Greyhound Nation

Episode 25: Recorded November 15, 2021

“I think of you as the Sir Mark Prescott of American coursing...”Host John Parker on Steve Downs and his involvement in coursing in the United States

Show Notes

Steve Downs is a fourth generation Greyhound man. His father's family hailed from California and became interested in hunting hares, also referred to as as jackrabbits in the United States. Steve caught his first hare around the age of five with the first Greyhound he could call his own, a black brindle named Felix.

In 1990, Steve joined a friend for a coursing meeting sanctioned by the National Open Field Coursing Association (NOFCA). On this trip to Wyoming, he experienced coursing under rules for the first time with his Greyhound. Steve's favorite Greyhound at the time -- Sally -- won the hunt on his behalf.

NOFCA, founded in the 1960s, established rules for walked-up coursing in the United States for most of the sighthound breeds. Steve would continue his involvement with the organization into the mid-2000s when he became a licensed judge for NOFCA coursing meetings. He also began to breed his own Greyhounds for open field coursing and developed a sense for the traits that made for excellent coursing dogs.

In this episode, host John Parker and Steve discuss the history of open field coursing in the United States, including the evolution of NOFCA as a governing body for the sport. Steve shares his experiences as a breeder, a judge, and a competitor during the course of the interview.

Episode 24: Recorded September 23, 2021

“As long as I could reach the window to the ticket seller, I could place a wager…”Gary Guccione, talking about placing his first wagers at the Butte, MT Greyhound racing track

Show Notes

Gary Guccione’s life in Greyhound racing started in Butte, Montana. His father served as racing secretary and racing kennel owner at the Western Montana Kennel Club. One of his earliest memories was reaching up to the counter at a parimutuel window to place a wager on a Greyhound race.

In one particular instance, his 3rd grade teacher, who was working a summer job as a parimutuel teller, happily took his wager. As it turned out, Gary’s wasn’t the only life impacted by Greyhound racing in Butte.

In 1964, Gary traveled with his family to the Multnomah Kennel Club in Portland, Oregon where his father was racing some Greyhound puppies he had bred. Gary got to see some up-and-coming Greyhounds at the "puppy derby" that year — an event that served as the catalyst for the rest of his career.

He enjoyed guessing the sire standings before they were published, upon which his father made a suggestion. “Why don’t you start tracking blood matron standings?” Gary took his father’s advice and started publishing brood matron standings for Racing Record in 1965. He left for college to earn a degree in journalism, during which time he also started writing articles for The Coursing News. His college summers were spent in various roles at the Black Hills Greyhound Track where his father had another racing kennel.

In 1971, Gary went to work for the National Coursing Association (NCA), the predecessor the National Greyhound Association (NGA), in Abilene, Kansas. He met his wife shortly thereafter, and they decided to make Abilene their home. Gary continued to work for what had become the NGA. In 1982, he became executive director, secretary-treasurer and keeper of the Greyhound stud book. He would serve the NGA for many more years, eventually earning an induction into the Greyhound Hall of Fame in 2009.

In this episode, host John Parker and Gary sit down to discuss his life in Greyhound racing. Gary shares his love of Greyhound racing and pedigrees, his experiences in assuring the integrity of Greyhound pedigrees and naming standards, and his early interactions with Greyhound adoption groups.

Links

National Greyhound Association (Website)Greyhound Hall of Fame (Website)Gary Guccione at the Greyhound Hall of Fame (Website)

Episode 23: Recorded August 17, 2021

"Gamal started to gallop, and King said, 'I know this -- I can run!'"Cynthia Branigan, on her first Greyhound's experience with Gamal, America's last diving horse

Show Notes

Cynthia Branigan took her first Greyhound, King (fka Low Key Two), to visit a very special horse, Gamal. Gamal was the last of the Atlantic City Steel Pier diving horses. When he was "retired" and put up for auction in 1980, Cynthia purchased him. She rescued King from an unhappy adoption situation in 1987. At the time, he was ten years old and quite depressed. However, he and Gamal realized they were kindred spirts and took to running like old friends.

