The end of the 2024 hound trailing season came with the traditional five-race meeting at Millstone Moor.
It was a murky old day with limited viability which was a shame as Millstone Moor does provide good viewing of the hounds as they head down towards Bridekirk before turning back to head up to the top of Millstone Moor.
There was a good crowd and a reasonable number of hounds for the last day of the season.
The two major championship titles had already been settled with Silver Dream for Darren and Julie McMaster and Anthony Skelton taking the senior championship with 15 wins.
Joint runners-up were Huntsman’s Rebel for Denise and Jenny Bland and Graeme Little and Rodney Raider for Nicola McMaster and David Todhunter both with 12 wins.
Rodney Raider had been unlucky as he started the season where he left off having won the Puppy Championship for 2023 and continued his winning ways at the start of the current campaign.
He won 11 trails. including the International, before suffering an injury which put him out of action for the majority of the remaining season.
He returned in October and won his last trail this year to draw level with Huntsman’s Rebel.
The Puppy championship had also been decided with Denise and Jenny Bland, Graeme Little and Lisa Crosby’s Huntsman Time taking the title with 23 wins with Thornton for Darren McMaster, Anthony Skelton and Sadie Wilson in runner up position with 21 wins. Both hounds remained competitive right up until the end of the season.
The day started with the senior hounds and their opening trail had eight runners.
Silver Dream was keen to get to the start line and looked impressive as she waited to be slipped.
Competition would come from Busy Again and Embrace as both hounds had been running well up to the end of the season.
Busy Again had been narrowly beaten the previous week by Silver Dream as they negotiated their way up to the finish through the sheep. Busy Again had been checked by one running in front of her although the view in the bookies ring was that Silver Dream would have won anyway.
So she started off as the favourite to win on the last day and with visibility down to nearly zero, punters were unable to get a sense of how the race was going as they headed down to Bridekirk.
The few hardy souls who walked over the fields to get a view were able to confirm that as they went down they were altogether with Silver Dream and sibling Embrace running together and heading the trail.
Once back on the finish they could just about be made out as they climbed up the hill and it was a repeat of the week before with Silver Dream and Busy Again neck and neck. However, this time Busy Again came away and crossed the line with a yard to spare.
Both hounds usually having impressive finishes but this time it was Busy Again’s turn to show the better turn of foot.
Foxparke Fair Lady ran on well and finished in third place for Robyn, Ellie and Grace Napier and Brooke Butler.
Cracking Last One Two finished in fourth place for Bill and Pat Mellon and Robert and Tina Airey.
Embrace, who had been leading the race at one point, had dropped back and finished in fifth place for Laura Steele, Andrew and Joel Bulman and Ian Rumney. The last ticket going to David Clifford’s Eden Rayna.
The senior maidens were next to run and again the senior maiden points competition had already been decided with Isla Hetherington and Stephen Riley’s Ruby taking the title for 2024.
The runners up position was still up for grabs and there was a slip of nine runners including Ruby and Eden Romina, who has shown that although she has been very consistent when running in the short trails she doesn’t mind stepping up and running in the longer trail.
Foxparke Majesty was also running and she was the only hound who could could steal the runners-up place from Miterdale Dusk but she would need to win to do so.
As they showed on the finish it was a good race between Foxparke Majesty and Eden Romina.
Approaching the line Eden Romina had a few yards lead but as she neared the tape she eased down and Foxparke was finishing fast and managed to cross the line with a yard to spare.
Ruby wasn’t too far behind in third place with Imagine slowing down and nearly letting Audacity pip him for fourth place.
Audacity was only beat by a very short nose in fifth. Green Queen, being run on the day by Sophie Steel finished in sixth place and looks to be a hound that has plenty of potential next year.
The open pups were next with a slip of six so all hounds, if they got round, would get a ticket.
There was no Huntsman’s Time as she was having a well-earned rest having sealed the puppy championship title but the race was still competitive with Thornton setting out as the favourite with Minnie Million at 2/1.
Visibility was still poor towards Bridekirk so the hounds weren’t back into view until they showed at the bottom.
It was Thornton and Minnie Million with Thornton perhaps just having the upper hand before they got to the second last field.
