1st WCRA Championships and Veteran Crowns 2016, Report and full results

Kindly sponsored by CHUDLEYS – 8 MAY 2016 at The Whippet Meadow, Detling.

150 yards straights; veterans ½yd/lb &yd/yr

It was the hottest day of the year and the track looked lovely; lots of people had camped overnight and enjoyed a relaxing, warm Saturday evening.

The First Championships is always a long day with the annual presentations but we worked to schedule and the racing was completed shortly after four, including trials. Well done to Ray Pond and his team for all the work on the ground and on race day.

Two new Whippet Club Racing Champions and five new Veteran Crowns, congratulations to WCRCh Vino, WCRCh Ryamber Something Extra, VC Enfys, VC Popstar, VC Blue Sea Of Ibrox, VC Tinkers Gypsy Joe and VC Guye’s Gone Fishing – there were some fantastically close finishes including the veterans who ran so determined and was a pleasure to watch; it tested the skills of the line judges. Overall, it was a good day’s racing and well done to all who took part!

The 16lb group was a solo run for Sapphire’s Peridot, while Ameesha Little Ebs was a comfortable winner of the 18-pounders, coming home three lengths in front of Linda Turner’s half-coat Great Fun. Vino secured the 20lb title at the first time of asking, she was beaten by Cheeky Devil in her semi but reversed the placings in a tight final. It was a closely-matched group – unusually, none of the finalists came into the race unbeaten.

In the 22lb weight class final, Sapphire’s Ruby Queen and Ryamber Spring Fever were unbeaten in heat and semi, and it was another close race, Ruby prevailing by about a neck. Christine Howard’s luck turned in the next final, however when *Ryamber Something Extra beat the Thomsons’ good half-coat Blue Dynamite Girl to become a WCRCh at the first attempt.

The 26lb final was a narrow win for WCRCh Fenland Whisper, *Radar so close to being “made up” at the first time of asking. Spooky that Whisper did the same time (9.12) as she did when winning the final a year ago!

WCRCh Scallywag was an easy winner of the 28lb final but a special mention for Gold Edition, who beat him by a head in the heats only to be out-trapped on the rematch. WCRCh Nip ‘N’ Tuck and WCRCh Markamy’s Red Fred added to their tally of titles in the 30lb and 32lb groups, each beating youngsters, Gunna Be A Devil and Laguna Lawns Le Lundi.

Unusually, the Fastest Time Rosette (9.05) was won by two whippets, WCRCh Scallywag and WCRCh Markamy’s Red Fred; a great effort by both.

The Veteran Crowns had a bigger-than-usual entry. For all five new winners it was their first WCRA title and a big reward for their owners’ patience. In the junior veterans, Enfys made Dave and Lynn’s day while Blue Sea Of Ibrox made the Thomsons’ long journey south worthwhile. The n/e 25lb class was a tough group with a dead-heat for second in one first-round race, and both the dead-heaters getting through their semi to face two high-class half-coats in the final. It was Popstar who prevailed to win her second championship weight class.

Heather How had both whippets in the lightweight senior veteran final, she’s had a series of near-misses but today it all came together. WCRCh VC Sapphires Gem – one day past her eighth birthday – took the middleweights while in the heavyweights Guye’s Gone Fishing came late to deny a brave Robbie “O”.

Main Championships

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NE 16lb

1. WCRCh Sapphire’s Peridot Owned by A. Parker. Time: N/T

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NE 18lb

1. WCRCh Ameesha Little Ebs. Owned by E. Villis. Time: 9.36
2. *Great Fun
3. WCRCh Jett Black
4. Ameesha Red Rascal

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NE 20lb

1. WCRCh Vino. Owned by D. and M. Sawyer. Time: 9.63
2. WCRCh Cheeky Devil
3. Tinkers Moondancer
4. Sapphire’s Queen’s Pearl

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NE 22lb

1. *Sapphire’s Ruby Queen. Owned by A. Parker. Time: 9.28
2. Ryamber Spring Fever
3. Dizzy Rascal
4. Ryamber Something Different

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NE 24lb

1. WCRCh Ryamber Something Extra. Owned by C. Howard. Time: 9.20
2. *Blue Dynamite Girl
3. WCRCh The Poet
4. Secrets & Lies

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NE 26lb

1. WCRCh Fenland Whisper. Owned by P. Billingham. Time: 9.12
2. *Radar
3. Zola GoQuick
4. Nubs Shifter

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NE 28lb

1. WCRCh Scallywag. Owned by P. Gant. Time: 9.05
2. Gold Edition
3. Ryamber Likely Lad
4. Law & Order

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NE 30lb

1. WCRCh Nip ‘N’ Tuck. Owned by P. Gant. Time: 9.10
2. Gunna Be a Devil

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NE 32lb

1. WCRCh Markamy’s Red Fred. Owned by D. & S. Bursey. Time: 9.05
2. Laguna Lawns Le Lundi

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Veteran Crowns

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6 – 7 yrs 14-20lb

1. VC Enfys. Owned by D. and L. Hunter. Time: 9.71
2. Bright Star
3. WCRCh VC Fun Lovin’

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6 – 7 yrs 21 – 25lb

1. VC *Popstar. Owned by P. Gant. Time: 9.68
2. *Zula Go-Quick
3. Stripey Nancy
4. Raffles

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6 – 7 yrs 26 – 32lb

1. VC BLue Sea Of Ibrox. Owned by M. Thomson. Time: 9.56
2. Ahoy Ramona
3. Markamy’s Marley
4. Satin Star

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8yrs & Over 14 – 20lb

1. VC Tinkers Gypsy Joe. Owned by H. How

WDN *Tinkers Cloudy Moon

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8yrs & Over 21 – 25lb

1. WCRCh VC Sapphire’s Gem. Owned by A. Parker
2. *Laguna Lovely Lara
3. Ellobiko
4. VC Pretty Colour

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8yrs & Over 26 – 32lb

1. VC Guye’s Gone Fishing. Owned by K. Saxby. Time: 10.3
2. Robbie “O”