Basc Northern Ireland Game Fair

[siona]

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That's great, unfortunately can't go on sunday though - my best friend is having her first born christened (flippin religious types, so inconsiderate) , have suggested she thinmk about another date but wasn't having any of it!!

Anyway, there seem to be plenty more shows coming up over the summer. I have to agree, Fergal is gorgeous, some may say that i'm biased but i don't think so :- " !!

Have no idea what his breeding is, we got him from mid-antrim animal sanctuary and they got him from antrim dog pound so have no background details at all, he's 29" tall, 34kg and has the bald bum thing going on, the rest is anybody's guess!

 

[dazgail]

Fergal's a big boy 29". Did he come with a saddle :lol: Have to agree with Miss Madam from the photo in an earlier thread he looks beautiful and in great condition....Me thinks someone has him spoilt rotten .He should do well at the shows. One of my dogs has the bare bum syndrome also (w00t) Hope to see Fergal and yourself at one of the up and coming shows.c :luck:

 

[streaky]

Hey guys, am new to this forum stuff but can you tell me if there's any shows on in May. I missed all the shows last year, every time there was one on i was away or working. Only one i made it to was when i was in tipperary for a week and i found it by accident. Won the racing though!

 

[Miss Madam]

Hi Streaky as mentioned above the Moira Gamefair is on the 28th & 29th May all the lurcher events r on the saturday, eg, showing, simulated coursing & straight racing. what kind of lurcher do you have?

 

[Miss Madam]

Went to the Basc Gamefair on the Sunday we had a great day with good weather and all, there was also a good turnout of dogs it was all good except the lurcher race course was only about 50/60 yrds & was way to short. but other than that it was a great day out. :thumbsup:

 

[streaky]

Hi Miss Madam, thanks for the info but do you know of any earlier in the month, i think i'm away at the end of the month, as usual.......are there any smaller shows like Shanes castle. Also do you know if there's gonna be any dog show at the Braid county fair, if so can you tell me any dates?

I've got a 3 year old 3/4 greyhound 1/4 collie bitch. A mate of mine Willie bred her from a half cross he got sent over from Hancock. Shes just over 23", mainly black with grey/merle speckled bits, is pretty handy on the lamp and does ok in the racing although she hasn't had much experience as i don't make it to many shows. Shes from the same litter as Franco that appeared in Man About Dog.

 

[Macha]

I'm in N Ireland also and have a lurcher (24 inches) and a whippet (19-20 inches)

how do I find out about racing?

and lurcher shows?

what is involved in showing a lurcher? I know mine would has faults if judged by whippet standards, but maybe they don't matter so much for lurchers.

 

[Miss Madam]

Didnt think there was as many members from n.ireland, lol, to find out about lurcher shows and racing ur best bet would be to check the the thusday night telegraph, buy & sell, ads for free, countrymans weekly of even just ask on k9 :thumbsup: i dought the lurcher judges would be looking for show standard whippets as it is a working dog show so i think ur whippet should do fine as most of the shows have a whippet class :thumbsup:

Hi streaky, which dog was franco in Man about dog? as i also was an extra in man about dog

 

[Miss Madam]

Oh and yes there is a show at the medieval fair at shanes castle on the 11th & 12 of june it is actually the all-ireland championships, think the lurchers will be held on the sunday 12th june,

as for any shows before moira i havnt heard of any,

and there normally does be lurcher showing and racing at braid, my dog won the racing at it last year if i hear any more dates coming up i'll let use all know :thumbsup:

 

[bappit]

Mmmm...Most important thing about showing is to enjoy it (while remembering you know your taking the best dog home regardless of the outcome). Lurchers/longdogs do not have a breed "standard", but most shows try to have a judge with a good knowledge of the type, though that is very subjective!

If you are entirely new to that type of showing maybe its best just to go and observe a show first, watching how other people present their dogs, and the format.

Helps if you can get the dog to stand still while the judge has hands on, often ringside comments are very bias but the judge can "feel" the condition of the dog (particularly in the rough coats) which is different from just standing ringside...

.. a little practice never goes wrong, if you can get someone to go over your dog for you, just starting at the head and touching it (quick look at teeth, moving hands back down the dog, etc.). Many years ago I said to another exhibitor I was surprised the judge did not place their dog...which was very beautiful and sound moving, and really took the eye the moment it entered the ring...the reply was the exhibitor was not surprised at all, as the dog was very nervous and had given the judge a slight growl which was not audible from where I was standing in the ring...obviously (and rightly) it was enough to indicate to the judge that the dog did not have a good temperament.

When moving the dog try to take your time, composing the dog and yourself before setting off as a good judge is looking at the movement as well as the aesthetic qualities. Let the dog and yourself relax when others are being "seen", but when the judge is viewing the whole class show the dog to its best advantage, and if that means standing it facing the other way so be it. Perhaps its obvious but try to keep the dog between yourself and the judge, and also keep an eye on the judge as well as the way your dog is presenting itself when the final decisions are being made. :blink:

I have probably insulted your intelligence or misunderstood as I have just re-read your post and realise you are knowledgeable about your dogs...I was just earlier I was grumbling to a friend that the other week I had attended a show that had some cracking good lurchers in attendance that were let down by poor handling, so again sorry for stating the obvious.

Incidently I'm rubbish at showing!!!

Just do it...and enjoy.

