After a period of improved weather it suddenly turned nasty for the last trial trail at Kirkland although the number of runners was still up despite the conditions.
The pups were first to slip with 14 running and it was perhaps fitting, given all the hard work James has put in with his mates organising the trial trails, that his pup Countess Ava should finish first.
She beat home Denise and Jenny Bland, Graeme Little and Lisa Crosby’s Huntsman’s Time with Barry Laidler and Caroline Clough’s Snowfell in third place.
The senior hounds were up next with a slip of 12 runners and it was the in-form kennel of the Napier’s who took the first two places with Foxparke Beep Beep and Foxparke Fairlady, one of their pups from last year that has obviously wintered well.
She is running well to keep up with the more mature Foxparke Beep Beep who is in her third year this time round. Isla Hetherington and Stephen Riley’s Cautious took the third place and finished well on the night.
Last to slip were the All-Ins with a field of 16. It turned out to be a double win for James and Ava McClelland as Glamorous Ava, also a pup from last year, came in nicely to win from Graham Reid’s Money Talks.
The newly-acquired Irish hound Audacity finished in third place for Holly and Lisa Whitfield.
Last night they were back down on the Solway where there were three trial trails organised by Colin Satterthwaite.
Last time round he had a clean sweep with the pups with his families hounds taking all the first three places.
The weather conditions were rough with heavy rain, which had perhaps reduced the number of runners for such a wet night.
The pups were first to slip and it was a repeat for Martin, Molly, and Teddy Burrows and Sarah Jackson with Thorn Soul finishing first .
Alan Blacklock’s Busy Lad sneaked in for second place and then came Thorn Sass in third for Martin, Molly, Teddy Burrows and Ian Freyne, Ger and Jennifer Kenneally.
The senior hounds were next into action and it was Neil and Gillian Brown’s good looking hound Hey Mac who won from Tony, Marlene, Connor and Carter Irving’s Rex The Rocket with Jenny Horn’s Spring Remedy in third place.
Last to slip were the All-In’s and it was Bill and Pat Mellon and Robert and Tina Airey’s Cracking Artist who crossed the line first.
Colin Satterthwaite’s hound Thorn Pop, last year’s Open Restricted Points competition winner was second with Annabelle Connelly and co’s Border Reign finishing in third.
Given the weather everyone was pleased to get the dogs back in and dried off and away home.
Hopefully the weather will be much improved for the weekend when there will be trial trails at Buttermere on the Sunday but let’s not get too excited as Buttermere tends to have its own climate which is more likely to be more on the wet side than anything else. Fingers crossed it won’t be too bad.
March 13 – Kirkland
- Pups – 1. Countess Ava; 2. Huntsman’s Time; 3. Snowfell. 14 ran, time 14.14.
- Hounds – 1. Foxparke Beep Beep; 2. Foxparke Fairlady; 3. Cautious. 12 ran, time 13.41.
- All-In – 1. Glamorous Ava; 2. Money Talks; 3. Audacity. 16 ran, time 13.32.
March 14 – Kirkbride
- Pups – 1. Thorn Soul; 2. Busy Lad; 3. Thorn Sass. 10 ran, time 13.19.
- Hounds – 1. Hey Mac; 2. Rex The Rocket; 3. Spring Remedy. 10 ran, time 12.04.
- All-In – 1. Cracking Artist; 2. Thorn Pop; 3. Border Reign. 8 ran, time 11.49.
