1ST SON OF MAGIC, MAYFIELD
2ND MOSSIE, MAYFIELD
3RD BOUNTY, FAIRHILL
4TH MAGIC'S BOY, MAYFIELD
5TH THE HOWLER JACK, SOUTHERN & CARRAGALINE HARRIERS
6TH VICKY'S ROSE, KERRY BEAGLE ASSOCATION
54 RAN TIME 32.00
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| Son Of Magic wins the 2015 Senior All Ireland |
This year's Senior All Ireland went to Ballinadee, in what has been a tough year for the sport of drag hunting in Ireland, The association and members worked hard to get this super course with huge help from the Irish hound trailers.
54 hounds lined up for the blue ribbon event in perfect conditions, with the Kerry Beagle Association members bringing up 20 hounds for a long 3.5 hour journey.
There was a good attendance of followers of the sport & a good atmosphere on the drag hunting field, after talking to a few trainers i asked what hounds they fancied on the big day, of course the Mayfield hounds were mentioned as their club kennels have been in outstanding form all season winning the senior hound title, Son Of Magic, the puppy title with magic's boy & the puppy maiden title with Lady Diamond, southern & carragaline harriers were fancied with the howler jack, Kieran lynch was hopeful that his hound Awesome would put in a good effort and contest the crown,some pups were also lined up with several trainers hoping for a good run their pups in what is a big step up in class.
The hounds were slipped at 3pm and ran the 1st quarter of the drag hunt which was all downhill,after watching Neil cronin's videos it was Don McGrath's pup dawstown spark that led the first two roads, i went out to the main divide myself and when they showed & ran for the road crossing it was Bernie rall's mossy who led the pack across for the 3rd & 4th quarters on the run to home, it was then a rally cross drive back to the finishing field to see what hounds had pushed hard in the 2nd half of the drag hunt.
Again looking at Neil's videos of the road crossings the pack of hound were waiting for nothing and were driving the hunt hard
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| Slip |
As the hounds came into view & the call went up it was a 3 way battle to the tape with Denise rall's Senior championship winner Son of Magic her fathers mossy & Denis O'Cahill's bounty all battling to cross the tape in 1st place,
Son of Magic was not to be denied and won by length beating mossy and bounty into 2nd & 3rd place , magic's boy took the 4th place, with Jennifer & Ger kenneally's The Howler Jack in 5th & Patrick Dillon's vicky rose of the Kerry beagle assocation taking the final ticket.
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| Denise Rall of Mayfield harriers calling her hound son of magic home |
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| 5 of the placed hounds |
In what has been an outstanding year for all the members of Mayfield harriers they have finally broken the curse of the senior all Ireland title.
Mayfield originally founded in the thirties, they went out of existence and were reformed in 1945
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| Bernie & Denise Rall pose with current club members of Mayfield harriers |
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| Chairman Adam O'Sullivan presents the trophy At the presentation Denise told me her father was to collect the Senior All Ireland trophy she said " he's waited 66 years for this" a nice touch |
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| smiles all round delighted is an understatement |
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| a delighted Bernie punches the air in celebration |
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| proud father & daughter |
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| Denise with Magics boy who ran a cracking drag hunt one to watch for 2016 as he moves up to senior ranks |
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| Bernie with grandson Nathan celebrating @ the cow |
In what has been a great season for some in the sport & not so for others, lets hope that 2016 will see a few changes for the good of the sport & move forward.
I would like to thank Marie Keating for all her help in keeping myself up to date with the results and points tables throughout the season, without you it would be so difficult to maintain the website.
The website is getting over 3000 hits each month from Ireland and England, if anyone has any suggestions of what material we could possibly add to the site please let me know & if anyone would like to help out with posting results pictures videos etc that can also be sorted out.
I'd personally like to thank all trainers in Ireland for a great seasons drag hunting.
Regards
Darren.
