All our yesterdays Part ( one after the last one)

First of all the Hound Trailing Association offers its condolences to all those who suffered in the recent floods especially those members who were flooded out . Russell and Wendy were two who suffered and the rest of the association wish them well and hope they get back to normal as soon as possible.

Now we go back to remembering a hound that in the all time record of senior wins is the fourth highest with 54 but never won a Championship and is therefore not in any annual .

The hound in question is Black Diamond who had the misfortune to be born in the same era as Perivale, who is regarded by many as the best hound of all time.

‘Diamond ‘ won 173 trails between 1946- 1952. As a pup he won 18 trails in 1946. He won 14 in 1947; 54 in 1948; 42 in 1949; 24 in 1950 ; 16 in 1951 ; and 5 1952. The wins were as far afield as Barrow in the south, Warton ,Blackwell (Carlisle) Aikton and Frizington. As with most hounds the older you get the more local you become and in 1952 his wins were Ulverston, Allithwaite, Holker and Flookburgh . He also recorded 45 seconds and 34 thirds. One of the best but not always remembered!

Humour in the sixties : Somebody wrote to the news warning the officials about the alleged use of illegal substances being used in trailing : The list was as follows –

Egg Nog — Sherry Special – Arsenite Annie- Vets Vim – Strychnine Sam- Bella Donna- Spanish Gyp and Top Secret. The sender remained anonymous but I’ve a good idea it might have been the ‘old fella’.

The reason being – on opening a cupboard I discovered an array of exotic substances on questioning the old man I was assured that they weren’t for the hounds but for my mother!