International Draghunt set for Dripsey on Sunday, June 15.
Finbarr O'Sullivan of Shanakiel harriers with Mossgrove Rodger who finhsed third in the Cahirciveen Puppy draghunt.
The international meeting venue has been confirmed as Dripsey will host the Blue Riband meeting on Sunday June 15.
It has taken weeks of work by the executive committee to find a suitable venue and Dripsey certainly fits the bill.
Times have certainly changed in the sport as in the seventies and eighties venues would be crying out to host this prestigious meeting.
Looking at both the Irish and English associations lack of venues is a major problem but deep down it’s the lack of urgency from members to go and seek new courses that’s the real worry.
Presently in England some weeks since the season began there has only been 2 meetings on a weekly basis.
When I was working for the Whitehaven News you had meetings on a daily basis sometimes three on one day but the loss of key men from the sport has really hurt them.
In recent times I spoke with Cumbrian trainer James McClennan one of the hardest workers in the sport and he is also worried about the present situation.
“There is too much negativity as I recently put on a trail meeting at Potter’s Park and just because some hounds got wrong, I was at the end of not so nice comments.
“I am a working- class man who lost time at my job to organize this meeting and then to have to listen to people who do very little to promote the sport is very frustrating,” McClennan said.
On the brighter note McClennan indicated he will be Cork before the end of the season possibly to attend the Singleton’s Supervalu Donal O’Mahony meeting that will held at Blarney in late August.
“I love coming to run my hounds in Cork as we always enjoy the craic among great people,” concluded James.
The weekend Puppy draghunt in Cahirciveen saw a good Cork contingent travelling over the county bounds but it proved fruitless as the winner trained by Patrick Lyons of the Ballinskelligs club came home an unchallenged winner.
As per usual at this venue you had good open country on this terrain but having knowledge of the course is always a huge advantage to the local hounds.
The winner crossed the tape ahead of another Kerry hound in the shape of Con O’Leary’s Enchanted Lady from the Pound club.
The best place of the Cork association came courtesy of the Finbarr O’Sullivan trained Mossgrove Rodger from Shanakiel Harriers.
Indeed, it was a good day for Shanakiel harriers in this race as the Thomas and Chloe Murray trained Dreamer and Chancer filled fourth and fifth tickets for the Cork club.
Kerry concluded the ticketing hounds when Jacko snatched fifth ticket and Cork trainer Finbarr O’Sullivan expressed his pride in securing third ticket.
“Always good to get a ticket at this venue and all I can say is congratulations to the winner and hopefully one day we will do the business down here,” O’Sullivan said.
In the Senior meeting there were sparse entries from the Cork association and not surprisingly they failed to ticket in either the Senior or Senior Maiden draghunts.
1. Bonnie Kate (Kerry); 2. Blackmore (Kerry); 3. Texas (Kerry); 4. Northern Driver (Kerry); 5. Busy Maud (Kerry); 6. Silver (Kerry).
1. Lightening Bolt (Kerry); 2. Lofty (Dublin); 3. Clifford (Kerry); 4. Brandy (Kerry); 5. Ferry Bill (Kerry); 6. Kerry Surprise (Kerry).
1. Chapel Field Lady (Kerry); 2. Star Enchanted (Kerry); 3. Mossgrove Rodger (Shanakiel harriers); 4. Dreamer (Shanakiel harriers); 5. Jacko (Kerry); 6. Chancer (Shanakiel harriers).
App?
