The return to Cold Fell saw a four-grade meeting with 74 hounds turning out.
These were memorial trails for Wils Logan, Birkett Lawson and Bill Huddart, known as Ructions, all former supporters and major contributors to the Whitehaven Area.
The trails were run in aid of Cancer Research with just over £600 made and the Area would like to thank everyone who supported the trails and donated on the night.
The Seniors opened the meeting with 17 being slipped and Mel was sent off favourite for Les and Graham Reid, and Elllie Napier.
As the hounds were slipped and crossed the first road, Mel was off to a great start and was racing well with Sportsman for Willie and Craig Mark.
The hounds then go out of sight for about two minutes and as they came back into sight Mel had established an advantage over Huntsman’s Sparkle for Tracey, Carolyn and Derrick Hill with Foxparke Sidekick for Robyn, Ellie, Grace and Nicola Napier and Brooke Butler in third.
The hounds can then be seen from the trail field going through the fell after roughly 10 minutes running and leading the way was Mel.
She had first showed with a slight lead but as they dropped further down and into the gully Mel had been joined by Foxparke Honk Honk for Robyn, Ellie, Grace and Nicola Napier and Brooke Butler.
The pair were having a good race and began to pull away from Huntsman’s Sparkle in third.
Foxparke Sidekick was in fourth, Croft Lass in fifth for Stanley, Carole and Sarah Jackson, Ricky Deacon and Donald Hodgson in fifth while Silver Dream for Darren and Julie McMaster and Anthony Skelton was in sixth. As they showed on the top of the fell before the finish two had developed a lead on the chasing pack – Mel and Silver Dream.
When they came onto the finish Mel was still leading the way but Silver Dream showed a good turn off foot and won by a length to claim her 17th senior win of the season with Mel in second.
Her two litter mates Croft Lass and Foxparke Sidekick finished in third and fourth with Sportsman in fifth. The final ticket went to Foxparke Honk Honk.
The Pups were next to race with a field of 20 lining up at the slip, and Delta Fortune was sent off as the favourite for Sarah and Baz Harper, and Hartley Robinson.
As the hounds were slipped Brown Sugar was off to a great start for Graham and Les Reid and Ellie Napier ahead of Delta Fortune and Huntsman’s Unite for Denise and Jenny Bland and Graham Little.
The hounds then had a small scale when they needed to turn right at the top of the fell but soon corrected themselves.
At that point Delta Fortune took the opportunity and pulled away with Huntsman’s Unite from the chasing pack which was being led by Jenny’s Chance for Denise and Jenny Bland, Graham Little and Ella and Kyle Gallacher, Brown Sugar in fourth.
As they passed through the gully Delta Fortune and Huntsman’s Unite were still leading the race but had been joined by Brown Sugar and Minnie for Les and Graham Reid, Erin Rowlandson, Barbara Jones and Steven Walker.
As they showed over the top of the fell before the finish two had developed an advantage with Huntsman’s Unite leading from Delta Fortune.
But as they dropped down the fell Delta Fortune handled it the best of the two, hitting the front as they went out of sight.
When they showed on the finish Delta Fortune produced a good turn of foot to pull away and claim his 17th puppy win of the season.
Huntsman’s Unite was second and there was a tight finish for third between Tucker for Nicola McMaster and Anthony Skelton and Jenny’s Chance with the judge not being able to split them so a dead heat was declared.
Minnie finished in fifth and the final ticket went to Pied Piper for Tanya Satterthwaite.
The Open Maidens trail was contested by 26 hounds and Thorn Thunder for Joanna, Martin, Molly and Teddy Burrows was sent off as the favourite.
As the hounds crossed in the bottoms it was Offspring for Stuart, James and Jacob Jeynes who was leading the way from We Get By for Sarah White and Meave for Christine Brownlee.
Climbing up the fell it was a line of hounds racing on well and the first five all taking turns at driving the race.
As they passed through the gully Offspring was still leading from kennel mates Senor and Senorita for Malcolm Holmes and We Get By in fourth.
When they showed on the top of the fell before the finish Thorn Heart for Colin Satterthwaite had hit the front with Senor and Senorita in close pursuit.
Onto the finish Thorn Heart finished well to claim the win from Senorita and Senor with Maeve finished in fourth.
Lucky Moon was fifth and the final ticket went to Thorn Thunder.
The final race of the evening was the Open Restricted with a field of 11 lining up at the slip.
Lily for Barbara Jones and Steven Walker was sent off the favourite at even money. As they went through the bottoms Malia for Christine Brownlee was off to a great start with Malfunction for Sarah White in second and Swamp Fox for Tanya Satterthwaite in third.
When they crossed through the gully Malfunction was leading the race from Lily and Foxparke Oink Oink for Robyn, Ellie, Grace, and Nicola Napier, Brooke Butler, and Donald Hodgson was third and Milo Moon for Tracey, Carolyn and Derrick Hill was in fourth.
As they showed on the top of the fell Lily was still leading from Malfunction and the pair had developed a slight advantage. However when they showed on the finish Malfunction didn’t live up to the name, finishing well to win from Lily with a small gap to Malia in third.
Milo Moon was in fourth and Foxparke Oink Oink in fifth. The final ticket of the night went to Swamp Fox.
Cold Fell – July 22
- Hounds – 1. Silver Dream; 2. Mel; 3. Croft Lass; 4. Foxparke Sidekick; 5. Sportsman; 6. Foxparke Honk Honk. 17 ran, time 30.03.
- Pups – 1. Delta Fortune; 2. Huntsman’s Unite; dead heat 3. Jenny’s Chance and Tucker; 5. Minnie; 6. Pied Piper. 20 ran, time 19.25.
- Open Maidens – 1. Thorn Heart; 2. Senorita; 3. Senor; 4. Maeve; 5. Lucky Moon; 6. Thorn Thunder. 26 ran, time 19.07.
- Open Restricted – 1. Malfunction; 2. Lily; 3. Malia; 4. Milo Moon; 5. Foxparke Oink Oink; 6. Swamp Fox. 11 ran, time 19.14.
