SATURDAY afternoon was the last day of the local trotting season, which as usual was charity day.

This year the charity was the Motor Neurone Disease Association and although there were one or two heavy showers there was no lack of enthusiasm on the race field.

here is always great competition on the final race day of the season, the small prize money is more than compensated for by the pride of a final win of the season.

The Nursery started the racing which is for new horses starting on their careers and new drivers looking for experience, the winner was a young horse Lucifer driven by Perry Thomas for Robin Lloyd from Painscastle, second was another youngster Itsnotforme (Parry, Talgarth) while Laura Bevan swopped the saddle for the sulky seat on her aunt’s Ellavafella coming third.

There was a full field of nine runners in the Baby Novice, with victory going to the impressive homebred three year old Hillbilly Jackson belonging to Rachel Bevan from Builth Wells driven by trainer Steve Lloyd, in second was Millstream Art (Chan, Leicester) while Ayr Zac (Boxhall, Brecon) was third.

There were also nine runners in the Novice class where the stayer Easy Connection driven by Ben Flanagan for owner trainer Dan Millard from Stourbridge came over the line just in front of Fold Fearless (Perks, Presteigne) while stablemate Fold Megastar claimed third.

In the Grade B the classy Stateside Icon owned & trained by the Weigel family from Llanddewi Velfrey and partnered as usual by Mathew Tromans came home in front of Carrie on Fred (Middleton, Llandrindod Wells) while Ellavafella (Bevan, Llanddewi) was third.

Ontop Shouda Cuda driven by Elin Bevan for aunt Jayne Bevan, owner and trainer from Llanddewi, produced a good run to claim victory in the Grade A with Dernol Yankee (Wozencraft, Llangurig) in second and the veteran Lakeside Pan (Elder, New Quay) in third.

During the break there were children’s and dog races as well as the usual human pulling a ‘driver’ on a sulky, several chose small children for the job! This and the presentation of the awards for the year helps give the party atmosphere enjoyed by everyone.

The saddle race was the next on the card with the diminutive Llwyns Mercy retiring from racing as she takes up maternity duties, she was ridden by her owner Liz Collingwood from Huntington.

The in form Ontop Shoulda Cuda with her owner Jayne Bevan from Llanddewi on board claimed victory adding to his successes over the season.

The next race was the non-whip race which has become a regular feature of racing this season, the impressive Fold Fearless from the Perks stable at Presteigne with Oliver Jones on board claimed a narrow victory from Dernol Yankee (Wozencraft, Llangurig) while the long time leader Easy Connection (Millard, Stourbridge) held on for third.

The reverse race is where the competitors go around in a clockwise direction rather than the traditional way for harness racing, this did not appear to be a problem for Victoria Penlan and Perry Thomas from Pontypridd, this mare has been so consistent throughout the season, in second was Evenwoodgunslinger (Millard, Stourbridge) with Goodtime Hal (Staples, Brecon) in third.

The dash is another popular race and trainer Lynne Boxhall teamed up with Carrie on Fred (Middleton, Llandrindod Wells) as they surged up the home straight to claim a narrow victory ahead of Fold Showman (Perks, Presteigne) with Juicy Wiggle (Weigel, Llanddewi Velfrey) in third.

The final race of the day probably created the biggest talking point of the season as the non drivers, several well known from yesteryear, took up the reins.

Commentator Mike Lewis put his microphone away to steer Fold Megastar to victory for the Perks stable from Presteigne, just a length behind in second was another ‘blast from the past’; Horst Weigel from Llanddewi Velfrey with his own Stateside Icon, while in third place was Sam Lloyd from Gladestry with Carrie on Doon owned by friend Fran Morgan from Knighton.

So at the end of another season, time to reflect on success and failure, plans to be made while the horses are turned out for a well earned rest, ready to continue in this traditional country sport in May 2025.