Sunday saw the final trail for 2024 at Buttermere where the local show hosted four trails.
Things were a little hectic at the start with the convergence of the fell runners, sheep handlers and trailers negotiating limited parking but everyone found their place and the senior hounds got things off to a good start.
There was a slip of 10 hounds which was pretty good given there was also a senior maiden trail on as well for this time of year.
Huntsman’s Rebel was the odds-on favourite for Denise Bland and co given her impressive record round the course.
As they climbed up Robinson she was in the lead as they went out of sight, closely followed by Graham Reid’s Money Talk’s and Foxparke Fair Lady who had also ran a cracking race the week before at Buttermere.
It was a close race as they ran past the trail field but as they went round the basin and started to climb up the fell again it was Money Talks who headed the race and who went away from Huntsman’s Rebel.
However, she made-up ground again once on the top and they were neck and neck but as they turned to drop down the fell Money Talk’s came away again and there was nothing catching him as he dropped in.
He jumped the last fence clear and came in to win easily from Huntsman’s Rebel who was gaining ground but she wasn’t able to make up the distance gained when Money Talk had dropped in down the fell.
She finished well to get second place with Foxparke Fair Lady finishing in third place for Robyn, Ellie and Grace Napier and Brooke Butler.
Lily finished in fourth place for Barbara and Geoff Jones, another good run by her and just a pity the season will be finishing soon as the little hound seems to be in good form at the moment.
Ellie Napier and Les Reid’s Mel finished in fifth place ahead of Thorn Soul who had stepped up from the puppy distance to try her hand at the longer senior distance. It wasn’t a bad attempt for her first time round the longer trail.
With Huntsman’s Rebel failing to take the win today it means that she is neck and neck with Rodney Raider in joint runner up position for the senior championship title. Money Talks had been 2/1 on in the bookies ring.
Next were the senior maidens with another reasonable slip of 14 hounds.
Isla Hetherington and Stephen Riley’s Ruby was running and although she has won the senior maiden points competition she was favourite to win.
As they went round the fell in front of the trail field it was Stanley and Carole Jackson’s Charisma who was leading followed closely by Ruby.
The two continued to lead the race until they started to drop down where Charisma just got ahead a little.
Once on the finish Charisma maintained the couple of yards she had gained and crossed the line to win from Ruby in second place.
Foxparke Majesty finished well in third place for Robyn, Ellie and Grace Napier and Brooke Butler with Geoff Higgins, Ian Rudd and Tony Jackson’s Lucky Moon in fourth place.
Denise’s Green Queen finished in fifth with Lisa and Holly Whitfield’s Audacity taking the last ticket.
The five points for Ruby consolidated her win in the senior maiden points competition but it is still possible for Foxparke Majesty to get the runner-up position if she wins on the last day at Millstone Moor. She would need six points to go in front of Miterdale Dusk.
The open pups were next with just three runners – Huntsman’s Time, Blue Striker and Miterdale Rambler.
Huntsman’s Time led for the majority of the race and came home to win easily for Denise and Jenny Bland, Graeme Little and Lisa Crosby.
Blue Striker ran well and finished in second with Miterdale Rambler the third to finish.
The win takes her to 23 for the season and the little bitch has shown that she can run field and dykes, open moor land and down on the moss but it would be fair to say that her preferred running is the fell where she does excel even when she runs on her own as she did at Latrigg.
The last race of the day was for the puppy maidens with another reasonable slip of twelve.
As the hounds jumped the last fence it was Foxparke Elliot’s Lad who was leading from Malcolm Holmes’ Senorita who had doubled up from her run the day before at Steel Rigg where she finished second.
It was a good race to the line but it was Foxparke Elliot’s Lad who finished the better of the two hounds who crossed the line in first place much to the delight of Ellie, Grace and Robyn.
The win secured their place at the top of the points competition for the puppy maiden title.
Apache Brave for Debbie and Lana McGee finished well in third place with Sophie Steele’s Miterdale Ruler in fourth. Graham and Les Reid’s Good Enough was fifth with Lucky Breeze for Susan Passon and Lisa Whitfield claiming sixth ticket.
Although the winner of the puppy maiden points competition has been confirmed it is still close for the runner-up position with five points only separating the next five hounds Apache Brave, Miterdale Rumble, Senor, Miterdale Ruler and Senorita. So it will go to the last day to see which is the runner up.
Top breeding line today was the combination of Jenny’s Aura and Foxparke Billy Elliot with Money Talks, Foxparke Fair Lady and Mel all being bred from this pairing along with Foxparke Elliot’s Lad in the puppy maiden, only from a later litter.
This year also saw the introduction of a new competition which lasted throughout the season. It was introduced by Mark Bryden in memory of Lena and Edward Gibson.
Hounds were paired with each other at different venues with the loser eliminated. The competition came to a conclusion at Buttermere with Kinniside Bobby just having to get round to take the trophy. Mark himself presented the Trophy to Sophie Steele and her hound Kinniside Bobby.
Action turns to Seaton on Tuesday and then Millstone Moor for the last races of 2024 on Thursday with a couple of points competitions still to play out for the runner up position, while the highly competitive veteran class will be decided on the last day.
October 27 – Buttermere Show
- Hounds – 1. Money Talks; 2. Huntsman’s Rebel; 3. Foxparke Fair Lady; 4. Lily; 5. Mel; 6. Thorn Soul. 10 ran, time 27.40.
- Maidens – 1. Charisma; 2. Ruby; 3. Foxparke Majesty; 4. Lucky Moon; 5. Green Queen; 6. Audacity. 14 ran, time 28.15.
- Pups – 1. Huntsman’s Time; 2. Blue Striker; 3. Miterdale Rambler. 3 ran, time 16.17.
- Puppy Maidens – 1. Foxparke Elliot’s Lad; 2. Senorita; 3. Apache Brave; 4. Miterdale Ruler; 5. Good Enough; 6. Lucky Breeze. 12 ran, time 17.10.
