Friday saw the last day of the HRA season with the traditional final meeting at Millstone Moor.
The championships had been decided last week with Julie and Darren McMaster and Anthony Skelton’s Silver Dream taking the senior championship for the second year in a row while Sarah and Baz Harper and Hartley Robinson’s Delta Fortune took the puppy championship.
The majority of the points competitions had also been decided and it just left the senior maidens and the veterans grades to be finalised.
With many dogs being laid off there were only nine runners in the senior hounds. Foxparke Honk Honk was sent off as the favourite for Robyn, Ellie, Grace and Nicola Napier and Brooke Butler.
As they ran down towards Redmain four had broken clear – Foxparke Honk Honk, Foxparke Fairlady, Millie’s Lass for George McGimpsey and Gillian and Millie Telford and Embrace for Laura Steele, Andrew and Joel Bulman and Ian Rumney.
When they showed on their way back up from Bridekirk it was the two Foxparke hounds who were driving the race with a small gap to Millie’s Lass and Embrace.
Once they were on the finish and through the last gate it was a good race up the hill. Millie’s Lass finished the best with a really strong run to come from third and win with a couple of lengths to spare. Foxparke Honk Honk stayed on well to claim second with Foxparke Fairlady in third.
Embrace finished well to take fourth place before there was a gap to Jenny Horn’s Spring Return staying on well from Joy and Brian Lister’s Dream Catcher.
The senior maidens only had three runners with Foxparke Whoosh needing to win or be second to claim the points crown ahead of the long-standing leader Thorn heart for Colin Satterthwaite.
As they ran down towards Redmain it was Foxparke Majesty for Robyn, Ellie, Grace and Nicola Napier and Brooke Butler followed by Foxparke Whoosh and then a gap of about 50 yards to the third hound Twilight Mist for Gary Woodend.
Once they showed on the finish the two Foxparke hounds were together and it was Foxparke Majesty who won by two lengths followed by Foxparke Whoosh who had done enough to claim the five points she needed to take the senior maiden title. Twilight Mist had ran on well and wasn’t too far behind in third place.
Next were the open pups with a field of four runners. Jenny’s Chance for Denise and Jenny Bland and Graham Little was sent off as the favourite with their other hound Huntsman’s Unite second favourite.
All four hounds stuck together as they completed the course and as they showed in the bottoms it was Jenny’s Chance who had a couple of yards on Huntsman’s Unite with Ruth and Charlie Dixon’s I Am It not too far behind.
Foxparke Rita’s Rose for Robyn, Ellie, Grace and Nicola Napier and Brooke Butler was about 20 yards off the pace but running on well.
As they climbed up the hill Jenny’s Chance came away to win comfortably with Huntsman’s Unite in second and I Am It a yard behind.
Foxparke Rita’s Rose claimed fourth place. The win for Jenny’s Chance was her 15th of the season. Having started the season well, then being off for a while, she has come good towards the end of the campaign.
The puppy maidens also had a slip of four runners again.
Up for grabs was the runner-up position in the points competition.
Thorn Bee, who was running, just needed two or more points to tie for runners-up place.
Foxparke Cheese and Beans was sent off as the favourite and as they ran down towards Redmain had started well for the Napier and Butler kennel and was heading the race followed by kennel mate Foxparke Waddle Waddle and Jenny Horn’s Spring Gardener.
Thorn Bee was just off the pace in fourth. Once on the run in it was Foxparke Cheese and Beans who finished well to cross the line followed by Spring Gardener who is another dog who has come back into form just as the season is finishing.
Foxparke Waddle Waddle had tired slightly but still finished well to get third place with Thorn Bee staying on and eventually finishing in fourth, giving her the points that she needed to take the runner-up place in the puppy maiden points competition.
Last but not least was the Veteran race again with four runners. The battle would be between the reigning champion Miterdale Duchess for Denis Pear and Jackie Gill and Eagle Rock for Linda Neale, Mark, Josh and Georgia Bryden.
All four hounds were together as they went down to Redmain and as they showed coming back up there wasn’t much in it between them.
Once on the long run in three had broken clear and it was a great race up the hill between Miterdale Duchess and Eagle Rock.
In the end it was Miterdale Duchess who just held on for the win and to retain her title from last year which was a great achievement by the little bitch.
Eagle Rock was second and had to make do with the runner-up position in the points competition.
Andy Horn’s Overwater Louie stayed on well and was just half a length behind Eagle Rock to finish in third place. Foxparke Bugga Boo was a little off the pace but stayed on to claim fourth place.
With another season the focus will move to training next year’s pups and for those who will be breeding the following year’s hounds.
October 31 – Millstone Moor
- Hounds – 1. Millie’s Lass; 2. Foxparke Honk Honk; 3. Foxparke Fairlady; 4. Embrace; 5. Spring Return; 6. Dream Catcher. 9 ran, time 26.30.
- Maidens – 1. Foxparke Majesty; 2. Foxparke Whoosh; 3. Twilight Mist. 3 ran, time 27.58.
- Pups – 1. Jenny’s Chance; 2. Huntsman’s Unite; 3. I Am It; 4. Foxparke Rita’s Rose. 4 ran, time 16.51.
- Puppy Maiden – 1. Foxparke Cheese and Beans; 2. Spring Gardener; 3. Foxparke Waddle Waddle; 4. Thorn Bee. 4 ran, time 18.02.
- Veterans – 1. Miterdale Duchess; 2. Eagle Rock; 3. Overwater Louie; 4. Foxparke Bugga Boo. 4 ran.