However, as they cleared the fence Thornton made a slight mistake where he landed badly giving Minnie Million an advantage and she made the most of it as she started the long climb up the finish.
The advantage she had gained was too great for Thornton who battled on up the hill in an attempt to catch her but the line came too soon.
Joy and Brian Lister were highly delighted with her performance on the day and throughout the season with the little dog gradually improving and maturing as the season progressed. Overall, she has had a really good season.
Thornton was again unlucky just landing awkwardly but he finished like a trooper and is another hound that has had a great season.
George McGimpsey and Gillian and Millie Telford’s Millie’s Lad and Millie’s Lass finished in third and fourth place .
They are two hounds who have ran well with perhaps Millie’s Lass outdoing her kennel mate Millie’s Lad, although he did get the upper hand on her at Millstone Moor.
Miterdale Rambler for Sophie Steele finished in fifth place and ran well but will be another who will run better next year when he has had time to mature a little. Lisa Whitfield’s Lucky Legend claimed sixth place.
The puppy maiden race was next and again, although the first place had been decided, it was still all to play for when it came to the runners-up position.
Miterdale Ruler, Miterdale Rambler and Apache Brave were all in with a chance.
However as they came on the finish there were no Miterdales in the first six so it was unlucky for Sophie and her team but Debbie and Lana McGee claimed sixth place which sealed the runners up position for Apache Brave.
Christine Brownlee’s Maeve actually won the race with Graham Reid’s Good Enough finishing in second place.
Jenny Horn’s Spring Return finished in third place with David Clifford’s Eden Rosanna in fourth. Ashley Horn and Sarah White’s Spring Rhyme finished fifth place with Apache Brave getting the sixth ticket.
The last race of the day was for the veterans and it was the only points competition which had not been concluded.
The title race was between Miterdale Duchess and Adele. There were only four runners with Adele starting out as the favourite.
With only three points separating the two hounds it was going to be a close thing. However, when the hounds showed on the finish it was Miterdale Duchess who was heading the race and she finished well to win.
She was followed home by Bob in second place for Tony, Marlene, Connor and Carter Irving with Foxparke Jiggly Puff in third.
Adele didn’t finish the course so Miterdale Duchess therefore completed the season on 110 points with Adele finishing on 101.
Both hounds having had a cracking season performing consistently throughout.
The Open maiden points competition was won by Eden Romina with a landslide accumulation of 117 with the little hound running consistently week in and week out. Runners-up position went to Geoff Higgin’s Lucky Moon.
The Open Restricted points competition was won by Christine Brownlee’s Malia with Foxparke Side Kick in runners up position for Robyn, Ellie, Grace Napier and Brooke Butler.
The Open Non-winners points competition was won by Jenny Horn’s Spring Remedy with Stuart and Jacob’s Off Spring finishing in runners-up position.
Millstone Moor concluded the season for 2024 and it will all start all over again in April 2025.
Congratulations to all those who won and were runners up and well done to all those who competed and perhaps didn’t do as well, better luck next year.
Cumbria Crack would like to thank all those who have contributed pictures throughout the season. It’s much appreciated.
October 31 – Millstone Moor
- Hounds – 1. Busy Again; 2. Silver Dream; 3. Foxparke Fair Lady; 4. Cracking Last One Two; 5. Embrace; 6. Eden Rayna. 8 ran, time 25.38.
- Maidens – 1. Foxparke Majesty; 2. Eden Romina; 3. Ruby; 4. Imagine; 5. Audacity; 6. Green Queen. 9 ran, time 26.53.
- Pups – 1. Minnie Million; 2. Thornton; 3. Millie’s Lad; 4. Millie’s Lass; 5. Miterdale Rambler; 6. Lucky Legend. 6 ran, time 16.35.
- Puppy Maiden – 1. Maeve; 2. Good Enough; 3. Spring Return; 4. Eden Rosanna; 5. Spring Rhyme; 6. Apache Brave. 13 ran, time 17.12.
- Veteran – 1. Miterdale Duchess; 2. Bob; 3. Foxparke Jiggly Puff; 4 ran, only three finished. Time 18.26.
