Monday night saw the first Grasmere meeting take place, and this is a look round for the forthcoming trails at the Grasmere Sports.
Points can be accumulated over the two meetings for extra prize money donated by Grasmere Sports, South Lakes Area and Criffel Vue Private Hire.
With the weather forecast set to be bad it was a pleasant surprise to have a reasonable night for the trails.
The weather had played havoc last year, both at the look round and on the big day with the senior hounds having to be cancelled, so it was nice to be able to get all three trails completed.
The seniors got things under way with a slip of seven hounds.
The hounds running could all be classed as good fell hounds and could be seen climbing up the back fell but other than counting them it was difficult to tell what was leading.
All seven climbed up nicely and went out of sight but as they showed on the top to drop down the two leaders were Miterdale Dusk for Sophie Steele and Maeve for Christine Brownlee.
Once down and over the road Maeve just stuck to the task and crossed the line in first place from Miterdale Dusk.
James and Ava McClellan’s Baroness Ava was a close third with Huntsman’s Time for Denise and Jenny Bland and Graeme Little took fourth.
There was a slight gap to fifth which was course specialist Huntsman’s Quantum for the Little family with James and Ava’s other hound Countess Ava finishing sixth.
The pups were next with a field of 10 runners.
As they showed to drop down the fell the hounds were spread out but once on the finish it was a good race between Huntsman’s Unite for Denise and Jenny Bland and Graeme Little and Let It Be for Ruth and Charlie Dixon.
It looked as though Let It Be was going to win easily but Huntsman’s Unite just made an extra push at the last minute and crossed the line with a short head to spare for her 10th win of the season.
She is still nine behind current championship leader Delta Fortune.
Jenny’s Chance, also for Denise and Jenny Bland and Graeme Little finished in third place with Graham and Les Reid and Ellie Napier’s Brown Sugar putting in a strong finish to claim fourth.
Minnie for Les and Graham Reid, Erin Rowlandson, Barbara Jones and Stephen Walker finished close behind in fifth with Stephen Irving and Caroline Graham’s Zoya taking sixth.
The last race of the night was the open restricted with a field of 16 runners. Once the hounds showed on the top they were spread out but once down on the finish two were clear – Malia for Christine Brownlee and Bretton for Julie Birkenshaw.
As they approached the line it was Malia who just came clear by a couple of yards to win from Bretton.
Black Eyed Shadow for John Lyon was next to finish with Blue Striker for Brian and Erin Rowlandson and Billy Birkett finishing in fourth place. Foxparke Sassy Girl was fifth for the Napier and Butler kennel with Huntsman’s Quirk in sixth for Denise and Jenny Bland.
Members of the Grasmere Sports committee were present on the night and were pleased with how things had gone, having being very supportive of the hound trails.
It appears they are looking to take the traditional sports back to how things used to be with a focus on fell running, wrestling and the hound trails.
Action resumes tonight with a return to Cold Fell where the trails are being run to support the Trailhound Welfare Trust.
Grasmere – August 4
- Hounds – 1. Maeve; 2. Miterdale Dusk; 3. Baroness Ava; 4. Huntsman’s Time; 5. Huntsman’s Quantum; 6. Countess Ava. 7 ran, time 35.18.
- Pups – 1. Huntsman’s Unite; 2. Let It Be; 3. Jenny’s Chance; 4. Brown Sugar; 5. Minnie; 6. Zoya. 10 ran, time 21.22.
- Open Restricted – 1. Malia; 2. Bretton; 3. Black Eyed Shadow; 4. Blue Striker; 5. Foxparke Sassy Girl; 6. Huntsman’s Quirk. 16 ran, time 18.17.
