JOHN and James Oldcorn were the popular winners of the HTA’s open-non-winners grade with their two-year-old bitch Denial.
 
Out of April Lady by Lofty, she didn’t win a trail but picked-up 14 tickets during the season which included five second places.
 
John, 60, (pictured) said: “She isn’t the best of finishers and didn’t seem to try too hard in second place so we continued to campaign her in the non-winners grade.
 
“Her first ticket was a second place at Rusland in May and she finished in October late on with a second at Askam. She had two seconds at Eskdale and another at Rusland Show.
 
“She got seventh ticket at the Cold Fell Festival and she also picked-up a third place in September at Scawthwaite Close.”
 
Denial had been a bit backward as a pup in 2008 when it seemed to take ages for the 0penbny to drop.
 
Her best effort, among her nine tickets, was a fifth place in an open puppy trail at Lazonby in May. She finished the season with a second in a non-winners at Askam.
 
The brothers have been in the sport all their lives, following in the trail steps of their grand-father Dick Thompson and their parents, Bob and Lizzie Oldcorn.
 
“I think our best hound was Seldom Seen which won the second-ever veterans title in 1987. Lady Sarah was another useful hound for us and she won Ambleside Sports on two occasions,” he recalls.
 
With no pups in the kennel for next season, the brothers will campaign again with Denial and Domino, aiming again at the lower grade trails.
 
Domino, by Geronimo out of Allegro, picked-up ten tickets last season but wasn’t given a hard time of it and will be ready to go come April time.
 
A pup in 2006 Domino picked-up five tickets in the puppy championship, including a win and in 2007 had an open restricted success to her name.  There were two open restricted victories in 2008 but she was winless last season.
 
The Westmorland presentation night will be held on Friday, February 12 at Windermere Social Club at 7.30 pm. Entertainment is by Haig, and tickets are £6, obtainable from Lynn Pawley (015398 21534), Jackie Steele (015397 23654) and Pat Tomlinson (015394 44635).
 
I’d also like to draw your attention to a race night which is being held in the Columba Club by the Cleator Moor Charity Support Group on Friday, January 29 (7-30pm). The entrance fee is £1.50p and that will also get you a pie.

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