By John Walsh

Last updated 16:10, Thursday, 10 April 2008

THE first of the major meetings will be on May Day – the fifth of next month - at Lazonby Fell, the same venue as last year.

Rivals: Westgate Kyza (with Jimmy Glaister), Some Girl and Show Girl (with Penny and Kevin Swanton)

There will be an opportunity for hounds to have a run round the course this coming Sunday at a five-trail meeting, which includes an Open Maiden trail on the dead rag of the seniors.
I’ve been asked to include a reminder to those coming that you should not follow the sign for Lazonby from Plumpton village. Take the A6 towards Carlisle for about 2.5 miles, and then right at the sign for Tarmac Low Plains.
The trail is on the right, half a mile down that road.
The Dog Produce is being held in the Westmorland Area on June 14, but a venue has not yet been chosen.
The Whitehaven Area have already selected Steel Brow for the Bitch Produce on July 6, and with several fixtures there beforehand, the first on May 24, trainers of bitch pups are bound to be heading west for a look round.
With no meetings again on Wednesday and Thursday last week, trailing has been sparse so we pick-up the action at Askam on Saturday.
The trails were kindly sponsored by Mr and Mrs Hanks in memory of Norma McClean. The senior trail turned into a family affair with daughter beating mother in the end, Wendy and Russell Dawson’s Miss Dynamite continued her winning form at Askam by beating Some Girl with Magic Bay in third. 
Nick, Trisha and Yvonne Wilson and Roger Westmorland’s puppy Habana dominated the junior trail, beating Macy Grey by about eight yards with Claymore in third.
Habana had been sent-off the 1/3 favourite and is clearly a promising youngster, although Macy Grey will surely be knocking on the door very soon.
Jeff and Ray Rowand’s first year vet Manor Mist beat Eden Return and Midnight Express in the senior citizen’s trail.
Bethan’s Rascal beat Dolly Daydreams and Sycamore in the all in trail.
They also ran at Bower House on Saturday where radical changes had been made to the finish.
Dignity was made the favourite and looked as though she would oblige and collect a hat-trick of wins.
But the 2006 champion, Dairy One, had other ideas and put in a strong finish to win and record his first success of the new season.
There was much interest in Negress when the pups lined-up as she had been putting in some good trial work along with her litter-mate Habana.
With Habana winning all four junior trails at Askam a lot of people were wondering whether Negress would show the same ability.
There was a scale but a few hounds were in with a chance on the finish before Negress finished that little bit better than Amber and got the nod.
The open maidens went to Foxparke Warrior who produced a terrific finish to get up and beat Huntsman’s Charm.
At Kirkbride on Sunday, it looked all over bar the shouting at the senior finish when reigning champion Westgate Kyza came with a handy lead, but he slowed right down approaching the tape and let fast-finishing Show Girl through for her second course win by just half a length. Show Girl’s kennel-mate, Some Girl, who had won twice previously at Kirkbride, was slipped the day before at Askam, where she finished second to table leader Ms Dynamite.
Show Girl and Some Girl are owned by Penny Swanton, while Ms Dynamite belongs to Penny’s daughter Wendy Dawson and her family.
In the puppy trail, Aira Force had her second win at the expense of Cracking That and Levi, both previous course winners.
Dusty Hare, who was placed in three of the four competitive All-In trails at Kirkbride, all with around 50 runners, came with a good lead in the open restricted to beat Cracking Mischief.
They were back at Bower House on Monday and any problems encountered two days earlier were erased with a series of good trails – particularly the opening two where none of the hounds appeared to put a foot wrong.
Dairy One quickly followed-up from where he left-off on Saturday by taking the senior trail, beating Miss Molly by five yards.
There was a cracking finish to the puppy trail with the three leaders all in with a chance and very little separated them at the line. In fact, Newtown Clover got the verdict by half a length from Alles Springs with Night Shadow another half length away in third.
The camera was needed for the result of the open restricted in which Lyndhurst Charm beat Top Man by a head and shoulders.
Seventeen hounds contested the all-in trail with Centenary beating Salsa by half a length.
On Tuesday, the hounds were at Kirkbride again where Westgate Kyza won easily from Some Girl and Show Girl who finished close together.
Cracking Mischief and Rhinestone Cowboy both had chances of good tickets on the finish, but ran off.
Cracking That won her third puppy trail easily, but it was very close for the first two places in the old maidens with Birkby Belle just pipping Magwa.
There is an error in the quiz in the Annual. Question 25 needs a letter K to make the anagram work.
I’ve had an e-mail from Will Hogan, a native of Cork City in Ireland but living in London for the last 25 years.
He wrote: “When I lived in Cork I kept trail hounds with my father Con who is a regular visitor to the annual international trails in Cumbria.
“I wish there was hound-trailing here in London because I really miss it after all these years. I came across a website by Neil Webster and looking at the photos of the hounds brought it all back.
“I know my dad and his friends are going to the international in June and I might well find myself there as well.
“As I said I  miss the sport and the website  has brought back all the memories and crack I used to have, although sadly most of my hound friends have passed away”
Will is on 02077879289 if anyone wants to give him a call and maybe one or two who remember him will be able to arrange to meet him if he gets up for the international.

