Latest News

What’s in a name – Loyal that won the trail at Winster is not the Loyal11 that put up a great show in last years puppy championship , but was a six year old hound with the same name. On being registered , an undertaking was given that the original Loyal would not run. Well it did or did it?

I was there and the consensus of opinion was that it was the young Loyal that won but it was the old loyal ‘on the boards’.

Woman owners are also encouraged to take their hounds to Ambleside by the offer of special prizes for the first maiden and maiden puppy owned by a woman.

The number of bookmakers at the 1960 Grasmere sports has been restricted to 30 at £5 . A number of bookies are averse to paying £5 but there is nothing they can do about it.

By the way judging by their numbers , they must be doing quite nicely.

This is a true story –  A West Cumberland lady in her garden recently saw a hound running by ,she saw that it was extremely thin and felt sorry for it, she called out to it and offered it some tit-bits which it gobbled up so she gave it some more. She recalled that the poor thing had no hair and was of the opinion that it ‘s owner should be prosecuted for cruelty. Who ,by the way, came looking for it and was extremely rude to the lady when she said she had fed it and that he should be grateful.

Apparently it was favourite in that trail and had a good lead at halfway , this Act explains why it didn’t finish in the first six.

Lowther Park – a  photographer, equipped with the latest type of camera , showed a picture of the finish. Perhaps such a camera would come in useful judging by the many disputable ‘ photo finishes’ we’ve had this season. 55 years ago.

Hound Trailing fixtures:

Monday May 2nd May Day Venue to be decided.

Saturday June 11th Produce Cockermouth area.

Saturday June 25th International HTA  Venue to be decided.

Saturday July 2nd  Produce Ulverston area Venue to be decided.

Saturday July 9th Festival TBC.

Thursday July 28th Ambleside Sports.

Saturday July 30th Cockermouth Show.

Thursday August 4th Ings dog trials.

Saturday August 6th Association trails.

Thursday August 11th Rydal dog trials.

Saturday August 20th Rusland Show.

Tuesday August 23rd Hawkshead Show

Sunday August 28th Grasmere Show

Wednesday August 31st Ennerdale Show

Saturday September 3rd Lowick Show.

Sunday September 4th Loweswater Show.

Saturday September 24th Eskdale Show

Saturday 1st October HTA trails.

Saturday 8th October Wasdale Show

Saturday 15th October Buttermere Show.

Any PROMOTER  wishing to claim dates please forward to the HTA secretary.

All dates are subject to approval by the appropriate area Committees.

The Aspatria and Wigton AGM was held at Wigton rugby club on Wed 11th November,

9 members present.

Colin Satterthwaite  was in the chair and congratulated the connections of Remember Me winner of the dog produce.

The area had 14 meetings- h 14 p 14 or 2 m 2 pm 2 0m 10 vet 1 onw 2 all-in 5.

35 members and 11 kennels

Balance £574.

Dennis and Norma Reay were nominated for honorary  membership.

A discussion on the lack of all-in trails and one a week was put forward for discussion.

Also discussed was the fixture situation and the Whitehaven news.

The main item brought forward was the future of the area itself.

By a casting vote it was decided to inform the Committee that it was the wish of the area committee to disband and let the Committee decide into which areas the trail meetings would fall.

The trails, however would still be promoted by individuals and local committees., under the auspices of the said  Area Committee.

Westmorland Area AGM held at the cricket club Kendal on Monday Nov 9th.

The Chair welcomed 11 members and congratulated the connections of Thorn Dancer , Persian Prince, Mrs McGregor , Marli and all local hounds that had ticketed at major trails also a special mention and thanks to John Pattinson for his input.

The area has 90 members, 23 kennels and 20 trails.

The area had made a loss on the season of £412,

Balance ; £1284.

Two recommendations were passed

1- That a minimum of four rags must be used at all Championship trails. ie fresh rags must be used for the junior trail.

