1ST WCRA CHAMPIONSHIPS and VETERAN CROWNS at RYEMEADOWS on 22 JULY 2018 – 150 yards straights; veterans ½yd/lb plus yd/yr
Well, we finally got to hold a meeting scheduled for the end of April; deluge now drought, and goodness knows how much water Dave Hunter’s put on the track over the best part of a month to ensure good racing ground. The racecourse looked marvellous, an island of GREEN grass!
Hot weather is so testing for dogs and humans alike but the racing was good, with no re-runs, well done to Ian and his team. Once the racing was all done at about 4.30pm, we had four new Racing Champions and five new Veteran Crowns – with WCRCh Scallywag and WCRCh Markamy’s Black Bentley completing the “full set” of titles.
Amazingly, none of the bends winners a month previous managed to repeat their success, which is probably a “first”. Although perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised as over the years as bend racing has become more specialist.
Our first new Racing Champion was in the 18lb group, the Thomsons’ Blue Kinda Hot ‘N Gorg’ having the distinction of beating group record holder WCRCh Ameesha Little Ebs who nevertheless put up a great performance after returning to the track from being a mum.
In the N/E 20lb group, Sarah Mills’ Tinkers Moondancer has been knocking on the door for a couple of Championships now and this time she prevailed by a length over Ryamber Something Different.
Nac Mac Feegle dominated the 22lb weight group – he won his heat by four and a half lengths and his semi final by five; WCRCh Sapphire’s Ruby Queen ran him to a length and a half in an absorbing final but Lou Simmonds’ fine dog wasn’t to be denied his title. His semi-final run was timed at 9.21 and won him the Fastest Time rosette as well as his racing champion status.
The next race, the 24lb group final, Angie Parker’s dog went one better with a one-length win for WCRCh Sapphire’s Tanzanite Queen against Rebecca Villis’ recently titled WCRCh Cosmic Chaser, reversing the placings from the last bend Championships.
In the N/E 26lb weight class we had two half-coats, both very classy racers in a driving finish, the Bocheneks’ *Jammy Dodger beating the Thomsons’ *Blue He’s Mia’s Boy by a head. It was Jeff & Pat’s first Whippet Club Racing Champion and the most popular winner of the day.
The heat win times for the 28lb weight group suggested the Hunters’ WCRCh Zola Go-Quick and Ian German’s *Radar were very closely matched. Zola gained a winning advantage at the traps and despite a magnificent fightback from *Radar, he was a length down on the line.
*Star Attraction was the fourth whippet “made up” in the 30lb weight class while the 32lb group was a Gilfeather 1-2. Trish and Graham’s puppy Gimme Attraction was favourite but his high-class kennelmate Back To Light, still a young dog (he’ll be three in September) showed him how to trap, when it mattered, to gain his half coat.
In the Veteran Crowns, only one whippet, Sue Hoddinott’s VC *The Were-Rabbit was able to defend his title, in the middleweight senior veterans. He made a tough final look easy with a two-length win over his litter brother VC Raffles. It seems a mixed diet of racing and lure-coursing seems to suit ‘Alf’ very nicely.
The lightweight junior veterans was a solo run for Liz Villis’ Ameesha Red Rascal now Veteran Crown, and in the next group up, Blue Dynamite Girl made it a double for the Thomsons beating the classy WCRCh Satin Sunshine by a length and a half. The senior lightweights provided a lovely surprise for our Hon. Secretary, Kim Saxby, who probably only expected an honourable third, but Guye’s Goldilocks won her heat then came home by a head in the final to VC Winterfell Hellfire. Well done.
The two whippets to gain their “full set” of titles were in the heavyweight groups. Pat Gant’s fine WCRCh Scallywag had a solo run but his time would have won him the 26, 28 and 30lb finals, while WCRCh Markamy’s Black Bentley won his final by an impressive six lengths, he’s had muscle problems it seems for years and a well-deserved title.
Reporting by Mark Etheridge
Thanks go to Kempsey Camera Club for their wonderful photos of the racing community and the dogs in action and at rest. Winners photos are by Ian German, all thumbnails can be tapped or clicked on to enlarge.
Full Championships Main 170yd Straight Results
NE 18lb
WCRCh BLUE KINDA HOT ‘N GORG’ (She’s Kinda Hot) – Mr Jigsaw x Carol’s Christmas. Owner: M. Thomson (time 9.82)
2nd WCRCh Ameesha Little Ebs
3rd Ameesha Just A Breeze
4th Cairdean Pipsqueak
Heat wins: *Blue Kinda Hot ‘N Gorg’, WCRCh Ameesha Little Ebs.
