Full Write up and Results
Shuttington, 30 OCTOBER 2022 – 240 yards bends; veterans 110 yards at ½yd/lb plus yd/yr
This was the Championships that refused to die, how it finally came to happen worthy of an article in its own right! The August heatwave firstly meant a rescheduling and we were lucky to find a date right at the end of the Open season, luckier still that Heart of England Club could accommodate us at two and a half weeks’ notice once Dave and Lynn told us they were having problems with the Ryemeadows track. We hope they can find a new track soon, they very kindly brought as much equipment as they could carry from Birtsmorton.

At the risk of this being a list of “thank you’s” Heart of England club really pulled out all the stops to make sure that not only did we have a meeting, but we had a very good one too.
Nothing was too much trouble, I don’t think Dave Cuttler stopped all weekend and much the same for club chair Gary Hogan, Secretary Ann Brown and the rest of the HOE crew. As ever, the Heart of England breakfasts and cakes were to die for, thanks ladies for looking after us. On a personal level, many thanks to Dave and Carole for putting me up, poor Snowy gets dragged all over the country by train and taxi (goodness knows what he must think) and I’m appreciative of all the help and hospitality people grant us both.
Saturday evening, we were treated to a chili with jacket potatoes and suitably fuelled we made an early start on the Sunday, the clocks going back a reminder of how late we were in the season, and first race was at 11.20am, not bad going at all. Everything ran nice and smoothly, the only significant delay due to a sharp shower about two o’clock that sent us scurrying for cover for about twenty minutes but we were done well before dark. Testament to everyone’s hard work, by the time Kim and I wrote up the passports and emerged for the Presentation, the field had been cleared.

We kicked off the finals with the Veteran Sprint. Sarah Layfield’s VC Winterfell Merry Mayhem beat the Villis’ VC Ameesha Just A Breeze by two lengths to take the lightweight group, Garry Comber’s bend-racer WCRCh VC Jett Black running 4th to close out an illustrious career. Steve Miller’s VC Apache Gold took the 21/23lb final from the Cuttlers’ retiring VC Call Me Lucky, while Dave & Carole went one better in the n/e 27lb group when VC *Call Me Amazing saw off Stephen Williams’ pair, *Speed Limit a two-length runner-up. Gary Hogan’s The Quiet Man, who’s had a season to be proud of, comfortably took the heavyweights from the Gilfeathers’ WCRCh Back To Light.
Back to the bends. Terry Wheeler’s WCRCh(s) Mamma Mia unfortunately had a solo for the 16lb final. Until the two October Champs, the group was starting to rebuild and we hope numbers will grow next year. The 18lb weight class was won for the tenth time by WCRCh Ameesha Summer Rocket, now only three behind her mum WCRCh VC Ameesha Little Ebs who’s the group record-holder.
Allan Parkhurst’s WCRCh Sweet Secret was a most impressive winner of a strong 20lb final, defending against three “half-coats”, beating the Hunters’ Zikomo Go-Quick by four lengths. With her heat win in 14.91 seconds she also won the Fastest Time Rosette and backed that up with the fastest time in the finals, not bad for a lightweight!

Jacquie Mullin’s and Dean Leonard’s WCRCh Glad All Over beat the Hunters’ WCRCh Tiana by three lengths to take the 22lb final in good style. Dave and Lynn then got a win on the board when their WCRCh Brontë prevailed by a length against Kevin Coe’s and Keeley Bradshaw’s fast youngster Highlight Halo to gain her Racing champion status, well done.
Trish and Graham Gilfeather’s *Mista T, running the bend beautifully all day, took the 26lb final by three lengths from the Hunters’ Zama Go-Quick to gain his half coat. Next race, another well-deserved winner, Glen and Jackie Hughes’ WCRCh Stormin’ Norman became the day’s second whippet to win his title. A skilful racer, he did it the hard way after coming up with the box – a great demo in running a bend from the back and taking the inside line into the straight. He came home by half a length from Vince and Sara Hart’s youngster Sandy Shore, another one to watch next year.

The 30lb weight class was taken by Jo Lock’s *Sea The Skies by two lengths from Keeley and Kevin’s *Moonlight Millie; then the big boys, last race of the day, a tight finish with all four dogs in the mix. Dennis & Pearl Bache’s WCRCh Daddy’s Boy took it by half a length from Trish and Graham’s Gimme Some Action.
At the prize-giving we made a presentation to Dave & Lynn in recognition for all they’ve done for us; an engraved tankard (plus some Guinness to fill it) for Dave and orchids for Lynn. We’re truly grateful for their efforts, we were struggling when we first made the move but depart in much better condition and feeling optimistic about the future.

