FOR NEWCOMERS TO THE SPORT
Hound Trailing is one of Cumbria’s oldest and most popular pastimes and meetings take place up and down the local countryside most days during the season which stretches from the beginning of April through to the end of October. The sport, which has been likened to a fox hunt without the fox, dates back to the 18th Century. However, it wasn't until 1906 that the governing body, the Hound Trailing Association was formed under the direction of Robert Jefferson, a Whitehaven man. Since then the sport has grown under the Association’s guidance and at present has more than five hundred members.
In remote parts of Cumbria as well as in the Borders, parts of Yorkshire and Ireland, you may come across a field of parked cars and a crowd gathered - looking through binoculars, shaking small buckets, shouting and blowing whistles. Next you will see a trail of hounds come racing down the fells at speed, clearing all obstacles in their path, including dry stone walls, fences and streams to get to the finishing line where their owners will produce a bucket of food as a reward for completing the course.
These hounds, known as trail hounds are descendants of fox hounds, especially bred for their speed and they will have covered distances of up to ten miles across some hard terrain, following a scent consisting of aniseed, paraffin and oil which has been laid down by two ‘trailers’ for them to follow. The ‘trailers’ each with a good knowledge of the local terrain lay the scent by means of a ‘rag’ which is soaked in the mixture. They part at the mid way point of the trail and one makes his way to the start and the other to the finish.
Once the trail is laid the runners, which can be entered up until ten minutes before, are slipped at a given signal from the appointed starter. At popular venues there may be fifty or sixty runners in any one race. At the finishing tape, the judge awards places and prize money to the first six hounds and he has the help of ‘catchers’ who ensure each of the placed runners is given its correct ticket. Bookmakers are an important part of hound trailing and are always present, the average meeting would consist of three or four trails for various classes of hound ranging in levels of ability and the seniors and juniors with the most wins at the end of the season are awarded the coveted titles of champion. Substantial wagers are often placed on the outcome of each race.
Anybody wanting to participate in the running of hounds must be a member of the Association and have their hounds registered. The breeding season begins on New Years Day and all pups born that year will make their debuts the following April. Puppies born in January and February tend to be the most sought after as they begin their training at about the age of six months and by the end of the year they are racing on practice trails against other pups in readiness for the new campaign.
Spectators are always made welcome and further information and up to date fixture lists can be found on our fixture and events page.
Hound Trailing relies on the generosity of local farmers who give leave for hounds to run across their land and each season thousands of pounds are raised for local charities.