NE 20lb
*TINKERS MOONDANCER (Little Miss Tinker) – Wagtail Flash In The Pan x Frosty Footsteps. Owner: S. Mills (time 9.70)
2nd Ryamber Something Different
3rd *Twilight Twiggy
4th Winterfell Merry Mayhem
Heat Wins: Tinkers Moondancer, Winterfell Merry Mayhem
NE 22lb
WCRCh NAC MAC FEEGLE (Lollipop Enzo) – Busby Babe x Chalkners Future Star. Owner: L. Simmonds (time 9.59)
2nd WCRCh Sapphire’s Ruby Queen
3rd Dizzy Rascal
4th Mal y Pense
Heat wins Ameesha Ellimos Express, *Nac Mac Feegle, WCRCh Sapphire’s Ruby Queen, Wilsdon Little Mac
Semi Finals: Dizzy Rascal, *Nac Mac Feegle
NE 24lb
WCRCh SAPPHIRE’S TANZANITE QUEEN (Sunlay Tanzanite Queen) – Bethnal Green Boy x Sunlay Queen’s Topaz. Owner: A. Parker (time 9.75)
2nd WCRCh Cosmic Chaser
3rd Ryamber Spring Fever
4th Rising Star
Heat wins: Ubique, Ryamber Spring Fever, WCRCh Sapphire’s Tanzanite Queen, WCRCh Cosmic Chaser
Semi Finals: WCRCh Sapphire’s Tanzanite Queen, Ryamber Spring Fever
NE 26lb
WCRCh JAMMY DODGER (Sunlay Beau Jackson) – Bethnal Green Boy x Sunlay Queen’s Topaz. Owner : P & J Bochenek (time 9.64)
2nd *Blue He’s Mia’s Boy
3rd Ryamber Fairytale
4th Winterfell let Me Loose
Heat wins: *Blue He’s Mia’s Boy, *Jammy Dodger, Winterfell Let Me Loose. Semi Finals: *Blue He’s Mia’s Boy, *Jammy Dodger
NE 28lb
WCRCh ZOLA GO-QUICK (Ryemeadows Zola) – Wagtail Flash In The Pan x Matchington Zula of Ryemeadows. Owner: D & L Hunter (time 9.71)
2nd *Radar
3rd WCRCh Gunna Be A Devil
4th *Ryamber Likely Lad
Heat wins: WCRCh Zola Go-Quick, *Radar
NE 30lb
WCRCh(s) STAR ATTRACTION (Jolly Pocher) – Drawn To Me x Carlstream Popstar. Owner: G & P Gilfeather (time 9.89)
Heat win: *Star Attraction
NE 32lb
*BACK TO LIGHT (Medlarway Forest Ranger) – Enchanted Forest of Medlarway x Wheatroyd Lily at Medlarway). Owner : G & P Gilfeather (time 9.47)
2nd Gimme Attraction
3rd Artful Dodger
4th WCRCh Markamy’s Red Fred
Heat wins: Back To Light, Gimme Attraction
Veteran Crowns 6-7yrs
14 – 20lb
VC AMEESHA RED RASCAL (Winter Shamrock At Ameesha) – Busby Babe x Shandril Perfect Storm. Owner: E Villis (time 10.44)
Heat win: Ameesha Red Rascal
21-25lb
VC *BLUE DYNAMITE GIRL (Blue Bonnie Scotland) – Black & White Dynamite x Goodad Storm Burst. Owner: M. Thomson (time 10.20)
2nd WCRCh Satin Sunshine
3rd Rudy Roo
4th Wilsdon Brindle Star
Heat wins: WCRCh Satin Sunshine, *Blue Dynamite Girl
26 – 32lb
WCRCh VC SCALLYWAG (Inspired Twister of Carlstream) – Fatal Attraction x Carlstream Popstar. Owner: P. Gant (time 9.62)
Heat win: WCRCh Scallywag
Veteran Crowns 8-9yrs
14 – 20lb
VC GUYE’S GOLDILOCKS (Sandspring Sunset Gold) – Karyon Ring of Fire x Sunset Promise. Owner: K Saxby (time 10.56)
2nd VC Winterfell Hellfire
3rd Cairdean Yoshimi
Heat wins: Guye’s Goldilocks, VC Winterfell Hellfire
21-25lb
VC *THE WERE-RABBIT (Sandspring Special Envoy) – Karyon Ring Of Fire x Sunset Promise. Owner: S Hoddinott (time 10.45)
2nd VC Raffles
3rd *Ryamber Something in the Air
4th VC *Zula Go-Quick.
Heat wins: VC Raffles, VC *The Were-Rabbit.
26 – 32lb
WCRCh VC MARKAMY’S BLACK BENTLEY (Goodad Special Duty) – Bethnal Green Boy x Goodad Suits Me. Owner: D & S Bursey (time 10.01)
2nd VC Markamy’s Marley
3rd Harib “O”
Heat wins: WCRCh Markamy’s Black Bentley, VC Markamy’s Marley