2ND WCRA CHAMPIONSHIPS plus SUPERSTARS VETERAN SPRINT at RYEMEADOWS on 24 JUNE 2018 – 220 yards bends; veterans over 110 yards straights
A gorgeous location and weather to match, much better for sunbathing than for racing dogs but what a contrast to that awful cold spring.
Many thanks are in order. First to Lynn and Dave Hunter; for all their kind hospitality, nothing has been too much trouble for them, and Dave has produced two lovely racetracks in little more than a year. Also to Ian German and the team for working so hard to put on an enjoyable race meeting; there was only one restart due to a line break. Also to Bob the burger man, for his refreshments that kept us nicely fuelled right from the off (ooh that lovely full English breakfast) and of course well done to all the whippets. Also, a mention for Mick and Jackie Hawkins who have kindly sponsored the Fastest Time and Veteran Sprint rosettes for 2018 – they ‘rolled up their sleeves’ and pitched in as helpers too.
The Ryemeadows bend is not quite a full “U”, laid out on a hillside, with the traps down in the valley floor. The serious climbing starts just as you hit the bend; uphill all the way round till you reach the finishing straight up on the plateau, which rises gently to the finish. Overall, the 220 yards probably runs “longer” than the standard 240 yards and even the veterans had some climbing to do!
We had two new Racing Champions made up, Cosmic Chaser and Markamy’s Son & Air, a great day for the Villis and Bursey families, who both had three weight class winners.
We ran the veteran sprint finals first and Ameesha Red Rascal was the first of the Villis’ win treble, edging home in a close finish from VC Winterfell Hellfire. VC Raffles won a blanket finish for the 23lb group, only a length covering all four, while VC The Were-Rabbit won the 24-26lb group and WCRCh Markamy’s Black Bentley a convincing winner of the heavyweights to start off the Bursey three-timer. Then it was on to the bend semi finals and finals.
New mum WCRCh Ameesha Little Ebs took the 18lb final by four lengths, her eleventh Champs weight class win. The 20lb final was much closer with Twilight Twiggy beating Tinkers Moondancer by half a length, while WCRCh Sapphire’s Ruby Queen took the 22lb class by three lengths from the outside trap.
In the 24lb group, Cosmic Chaser won his heat by four lengths and his semi by six. In the final he certainly didn’t disappoint with a four and a half length margin. That’s how to win a title!
The 26lb group built up into a match between Trueloveways and Sea The Stars, both won their respective heat and semi-final, and so it proved in the final with Sea The Stars prevailing by two lengths to gain his half-coat. He was injured mid-season last year when only just out of puppy and owner Jo patiently rested him; her reward, he’s come back stronger and better.
Trueloveways’ club sparring partner Markamy’s Son & Air (both are good bend dogs) went one better than his rival today and beat WCRCh Zola Go-Quick by a length in a tight 28lb final. He’d won his “half” at the last Bend Champs in October 2016, and in true bend-racer style had to wait for the next one that wasn’t a straight to show everyone what he could really do.
The 30lb final gave WCRCh Gunna Be A Devil his third Champs weight group win, while in the 32lb group, WCRCh Markamy’s Red Fred, who’ll be six in December, took yet another weight class. He also had the honour of the Fastest Time rosette, achieved in his heat with a 13.82 (equating to 15.07 over 240 yards).
Mark Etheridge and Kim Saxby Reporting
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 Kim Saxby, all thumbnails can be tapped or clicked on to enlarge.