2 That entry fee increases in proportion to prize money.

EG  Three trail meet = PM £80 Entry fee £1

PM £120 Entry    £1 50

PM £ 160 Entry £ 2 00

to be decided by the Committee.

It was also pointed out that some memberships and trailers payment were outstanding.

The Kendal Committee Trails realised a profit of £589.
The Kirkstone Trails realised a profit of £580 of which the Troutbeck social. Coniston foxhounds, Westmorland riding for the disabled and the Eden hospice benefited.

Keswick area AGM held at the Conservative club on Wednesday 4th November.

Members present 12

Chaired by David Loan who congratulated Huntsman’s Kraka and Lone Rebel on their 2015 campaign also touched on the lack of fixtures in the area and thanked the secretary for her contribution to the hound trailing article in the Keswick Reminder.

There were 6 meetings

6 seniors 6 juniors 3 OM 2 OR 1 PM 3 v 1 ONW.

27 Members 6 kennels.

Balance – £ 753 profit from 5 trails which will be distributed to local amenities.

Trophies for 2016 have been donated by the family of the late Peggy Horsley.

There were no notices of motion.

Tuesday 3rd of November – Cockermouth and Workington area AGM was held at the Seaton rugby Club.’

Meeting chaired by P Graham and N. Brown.

Members present- 23

Margaret Pattinson was presented with a bouquet as a thank you for her work in entries , gate, scouting, raffles etc.

£ 568 00 profit on the season.

£ 4068 Bank Balance.

Trail Summary

44 seniors / juniors 22 Open Restricted 12 maidens 12 pup maidens 18 open maidens 7 veterans 3 ONW 2 all-in.

There are 59 members 21 kennels.

£800 was donated to Mountain Rescue- Bridekirk School-Seaton junior rugby- Agricultural shows and Bobby Robson cancer fund.

There were no notices of motion.

There was one recommendation.

Rule 55.3 Established agricultural and horticultural shows where trails are held shall have a clear day.

This rule to be removed.

This was passed and will go forward to the December Meeting.

The Whitehaven Area AGM was held on Monday 2nd November at the Catholic club Egremont.

20 members attended.

The balance sheet showed a profit of £173 on the season.

The bank balance is £5245 19p with £ 250 worth of aniseed in stock.

Donations were made to the Knight’s Club and the produce stakes.

There were no notices of motion but a discussion took part on the future of trailing in the Lamplugh area.

Also members requested more feedback from the December meeting. This will be attended too and a report of the meeting will be posted .

Summary of the 2015 season.

Members 103

38 senior trails 39 junior 25 OR 7 Maidens 4 Puppy maidens 21 open maidens 6 veterans 6 ONW 1 open trail 2 all in.

Senior champion Prudence

Maiden champion Foxparke So Be It.

ONW Jt Champion Miterdale Force

Veteran Champion Da Look

Puppy Maiden Persian Prince.

SENIOR CHAMPION   —- PRUDENCE

JUNIOR CHAMPION    —- TIE BETWEEN PERSIAN BAY  AND HUNTSMAN’S KRAKA.

SENIOR MAIDEN CHAMPION— FOXPARKE SO BE IT.

JUNIOR MAIDEN CHAMPION — TIE BETWEEN PERSIAN PRINCE AND EDEN ROSSI.

OPEN MAIDEN CHAMPION —- DOLL

OPEN RESTRICTED CHAMPION—- MRS Mc GREGOR.

OPEN NON WINNER CHAMPION —- TIE BETWEEN  MITERDALE FORCE AND EDEN ROCCO.

VETERANS CHAMPION——— DA LOOK.

1st No 195 Jackie Gill Little Langdale .

2nd No 53 Sue Potter. Great Salkeld.