The Border HTA raced at Burgh by Sands last Wednesday when the results were:-

Seniors: 1, Castle Thorn; 2, Trust; 3, Fire Glory; 4, Marshman; 5, Silver Birch; 6, Freedom. 8 ran, time 23:24.
Senior Maidens: 1, Delta Dancer; 2, Delta Star; 3, No Go; 4, Spring Moss; 5, Blaze; 6, Blithe Spirit. 12 ran, time 24:54.
Pups: 1, Fire Ranger; 2, Summer Venture; 3, Gold Finger; 4, Scorpio; 5, Head Line; 6, Spring Midget. 17 ran, time 13:43.

Saturday April 5, Walton

Seniors: 1, Denton Memory; 2, Fire Glory; 3, Freedom; 4, Marshman; 5, Mandesha; 6, Puzzle. 11 ran, time 21:39.
Senior Maidens: 1, Sparkling Pearl; 2, On-Line; 3, No Go; 4, Delta Star; 5, Springfield Lass; 6, Blaze. 17 ran, time 22:46.
Pups: 1, Summer Venture; 2, Fire Ranger; 3, Summer Delight; 4, Denton Friendship; 5, Polly. 8 ran, only five finished, time 15:17.
Puppy Maidens:  cancelled.

 Tables will be published in The Whitehaven News from next week

HTA RESULTS
Saturday, April 5
Askam-in-Furness
SENIORS:  1 Ms Dynamite; 2 Some Girl; 3 Magic Bay; 4 Sovereign; 5 One Man; 6 Domino.  18 ran; time, 28.44.
PUPPIES:  1 Habana; 2 Macy Grey; 3 Claymore; 4 White Diamond; 5 Tarantino; 6 Rough Diamond.  24 ran; time, 17.36.
VETERANS: 1 Manor Mist; 2 Eden Return; 3 Midnight Expess; 4 Rockwell; 5 Hollywood; 6 Sandy Bay.  11 ran; time, 19.09.
ALL-IN: 1 Bethan's Rascal; 2 Dolly Daydreams; 3 Sycamore; 4 Superseven; 5 Arctic Summit; 6 Morgan's Rascal.  28 ran;  time, 19.03.