Full Championships Main 220yd Bend Results
NE 18lb
WCRCh AMEESHA LITTLE EBS (Ameesha Pure Spirit) – Busby Babe x Stokecourcy Hazel at Ameesha. Owner: E. Villis (time 15.05)
2nd WCRCh Jett Black
3rd Ameesha Just A Breeze
Heat Wins: WCRCh Ameesha Little Ebs, Ameesha Just A Breeze
NE 20lb
*TWILIGHT TWIGGY (Rudy’s Rock N Roller) – Drink Up Son x Maisey’s Martha May. Owner: K. Coe (time 15.40)
2nd Tinkers Moondancer
3rd Winterfell Merry Mayhem
4th WCRCh Sapphire’s Crystal Bell
Heat Wins: Tinkers Moondancer, Twilight Twiggy
NE 22lb
WCRCh SAPPHIRE’S RUBY QUEEN (Sunlay Rock On Ruby) – Bethnal Green Boy x Sunlay Queen’s Topaz. Owner: A. Parker (no time)
2nd Ryamber Something Different
3rd Ameesha Top Tease
4th Jessie-J
Heat wins: Ryamber Something Different, Jessie-J, WCRCh Sapphire’s Ruby Queen
Semi Finals: Ryamber Something Different, Jessie-J
NE 24lb
WCRCh COSMIC CHASER (Ameesha Cosmopolitan) – Ameesha Pure Silk x Honeyschoice Misty at Ameesha. Owner: E Villis (time 14.77)
2nd WCRCh Sapphire’s Tanzanite Queen
3rd Ryamber Spring Fever
4th WCRCh Ryamber Something Extra.
Heat Wins: *Cosmic Chaser, WCRCh Ryamber Something Extra, WCRCh Sapphire’s Tanzanite Queen
Semi Finals: *Cosmic Chaser, WCRCh Ryamber Something Extra.
NE 26lb
*SEA THE STARS (Medlarway Dragon’s Breath) – Enchanted Forest of Medlarway x Wheatroyd Lily at Medlarway. Owner : J Lock (time 14.79)
2nd Trueloveways
3rd Winterfell Let Me Loose
4th Ryamber Fairytale.
Heat Wins: Trueloveways, Sea The Stars, Ryamber Fairytale
Semi Finals: Trueloveways, Sea The Stars.
NE 28lb
WCRCh MARKAMY’S SON & AIR (Ryamber Little Bents) – Goodad Special Duty x Running In The Family at Ryamber. Owner: D & S Bursey (time 14.76)
2nd WCRCh Zola Go-Quick.
Heat Wins: Markamy’s Son & Air, WCRCh Zola Go-Quick.
NE 30lb
WCRCh GUNNA BE A DEVIL (Sunlay Gem Of A Devil) – Busby Babe x Sunlay Queen’s Topaz. Owner: V Thurman. (time: 15.02)
2nd *Ryamber Likely Lad.
Heat Wins: WCRCh Gunna Be A Devil, Ryamber Likely Lad.
NE 32lb
WCRCh MARKAMY’S RED FRED (Goodad Another Citizen) – Chalkners Flaming Arrow x Goodad Star Addition. Owner : D & S Bursey. (Time: 14.87)
2nd Laguna Lawns Le Lundi.
Heat Wins: WCRCh Markamy’s Red Fred, Laguna Lawns Le Lundi.
Superstars Veteran Sprint 110yd Straight Results
14 – 20lb
AMEESHA RED RASCAL (Winter Shamrock At Ameesha) – Busby Babe x Shandril Perfect Storm. Owner: E Villis
2nd VC Winterfell Hellfire
3rd Guye’s Goldilocks
Heat Wins: VC Winterfell Hellfire, Guye’s Goldilocks
21-23lb
VC RAFFLES (Sandspring Sir Wishingstar) – Karyon Ring Of Fire x Sunset Promise. Owner: I German
2nd Rudy Roo
3rd VC Zula Go-Quick
4th Hot Right Now
Heat Wins: VC Raffles, Rudy Roo
24 – 26lb
VC *THE WERE-RABBIT (Sandspring Special Envoy) – Karyon Ring Of Fire x Sunset Promise. Owner: S Hoddinott.
Heat Win: VC *The Were-Rabbit
27 – 32lb
WCRCh MARKAMY’S BLACK BENTLEY (Goodad Special Duty) – Bethnal Green Boy x Goodad Suits Me. Owner: D & S Bursey.
2nd VC Markamy’s Marley
3rd VC Winterfell Arfa Must Dash
Heat Wins: WCRCh Markamy’s Black Bentley, VC Markamy’s Marley.