Jack Simpson formerly of Millhead Carnforth sadly passed away at the age of 95 . He will be remembered in hound trailing circles by the ‘old-timers as promoter of trails at Warton and Carnforth and his hounds in the 50’s and 60’s including ‘Page Boy’ and ‘Humourist’

Saying of the week attributed to the vice chair:

‘ the driving hound is still in front’!

A tongue in cheek story.

It isn’t really on that the nearest NHS dentist available to the kids in Eskdale  is situated in Penrith . All I can say is that it was a good thing that the hounds were out in the morning and the trails in the afternoon at Helton which gave them something to do. ( more educational than school)

A message from Arnold at Stockdale – I’ve had a sore throat and a cough so decided to call it a day for the rest of the season, but mark my word  – ‘I’ll be back’.

Ps Who needs me when we have our ‘Bess’.

Plenty of visitors at Wasdale show: monitored the stile at the start of the maidens- ‘keep back please they are supposed to jump the stile but some might jump the wall’.

They all jumped the wall ( see picture in news)

Talking about Wasdale- and the practice of the winning hound owner tipping the trailers.

David Crowe won the maidens and also laid the trail so he would tip himself and  Arthur Temple who in turn won the puppy maidens so he would tip John Brumage who incidentally is David Crowes brother in law and the other trailer Anthony Steel who is a mate of them all and together they all went to the pub and supped it!

I wonder- It is common knowledge that if Prudence wins ”what happens’! but the question asked now ‘what happens when she finishes last’? apparently a glass jar is involved!

On a sad note Gordon Tyson of Troutbeck park farm (head of the valley)  and formerly ‘Wha house farm Eskdale – passed away last week. The funeral is on Tuesday at 2 00pm Jesus Church Troutbeck.

No drivers tales but  on coming through Ambleside ,where they are resurfacing the road. The lights were on green but the road was blocked by a wagon the lights turned to red and the traffic came from the opposite direction . Therefore we had traffic going south- a wagon- traffic going north and consequently nobody going anywhere. The chap that sorted it had grey hair, he hadn’t but he has now!

Question – Is the gate wide enough at Cunswick Fell?

Answer- refer secretary and wing mirror!

Finally – Farmers income.

Buttermere trails at Gatesgarth where the catering was done by Ron from Keswick who has retired from full time work so only needs his van for the trails. As the trails were Tuesday and Thursday he left his van on the field for two nights. As I left the field Will and Ron were negotiating the two overnight stays rent.I Think a cup of tea and a hot dog sorted it!

Noddy- Mary Benson has knitted a red bobble hat and I am to wear it when scouting, she said I look like Noddy so I am now looking for Big Ears.

Driver of the week; Surprise – Caroline driving behind a very frightened hound on a main road trying to manoeuvre it of the road and into a lane. Which she accomplished without damage to the hound, car, or me.

She shares this with Pat Black who nearly drove through the rope barrier at Applethwaite on Monday, swerving at the last minute – to busy talking?

Got the time wrong at Dearham on Tuesday- By the way so did everybody else!

Back to Applethwaite – What went wrong? The senior trailers walked for1 hour and 50 mins each that equals ( for a fresh trail) around about 36-38 minute trail add at least 5 minutes for the almost impenetrable bracken and you’ve got a senior trail.But, and a big but , what happened to the maidens? .All I can say is the weather was against them, wind and heavy rain on a dry surface, the rags were fine, the mixture, no problem but as the scouts reported – ‘ they couldn’t find a ‘line’ even the short trails which seemed ok had difficulty in finding a true line.

Perhaps those who were quick to criticize know the answer . Me , well only 50 years of running trails and I don’t know!

Spare a thought for Les Warwick, 71 years old, laying Shap trail last week in misty conditions. I can speak from experience -it’s extremely difficult and no blame should be attached to him.

Thanks to all those who turned out to look for lost hounds after Applethwaite.

Puppy Championship – Cunswick and Millstone Moor but you don’t have to be Einstein to realise that.

Rather an abrupt ending ; so to please John Toni Palmer:

AMEN!