Bank Holiday Monday saw the first major trail of the 2025 season with 119 hounds turning out.
Carlisle and Penrith Area were the host of the first major trail for the Hound Trailing Association with a number of the trails being sponsored.
Up first were the Seniors with with 12 lining up at the slip. Reigning champion and last time’s winner Silver Dream for Darren and Julie McMaster, and Anthony Skelton was sent off as the favourite.
The viewing as they went out of sight was pretty bad as it had gone very hazy but it was just a line of hounds with Mel for Les and Graham Reid, and Ellie Napier leading the race.
The hounds were then briefly spotted going out of sight along the skyline and three had broken clear with Silver Dream and Rodney Raider for Nicola McMaster and David Todhunter leading from Mel.
On the finish, it was 2023 puppy champion Rodney Raider who was leading from Silver Dream and Sportsman who had made up a good amount of ground for William and Craig Mark, and Billy Lindsay.
All three hounds had a chance to lead the race, when dropping into the final dip Sportsman had taken the lead and came out neck-and-neck with Silver Dream.
Both crossed the line virtually at the same time and the judge had to refer to the camera to see who had won and it was Silver Dream who got the win by the smallest head from Sportsman. Rodney Raider finished in third. The win for Silver dream takes her to seven wins in the championship and she also took home the Warnell Hall Trophy.
Up next were the Senior Maidens with 29 taking to the trail. Croft Lass was sent off as the favourite.
In to sight onto the finish was Cracking Artist for Bill and Pat Mellon, and Tina and Wak Airey she was leading from litter mate Hey Mac for Neil and Gillian Brown, and Derek and Joel Bullman, with Ruby for Stephen Riley and Isla Hetherington who was in third place.
By the time they got to the final dip the first two hounds had pulled away from Ruby and developed a 15-yard gap. Out of the gap and up the finish, both hounds wanted the win but 10 yards from the line Hey Mac found another gear and finished well to get the win.
Cracking Artist finished in second with Sarah White’s Flightline in third.
Up next were the Open Pups with 11 hounds lining up at the slip,. Delta Fortune for Sarah and Baz Harper, and Hartley Robinson was sent off as the favourite.
Delta Fortune obviously meant business with Huntsman’s Unite aka Pebbles for Denise and Jenny Bland, and Graham Little leading the chasing pack and trying her best to make ground up.
From what you could make out on the back fell two hounds had broken clear – Delta Fortune and Huntsman’s Unite – with Tucker for Nicola McMaster and Anthony Skelton leading the chasing pack.
Once into sight and on to the finish, five hounds had broken clear with Delta Fortune still leading the race well with Tucker beginning to drop in well and get to the front over the last road.
Once over the road Delta Fortune hit the front again but put in a massive circle and put himself right out of the race to drop back to sixth.
Huntsman’s Unite took this opportunity and developed a 10-yard gap to Tucker with Maggie for Les and Graham Reid, Erin Rowlandson, Barbara Jones and Stephen Walker in third.
Once out of the final dip and climbing up the finish Huntsman’s Unite was leading the race with Maggie trying to catch up as best she could but in the end Huntsman’s Unite won with five lengths to spare to claim her third puppy win in three runs with Maggie finishing in second and Delta Fortune in third.
Up next were the Puppy Maidens with 22 taking to the trail.Jenny’s Chance for Denise and Jenny Bland, Graham Little and Kyle and Ella Gallacher was sent off as the favourite.
Foxparke Rita’s Rose for Team Foxparke and Darren Clark hit the front and was going well ahead of Jenny’s Chance. On the back fell, five had broken clear.
On to the finish it was Foxparke Pip Pip for Team Foxparke and Donald Hodgson and Denton Phantom for Lee, Hayley, George and Joey Wall, Sandra Mordue and Ted Storrows who were leading the race with the favourite Jenny’s Chance in third and Silver Star for Darren and Julie McMaster and Sadie Wilson in fourth plac and Foxparke Oink Oink for Team Foxparke and Donald Hodgson in fifth.
Once out of the dip Foxparke Pip Pip showed in front but completely ran off and put a huge circle in with Jenny’s Chance taking the opportunity and take the win with a very fast finishing Foxparke Oink Oink in second and Silver Star in third.
The final race of the evening was the Open Restricted with 45 lining up at the slip. Foxparke Sidekick was sent off as the favourite.
The hounds were very strung out on the back fell but roughly 10 had established a lead on the rest of the hounds.
Once into sight it was the 2021 puppy champion Duchess Ava for James and Ava McClellan who was leading the race from Foxparke Sidekick.
Once out of the dip We Get By for Sarah White was leading the race from Foxparke Sidekick and Foxparke Fairlady back by 15 yards in third.
The first two hounds had a great race up the hill with Foxparke Sidekick getting the win, with We Get By in second and a very fast finishing Foxparke Fairlady for Team Foxparke in third and who had just got beaten by half a length for second.
