Hounds season starts build-up with St Helena trail

Ava McClelland with countess Ava winner of the first March trial. Photo courtesy of James McClelland

In the build-up to the new HTA season the first March trial took place last night at St Helena, near Egremont.

It is the first of a series of three trials followed by a series of three at Kirkland over the rest of the month.

It was a cold and wet night for everyone but that didn’t deter the owners, trainers and the hounds from taking part.

There were 18 pups entered and as they came onto the finish there was about 10 all together racing well but it was James McClelland’s Countess Ava who just got in front to win from Brian and Erin Rawlinson’s and Billy Birkett’s Blue Striker, with Stephen Irving and Caroline Graham’s Zeta getting third place.

Countess Ava is one of Jenny Horn’s pups bred out of General James and Spring Rascal. Blue Striker was also out of the same litter and Zeta was bred by Lisa Whitfield out of Black Legend and Breeze.

Next to slip were the senior hounds with 17 taking part and it was another exciting finish despite the wet conditions.

As they showed it was Tony, Marlene, Connor and Carter Irving’s Rex The Rocket who was battling up towards the finish with local hound Ned’s Gain owned by Jonty Moor, Evie Moor and Jack Thompson.

They were neck and neck but Rex just got up to win with Ned’s Gain finishing in second place. James McClelland Duchess Ava finished in third.

The Duchess missed most of last season as a result of injury so it was positive to see her back out running.

The last race of the night was the All-In race with just eight runners.

As they showed it was Neil and Gillian Brown, Derek and Joel Bulman’s Dundee that was in front and finished well to win. Lisa Whitfield’s two hounds Black Edition and Tommy’s Dream finished in second and third place.

Given the weather conditions everyone was pleased to see all the hounds in safe and sound. Hopefully on Sunday the weather conditions will be much improved.

St Helena and Kirkland are all promoted and organised by James McClelland who has already been very busy before the season started putting shorter practice trails on throughout the winter.

Promoting hound trails, or trials for that matter, is no easy thing these days but James has worked hard over winter arranging and putting on regular practice trails, which for the most part, have been open to anyone who wanted to run their hounds.

Having someone like James and his mates who are able, and willing, to arrange these practice trails is a vital aspect of hound trailing and isn’t always appreciated. It gives everyone a chance to get their hounds up to speed regardless of they have access to running.

James has developed good connections with the local farming community and land-owners and goes out of his way to visit each and have a bit of a crack with them when he goes round seeking permission to run over their land.

James is part of the Ennerdale Show Hound Trailing Committee as well as being on the local Whitehaven Area Committee and the trails that he helps promote in and around Ennerdale raise money for local good causes.

James says: “We are very lucky with the farmers who we get permission from as all of them will do their best to help, and even move livestock to accommodate the trails.”

James works with around 16 farmers and landowners who he needs to seek permission from in order to be able to run the trails throughout the season.

He said that one of the best bits is going round and having a crack with them all and letting them know what money has been raised and where it has gone and who it has helped.

He said jokingly that some of them are on ‘speed dial’ and probably get sick of him phoning them up but they are all ok and are happy to help out.

Given that all of this work is done on a voluntary basis it can be a lot of hard work at times. Not only does James promote the trails and all that goes with that, but he sometimes has to walk part of the trail, or scout roads and then see to his own hounds.

Over the last few years he hasn’t done too badly with his hounds having won the Puppy Championship back in 2021 with Duchess Ava and then taking the runners up place in the Senior Championship with her in 2022.

James has been involved in hound trailing for just over 25 years and he wasn’t born into hound trailing rather he got the bug from the late Terrence McVeigh.

He started just walking his hounds and then going to the trails and finally getting his name on his first hound with Terrence around five years later.

James said that he thought this was a good way for young people, or anybody for that matter, to get involved with hound trailing. They can set off gradually without fully committing and get involved as much as they want and learn from those who have the experience. James’ daughter Ava also likes going to the trails and looking after the hounds.

James is also part of the Cockhow Festival Committee which started up a number of years ago and it was a local initiative to try and give back to the hound men increased prize money for all grades of hounds.

The festival was successful for a number of years and then with COVID perhaps it got a little lost. However, when it came back on the fixture list last year the committee tried a different approach with the Festival Trilogy, where points were awarded at a number of different trails.

However this year, after much debate, the committee plan to revert back to the seven trail meeting offering increased prize money from the lowest to the highest grade of hound, which according to James, gives everyone a chance to win.

James’ new pup Countess Duchess looks as though it can do the business when notching up her first official win in the March trials. Time will tell if this develops into something more, but not a bad start