Maidens take centre stage at Moor

By John Walsh

Last updated at 09:29, Thursday, 06 November 2008

WITH Westgate Kyza already re-crowned champion and Habana homed and hosed through her good early season work, the main HTA championships had been settled by the final day.

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So in some ways it was the lesser grade, the humble maidens, who took centre stage at Millstone Moor on Friday.

Eden River and Brad the Lad had gone into the meeting level in the race for the points championship. They were both in the modest field of just six contesting the final maiden race of the season when their individual clash would decide the outcome.

It was recent winner Madison that came from fourth to surge past three prominent rivals to take up the running where it mattered and go on for a popular success after being well supported.

That had everyone looking back in his wake to see the outcome of the battle for the points championship, which was won by Eden River in second place as Brad the Lad was some way back in fifth place.

The final meeting of the season had opened with a classic senior trail. Despite there being only seven runners, punters were treated to a cliff-hanger of a finish.

Westgate Kyza, champion in the 2007 and 2008, and Mayfair, who was crowned puppy champion in 2006, fought out the finish.

Victor Brownlee’s bitch had fashioned a nice lead coming to the last gate but somehow appeared to get stuck.

Kyza produced a prodigious leap to clear the gate and take the lead just as Mayfair wriggled free.

Then the former puppy champion showed her class as she came back to lead by a couple of lengths and she held that to the line.

Levi was an odds-on favourite in the puppy trail and he ran like one, winning the race in good fashion from White Diamond.

There were only three runners for the puppy maidens and it was the favourite Ringo Kid who justified the support by beating Lingbeck Shadow in a battle up to the line.

Lingbeck Shadow looked at one point as though there could be a surprise on the cards as Ringo Kid seemed to falter but he regained his momentum to win well.

Clarity was a very impressive winner of the final veterans’ trail, finishing a good 50 yards clear of Nikki with the grade champion Outrageous in third place.

The Top Tipster competition was won by Wils Logan with 161 points. Joint second with 141 - Duncan Chisholm, Lucy Pepper and Denis Peare. Fifth with 134 - Russ Dawson. Sixth to 10th with 132 - Christine Brownlee, John Graham, Dean Pepper, Martin Langhorn and Katy Lyon. Thank you to all 40 who entered

It was awful weather at Shap Summit on Wednesday for the penultimate meeting of the season with thick mist at times, also snow and strong winds.

All three winners – Ms Dynamite, Della and Spot On – had about 30 yards to spare on their nearest rivals in their respective trails.

So the final Roll of Honour for 2008 is as follows:

Senior Champion - Jimmy Glaister’s Westgate Kyza.

Runner-up - Penny & Siobhan Swanton's Show Girl.

Puppy Champion - Nick, Tricia & Yvonne Wilson & Roger Westmoreland’s Habana.

Runner-up - Bill & Tina Mellon, Robert Airey & John Pattinson’s Cracking That.

Maiden Champion - David Clifford’s Eden River.

Runner-up - Tracey & Derrick Hill's Brad the Lad.

Puppy Maiden Champion - Alan Conchie, Nicola Cameron & Todd Hetherington's Reuben.

Runner-up - Tony & Marlene Irving’s Lingbeck Shadow.

Open Restricted Champion - Denise Bland & Denis Barrow’s Huntsman’s Charm.

Runner-up - Lawrence & Margaret Wilson’s Butterfly.

Open Maiden Champion - Tony Jackson, Ian Rudd & Martin Rush's Bushie.

Runner-up - Heidi Messenger, John & Josh Grisedale’s Maddison.

Open Non-Winner Champion - Bushie.

Runner-up - Margaret Pattinson & Chris Hindmoor’s Kelly-Mac.

Veteran Champion - Brian, Colin & John Graham’s Outrageous.

Runner-up - Lynn Brown & Joan Hutchinson’s Sandy Bay.