Cynthia, like many Greyhound people, is also a horse person. Actually, she's an animal person, having joined forces years ago with Cleveland Amory, the father of the modern animal protection movement and founder of The Fund for Animals. During her time with Cleveland, she ventured to the New Jersey Pine Barrens on a mission to save Gamal from slaughter by purchasing him at auction, an act that set the tone for her life to come.

After adopting King in 1987, she was approached by a local shelter to help find a home for another Greyhound. She decided to set out on her own and started to find homes for Greyhounds in the New England area. In 1988, she founded the Greyhound adoption group Make Peace with Animals and has, to this day, rehomed over 5,500 Greyhounds.

Her passion is more action than activism -- finding the right homes for animals like Gamal and King. She has also channeled her passion into writing, publishing two books on Greyhounds. One of those books, Adopting the Racing Greyhound, is in its third edition. Cynthia's latest book -- The Last Diving Horse in America -- retells the story of her quest to rescue Gamal from slaughter against the backdrop of her life in animal welfare. The Last Diving Horse in America will be published October 19, 2021.

In this episode, Cynthia shares her passion for animal welfare and Greyhound adoption with host John Parker. Her stories include the rescue of Gamal, the founding of Making Peace with Animals, and what inspired her to write about Greyhounds and her very special equine friend.

Links

The Last Diving Horse in America (Amazon.com, pre-order)Adopting the Racing Greyhound (Amazon.com)Make Peace with Animals (Website)

Episode 22 (Bonus): Recorded August 22, 2021

“I hope you children will have happy memories of today.”Charlie Wilby, butcher and coursing enthusiast, 1987

Show Notes

Our first bonus episode revisits our conversation with Charlie Blanning and Sir Mark Prescott in Episode 12: The Greatest of Coursing. In that episode, Sir Mark shared an anecdote about a butcher from Norfolk -- Charlie Wilby -- who would bring his Greyhounds to coursing meetings. He was also known for sharing choice cuts of beef with volunteers at those meetings.

In 1987, Mr. Wilby asked to give a speech to children attending one such coursing meeting. He spoke with them during breakfast before the day's events. During the speech, he shared his love of coursing, Greyhounds, and people at the event. He wished for the children to have the same enjoyment he got from the sport.

In this episode, Charlie Blanning gives a reading of this very speech, a copy of which was provided by Sir Mark. The message rings true some thirty plus years later. Greyhound sports will only continue to thrive with new generations of volunteers, competitors and enthusiasts.

In my mind and memory, she is and always will be the blithest of greyhound spirits...The One Who Got Away, Dennis McKeon

Show Notes

Greyhound Nation went “on the air” as a brand new podcast for Greyhound enthusiasts on August 11, 2020. Our first guest was Dennis McKeon, a former racing Greyhound trainer and respected essayist on the breed. Since then, we’ve released over twenty episodes covering a variety of topics on the Greyhound breed.

In our first year, we've sought to give voice to the Greyhound breed and its fans. We've also sought to educate those who want to learn more about Greyhounds. Our topics and guests have been international in scope and covered the gamut. British coursing. American amateur racing. Greyhound adoption and breed advocacy. Greyhound photography.

In honor of our one-year anniversary, we invited Dennis McKeon back to the show to read some of his favorite essays about Greyhounds. Dennis writes about Greyhounds from his years of experience as a racing Greyhound trainer. His essays seek to bridge the gap between the American racing Greyhound experience and their life in retirement.

We hope you enjoy Dennis' reading of the essays and continue to follow our podcast. There are many more destinations to explore in the Greyhound Nation. Here's to another year of Greyhound adventure, listeners.

Links

The Draft Dog and the Racing Gods (Facebook, public)Nobody Likes a Wet Dog (Facebook, public)The Handing Down (Facebook, public)The Top 5 Things that Greyhounds Care About and Don't Care About (Facebook, public)The One Who Got Away (Facebook, public)

"Track Greyhounds -- too much engine and not enough frame. But I am addicted to that speed."Michele Houghton, amateur Greyhound racing enthusiast

Show Notes

Michele Houghton had her first lure coursing experience in 1992. At the time, she had a kennel of nearly 40 Greyhounds. Michele loved the sport, but she soon realized that hard New England fields were better suited to smaller breeds than her Greyhounds. In 1998, she discovered amateur racing, and everything changed.

