Two recent trial trails were held at Kirkland and the other at Middlemoss in the Borders.
Both have completely different running – one fell and field and the other open fell with a covering of heather, so trainers could take their pick.
At Kirkland there was a good show of hounds with 21 competing in the puppy race and as they came back into view there was a turn-up with a new name leading.
Denise and Jenny Bland, Graeme Little and Lisa Crosby’s Huntsman’s Time just got up to win from James and Ava McClellan’s Countess Ava and then Brian and Erin Rowlandson’s Blue Striker.
Huntsman’s Time was bred in Ireland and is out of Little Gem and Fooley Buff, perhaps introducing some new blood into the mix.
Next to slip were the senior hounds with seventeen runners and as they showed it was Foxparke Beep Beep for the Napier’s who just got up to beat kennel mate Foxparke Honk Honk who took second place.
It was nice to see Foxparke Beep Beep back out after being troubled at the end of last season with a niggling injury which put paid to any ambition the kennel had as early in the season she had been running well.
Duchess Ava, for James and Ava McClelland, finished well in third place.
Last to slip was the All-In race with fourteen runners and it was Graham Reid’s Money Talks who finished on his own well ahead of any other hounds.
After a couple of minutes Stuart and Jacob Jeyne’s Off-Spring finished in second with a fast finishing Ruby in third place for Isla Hetherington and Stephen Riley.
Moving north to Middlemoss there were slightly fewer hounds but the pups got proceedings under way with a slip of 15.
As they showed and headed up to the finish it was George McGimpsey, Gillian and Millie Telford’s Millie’s Lass who just kept in front on the trod to win from Tom and Ryan Bell’s Lassie with their other hound Ben finishing in third place.
Millie’s Lass was bred from Thorn Crackle and Miterdale Shadow, a former championship winner. Is this a sign of things to come?
Both the second and third hounds were also bred from a former championship winner Winterfell and Maggie’s Dream. Again, are they destined to follow in their father’s footsteps? Time will tell.
Next up at Middlemoss were the senior hounds with a smaller field of 13.
As they came onto the finish along the trod it was last year’s runner up in the Open Restricted points competition Maverick, owned by Joseph Abram from Dearham, who just got up to win from a fast finishing Winterfell who only showed fourth but managed to get past a couple into second place for Barry Laidler and Caroline Clough.
Finishing in third place was one of last year’s pups, Explore, for Anna and Kerry Lindsay.
Last to go at Middlemoss was the All-In race with just nine runners and it was Adele for Sarah Bell who crossed the line first followed by Inspect, another of Anna and Kerry Lindsay’s hounds.
Brian Shaw’s Lucky Chance, who struggled a little bit last year to get going, finished third and maybe has matured a little this season so will improve going forward.
March 10 – Middlemoss
- Pups – 1. Millie’s Lass; 2. Lassie; 3. Ben, 15 ran, time 10.07
- Hounds – 1. Maverick; 2. Winterfell; 3. Explore.13 ran, time 9.18
- All-In – 1. Adele; 2. Inspect; 3. Lucky Chance. 9 ran, time 9.50.
Kirkland
- Pups – 1. Huntsman’s Time; 2. Countess Ava; 3. Blue Striker. 21 ran, time 14.48.
- Hounds – 1. Foxparke Beep Beep; 2. Foxparke Honk Honk; 3. Duchess Ava. 17 ran, time 14.03.
- All-In – 1. Money Talks; 2. Off-Spring; 3. Ruby. 14 ran, time 14.01.