We’re now, of course, into the time of the year when we have the various area annual general meetings, and the series started with Carlisle and Penrith.

A total of 14 attended and there were no changes to either area committee or officials for next year.

Paul Airey (chairman) thanked all those who had helped, particularly at the October HTA trails at Helton. This meeting had lost just £8, which was considered quite a good outcome in what was such dreadful weather.

The Area Committee made their usual donations to local charities at Shap and Caldbeck, also to the Junior Competition and the Lakeland Trailhound Welfare.

Incidentally the Carlisle and Penrith Area presentation night will be on Saturday, November 22 in the Pirelli Club, Carlisle at 7.30pm when there’s a disco and buffet with tickets priced at £8.

Anyone interested in buying a ticket should contact Amy on 016973 44346 or Paul on 01228 514793.

Whitehaven AGM on Monday had a small turn-out of 25, and they also had no changes to Area Committee or officials. The two proposals were both carried. The first: “No entry can be withdrawn after entries are closed without the consent of the Area Committee.”

The second involves changes to eligibility for restricted trails, for example, “Open Restricted – Open to all hounds and puppies not having won more than three trails in the preceding season (wins count in A, B, C, K, L), hound or puppy on winning its third trail in current season no longer eligible.” (Similarly in Restricted Hound and Restricted Puppy trails).

There were also two Recommendations: “No bookmaker standing on the field to take bets shall be a ticket catcher,” and “Only hounds which have not run in an HTA trail for 10 or more days may be entered in All-In trails.”

The Recommendations will be considered at the December meeting, which is on Sunday, December 7 at Keswick at 7.00 pm.

This meeting is for all Area Committee members, and is especially important this year as a new chairman and vice-chairman of the HTA will be chosen.

The Whitehaven Area held its annual presentation night in the Civic Hall, Cleator Moor when 120 enthusiasts were welcomed by the Area chairman Tommy Newall.

The trophies were presented by Barbara Shields who, with daughter Adele, raised the £500 for the Cash for Points competition which is run all season and is much appreciated.

The chairman thanked all who help all season, the farmers and sponsors Fluor for their Classic and Galemire Veterinary Hospital .

I’m afraid we did Maurice Bewley’s blood pressure no good when an infernal printing error nearly had him reaching for the smelling salts last week.

The £5,400 said to have been raised from the Low Place trails, which will go towards the St Begha’s Nursery Unit, should have read £440. Nothing to do with the credit crunch, more to do with fingers and thumbs on a PC!

Lynn Pawley has been on with a few area points winners:-

Westmorland Area: Seniors: Show Girl; Maidens: Mossydora; Juniors: Habana; Junior Maidens: Fell Dancer; Open Non Winners: Macy Grey; Open Restricted: Matty Brown; Veterans: Sandy Bay. Senior most championship wins: Show Girl. Junior most championship wins: Habana. Ernie Smith Memorial Shield (Kentmere Hall OM): Howgill Shamrock.

Show trails: Seniors: Westgate Ruby, Juniors: Huntsman’s Dazzler, Any other grade: Bretton.

Ambleside-Grasmere- Kirkstone Trophies: Seniors: Westgate Ruby; Maidens: tie Ivy Crag and Melody; Juniors: Huntsman’s Dazzler; Junior Maidens: Huntsman’s Dazzler; OR/OG: Huntsman’s Ruler; ONW/OM: Davina. Teddy Tyson Trophy (Grasmere trails most points): Courtesy.

Ulverston Area: Open Senior: Magic Bay; Area Senior: Magic Bay; Open Junior: Habana; Area Junior: Tarantino; Senior Maiden: Cannavaro ; Junior Maiden: Fell Dancer; Open Non Winner: Matty Brown; Open Maiden: Ivy Crag; Open Restricted: Domino; Veteran: Outrageous. Advertiser Trophy (Show points): Salsa. Cherry Baby Trophy (Askam area senior): Magic Bay. Askam Puppy (open): Habana. Herbert Trophy (most improved hound): Cannavaro. Most championship points: One Man. Norma McClean Trophy (top kennel Askam) Nick and Tricia Wilson.