Michele began racing her Greyhounds with Large Gazehound Racing Association (LGRA) clubs in New England. The organization blossomed in the mid 1990s. LGRA races are held on 200 yard flat and straight courses. The format is very user friendly for Greyhound pet owners and new adopters.

Dr. Jennifer Ng also has a background in amateur racing. After adopting her first Greyhound in 2007, she sought out activities for her Greyhound in Camden, SC. Little did Jennifer know that one of those activities would set her first Greyhound on the path to a championship.

Jennifer's first Greyhound ran in amateur track races with the National Oval Track Racing Association (NOTRA). NOTRA holds events at large fields and former racing training tracks around the country. Both NOTRA and LGRA races are rooted in fun competition and bragging rights for owners and Greyhounds. Trophies, ribbons, stuffed animals and glory await the winners of these races.

In this episode, host John Parker sits down with Dr. Jennifer Ng and Michele Houghton to learn more about amateur racing for your Greyhound. Jennifer and Michele share their unique perspectives on the LGRA and NOTRA formats. They also share tips to help both Greyhounds adopters and puppy owners get their dogs involved in amateur racing.

Links

National Oval Track Racing Association (NOTRA)Large Gazehound Racing Association (LGRA)

"Like Alfred Hitchcock, I'd insist on appearing in a scene myself...the man walking behind the bookmakers."Charlie Blanning

Show Notes

Some of the best TV series and movies today bring a little known moment or person from history to the big screen. One could argue that author Charlie Blanning is a keeper of such stories from Greyhound history. Author of Please Mister: The Golden Age of Greyhound Racing, Charlie could easily recommend several such stories to a willing screenwriter.

Take, for example, the story of Master McGrath, the famous Irish Greyhound that won the Waterloo Cup three times in four years. His coursing meetings regularly drew sixty thousand spectators from all strata of English society. Julian Fellowes, creator Downton Abbey, could very well base his next period piece on the rise of Master McGrath from runt of the litter to Waterloo Cup champion.

There's the story of Snowflight, a greyhound raised in the 1880s in one of the poorest parts of England. Snowflight was raised by a poor farmer from the village Guide Post. She shows promise and makes her way to the Waterloo Cup where she wins it all. Her story doesn't end there, as she finds herself next in the hands of gamblers who have their eye on the next Waterloo Cup.

Greyhound track racing has its share of famous stories suitable for the big screen. Mission Boy raced everywhere in America in the 1920s, often traveling by train to different venues. He had connections with the founder of the first Greyhound track in the United States, O.P. Smith. However, his real claim to fame was living out his retirement with American boxer Jack Dempsey. What more could you ask for in a miniseries or television series about a Greyhound in early 20th century America?

In this episode, host John Parker explores these and other stories with guest Charlie Blanning. Charlie shares some of the most screenplay worthy anecdotes from his books on Greyhound history, coursing and track racing. They also have some good fun speculating about the casting for these moments in Greyhound history.

Links

Please Mister: The Golden Age of Greyhound Racing (Facebook)Please Mister: The Golden Age of Greyhound Racing (Amazon UK)

"I've never heard a Greyhound or any sighthound ever complain about the score the judge gave them."Dean Wright on the joy a Greyhound or sighthound gets from lure coursing

Show Notes

Dean Wright knows what drives a Greyhound or other sighthound to give chase at a lure coursing meeting. He's been lure coursing with the American Sighthound Field Association (ASFA) since the 1970s. He currently serves as president of the organization, which will celebrate 50 years of existence in 2022.

Dean's love affair with the sport of lure coursing began with Ibizan Hounds in the 1970s. In that same decade, he would field his first Greyhound in ASFA trials -- a dog named after the famous STAR WARS droid, R2-D2. One of his best Greyhounds to participate in the sport was Fantasy, a compact and muscular Greyhound raised to course since she was a puppy.

In 2022, Dean will complete his term as ASFA president. Though entries in the sport were waning in recent years, the COVID pandemic has spurred new interest in getting outdoors and participating in lure coursing meetings. AFSA clubs will need to educate new, young volunteers and competitors about the sport so that it may continue to thrive.

