The 2024 hound trailing season is due to get under way at the beginning of March with the official practice trial trails starting.
There are a good selection of venues available during March for everyone to continue to get their hounds up to speed for the start of the official championship trails.
Many owners have been out every week training their new pups for the new season as well as bringing their existing hounds back in to form.
At this stage of the proceedings there is no single puppy that is standing out as a potential champion but it is still very early doors and many hounds mature as the season progresses.
The Championship trails start early this year with the first one taking place at Low Place on Saturday March 30, due to Easter being early so will start on Easter Saturday.
Following on from last year the fixture committee met in early February to try and work with all those who promote hound trails to ensure that the trail meetings are spread out so that every promoter, as well as every dog owner, gets a fair crack of the whip.
Joint working and collaboration between promoters is the only way forward to ensure hound trailing remains competitive and financially viable.
As usual the Hound Trailing Association will host a number of major trails throughout the season with the first being the May Day trails on May 6, with the venue most likely to be at Helton although not confirmed.
This will be followed by the Dog Produce Trails which this year will be hosted by the Whitehaven Area and will take place on the June 1.
The Carlisle and Penrith Area will host the next major trail whichis the Bitch Produce which will take place on July 13.
Following some changes to the rules which took place at the Annual General Meeting and following the successful merger of the Border Hound Trailing Association with the HTA, this year will see additions to the Championship programme.
The senior trail, which takes place at the Langhom Common Riding and the puppy trail, which takes place at the Copshaw Common Riding, will form part of the championship calendar.
They also bring with them significant prize money for those who dare to run and win.
The August Premier trail will be held on the 10th August but the venue, like the May Day trail, needs to be determined as individual Area Committees can apply to host these major trail.
Last, but not least, will be the October Trail which this year will be hosted by the South Lakes Committee and will take place on October 5.
The Hound Trailing Association continues to work to try and promote the sport and generate interest and has recently produced a podcast.
This gives an account of hound trailing and the positive benefits it brings to many people and local communities as well as highlights some of the challenges that any sporting association faces in the 21st century.
To listen, click below:
The HTA would like to thank Jane Hunt, from Catapult PR for taking time out of her busy schedule to help create this podcast.
The HTA would also like to thank all those who volunteered their time in the development of the podcast.