Bower House
SENIORS:  1 Dairy One; 2 Dignity; 3 Jet Storm; 4 Howe Bess; 5 Dairy Singer; 6 Kinniside Dawn.  19 ran; time, 30.28.
PUPPIES:  1 Negress; 2 Amber; 3 Razzamatazz; 4 Newtown Ghost; 5 Westgate Tally; 6 Night Shadow.  40 ran; time, 16.52.
OPEN MAIDENS: 1 Foxparke Warrior; 2 Huntsman's Charm; 3 Westend Bond; 4 Huntsman's Chance; 5 Huntsman's Ruler; 6 Cameo.  45 ran; time, 15.37.
ALL-IN: 1 Martaura; 2 Quiet Lane; 3 Salsa; 4 Seven Four Seven; 5 Deja Vu; 6 Lyndhurst Charm.  41 ran; time, 15.20.
Sunday, April 6
Kirkbride
SENIORS:  1 Show Girl; 2 Westgate Kyza; 3 Alfresco; 4 Rhinestone Cowboy; 5 High Patrol; 6 Paris.  12 ran; time, 26.21.
PUPPIES:  1 Aira Force; 2 Cracking That; 3 Levi; 4 Tell Tale; 5 Toffee Supreme; 6 The Penny Arcade. 30 ran; time, 16.47.
OPEN RESTRICTED: 1 Dusty Hare; 2 Cracking Mischief; 3 Mambo; 4 Halloween; 5 Bellgate; 6 Silent Star.  39 ran; time, 16.59.
Monday, April 7
Bower House
SENIORS: 1 Dairy One; 2 Miss Molly; 3 Kinniside Dawn; 4 Gigolo; 5 Howe Bess; 6 Bonny Lass.  13 ran; time, 28.40.
PUPPIES: 1 Newtown Clover; 2 Alles Springs; 3 Night Shadow; 4 Westgate Lark; 5 Bushie; 6 Waterside.  29 ran; time, 19.32.
OPEN RESTRICTED: 1 Lyndhurst Charm; 2 Top Man; 3 Lyndhurst; 4 Lone Star; 5 Seven Four Seven; 6 Owtlook.  31 ran;  time, 18.21.
ALL-IN: 1 Centenary; 2 Salsa; 3 Deja Vu; 4 Silver Stream; 5 Mayfair; 6 Quiet Lane.  17 ran; time, 17.56.
Tuesday, April 8
Kirkbride
SENIORS: 1 Westgate Kyza; 2 Some Girl; 3 Show Girl; 4 Alfresco; 5 Cracking Mischief; 6 Silent Star.  15 ran; time, 26.02.
PUPPIES: 1 Cracking That; 2 Levi; 3 Toffee Supreme; 4 Aira Force; 5 Tell Tale; 6 Rough Diamond.  24 ran; time, 16.24.
OPEN MAIDENS: 1 Birkby Belle; 2 Magwa; 3 Cracking This; 4 High Patrol; 5 Shane; 6 Mambo.  33 ran; time, 17.06.

HTA FIXTURES

CHAMPIONSHIP TRAILS

April

Thurs 10  Grange-in-Borrowdale H, P, OM, AI (5.15)
Sat 12   Gamelsby H, P, AI (1.30)
   Bower House H, P, OM, AI (5.00)
Sun 13   Lazonby H, OM, P, ONW, OR (1.00)
Mon 14  Bower House H, P, AI (5.15)
Tues 15  Kirkbride H, P, OM (5.45)
Wed 16  Bower House H, P, AI (5.15)
Thurs 17  Helton H, P, OR (6.00)
Sat 19   Gamelsby H, P, ONW (4.30)
  Grange-in-Borrowdale H, P, V, OR (5.30)
   St Helena H, P, OM, AI (12.00)
Sun 20   Helton H, M, P, ONW, OR (2.00)
Mon 21  St Helena H, P, ONW, AI (5.30)
Tues 22  Gamelsby H, P, OR (6.00)
   Threlkeld H, P, OR, AI (5.30)
Wed 23  St Helena H, P, OM, AI (5.30)
Thurs 24  Helton H, P, OR (6.00)
Sat 26   Cold Fell Gate
   Threlkeld H, P, V, AI (5.30)
Sun 27   Gamelsby H, P, ONW (4.30)
   Helton H, M, P, PM, OR (12.00)
Mon 28  St Helena H, P, OR (6.00)
Tues 29  Oulton H, P, OM (6.30)
Wed 30 St Helena H, P, OR (6.00)

May

Thurs 1   Oulton H, P, OR (6.30)
   Kendal
Sat 3   Gamelsby H, P, OM (5.30)
   Lamplugh
Mon 5   Lazonby Fell HTA
Tues 6   Oulton H, P, OR (6.30)
Wed 7   Lamplugh
Thurs 8   Lazonby Fell H, P, OR (6.30)
Sat 10    Kendal
   Gamelsby H, P, OR (5.30)
   Lamplugh
Sun 11   Lazonby H, P, ONW, OR (2.00)
Mon 12  Kirkland
Tues 13  Lazonby H, P, OM (6.30)
   Dean
Wed 14  Cartmel
  Kirkland
Thurs 15  Kendal
  Dean