In this episode, host John Parker and Dean explore the history of ASFA and lure coursing in America. They discuss the format of the meetings and the merits upon which each Greyhound and sighthound breed are judged during competition. They also explore the future of ASFA and the need for clubs to reach out to young competitors and their sighthounds.

Links

American Sighthound Field Association (Website)How to Get Started in Lure Coursing (Website via the Southeastern Greyhound Club)

"I swear you could put a coffee cup on his back and he wouldn't spill it. He was a smooth machine."Greyhound breeder Michael Strickland on one of his favorite stud dogs, EJ's Douglas

Show Notes

Michael Strickland recalls the moment he got to lead EJ's Douglas to the Greyhound Hall of Fame in the early 1990s to accept the National Greyhound Association's Rural Rube Award. EJ's Douglas retired in 1994 and went to stud at Michael's family farm, Strickland Sires. The Greyhound remains one of Michael's favorite and most memorable stud dogs.

Michael's family entered the world of Greyhounds in the 1970s. His grandfather, Don Bartley, raced Greyhounds in Arizona and Colorado, and Michael's father married Deb Bartley. Michael's mother and father quickly earned an excellent reputation for training Greyhounds. In 1987, they moved to Abilene from Nebraska and made the switch from cattle to breeding and training Greyhounds.

His earliest memories of Greyhounds were of 15 Greyhounds in a kennel and 40 Greyhounds in outdoor long runs. He shredded newspaper for bedding and walked the Greyhounds in the open pasture on the farm. Michael learned early on that good walks made for healthy Greyhound kidneys. He saw his first Greyhound races at the The Woodlands in Wichita, Kansas.

Michael and his father would eventually move into the stud business in the 1990s, putting him in close contact with some of the best Greyhounds in the sport. Strickland Sires was an early pioneer in the use of frozen semen and artificial insemination. The stud business grew large enough to warrant two on-site veterinarians. Today, half of Strickland Sires live out their lives on Michael's farm. The rest go back to their owners.

In this episode, host John Parker and Michael Strickland discuss the art and science of Greyhound breeding. They discuss the various factors that contribute to breeding a great Greyhound, the rich history of Greyhounds in Abilene, and the future of American Greyhound racing.

Links

National Greyhound Association (Website)Greyhound Hall of Fame (Website)Hall of Fame Inductee EJ's Douglas (Website)

"I think I might have squealed when I found out that I got the position..." Paula Beniston on landing a position on the Greyhound Board of Great Britain

Show Notes

Paula Beniston's journey with Greyhounds started more than 30 years ago with a weekend job at a local Greyhound training and breeding center, where she got to work with Greyhound puppies. In the past 20 years, she's fostered over 100 Greyhounds and lurchers. After serving with another Greyhound rehoming group for 18 years, Paula bought her own Greyhound rehoming center with other volunteers in Bristol.

In 2020, while COVID raced through the United Kingdom, Paula took her next step in Greyhound adoption. She submitted her CV to the Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB) for new Rehoming Coordinator position. Her background in Greyhounds and experience as a professional accountant led to a job offer. In late 2020, Paula joined the GBGB as Coordinator for the Greyhound Retirement Scheme.

The GBGB's Greyhound Retirement Scheme helps offset the costs of local Greyhound adoption groups and retirement trusts. In just the first 7 months of the program, the GBGB made 1200 disbursements of funds from the Scheme to rehoming centers around the United Kingdom. The disbursements serve as a "pension" fund for each registered Greyhound, helping to fund participating rehoming centers.

In this episode, host John Parker and Paula sit down to talk about rehoming Greyhounds in the United Kingdom. Paula shares how she's able to channel her passion for the breed into her role with the GBGB. Paula also discusses the British Greyhound adoption process, international adoption initiatives, and the growing relationships between trainers, rehoming centers and adopters.

Links

The Greyhound Retirement Scheme (Website - Press Release - 2020)The Greyhound Star Q&A with Paula Beniston (Website - 2021)Greyhound Board of Great Britain (Website)Greyhound Board of Great Britain (Facebook)Greyhound Board of Great Britain (YouTube)