 

[streaky]

I'm pretty sure it was the lead dog, the one they called Cerburus. They said in the film that it was a greyhound but i was told it was actually a lurcher, maybe you can correct me on this as i was told a rather complicated story in the pub one night. :cheers: involving stunt in dogs, greyhounds and lurchers.

 

[dukie]

The lead dog in the film, Cerberus, was a pure greyhound. It was supplied by a lady from England who specializes in that sort of thing. I was actually speaking to her at a whippet show in Durham just after she had been over filming.

Regards,

dukie

 

[Miss Madam]

Yes Cerberus was diffently a greyhound, i was talking to the woman who owned it when i was down at film while it was being made, i think i might have actually been a rescue greyhound or else a retired racer, however it was diffently a greyhound :thumbsup:

 

[Macha]

thanks for your reply

I do know something about show handling, but I haven't been practicing with my dogs as they are pets not show dogs -- i suppose I can do a wee bit of training over the next fortnight

my dogs are friendly but the lurcher startles easily

He has a bit of a curl in his tail and movement is close behind; he's still a handsome well muscled dog with a beautiful neck and runs faster than my whippet and I think I would show him for the crack anyway, on a one-off and see how he does. But the rescue people had him neutered before I ever saw him; is that acceptable in the lurcher ring? (the judge WILL know - someone said in a previous message that some judges don't look!)

no one has replied yet to my question about racing

there is also lurcher racing at the game fair

 

[Miss Madam]

Hi Macha i wouldnt worry to much about your dog being neutured as it shouldnt really matter and as for appearance i wouldnt worry to much about that either because it is only a judges opinion and everybody has a preferred type of lurcher for example one day u might show your dog and not even get placed and then the next show you go to you could end up winning all round you it just depends it what the judge prefers in a lurcher.

as for the racing i would much rather have it than the showing as it is more fun watching it and competing in it, there is always racing at any lurcher event most of the time and it will either be simulated coursing or straight racing or sometimes even both, simulated coursing is when the lure is set to make sharpish turns in the race with 1 or 2 jumps in the race aswell, personally i think this type of racing suits the smaller whippet type lurchers and it is great fun to watch,

the straight racing is when the lure just goes in a straight line on an average distance of about 150 to 200 yrds, the dogs are classed by height which is any lurcher under 23" and then any lurcher over 23" it is great fun to watch also.

most lurchers will chase the lure even if they havnt done it before.

there will be showing and racing at all the shows listed on this thread,

i hope i have been helpful to you. :thumbsup:

 

[Macha]

I saw my brother race my whippet Annet a couple of times. It was on a straight track and by that time she was an experienced racer so the moment she saw the starting box she got very excited, raring to go. Yes it is great fun for the dogs (though our other whippet at the time took no great interest and was never raced again after his first try). I saw Annet in a veteran race when she was 10 and she won, against 7 year olds.

but although I saw races many years ago, I still am unsure what I should do to prepare my dogs for the lurcher races which I recently heard about which are at the end of this month. ... nothing? (as you wrote "most lurchers will chase the lure even if they havnt done it before")

Hi Macha i wouldnt worry to much about your dog being neutured as it shouldnt really matter and as for appearance i wouldnt worry to much about that either because it is only a judges opinion and everybody has a preferred type of lurcher for example one day u might show your dog and not even get placed and then the next show you go to you could end up winning all round you it just depends it what the judge prefers in a lurcher.

as for the racing i would much rather have it than the showing as it is more fun watching it and competing in it, there is always racing at any lurcher event most of the time and it will either be simulated coursing or straight racing or sometimes even both, simulated coursing is when the lure is set to make sharpish turns in the race with 1 or 2 jumps in the race aswell, personally i think this type of racing suits the smaller whippet type lurchers and it is great fun to watch,

the straight racing is when the lure just goes in a straight line on an average distance of about 150 to 200 yrds, the dogs are classed by height which is any lurcher under 23" and then any lurcher over 23" it is great fun to watch also.

most lurchers will chase the lure even if they havnt done it before.

there will be showing and racing at all the shows listed on this thread,

i hope i have been helpful to you. :thumbsup:

 

[Miss Madam]

Well since lurcher racing isnt really a serious game well at least it shouldnt be took so serious, there isnt much efford needed but i myself would put in a bit of efford such as giving them a fair amount of road walking regular gallops in a field, good feeding and coming up close to a racing event i would take my dog to a greyhound training track for a run at the lure.

i know that not all lurchers will chase the lure but the majority of them will and if they dont chase it the first time well i dont see no harm in giving it another go and if they dont chase it then its just unfortuate but not really a big deal.

will you be going to any of the up coming shows?

 

[Martin Tucker]

I would be interested in going to one of these `Game Fairs`. Where exactly is the one the end of May being held ? What day is the racing on and do they come out of traps? My whippet is too old but would they let them race ?

 

[dukie]

Hi Martin,

The Game Fair at the end of May is at Moira Demense, Moira, just off the M1 motorway, I think junction 9.

Traps are not used and it doesn't matter what age your dog is, so long as it's fit to race.

Regards,

dukie

 

[Miss Madam]

There is a bigger gamefair than moira on the 11th & 12th June in Shanes Castle,Randelstown, Antrim, it is the medieval country fair and the lurcher all - ireland championships is being held at it, so it should be a good day out. :thumbsup:

I think there is another gamefair at Emo, i think it is around the 4th & 5th June, and it also has lurcher show and racing, :thumbsup: