May 30th 2008
Cumberland and Westmorland Wrestling
by Roger Robson
( Roger Robson is Author of the book 'Cumberland & Westmorland Wrestling' published byBookcase 1999 )
(CLICK to see larger picture - photos by Roger Robson and Linda Scott)
Red was the colour at the Northumberland Show, with so many wrestlers proudly wearing the Rothbury Academy t-shirts. They put a firm foundation into the event with young Joe Hale setting the pace in the first bouts of the day. Although he was far from the biggest in the Under 12 Years, he was certainly the most skilful, winning with buttocks in the early rounds and two cross-clicks in the final. His older club-mate Ross Wilkinson was also a winner, felling Watchai Noimai in the final of the Under 19 Years.
The winners of all the senior wrestling wore red shirts, too, but that was accidental. John Harrington was wearing his red England wrestling shirt, and Richard Fox, the winner of the All Weights, was in a red Carlisle Wrestling Club shirt, which could have been any colour.
John Harrington showed exactly why he is entitled to wear an international shirt, for he was on his best form and won both at 11 ½ and 13 ½ stones. In each category his main victory came in the semi-finals. In the lighter weight, Richard Dixon, in a promising return from injury, took the first fall with an inside-hipe, but lost the next two to an outside-hipe and a twist back. After that Harrington had an easier task against the young Northumbrian, Dan Heron.
In the 13 ½ stones semi-final Harrington flew better than Richard Fox as they swung and swung, faster and faster, inches from the ground. Harrington, in a way survived that fall, but in the next he was at his subtle best with a right leg back-heel, which became a twist over the knee: a connoisseur's throw. The reward for that was place in the final with young Joe Thompson who is winning Under 15 Years competitions wherever he goes, and frightening a lot of wrestlers in the seniors, but there was never any doubt that Harrington would win the day.
Richard Fox, whenever he loses in a lighter weight, nearly always comes out stronger, faster and feistier in the heavier section. Once more that was the case at Corbridge, where he battled his way to the final to meet the powerful Northumbrian champion, Robert Leiper. By rights, Fox should have been buried in their first bout, but somehow he emerged from an impossible position to twitch Leiper over with a right side buttock. Common sense was restored in the next hold when the might Leiper clamped the lesser man and back-heeled him into the ground.
Then there was mayhem as the two wrestlers spun round and down the incline towards the table until referee, Jimmy Pringle, stopped the bout just before his wife and the two other ladies on the table became involved in the action.
Never was a bout more critically balanced, but it was Fox who cut through Leiper's power and drive with the great leveller, an inside-click, which, if done properly, can cut the biggest man down to size. The fall was a fitting end to a grand session of wrestling.
After all the wrestling was over, I had a quiet word with a young Carlisle wrestler, Watchai Noimai, to tell him that amongst all the brilliant action, one of his falls was the best of the day. Faced with a large Northumbrian lad, Nathan Birdsall, no slouch at wrestling and four stones heavier and a foot taller, he beat him best-of-three, finishing off with as good an inside-hipe as I have ever seen.
Results:
Northumberland County Show, Corbridge.
Under 9 Years 1, J Stewart; 2, E Robson; 3, G Robson.
Under 12 Years 1, Joe Hale; 2, S Kyle; 3, A Tiffin.
Under 15 Years 1, J Thompsomn; 2, P Murray; 3, J Brown.
Under 19 Years 1, R Wilkinson; 2, W Noimai; 3, N Birdsall.
11 ½ st 1, John Harrington; 2, D Heron; 3, R Dixon.
13 ½ st 1, John Harrington; 2, J Thompson; 3, R Fox.
All Weights 1, R Fox; 2, R Leiper; 3, John Harrington.
Dates:
Sunday, June 8th 1.30pm Morpeth U10/U13/U16/U18/11/13 ½ /15 ½ /AW
Saturday, June 14th Roman Wall Show & Lowgill Sports & Sheepdog Trials
