Sunday 17th March, Anthorn.
There was a good turnout for the last Anthorn fixture, the weather was reasonable, with only a couple of sharp showers.
There were fourteen runners in the first race. The hounds are out of sight of the trail field for all but the last three fields when they drop off the moss, unless you take a trip along the road in the car.
Outriders reported from the Bowness road, Text and Fire Lily with a few lengths lead from Eagle Chic, Gonzofast and Rickman.
Into sight the order had changed slightly, the Terry Lowrie trained Gonzofast had hit the front with Fire Lily and Text hot on his heels, the Haltwhistle finished well to hold his lead over the judging line.
There were fourteen senior maidens, in the next race. Willie Telford's Fire Cracker went off favourite and duly obliged, she dropped off the moss behind Eagle Loyal and it was nip and tuck all the way down the finish. Border Glory finished third from Azif am Bovered in fourth place.
The puppy race saw a third hound open their championship challenge when Steph Lithgow and Samantha Newstead's Shamballa (Westgate Kyza/Bonny Lass) negotiated the last ditch best of the first three closely bunched contenders, she finished strongly to win from Gonzorusty (Newman / Busy Night) and Tidy (Westgate Kyza/Alfresco).
The closest finish of the day was in the puppy maiden race.
Brian Shaw and Marion Nixon's Amber Oscar (Sundown/Dixie Moon) and Mike and Paul Ward's Azifigivaflyin (Huntsman's Dazzler/Beyonce) were closely matched all the way to the line, Oscar just getting his nose in front at the line. Fire Flo (Westgate Kyza/Bonny Lass) and Delta Spice (Shane / Lady McShane) were third and fourth.
Saturday 9th March, Coanwood.
Cancelled due to snow.
Saturday 2nd March, Lodge Gill, Langholm.
The BHTA 2013 season got underway in glorious spring sunshine in the heart of the Langholm hills. The venue is at the end of the valley, three miles off the Langholm to Newcastleton road following the Tarras Water. A stunning venue on a beautiful spring day. Viewing is very good.
There were eighteen participants in the senior trail. From the slip the hounds can be seen briefly climbing and then disappear from sight. They reappear along the valley side after about eight minutes, Fire lily and Denman were at the head of affairs, but even at this point the field was strung out. The runners remain in view for three or four minutes, running to the end of the valley, crossing the water and then the steep climb back out, over a cross fence and out of sight. The finish is a long drop in down the ridge, out of sight of the catchers, they negotiate a gate and then appear on the rough finish, Norman Pattinson and Laura Connelly's Border Lily came with a comfortable lead from Silver By Nature and long time leader Fire Lily.
The nineteen senior maidens saw Doreen and Jeff Philipson's Skye probably the long time leader, I can't be sure, and Miss Ellie in a close race for the line, the former just holding on to win.
There were only six runners in the puppy race, they negotiated the first fence well, and could be seen running along the valley floor for a couple of minutes, Gonzorusty and Castle Caledonia at the head of the bunch. Into sight on the finish Tidy, Gonzorusty and Castle had a good lead over the others. The leaders did not negotiate the bend very well and ran on. Marti Borthwick, Mary Irving, John Fawkes and Les Richardson's Castle Caledonia was the first to get back on track and won easily from Shamballa and Fleet Street.
The six puppy maidens slipped did not manage the first obstacle so well, and only three hounds went on the trail, Shaun and Donna Hetherington and Bill Porter's Splendid Zak put in a good round and finish well clear of the only other finisher Delta Spice, the other hound returned to the start.
Sunday 4th November, End of season Joint trails, Coanwood.
Another glorious autumn day for the traditional end of season Houndtrailing 'get together' organised by Kerry and Anna Lindsay, and John Crone.
A very pleasant and sociable afternoon, which ran like clockwork. Well Done. Four trails for hounds that have competed this season and two short trails for young pups, followed by refreshments and raffle at the Belted Will Pub at Hallbankgate. The event was well supported by HTA and YHTA.
The first race was for 'Dogs', with eleven runners, good running but unfortunately poor viewing. Corrine and Claire Metcalfe's Class Mackintosh showed in front out of the last dip, Jennie Horn's Spring Roamer was finishing strongly but couldn't make up the deficit, Fagin was third.
Thirteen 'Bitches' were slipped, with the HTA senior champion runner up, Reg Smith's Artisan, just holding off a strong challenge from the BHTA senior champion runner up, Sandra Mordue and Ted Storrow's Silver By Nature, Class Macara was third.
A good slip of twenty four, in the 'Maiden' race. These were led home by Linda Neale's in form Eagle Heart from the Sunderland based Shellstar Boy, with Wardy's Wonder in third place. There was a special prize for the four Y.H.T.A runners in this race.
The Dixie Chick's took the veteran race by storm with Brad the Lad crossing the line a length ahead of Dixie Moon, Margaret Baxter's Dusty Hare was third.
