If you have ever considered entering your sighthound in one of the various forms of running sports for gazehounds, this could be one of your most invaluable resources. It ranks right up there with having the rule books for the various sports in which you are interested. It's handy for those of us who have been at the games for a while but could use a refresher and reminder as well as for rank novices. Laurel Drew
So You Want to Run Your Sighthound
If you have ever considered entering your sighthound in one of the various forms of running sports for gazehounds, this could be one of your most invaluable resources. It ranks right up there with having the rule books for the various sports in which you are interested. It's handy for those of us who have been at the games for a while but could use a refresher and reminder as well as for rank novices.
In addition to basic information on lure coursing and how to do it, Ms. Como provides a brief guide to lesser known running sports such as NOTRA (National Oval Track Racining Association), NOFCA (National Open Field Coursing Association), NPR and ARM racing (for whippets), and even LGRA (Large Gazehound Racing Association) which holds events similar to the whippet straight line racing. These are the best know groups, but others are also mentioned.
There is good advice on conditioning your hound and on feeding for performance. First aid and veterinary information are given in two chapters. Some of the best sections are the ones on how to actually enter a coursing trial and what to expect and do once you get there. The novice will find this invaluable!
Hints on starting puppies on chasing the "petroleum hare" are also succinct but very handy. Box breaking for NOTRA and LGRA events is mentioned but needs to be expanded. I believe that this may be done in the new edition which is now in preparation.
One of the more fascinating sections is a brief breed history and standard for each of 18 different sighthound breeds including the Italian Greyhound plus some information on the American Staghound. Additional "newly discovered" breeds will be included in the new editon, I am told.
Last but not least, there are useful chapters containing a bibliography of sighthound books and sources of special sighthound equipment. A final chapter lists the addresses of all the national sighthound field sport organizations.
And, I cannot close without mentioning the clever and thoroughly enjoyable cartoons done by Maryann Conran. They are so true to the breeds and the sport that I giggle every time I look at them. I would love a copy of the closing cartoon of an out-of-shape Greyhound in front of a mirror to hang on my refrigerator!
So You Want to Run Your Sighthound is a handy little guide which will only get better in the new edition, but if you plan to run your dog soon, don't wait for that. Get this one--and fast!
Reprinted with permission from Celebrating Greyhounds: The Magazine, Fall, 1997. © Laurel E. Drew, El-Aur Greyhounds, Greyhound Club of America Archivist
So You Want to Run Your Sighthound
If you have ever considered entering your sighthound in one of the various forms of running sports for gazehounds, this could be one of your most invaluable resources. It ranks right up there with having the rule books for the various sports in which you are interested. It's handy for those of us who have been at the games for a while but could use a refresher and reminder as well as for rank novices. Laurel Drew