Hound trailing has been hit by a bout of kennel cough which has really cut back on the number of hounds contesting the meetings.
Tuesday saw Carlisle and Penrith Area host a three-grade meeting at Edges Green where only 10 hounds turned out on the evening.
Saturday should have been a busy day with two meetings taking place.
Benty Show staged four races with only 12 hounds involved and Lowick Show only had 18 for their four meeting.
The most significant race was for the seniors at Benty where current championship runner-up Sportsman was out for Willie and Craig Mark in a field of only five.
He was the odds on favourite and from the start he had Hey Mac for Neil and Gillian Brown, and Joel and Derick Bulman for company out in front.
However when they appeared on the finish Sportsman dropped well and finished off to win well from Millie’s Lass for George McGimpsy, and Gillian and Millie Telford. She just pipped Hey Mac on the line.
The pups only had two entries and Denton Phantom beat kennel mate and litter mate Denton Adonis for Lee, Hayley, Joey, and George Wall, Sandra Mordue and Ted Storrows.
The open maidens had a field of three and on the finish Mr Mally for George Burgon and Carole Logan finished well to claim the win ahead of Fire Lass for Amanda and Megan Telford.
Top complete a disappointing day, because of the lack of runners, there were only two involved in the open restricted. Throughout the trail both hounds battled it out at the front and seemed to stick together the whole way round.
As they appeared on the finish Fire Lady for Amanda and Megan Telford showed the best turn of foot to finish well to claim the win ahead of Denton Shamrock for Sandra Mordue, Ted Storrows and Lee Wall.
Lowick Show started with four runners lining up for the senior race.
Huntsman’s Rebel for Denise and Jenny Bland and Graham Little was sent off the favourite but as they appeared on the finish it was fast finishing Miterdale Green Queen for Sophie Steele, Jake and Zach Green who claimed the win and the prize for first maiden hound home ahead of Huntsman’s Time and Huntsman’s Rebel with Miterdale Dusk in fourth for Sophie Steele.
There were three pups for the junior race with Jenny’s Chance for Denise and Jenny Bland, Graham Little and Ella and Kyle Gallacher sent off as the favourite.
As they appeared on the finish Jenny’s Chance was there to her third win at the venue and seventh of the season.
Huntsman’s Unite for Denise and Jenny Bland and Graham Little was second and Miterdale Wow for Anthony, Steph, Sophie, Katie and Alfie Steele was third.
The Open Restricted trail attracted five runners. Anthony, Steph, Sophie, Katie and Alfie Steele, and Ian Rudd’s three hounds dominated as Miterdale Honesty, Miterdale Rambler and Kinniside Bobby were battling it out on the run to the line.
In the end Miterdale Rambler took the spoils ahead of Miterdale Honesty and Kinniside Bobby to give the team a 1-2-3 and a double on the day.
The final race was for the Veterans and six took part with Bretton for Julie Birkshaw sent off as the favourite.
But on the finish it was course specialist Miterdale Duchess for Denis Pear and Jackie Gill, who has previously won there numerous times, that finished well to claim the win ahead of Reebok for Brian Graham with Eagle Rock for Linda Neale, Mark, Georgia and Josh Bryden in third.
Overwater Louie for Andy Horn was and the favourite Bretton took fifth.
The third weekend meeting was at the traditional Loweswater Show where there were 23 entries.
Unfortunately the first of the four scheduled races for seniors wasn’t run because of no entries.
The Pups went first with a field of seven and Let It Be was sent off as the favourite.
In fact it was Ruth and Charlie Dixon’s pair of Let It Be and I Am It who were having a great race from the off, pursued by Miss Becky for Raymond and Glenis Farren and Denise Bland.
When they appeared on the finish Let It Be had established a good lead and finished well to win ahead of kennel mate I Am It to give Ruth and her granddaughter Charlie a 1-2.
Pied Piper for Tanya Satterthwaite finished in third.
The Open Maidens had a field of six and Lucky Moon for Geoff Higgins was sent off as the favourite. After they were slipped and seen going through the fell all six runners were going well with Offspring at the front for Stuart, James and Jacob Jeynes.
As they appeared on the finish Lucky Lottie for Geoff Higgins finished well to claim the win ahead of Offspring with Samcro and Paddy the Plasterer for Tanya Satterthwaite in third and fourth.
