I was spectating at the Bamford Sheepdog Trials yesterday. On running up Townhead Lane up towards Winhill I came across 3 youngish looking cows. Its a narrow section of track and I've come across cows here before. They looked calm enough but i was on my own going slowly uphill (the race comes down this way). On reaching a marshall and pointing out that there were cows on the route the response was a chuckle and 'they've all signed disclaimers haven't they?'

Obviously that wasn't the response I was expecting, but in hindsight he was probably just a local person (unconnected with fell running) who had been sent to stand at a gate, so not his problem.

On returning to the event field after my run I was greeted by stories of charging/stampeding cows. Apparently the RO said at the start that there were cows on the course.

Is this really acceptable? If cows are an avoidable hazard (which recent weeks have shown they are!) then shouldn't the RO be making arrangements with farmers to remove them prior to the race?