Bad light stopped play.......

.......... as usual, at Killington Sports where the last race was run in the near-dark with car headlights at the bends. Two mass charges called heats had sorted out the three-legged race. An uncountable number of youngsters had charged round the field. Children and adults battered each other on the bolster and bar for nearly two hours. Some high quality runners led the crowd on track and hill. And the wrestling drew big entries.

Carlisle wrestlers took all the prize money in the 13 stones but had to work hard for it. Young wrestlers from South Cumbria gave 13st champion, John Harrington, a hard time. Graham Brocklebank had taken four falls out of Harrington at Sedbergh Gala a fortnight ago, and he set about Harrington again, trying to power into his short ribs. This time, though, Harrington was prepared and won by resisting and then counter attacking, particularly with the leg-up buttock. In the next round Sam Wilkinson took a surprise fall from Harrington and pushed him hard but unsuccessfully in the next two holds.

In the meantime Richard Fox had been using the early rounds to practice his hank, a trip that he usually only resorts to when in difficulties. By the time he reached the final he was in full flow and dispatched John Harrington in straight falls using his two basic chips, the back-heel and the cross-buttock. Fox continued his good form in the All Weights, adding in a few hipes for variety, but his virtuosity was trumped by the power and concentration of Thomas Brocklebank.

These days Brocklebank wrestles more and more like his father, former heavyweight champion Harry. He lifts high and twists back, and especially he rushes opponents forward off his right hip. That is what he did with Richard Fox in the semi-final, and with little brother Graham in the final.

The girls wrestling was easy for Tracy Hodgson, felling both of her younger sisters, but the boys wrestling was hard work for the winners. Bradley Thompson and Fred Whit could not have put another ounce of energy into their final as they buzzed and twisted around in the final of the Under 12 Years. Scott Brocklebank had several rounds to wrestle before he reached the final of the Under 15 Years with Milnthorpe’s Jack Lashley and promptly lost the first fall to a buttock. However he picked himself up and won the next two falls with the patent Brocklebank right side rush.

Results:

Killington Sports

Under 12 Years 1, B Thompson; 2, F Whit; 3, I Hammond.

Under 15 Years 1, S Brocklebank; 2, J Lashley; 3, S Mason.

Girls Under 16 Years1, T Hodgson; 2, H Hodgson; 3, C Hodgson.

13st 1, R Fox; 2, John Harrington; 3, A Fox.

All Weights 1, T Brocklebank; 2, G Brocklebank; 3, R Fox.

Dates:

June 9th - Roman Wall Show
U13/U17/11½/13½/AW

June 10th, 2pm - Morpeth
U10/U13/U16/U18/10½/13/15½/AW

June 16th, 2pm - Kirkheaton Show                   
U12/U15/U18/12/15 Ch’ship(£350)/AW

 

(Roger Robson is Author of the book 'Cumberland & Westmorland Wrestling' published by Bookcase 1999 )