It was showtime over the weekend as well as showdown for the Championship leaders, while some kennels managed to get triple wins.
Starting with Benty Show, in the Borders, the senior hounds got things underway with a field of 14 runners.
As expected Winterfell had chosen to run at Benty Show while Miterdale Duchess chose to return to Lowick Show.
The weather was remarkably warm which caught out a few dogs as many were looking for a refreshing drink of water as they completed the courses.
At the Benty Show it was Winterfell who won from Rex The Rocket and this moved Barry Laidler and Caroline Clough’s hound three clear again from Miterdale Duchess.
Rex The Rocket ran a cracker of a race for Tony Irving and family to finish in second place with Annabel Connolly and A & J Lawless and N Pattinson’s Border Reign finishing well in third place.
The open puppy race had a relatively small field of seven hounds, probably a reflection of the number of trails being held over the weekend.
Rodney Raider was running and looking to extend his lead further in the Championship.
As they showed on the finish it was indeed Rodney Raider who made the trip worthwhile, coming home first in front of Paul Airey and Joanne Hodgson’s Artisan. The Dearham team also claimed third place with Silver Dream.
Next to race were the open maidens with 11 runners and it was Ian Fleet and Jayne Peterson’s Chapel Stile that came home first in front of Ashley Horn and Sarah White’s Flightline with Eden Romina in third place for David Clifford.
The third place adds to the tally for Eden Romina and extends her lead in the points competition to 10.
The last race of the day at the Benty Show was for the veterans with just five runners and it was the in-form Forlorn Spring for Stuart Jeynes and family who did the business, coming home in first place to extend his lead in the points competition.
Castle Clansman finished well in second place for Marti Borthwick and co with Delta Script finishing in third place for Sarah Harper and family.
Down the other end of the county the Lowick Show was taking place and Miterdale Duchess was looking to repeat her win from the other night to remain in contention for the senior title.
She needed to keep chipping away at Winterfell’s lead but on this occasion it was not to be, as she only finished in fifth place.
It was Denise Bland, Jim, Alan and Graeme Little’s Huntsman’s Rebel who finished in first place. The little hound always runs better the second time round a venue improving on her second place the other night.
Miterdale Dusk finished well to take second place for Sophie Steele, and Ian Bell’s Howgill Lil finished well in third place.
Next to race at Lowick were the open pups with a field of 10 hounds. Denise was looking for a win with Huntsman’s Sunshine but it was Bill and Pat Mellon and Robert and Tina Airey who took the honours and repeated the win they had through the week with Artist.
The win for Artist takes him to fifth in the points table and makes it his seventh championship win this season. Glamorous Ava, back from her travels to Ireland, claimed third place for James and Ava McClelland.
Next to race was the open restricted and again Denise was looking for a win. This time she wasn’t disappointed as her hound Missriff ran well to cross the line in first place followed by Christine Brownlee’s Malia and the Green boys Jake and Zac’s Green Flyer in third place.
Last into action were the veterans and Denise had a treble in her sights with Huntsman’s Major if he had had his business head on again.
As they came onto the finish he was in front and didn’t disappoint, crossing the line first with Lyn and Norman Brown’s Amber Bay running well to finish in second place.
Denis Pear and Jackie Gill’s other hound Hawkswood finished well in third place.
After the excitement of Saturday where the top hounds did what they needed to do to stay in front action moved to Loweswater Show where connections of Winterfell and Rodney Raider could sit back and enjoy the show and the days trailing knowing that their hounds had done the business over the weekend.
It was another warm day which makes the trail at Loweswater slightly harder to run for the hounds as it gets quite warm up on the back fells.
However, there were eight hounds competing in the senior race with the favourite being Foxparke Beep Beep looking to repeat her win from a few weeks back.
As they came onto the finish Foxparke Beep Beep and Stephen Riley and Isla Hetherington’s Cautious were running neck and neck together.
Once they came through the last gate it was Cautious who came away as they came to cross the line to take the win. Erin Rawlinson was standing in for Isla and caught the hound, as Isla was at a very important birthday party for her younger brother.
Robyn, Ellie and Grace managed to pick up second with Foxparke Beep Beep and third with Foxparke Mysteriously.
