21/01/2006

Saturday 21 January 2006 found us at Little Dunham in Norfolk for a lure coursing meeting with East Anglian Whippet Coursing Club. The weather was superb with sun all day and the layout was a testing 700 metres over stubble. Twenty three dogs attended to compete in three stakes.

The main stake of the day was the Banatay Bonanza Puppy Cup. None of our dogs were entered; Moss, The Shiner and Tilley being beyond the puppy stage with Zorro and Henrietta not yet ready for that level of competition.

Moss was entered in the Quink Trophy for eight all aged whippets. Her pairing with the brilliant dog Banatay Bonanza was a repeat of the previous meeting of the club and the eventual outcome was the same, with Moss holding her own in the first part of the course only for her to be overhauled in the second part. Banatay Bonanza, or Ed as he is known, is a big powerful dog but Moss was by no means disgraced.

Having lost in the first round, Moss then reverted to the Purse Trophy Stake where she performed amazingly well. She beat two very useful dogs in Cheydanhar Totem, owned by Mr Syer, and Banatay Bertie, owned by Ms Weston. The stake was declared a compulsory division with Moss sharing the spoils as a joint winner!

Now to the trials. Zorro and Henrietta, of-course, have only just passed their first birthday and thereby became eligible to try the big stage. Leading them into it gently, it was planned to run them singly. The slipper, however, Bob Fryer, had a lurcher who he was willing to have compete with each of ours. This arrangement worked splendidly with both our pups completing the course in fine style.

With our confidence now in the ascendancy, we felt that Henrietta was perhaps ready for more. One of the semi finalists in the puppy cup needed to run a bye and I volunteered Henrietta to fill that position. She was to run against a very good bitch, Elgedane Morning Glory of Lynperry, owned by Mr Cork of Lynperry Whippets, and I am pleased to report that Henrietta competed admirably. Being a bye, there was no judging as Henrietta's opponent was in effect through to the next round anyway. Let me say that there was very little in it at the end of the course and we were quite naturally pleased with our dog's effort.

In two weeks time the club meets in Lincolnshire. We are hopeful that Henrietta and/or Zorro will this time compete in a stake proper so maybe there will be some good news to impart then. We hope so!

07/01/2006

Saturday 7 January 2006 found us in the grounds of a Suffolk stately home for a meeting of the East Anglian Whippet Coursing Club. Moss, The Shiner and Tilley were entered. The first two competed in the Bob Blatch Trophy which was the main event, with Tilley running in the Champagne Stake. The Shiner was eliminated in the first round - she did not have the best of days.

Moss, however, reached the semi final beating two very useful dogs in rounds one and two before succumbing to the extra size and power of the eventual runner up. We couldn't have been more pleased for her.

Tilley emerged to be yet another success story in her stake. We're pleased to report that she ran out the winner after running an exciting final where both dogs tumbled, Tilley proving to be the quicker to recover and taking the flag in fine style.

The running course was a challenging 700 metres, the dogs showing their fitness by successfully completing the day injury free. A great day was had by all.