Ronnie Carr was the Judge for the puppy show, selecting Paul and Mike Ward's 'Bertie' (Huntsman's Dazzler/Beyonce) as the best looking dog pup, as have several other judges in the past few weeks, he then picked out Malcolm and Ann Holmes' bitch pup (Sundown/Eden Russet). Bertie went on to be crowned overall 'best looking', well done Bertie.
The young pups then had a short trail, Denise and Jenny's dog pups (Rhinestone Cowboy/Jenny's Pride) taking 1st and 2nd in the boys race and Reg Smith's (Levi/Alliance) and Patrick and Jane Laidlaw's (/Westgate Kyza/Alfresco) 1st and 2nd in the bitches race.
Saturday 27th October, Middlemoss, Langholm.
How lucky were we? Our second weekend fixture in bright dry autumnal weather.
The final fixture of the 2012 season, was, as tradition dictates held at Middlemoss Langholm. Thanks to several very generous sponsors a total of £350 was made on the day, this will be donated to the Langholm Pensioners Xmas Fund, well done.
The nine runners in the senior race were reported to be all together at the road crossing, and were still pretty well bunched as the came into sight with about 8-10 minutes running to go. Dropping out off sight towards the river crossing Eagle Heart and Text were in the lead, they were still at the head of affairs as they came back into view on the finish with Spring Roamer and Silver By Nature both in with a chance. Coming off the rough heather onto trod in the slightly cleaner running Jenny Horn's Spring Roamer was just in front, but the Telford's Text was not going to settle for second place, overtaking off the trod to win by a couple of lengths.
A small field of four hounds contested the senior graded trail, all of them had a chance of winning as they came through the heather, Carol Spark's Sparkling Ruby was first onto the trod but Mike Ward's Azif am Bovered, finished strongly, with a lot of vocal encouragement from his trainer Linda!, to win by a length.
There was a 'half time' puppy show, for next years pups, Sarah and Hartley Robinson's Dora (Shane/Lady Macshane) won the bitches and Paul and Mike Ward's Bertie ( Beyonce/Huntsman's Dazzler) was the dog winner.
The puppy race had twelve participants, the biggest field of the day. From the road crossing, passed half way, the runners drop down the hill through rough heather, under the Monument, at this point I thought Fagin had a few yards lead from Songbird, Eagle Chic and Gonzofast.They then go into the valley bottom and out of sight, the climb back up to the finish is tricky. It was a good race to the line with litter sisters Fire Lily, Eagle Chic and Songbird all in with a shout, Eagle put in a final burst to come through to win by a length or so from Fire Lily and then Songbird.
The next race was the open maidens, with six runners, and the closest finish of the day, Ronnie Ridley's pup Spring Hunter just held on, by a nose, to win from Paul Ward's Wardy's Wonder, with Border Glory in third place.
The last race of the season was the veteran's, a small select field of four!
Ian and Barbara Telford's Trust, took charge at the off and set a cracking pace, leaving her rivals behind, she won easily from Castle Corrie, Summer Delight and Jedi.
A good day's trailing finished off with a short trail for next years pups, this was won by Steph Lithgow's bitch pup, Demi ( Westgate Kyza/Bonny Lass) from Willie and Amanda Telford's Lindy ( Westgate Kyza/Lady Ryan's).
Sunday 21st October, Sandale
Days like this have been in short supply this season, a glorious sunny autumn day, a lovely setting and Audrey's delicious Teas, no complaints.
This was the first of two BHTA fixtures at this venue run in aid of the Lakeland Trailhound Welfare and The Great North Air Ambulance, many thanks to the generous sponsors.
With the end of the season almost upon us, the number of runners are getting smaller.
Six senior hounds were slipped, they were still pretty much together going towards the first road and into the gulley, climbing out onto the common four were going clear, back in sight down the wall and through the fields Denman and Lotto had a few yards on Silver by Nature and Text. Over the last road and climbing towards the finish Text and Silver had made their way back to the front, these two had a great race to the line with Sandra and Teddy's Silver getting up by a neck.
In the senior graded trail The Longtown Team (Linda, Mike and Paul) had the first of THREE winners when Azif am Bovered raced home, having led from the top of the common, to beat Insight ( senior graded champion 2012) by four lengths.
The eleven runners in the puppy trail had a scale on the top of the common so were strung out, however Fire Lily and Eagle Chic came onto the finish together, it was a good race to the line with Eagle Chic pulling away to win by three or four lengths, the second winner for Linda.
Ten open restricted hounds were slipped, going well over the road and up on to the common, but they too scaled coming back into sight, the three that got away were Eagle Heart, Class Mackintosh and Border Pal, Eagle finished strongly to win comfortably, for thee third leg of the treble!!
The last trail of the day was the veterans, only four runners. Ian and Barbara Telford's Trust, led from the off, and had her rivals toiling in her wake at the first road. Castle Corrie ( veteran champion 2012) and Jedi, had a good race for second place, finishing in that order.
