History of show races

[TheReverand]

Next week im going to run the Dodd fell race, Wensleydale. This is an old show race that is being resurrected this year. Now i was just wondering if anybody out their knows of any sites or literature that tells of the history of these kind of events. I know at one point in history such races were popular in the lakes and would just be interested in finding out more about this subject and indeed which of these races still exist, I know there is still the Grasmere games race but not really much more than that
Any help would be much appreciated If i knew of many more I might do the circuit

[TheReverand]

just answered my own question seen the bofra website, seems to be loads of little short races to go for will have to get practicing my descents before I try one

[Harry H Howgill]

As well as some mentions in "Feet in the clouds" there is also a good book by Harry Pearson called "Racing pigs and giant marrows". He spent a year travelling round the north to various shows and fairs. As well as fell running at Pen-y-ghent and Grasmere there was the various other agricultural shows and fairs. Really funny and a good read. There is one on ebay for 50p as we speak...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Racing-Pigs-an...QQcmdZViewItem

The Roy Lomas book, Grasmere Sports - the first 150 years has a good history too. Available via the Grasmere sports website

http://grasmeresportsandshow.co.uk/D...e%20Sports.htm

The ITN archive website also has some good footage of Grasmere sports that are very black and white. Wonderful stuff.

http://www.itnsource.com/en/Entire-A...ery%3dgrasmere

Some of my favourite races are from shows. Some of these are on the BOFRA list. Killington sports in a couple of weeks, (which is in the FRA handbook), is a classic village sports with lots of track races for adults and kids. Alva Games near Stirling is a wonderful event and not too far north. It is what Grasmere probably was 50 years ago. The track is surrounded by seats and a funfair. It has the full highland games events too. Watch out for the cabers flying. Cycle racing too on the grass track like Ambleside.

http://www.alva.ukctest.co.uk/home/

On the BOFRA list there is Sedbergh of course, Ambleside, Gargrave, Halton Gill, Hebden, Kilnsey, Reeth, Muker. One classic is the Wasdale Head Shepherds meet, where it feels like you are back in history. A wonderful show in an amazing setting. The fell race is one of the best too - straight to the top of Kirk Fell and back. Just don't plan much running for the week after!

Other FRA races with fairs include Arniston Dash, Coniston country fair, Beetham sports, Arncliffe (my very first race all those years ago), Rusland, Lakeland Country fair. And don't forget Braemar, which is on the same day as Ben Nevis where the queen turns up too. Although she hasn't run yet.

So many wonderful days out. Enjoy.

[david]

There's also some information in SMOTS (Stud Marks on the Summits by Bill Smith) if you can find a copy .

[XRunner]

Racing Pigs and Giant Marrows (Chapter 3) is a short description of the Pen-y-Ghent Fell Race.

Here is a list of books about Lakeland fell running:

1911 Some Records of the Annual Grasmere Sports, 1852_1910 Machell, Hugh W
1953 The Grasmere Book
1973 See the Conquering Hero Comes. An Illustrated History of the Grasmere Sports Senior Guides' Race Miller, Michael and Bland, Denis
1975 Joss Naylor. Fell Runner Extraordinary Ledwood, Ken
1975 Grasmere Giants of Today. A Pictorial Record Woods, Rex Salsbury
1975 History And Records Of Notable Fell Walks Within the Lake District. Supplement Rogerson, Fred (1st)
1977 History And Records Of Notable Fell Walks Within the Lake District. Supplement Rogerson, Fred (2nd)
1978 Lakeland Profiles Woods, Rex Salsbury
1979 Joss Naylor Cumbria Run. Easter Saturday, 14 April 1979 Naylor, Joss
1981 A Walk Around the Lakes (Joss Naylor _ chapter) Davies, Hunter
1982 42 Peaks. The Story Of The Bob Graham Round Smith, Roger (1st)
1985 Stud Marks on the Summits. A History of Amateur Fell Racing: 1863_1983 Smith, Bill
1990 The Best of British. Fell Running Champions Shuttleworth, Neil
1992 Joss Naylor MBE Was Here. A Personal Account of the Complete Traverse of the Lakeland Peaks Naylor, Joss
1992 42 Peaks. The Story of the Bob Graham Round Smith, Roger (2nd)
1994 Judith's Run (Clayton_le_Moors Harriers) Taylor, Philip
1998 Long Days In Lakeland Turnbull, Ronald
1998 Macc and the Art of Long Distance Walking (Bob Graham Round) Wilson, Graham
1998 Lakeland Trails Winbush, Tony
1999 Lakeland Mountain Challenges. A Guide for Walkers and Fell Runners Turnbull, Ronald and Clayton, Roy
2000 Our Traditional Lakeland Sports. Ambleside And It's Sports: A Look At The Events And Personalities Over The Years Blackburn, Blackburn
2002 Grasmere Sports. The First 150 Years Lomas, Roy
2005 42 Peaks. The Story Of The Bob Graham Round Buckley, Paddy; Covell, Brian; Smith, Roger (3rd)

[TheReverand]

thankyou very much for all that info defo add a couple of these races to my 'diary' reeth and muker for sure. Do most of these races struggle for numbers though??

[wycoller]

In my experience most of the races are well supported at the moment. Quite a few aren't suited to very large fields and landowner permission might be withdrawn if too many turned up.

This hasn't always been the case, which is why Bofra was formed. Also Bofra move their championship races around to support some of the smaller events.

Brett has taken to not advertising some of his races in the Calendar to avoid too large fields.

[Leeds Rhino]

Hello Rev. Me and my mate are doing Dodd Fell so they will definately be three of us running

[Harry H Howgill]

thankyou very much for all that info defo add a couple of these races to my 'diary' reeth and muker for sure. Do most of these races struggle for numbers though??

Muker results for last year

http://www.ukresults.net/2006/muker.html

show 35 seniors and 24 kids, which isn't bad for a midweek daytime race. Like Wycoller says, some of the locations definately couldn't take hundreds of runners, and would be worse off if there were. Muker was fun last year. Great atmosphere. Us fell runners were seen as a top part of the show's entertainment. Keep the tradition going and go along this year.

[jmacewan]

Lots of games hill races up here in Scotland, not just Alva.

Think most of them(all?) are listed on the SHR site these days:

http://www.shr.uk.com/Calendar.aspx

Found this nice wee bit about the Skye Highland Games race, which takes place at Portree.

http://www.skye-highland-games.co.uk/race.htm

Never done it but I have heard the tales about people running through the thigh-deep harbour water!