Andrew wins 14 stone wrestling title
Last updated 12:21, Monday, 04 August 2008
YOUTH is taking over in Cumberland and Westmorland Wrestling with another championship going to an 18-year-old.
At the Cumberland Show Andrew Ord was the surprise winner of the 14st title, and last week at Penrith Show, Graham Brocklebank fulfilled his potential by winning his first senior championship, the 13 stones.
Although he is so young, Brocklebank's win was no surprise: he has the pedigree, training, experience, physique and attitude to be a champion.
His father, Harry, and his grandfather, Wilf, were heavyweight champions over many years. The family wrestling culture means that Graham has been carted to wrestling over many years, and to Kendal Academy in the winter. Without being in the massive Brocklebank mode he is nevertheless a powerful wrestler, positive in attitude and difficult to fell.
At present he is working at Silverdale Golf Club, like brother Thomas, as he awaits A-level results.
In the first round he met Fraser Hirsch, who had travelled down from Dundee to compete. Hirsch is a strong, clever wrestler, but Brocklebank had his measure, felling him with a cross-click and then an inside-click. The second round was a crunch match with John Harrington, which took four falls to sort out. Brocklebank went ahead with a twist off the chest. Brocklebank seemed to be winning the second bout but a Harrington hank produced a dog-fall. Then we saw John Harrington at his best as he gripped Brocklebank's head, then attacked with an inside-click which transformed into a leg-up buttock.
The decider was almost an anti-climax: Harrington went for an outside-hipe, a favoured chip of his, only to be counter-twisted by Brocklebank.
A bye in the semi-final took Brocklebank through to meet Richard Fox in the final. Fox is in great form at present as shown on the previous day when he won both the 13 stones and the All Weights at Langholm against strong and numerous opposition. The two wrestlers fell to the ground together in the first hold, but Brocklebank touched last so won the fall.
Fox's most potent weapon is the buttock, but he wisely rations its use. Now it was needed and once more it delivered the goods and levelled the score.
The deciding fall was wrestled at close quarters with Brocklebank always trying to mend his hold and Fox chesting off.
Fox tried a right-leg back heel, but Brocklebank turned it into an inside-click and Fox backed off. Much the same move came a second time, but when Fox retreated, Brocklebank seized hold down amongst the short ribs, and from then on he kept control, spinning Fox round anti-clockwise, lower and lower, until he flipped over for a decisive fall. The Brocklebank family had yet more to celebrate when Thomas overcame a big weight disadvantage to fell Wigton auctioneer, David Bowman, in the final of the All Weights.
John Harrington is lighter than usual at the moment because of clipping sheep, and he was a surprise entry in the 11 stones at Langhom Common Riding, which he duly won.
His final opponent was Craig Ridley of Slaggyford who had wowed the crowd with his skill against much bigger opponents in the Under 16 Years. That skill was further evident when he caught Harrington cold in their first bout, riding a hipe and twisting on landing. Normal service was resumed when two Harrington outside hipes put the youngster in his place.
The All Weights at Langholm attracted 18 entries: all big lads and some even bigger. Richard Fox had his arms full but survived the biggest opponents before meeting the great former champion Lee Wall in the final. Wall's wrestling career came to a halt after a serious neck injury playing Rugby. At Langholm he was on good wrestling form, going for the spectacular as always, but in the end Richard Fox was too sharp and battle hardened for him.
At Flookburgh Steam Gathering Jack Ewart and Thomas Brocklebank both had their second win in two days. Milnthorpe's Jack Lashley had a first senior win in the 13 stones. And brother and sister were a winning team when Joe Thompson won the Under 15 Years and older sister, Donna, won the ladies. Arlecdon wrestler, Paul Murray, pulled neck muscles at Penrith, putting at risk his chance to defend his Under 15 Years/8st Championship at Gosforth in August.
RESULTS
Langholm Common Riding:
Under 12 Years 1, J Black; 2, B Campbell; 3, H Alecock. Under 16 Years 1, C Ridley; 2, S Jamma; 3, J Thompson. 11st 1, John Harrington; 2, C Ridley; 3, J Brown. 13st 1, R Fox; 2, John Harrington; 3, C Ridley. All Weights 1, R Fox; 2, L Wall; 3, J Watson.
Penrith Show:
Under 12 Years 1, Jack Hall; 2, F McVeigh; 3, T Gibson. Under 15 Years 1, James Hall; 2, J Brown; 3, B Brocklebank. Undert 18 Years 1, J Ewart; 2, W Noimai; 3, J Atkinson.
111/2st 1, John Harrington; 2, R Dixon; 3, D Blair.13st World Championship 1, G Brocklebank; 2, R Fox; 3, J Reay. All Weights 1, T Brocklebank; 2, D Bowman; 3, J Robson.
Flookburgh Steam Gathering:
Under 12 Years 1, A Barnes; 2, S Wilson; 3, T. Gibson. U. 15 Years 1, J Thompson; 2. S Mason; 3, W Hayhurst. U. 18 Years 1, J Ewart; 2, S. Mason; 3, J. Thompson. Girls 1. D, Thompson; 2, D. Gibson; 3, C. Hodgson. 111/2st.1, M. Knowles; 2,T. Barnes; 3, M. Atkinson. 13st.1,J Lashley; 2, M. Knowles; 3, J. Thompson. All Weights 1, T. Brocklebank; 2, S. Fleming; 3, M. Knowles.
Dates: Saturday August 2, 2.30pm Beetham Sports U12/U14/U16/U18/Girls/121/2/AW; 1pm Cockermouth Show U12/ U15/U18/111/2/13/AW Ch'ship; 2pm Powburn Show U10/U13/U16/101/2st Ch'ship/14/AW.
Thursday, August 7, 2.30pm Ings U12/U15/U18/Girls/121/2/AW.
Saturday, August 9, 12noon Dalston Show U12/ U15/U18/111/2/13/AW.
Sunday, August 10 Lowther; Forestburngate
Tuesday, August 12 Kirkby Lonsdale.