Race favourite Lucky Moon could only manage fifth.
The open restricted race brought proceedings to a close and had one of the biggest fields of the weekend with 10.
Malia for Christine Brownlee was sent off the favourite but when they reached the finish the first two ran off and weren’t judged.
However it was the favourite’s kennel-mate Maeve who won ahead of Blue Striker for Brian and Erin Rowlandson and Billy Birkett with Malia in third.
Tuesday’s meeting at Edge’s Green saw five seniors start proceedings and as they progressed throughout the trail all seemed to stick together.
However the leading hound was title-chasing Sportsman who was setting a good pace ahead of his kennel mate Summer Spirit and Mel for Les and Graham Reid and Ellie Napier.
When they they appeared on the finish Sportsman powered home for his 20th win of the season, putting him just two behind long-time leader Silver Dream.
Millie’s Lass for George McGimpsy, Gillian and Millie Telford was second with Summer Spirit in third.
Only two pups were involved in the junior trail – Maggie for Les and Graham Reid, Erin Rowlandson, Barbara Jones and Steven Walker and Brown Sugar for Graham and Les Reid and Ellie Napier.
As they were slipped Brown Sugar went off to a good start ahead of Maggie but made a miss at the wall allowing Maggie to take the lead.
However by the time they went out of sight Brown Sugar had taken the lead again.
Then as they appeared on the finish it was Maggie who came on well for win number eight to beat her kennelmate who was 100 yards behind.
The final trail was for Open Maidens with three being slipped.
All three hounds stuck together throughout the entire trail and as they showed on the finish it was six-year-old Overwater Louie for Andy Horn and James Irving who showed the younger hounds he still had it in him as he finished well to win ahead of Delta Scribble for Sarah and Baz Harper and Hartley Robinson.
The final ticket went to Castle Callant for Marti and Amy Borthwick.
September 6 – Benty Show
- Hounds – 1. Sportsman; 2. Millie’s Lass; 3. Hey Mac; 4. Millie’s Lad; 5. Snowfell. 5 ran, time 30.53.
- Pups – 1. Denton Phantom; 2. Denton Adonis. 2 ran, time 17.05.
- Open maiden – 1. Mr Mally; 2. Fire Lass. 3 ran, only two finished. Time 18.49.
- Open Restricted – 1. Fire Lady; 2. Denton Shamrock .2 ran, time 19.07.
September 6 – Lowick Show
- Hounds – 1. Miterdale Green Queen; 2. Huntsman’s Time; 3. Huntsman’ Rebel; 4. Miterdale Dusk. 4 ran, time 26.48.
- Pups – 1. Jennys Chance; 2. Huntsman’s Unite; 3. Miterdale Wow. 3 ran, time 19.12.
- Open Restricted – 1. Miterdale Rambler; 2. Miterdale Honesty; 3. Kinniside Bobby; 4. Eleanor’s Lass; 5. Classmate. 5 ran, time 19.40.
- Veterans – 1. Miterdale Duchess; 2. Reebok; 3. Eagle Rock; 4. Overwater Louie; 5. Bretton. 6 ran, time 19.43.
September 7 – Loweswater Show
- Hounds – no entries
- Pups – 1. Let It Be; 2. I Am It; 3. Pied Piper; 4. Prospect Jill; 5. Miss Becky; 6. Prospect Jan; 7 ran, time 16.42.
- Open Maiden – 1. Lucky Lottie; 2. Off Spring; 3. Sam Cro; 4. Paddy The Plasterer; 5. Lucky Moon; 6. Flightline. 6 ran, time 17.14.
- Open Restricted – 1. Maeve; 2. Blue Striker; 3. Malia; 4. Dream Catcher; 5. Overwater Eddie; 6. Malfunction. 10 ran, time 16.55.
September 9 – Edges Green
- Hounds – 1. Sportsman; 2. Millie’s Lass; 3. Summer Spirit; 4. Mel; 5. Millie’s Lad. 5 ran, time 33.35.
- Pups – 1. Maggie; 2. Brown Sugar. 2 ran, time 25.26.
- Open Maiden – 1. Overwater Louie; 2. Delta Scribble; 3. Castle Callant. 3 ran, time 28.08.