(Photos courtesy of Michael Treacher)
Mark Etheridge Reporting
Results
Main Championships
NE 16lb
- WCRCh (s) MAMMA MIA (Selina Pearl Shooting Star – Wiltwojs Joni Glen x Selina Pearl Little Rosie). Owner: Terry Wheeler (time 16.51)
Heat Win:- WCRCh(s) Mamma Mia
NE 18lb
- WCRCh AMEESHA SUMMER ROCKET (Ameesha Indian Summer – Billy On Show x Ameesha Pure Spirit). Owner: Liz Villis (time 15.64)
- Mayan’s Dream
- All About Me
- Winterfell Must Be Love
Heat Wins: WCRCh Ameesha Summer Rocket, Winterfell Must Be Love
NE 20lb
- WCRCh SWEET SECRET (Chalkners Sweet Destiny – Chalkners Secrets and Lies x Secret Smile at Chalkners). Owner: Allan Parkhurst (time 15.33)
- Zikomo Go-Quick
- *Nita Pilgrimsway
- *London Girl
Heat Wins: WCRCh Sweet Secret, *Nita Pilgrimsway, Black Fairlane
Semi Finals: WCRCh Sweet Secret, *Zikomo Go-Quick
NE 22lb
- WCRCh GLAD ALL OVER (Super Trouper – Just Do It x Height Of Fashion). Owners: Jacquie Mullin & Dean Leonard (time 15.45)
- WCRCh Tiana
- *Ryamber It’s Aw Reet
- Ryamber Stan The Man
Heat Wins: Bertie’s Gold, WCRCh Tiana, WCRCh Glad All Over, Rooster Booster
Semi Finals: WCRCh Tiana, WCRCh Glad All Over
NE 24lb
- WCRCh BRONTË (new Champion) (Ryemeadows Brontë – Ryemeadows Figaro x Ryemeadows Zola). Owners: Dave & Lynn Hunter (time 15.49)
- Highlight Halo
- Ryamber That’ll Do
- Neymar Pilgrimsway
Heat Wins: *Brontë, Neymar Pilgrimsway, Ryamber That’ll Do
Semi Finals: *Brontë, Highlight Halo
NE 26lb
- *MISTA T (Carlstream Majestic Lad – Jolly Pocher x Goodad Golden Opportunity). Owners: Trish & Graham Gilfeather (time 15.53)
- Zama Go-Quick
- Tik Tok Tia
Heat Wins: Mista T, *Murphy’s Gold, *Tik Tok Tia
Semi Finals: Mista T, Zama Go-Quick.
NE 28lb
- WCRCh STORMIN’ NORMAN (new Champion) (Ryamber Take It On The Run – Goodad Special Duty x Ryamber Keep On Running). Owners: Glen & Jackie Hughes (time 15.81)
- Sandy Shore
- WCRCh One For Arthur
- Glory Narah.
Heat Wins: *Stormin’ Norman, Sandy Shore
NE 30lb
- *SEA THE SKIES (Ryemeadows Imagine Dragons – Medlarway Dragons Breath x Ryemeadows Ziggy). Owner: Jo Lock (time 15.73).
- *Moonlight Millie
- Ryamber Fearless Freda
Heat Wins: Sea The Skies, Ryamber Fearless Freda
NE 32lb
- WCRCh DADDY’S BOY (Ryemeadows Jayan – Ryemeadows Figaro x Ryemeadows Zola). Owners: Pearl & Dennis Bache (time 15.47).
- Gimme Some Action
- Machs White Toed Brodes
- Rising Sun
Heat Wins: WCRCh Daddy’s Boy, Machs White Toed Brodes
Superstars Veteran Sprint
14-20lb
- VC WINTERFELL MERRY MAYHEM (Winterfellin Merry Mayhem – Winterfellin Tinkers Lad x Winterfellin Phoenix). Owner: Sarah Layfield
- VC Ameesha Just A Breeze
- Mojo Risin’
- WCRCh VC Jett Black
Heat Wins: VC Ameesha Just A Breeze, VC Winterfell Merry Mayhem
21-23lb
- VC APACHE GOLD (Toyah Flowing River – Billy On Show x Wheatroyd Running Wild). Owner: Steve Miller
- WCRCh Twilight Twiggy
- Dizzy Rascal
- VC Call Me Lucky
Heat Wins: VC Apache Gold, WCRCh Twilight Twiggy
24-27lb
- VC *CALL ME AMAZING (Black Pearl Of Hope – Run At Mill x Eddie’s Belle of the Ball). Owners: Dave & Carole Cuttler
- *Speed Limit
- Pushing The Limit
- (withdrawn) WCRCh Zola Go-Quick.
Heat Wins: VC *Call Me Amazing, WCRCh Zola Go-Quick
28-32lb
- THE QUIET MAN (Quiver Irish Jig – Chalkners Flaming Arrow x Honey Sweet). Owner: Gary Hogan.
- WCRCh Back To Light
- (withdrawn) WCRCh Feilly’s Gold
Heat Wins: The Quiet Man, WCRCh Feilly’s Gold
A brilliant write up of a brilliant day, thanks Mark.