Hound Trailing memories shared by Maurice and Kate Tunstall
Maurice and his wife Katie have been associated with hound trailing since 1952 when a broken ankle, caused by getting a wellie stuck in a gate, saw Maurice taking over from his father-in -law to lay his first trail at Embleton.
Whitbarrow Lad was a senior triple champion in 54-55-56 and his owner George Nicholson contacted Maurice and politely arranged for trails over 35 minutes and trail layer Maurice together with his mate duly obliged. He didn’t divulge if there was any monetary gain , then again I never asked!.
In 1967 They acquired their first hound ,’ Domino,’ from the Hamiltons
No! it wasn’t black and white! She Won one trail and this was the start of many years in trailing, never a season without a hound, 25 in all and £2600 in prize money, 1200 tickets and two shoeboxes (size 10) full of Rosettes , and the freedom of Crab Fair.
Crab Fair ,their favourite venue, which they have won four times.
Mona LIsa the best hound they’ve owned was a ‘crab’ winner and how lucky can you be because at choosing time of the litter ‘George Stobbart’ from Kendal picked ‘Lisa’ and left Maurice with a Dog, then they swopped and , well ! the dog -no good and ‘Lisa’ had a career in which she won £100 in prize money after missing most of her puppy season after sustaining a serious injury that required 63 stitches . She cost £60 and as her owner exclaims she even won at Risehow – Where?
Then followed a succession of hounds – Madonna-Merry Ghyll – Morning Music-Morning Star-Mustang- Morning Mist-Morning Melody- Moon Mariner- Must Be Magic- Midgey Lad-Miner’s Memory -Mystic Memory -Shalako.
Madonna had one pup and as Maurice recalls around about xmas time ,which was quickly altered to new year, with a cough and a wink . They didn’t realise the bitch was pregnant but she had Merry Ghyll whose father was aptly called Miracle.
Maurice would like to point out that the unfortunate Midgey Lad was lost at a Grasmere Trail and has never been seen since.
Maurice, during the majority of his trailing career, was a mechanical engineer at Haig Colliery and often on a trailing night he would drive to top of Monkray ,flash his lights as a signal to Kate- dogs.bait,come on! I’m here!
You’ll have noticed that the letter ‘M’ was the hounds moniker – well they bought a freelander and therefore the next hound was Freelander and a really consistent hound 93 tickets and £ 528 in prize money.
He was followed by Freelance, whose career was ended by a travelling blood clot caused by a previous altercation with some pig netting.
The outcome being that the hounds body was left in the care of the veterinary hospital for future investigation and information on similar injuries.
Then came the evergreen Ruby and still running What Look.
Looking back over the years Maurice rates ‘Lady Pat’ has the best hound overall but admires plenty of others who were excellent runners including ‘Faraway’ ?
Maurice will be 80 years old in August, started when he was seventeen, 63 years active in his sport, happily married and the ‘spark’ is still there as Maurice ,emotionally recalls the ‘halcyon’ days. And as Katie recalls the day she told Tom Newall ‘what for’ and threatened with a hosepipe . She is not a lady to be taken lightly – ask Tommy, and that was seconded by her husband.
That was an encounter and a tale of two peoples life in hound trailing.
Maurice and Katie Tunstall.