As the afternoon progressed it was obvious that it was going to be a Foxparke day with Foxparke Side Kick, who is a little shy usually, came in well to win the open pups followed by Thorn Gift for Colin Satterthwaite and Sarah Jane for the Dearham kennel of Joe Abram and Nicola McMaster.
Foxparke Dealer and Foxparke Majesty picked up fourth and sixth place.
The open maidens raced next with a field of 15 hounds and Robyn and her team were looking for another win but they had a few chances.
The kennel had five runners in the race and as they came onto the finish it was Foxparke Fair Lady who crossed the line first with Foxparke Whoosh, Foxparke Parma Violet and Foxparke Bugga Boo taking the next tickets only being denied a full house by Tania Satterthwaite’s Samcro who took fifth place with Foxparke, Rumour taking sixth.
The last race of the day was for the open restricted grade and again the Foxparke team had several runners with Ellie Napier, Grace Napier and Brook Butler looking to make it a treble on the day.
As they came on to the finish it was Foxparke Jiggly Puff who crossed the line much to the delight of Brook as she adores her hound, also known as Henry. He was followed home by Thorn Rose for Marin Burrow’s and then by Willie and Daphne Mark’s Summer Spirit.
Gracie wasn’t to be disappointed as her hound Foxparke Shackalackaboom Boom took sixth place.
It had been a brilliant day for the Foxparke team with 12 tickets altogether and a treble win on the day.
This week continues to have plenty of choice for the hounds with the first trail on Monday night returning to Lowick with a three-trail card with the first trail kicking off at 5.45pm.
Then action moves to Cold Fell on Wednesday night for the last of the meetings there this year. It’s a three trail card plus an all in race. Action moves to Calebreak for the last of the series to be held there on Thursday night.
September 3 – Loweswater Show
- Hounds – 1. Cautious; 2. Foxparke Beep Beep; 3.Foxparke Mysteriously; 4. Strawberry Mick; 5. Bretton; 6. Huntsman’s Quantum. 8 ran, time 30.57.
- Pups – 1. Foxparke Side Kick; 2. Thorn Gift; 3. Sarah Jane; 4. Foxparke Dealer; 5. Sportsman; 6. Foxparke Majesty. 11 ran, time 18.54.
- Open Maiden – 1. Foxparke Fair Lady; 2. Foxparke Whoosh; 3. Foxparke Parma Violet; 4. Foxparke Bugga Boo; 5. Samcro; 6. Foxparke Rumour. 15 ran, time 18.46.
- Open Restricted – 1. Foxparke Jiggly Puff; 2. Thorn Rose; 3. Summer Spirit; 4. Trinket; 5. Persian Gold; 6. Foxparke Shackalackaboom Boom. 18 ran, time 18.49.
September 2 – Benty Show
- Hounds – 1. Winterfell; 2. Rex The Rocket; 3. Border Reign; 4. Mr Finnigan; 5. Denton Shamrock; 6. Maverick. 14 ran, time 33.40.
- Pups – 1. Rodney Raider; 2. Artisan; 3. Silver Dream; 4. Delta Salsa. 7 ran, only four finished. Time 18.46.
- Open Maidens – 1. Chapel Stile; 2. Flightline; 3. Eden Romina; 4. Eagle Love; 5. Shine On; 6. Delta Spiral. 11 ran, time 17.46.
- Veterans – 1. Forlorn Spring; 2. Castle Clansman; 3. Delta Script; 4. Splendid Mikey; 5. Buster Moon. 5 ran, time 16.58.
September 2 – Lowick Show
- Hounds – 1. Huntsman’s Rebel; 2. Miterdale Dusk; 3. Howgil Lil; 4. Dundee; 5. Miterdale Duchess; 6. Miterdale Honesty. 8 ran, time 29.40.
- Pups – 1. Artist; 2. Huntsman’s Sunshine; 3. Glamorous Ava; 4. Miterdale Dust; 5. Kinniside Miracle; 6. Green Queen. 10 ran, time 20.23.
- Open Restricted – 1. Missriff; 2. Malia; 3. Green Flyer; 4. Howgill Meg; 5. Black Eyed Mist; 6. Cuckoo Lane. 7 ran, time 20.00.
- Veterans – 1. Huntsman’s Major; 2. Hawkswood; 3. Monsoon; 4. Amber Bay; 5. Crazy; 6. Cracking Spirit. 6 ran, time 20.00.
