna and Kerry Lindsay’s hound Fidget came second with Martin and Molly Burrow’s Thorn Bear finishing in third place.
There were 25 senior hounds and the trail was won by Explore for Anna and Kerry Lindsay with Anne and Malcolm Holmes’ Sweet Dreams finishing second. Border Reign finishing third for Annabelle Connelly and co.
The second official March trial was at Buttermere on Sunday where there were 13 runners in the puppy race. The Foxparke team started off on a good footing with their Foxparke Fairlady finishing first ahead of kennelmate Foxparke Sidekick.
Fairlady is bred out of Jenny’s Aura by Foxparke Billy Elliott.
Andrew Bulman’s Embrace was third, although it was unlucky as it made a mistake at the last gate or could have potentially won the race.
The senior trail was won by last year’s good hound Foxparke Beep Beep with the Napiers also winning the All-In with Foxparke Whoosh.
March 4 – Middlemoss
- Pups – 1. Flightline; 2. Fidget; 3. Thorn Bear. 14 ran, time 14.41.
- Hounds – 1. Explore; 2. Sweet Dreams; 3. Border Raine. 25 ran, time 11.46.
- All In – 1. Sir Robert; 2. Denton Shamrock; 3. Shine On. 19 ran, time 11.51.
March 5 – Buttermere
- Pups – 1. Foxparke Fairlady; 2. Foxparke Side Kick; 3. Embrace. 13 ran, time 9.21.
- Hounds – 1. Foxparke Beep Beep; 2. Kirkhead Rebel; 3. Imagine. 12 ran, time 9.06.
- All In – 1. Foxparke Whoosh; 2. Clementine; 3. Bob. 9 ran, time 9.06.