Keswick Area: Senior: Westgate Ruby; Junior: Courtesy; Maiden: Ivy Crag; Junior Maiden: Velvet; Open Restricted: Huntsman’s Charm; Moor & District: Tie Westgate Ruby and Boreas; Derwentwater Cup (hound most points overall) Westgate Ruby; Hound or puppy from outside area: Mayfair; Cavalier Cup (most points Threlkeld): Velvet. Pat Glaister Memorial (Mirkholme): Courtesy.

Carolyn Hill has been in touch with final details of the Junior competition for 2008.

The younger section finished: 1) Showgirl- 238pts; 2) Bluebird- 217pts; 3) Top Man- 133pts; 4) Waltzing Matilda- 126pts; 5) Courtesy-120 pts; 6) Ms Dynamite-119pts.

Under 25s 2008 - 1) Bluebird-217pts; 2) Hot Fuss-158pts; 3) Bushie-155pts.

Carolyn sends her congratulations to all the juniors who took part in this year’s competitions and reminds the winners that the presentation of all prizes will be at the AGM in February.

Also she would like any further donations from the various areas or individuals to be sent to her as soon as possible.

She told me: “We are looking for people with new ideas to encourage younger people into the sport, and to keep the juniors we already have.

“If any juniors or members are interested in starting a junior club youth committee could they please contact Tracey or Donna asap on 01228 576658.”

Results

Wednesday, October 29
Shap Summit
SENIORS: 1 Ms Dynamite; 2 Westgate Ripple; 3 Superseven; 4 Howgill Sandy; 5 Some Girl; 6 Treasure. 11 ran; time, 28.25.
PUPPIES: 1 Della; 2 Darling; 3 Cinnabar; 4 Tower Lass; 5 Cracking That; 6 Cotton Eye Joe. 8 ran; time, 19.09.
OPEN RESTRICTED: 1 Spot On; 2 Top Man; 3 Jim Dandy; 4 Ben's Girl; 5 Ivy Crag; 6 Howgill Shamrock. 6 ran; time, 19.59.

Friday, October 31
Millstone Moor
SENIORS: 1 Mayfair; 2 Westgate Kyza; 3 Alliance; 4 Ms Dynamite; 5 Top Man; 6 Howgill Sandy. 7 ran; time, 27.00.
MAIDENS: 1 Maddison; 2 Eden River; 3 Kelly-Mac; 4 Downtown; 5 Brad the Lad; 6 Howgill Bess. 6 ran; time, 29.06.
PUPPIES: 1 Levi; 2 White Diamond; 3 Random Star; 4 Relentless; 5 Cracking That; 6 Reuben. 15 ran; time, 16.25.
PUPPY MAIDENS: 1 Ringo Kid; 2 Lingbeck Shadow; 3 Cotton Eye Joe. 3 ran; time, 17.10.
VETERANS: 1 Clarity; 2 Nikki; 3 Outrageous; 4 Lady Rachel; 5 Sandy Bay; 6 Little Joe. 6 ran; time, 17.05.

Saturday, November 1
Torver Shepherds' Meet (Non-Championship)
SENIORS: 1 Mayfair; 2 Westgate Ripple; 3 Westgate Kyza; 4 Treasure; 5 Westgate Ruby; 6 Spot On. 19 ran; time, 24.46.
PUPPIES: 1 Darling; 2 Della; 3 Velvet; 4 Cinnabar; 5 Random Star; 6 Dairy Song. 10 ran; time, 26.08.
OPEN RESTRICTED: 1 Melody; 2 Davina; 3 Super Seven; 4 Ivy Crag; 5 Team Spirit; 6 Perfection. 14 ran; time, 25.44.