Saturday saw the 2025 Bitch Produce trails take place at Gamelsby, near Wigton, a venue which hasn’t been used for several years.
The type of running largely consists of field and dykes. The weather conditions on the day would prove to be very good for the hounds and resulted in some exciting finishes.
The trails were sponsored by Long and Smalls Car Sales and Garage, Thompson Plant Hire and Carol and Stanley Jackson, as well as contributions from the Cockermouth and Workington Area.
There was a pre-planned look round for the hounds the week before and there had been a good turnout, with 97 hounds competing over the four races.
In the senior hounds Huntsman’s Rebel took the race at the look round and all eyes would be on the little hound to see if she could repeat her win.
As the hounds lined up to get things underway there was a slip of 16 hounds. After about 15 minutes the hounds run past the main trail field and there wasn’t much in the race with the top hounds running closely together.
It was the Dearham team who had the first three hounds, Silver Dream, Rodney Raider, who seems to be coming back to form after spending a good proportion of last year off following a toe injury, followed by kennel mate Thornton who is slowly getting used to the longer distance as he moves up from the puppy grade.
These were followed closely by Huntsman’s Trouble, Huntsman’s Rebel, Countess Ava and Thorn Soul.
As they went out of sight again there wasn’t much in it and it could still be anyone’s race. As they came down on to the finish they had to cross the River Wampool and negotiate the large number of cows in the next to last field.
Once through the cows and over the last fence three hounds had broken clear and had about 30 yards on the other hounds.
The three raced neck and neck towards the line with it looking like Rodney Raider was going to take the win but at the last minute Silver Dream with that extra push just came clear in the last stride to take the win.
The judge had to refer to the camera to double check as they were very close.
Silver Dream for Daren and Julie McMaster was given the race with Rodney Raider for Nicola McMaster and David Todhunter taking second.
James and Ava McClellan took third place with not more than a neck between all three hounds.
Next up were the senior maidens with a slip of 11. The Foxparke team missed out with their entries as they had broken down en route.
As they passed the trail field the majority of hounds were there with Ruby, Thorn Heart and Croft Lass heading the race with Kinniside Bobby and kennel mate Miterdale Green Queen and Sir Robert not too far behind.
As they showed on the finish and cleared the last fence it was Kinniside Bobby who had broke clear and was coming home on his own. He took the win for handler Sophie Steele.
Next to finish was Maeve for Christine Brownlee, in third place was Sophie’s and the Green family’s other hound Miterdale Green Queen.
The weather was holding and the showers seemed to be by passing the trail field for the time being. Next to race was the prestigious Bitch Produce race with a field of 17 runners.
As they went past the trail field it was Silver Star along side Huntsman’s Unite with the chasing pack being headed by Maggie, and two of the Foxparke team who had by this time managed to get to the trail field following their breakdown.
As they first showed on the finish it was the two Foxparke hounds that were heading the race – Foxparke Pip Pip and Foxparke Oink Oink – along with Huntsman’s Unite.
Maggie and Silver Star were also close behind but as they navigated the cows in the next to last field it was Huntsman’s Unite who had gained an advantage of two or three lengths but Maggie wasn’t too far behind and was closing fast a yard from the line.
You would have been sure that it was Huntsman’s Unite that would be taking home the spoils but at the last stride Maggie just got up and looked as though she had won.
On reviewing the race in the camera Maggie for Les and Graham Reid, Erin Rowlandson, Barbara Jones and Steven Walker had indeed just got up right on the line by the shortest of heads with Huntsman’s Unite in second place for Denise and Jenny Bland and Graeme Little.
Silver Star for Daren and Julie McMaster and Sadie Wilson was half a length behind Huntsman’s Unite in third place.
The next race was the open pups with the current puppy championship leader running.
Once slipped and back in to view as they past the trail field it was Brown Sugar who was leading from Let It Be.
These were followed closely behind by I Am It, Miterdale Wow and Delta Fortune. Once they dropped down the back field it was still Brown Sugar and Let It Be who were heading the race, once in the last field Brown Sugar had a five or six-yard advantage but was tiring slightly.
Let It Be for Ruth Graham and Charlie Dixon was running on well and past Brown Sugar a couple of yards from the tape to take the win with Graham and Les Reid and Ellie Napier having to settle for second place.
Ruth and Charlie’s other hound I Am It finished in third place and then there was a gap to the fourth hound which was Sophie Steele’s Miterdale Wow.
Next up were the open restricted with a slip of 16.
As they went past the trail field it was Foxparke Honk Honk, Duchess Ava, Foxparke Fairlady and Eagle Girl who had a slight lead on the rest of the hounds.
As they dropped down the back field towards the finish it was Eagle Girl who was leading from the Foxparke hounds and Duchess Ava.
Once on to the finish they were all close enough for anyone of them to win but it was Eagle Girl who just came a yard clear for Mark, Josh, Georgia and Linda Neale to take the win followed closely by Blue Striker for Brian and Erin Rowlandson and Billy Birkett with Lily in third place for Geoff and Barbra Jones and Steven Walker.
The last race of the day, with the weather deteriorating and showers taking over it, was the veteran race with nine runners.
As they went through it was Miterdale Duchess followed closely by Zola then Eagle Rock then Bretton and then Reebok.
Once back on the finish it was Miterdale Duchess and Zola followed closely by Eagle Rock. Coming towards the line Eagle Rock put in a strong finish and took the win from Zola who ran on well to get second place and the odds on favourite Miterdale Duchess finishing in third place.
With the weather picking up again all that was left to do was present the trophies and to thank the sponsors and the land owners for their support.
Trailing resumes today, Monday June 9, at Cleamire with a four card meeting, with the first trail slipping at 6.30pm.
2025 Bitch Produce trails, Gamelsby – June 7
- Hounds – 1. Silver Dream 2. Rodney Raider 3. Countess Ava 4. Thornton 5. Huntsman’s Trouble 6. Huntsman’s Rebel 16 Ran Time 27.18
- Maidens – 1. Kinniside Bobby 2. Maeve 3. Miterdale Green Queen 4. Thorn Heart 5. Croft Lass 6. Sir Robert 11 Ran Time 28.18
- Bitch Produce – 1. Maggie 2. Huntsman’s Unite 3. Silver Star 4. Foxparke Oink Oink 5. Foxparke Pip Pip 6. Minnie 17 Ran Time 16.42
- Open Pups – 1. Let It Be 2. Brown Sugar 3. I Am It 4. Miterdale Wow 5. Delta Fortune 6. Tucker 10 Ran Time 15.50
- Open Restricted – 1. Eagle Girl 2. Blue Striker 3. Lily 4. Foxparke Fairlady 5. Foxparke Honk Honk 6. Flecky Jack 16 Ran Time 15.57
- Veterans – 1. Eagle Rock 2. Zola 3. Miterdale Duchess 4. Reebok 5. Young Harry 6. Eleanor’s Lass 9 Ran Time 15.40
