Billy Harpur Photos

[dazgail]

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Still waiting on a better quality photo being put on of all those trophies :blink:

 

[markbrick]

MarkBrick without sounding cheeky if those pups are so fast, have a go at one of the non-ped championships. Now that is a challenge for any lurcher :- "

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BELEAVE ME THEM PUPS ARE FAST ENOUGH THEY NEVER LOST A PUP RACE AND WON MANY A UNDER FINAL FROM 8 MONTHS BEATIN THERE AUNT WHO WAS THE FASTEST UNDER IN CORNWALL FOR THE LAST 3 YEARS AND THEY BEAT HER TWICE AND HE THEN GOT RID OF HER THEY WON ENDERLESS SIMULATED PROBERLY MORE THEN ANY OTHER DOGS IN THE COUNTRY AND CATCH RABBITS WELL THATS ANOTHER STOREY AND KAREN THATS WERE IVE BEEN EVERY BLOODY NIGHT I WISH MY OLDER DOGS WOULD CHASE THAT LURE AS SHE WOULD SHOW A FEW DOGS HOW TO RUN BUT HEY SHE WONT AND SHE DOES WELL IN THE FIELD I HOPE TO BEAT TORI NEXT YEAR AS SHE IS ONE HELL OF A DOG

 

[milly]

MarkBrick without sounding cheeky if those pups are so fast, have a go at one of the non-ped championships. Now that is a challenge for any lurcher :- "

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BELEAVE ME THEM PUPS ARE FAST ENOUGH THEY NEVER LOST A PUP RACE AND WON MANY A UNDER FINAL FROM 8 MONTHS BEATIN THERE AUNT WHO WAS THE FASTEST UNDER IN CORNWALL FOR THE LAST 3 YEARS AND THEY BEAT HER TWICE AND HE THEN GOT RID OF HER THEY WON ENDERLESS SIMULATED PROBERLY MORE THEN ANY OTHER DOGS IN THE COUNTRY AND CATCH RABBITS WELL THATS ANOTHER STOREY AND KAREN THATS WERE IVE BEEN EVERY BLOODY NIGHT I WISH MY OLDER DOGS WOULD CHASE THAT LURE AS SHE WOULD SHOW A FEW DOGS HOW TO RUN BUT HEY SHE WONT AND SHE DOES WELL IN THE FIELD I HOPE TO BEAT TORI NEXT YEAR AS SHE IS ONE HELL OF A DOG

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There might be a couple of other dogs you might have to beat Mark next year (w00t) besides Tori .All this talk about these so called flying machines is tempting me back into lurcher racing again

 

[rodders]

Looks like some of the old competition might be about in the future.Can only make for some good lurcher racing.Looks like we all better get working with our dogs :thumbsup:

 

[billyboy45]

Both these times were in trials against 3 greyhounds but my dogs were out n gone + the track doesnt be race prepared for trials n always runs a bit slower. Idid breed a couple of litters ,one out of Tarn n Silver,they were very classy looking pups ,i had another litter out of Ricky Silvers litter brotherxgreyhound bred for overs,but as they had banned me from racing there was no point in keeping them ,and i had to let them go to working homes only as they would not even let any of my breeding race at there shows ,which accounted for about 75 % of all shows over here at that time .I gave the lot away for nothing 13 pups.Ialso had a couple of under 23 inchers that i gave away for nothing too the one that win at chatsworth n the one that was beat in the unders final.Ithink i should refrase that to say the one that didnt race in the final as she came straight to me under the big tree with Silver.Iwill have to PM YOU IN REGARDS TO A COUPLE OF THINGS IN THIS REPLY.

 

[markbrick]

Looks like some of the old competition might be about in the future.Can only make for some good lurcher racing.Looks like we all better get working with our dogs :thumbsup:  

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IT WOULD BE GOOD TO HAVE SOME COMPETION GEOFF BUT WHAT IVE SEEN AND WHAT IVE HEARD ABOUT OVER THE YEARS I DONT THINK THERE IS ANY OUT THERE I SHOUT ABOUT THESE DOGS AS ANYBODY WHO HAS SEEN THEM WOULD ,THEY ARE SPECIAL AND GOT ONE THING THAT IS MORE INPORTANT THEN SPEED IN A LURCHER IS ENDLESS STAMINA WHICH YOUR GREYHOUNDS AND WHIPPETS DONT HAVE ARE THE XS AND THEY HAVE SPEED LOTS OF IT SO WE WILL ALL SEE THANKS MARK AND THEY WILL ALWAYS FINISH

 

[markbrick]

Looks like some of the old competition might be about in the future.Can only make for some good lurcher racing.Looks like we all better get working with our dogs :thumbsup:  

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IT WOULD BE GOOD TO HAVE SOME COMPETION GEOFF BUT WHAT IVE SEEN AND WHAT IVE HEARD ABOUT OVER THE YEARS I DONT THINK THERE IS ANY OUT THERE I SHOUT ABOUT THESE DOGS AS ANYBODY WHO HAS SEEN THEM WOULD ,THEY ARE SPECIAL AND GOT ONE THING THAT IS MORE INPORTANT THEN SPEED IN A LURCHER IS ENDLESS STAMINA WHICH YOUR GREYHOUNDS AND WHIPPETS DONT HAVE ARE THE XS AND THEY HAVE SPEED LOTS OF IT SO WE WILL ALL SEE THANKS MARK AND THEY WILL ALWAYS FINISH

 

[rodders]

MarkBrick without sounding cheeky if those pups are so fast, have a go at one of the non-ped championships. Now that is a challenge for any lurcher :- "

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BELEAVE ME THEM PUPS ARE FAST ENOUGH THEY NEVER LOST A PUP RACE AND WON MANY A UNDER FINAL FROM 8 MONTHS BEATIN THERE AUNT WHO WAS THE FASTEST UNDER IN CORNWALL FOR THE LAST 3 YEARS AND THEY BEAT HER TWICE AND HE THEN GOT RID OF HER THEY WON ENDERLESS SIMULATED PROBERLY MORE THEN ANY OTHER DOGS IN THE COUNTRY AND CATCH RABBITS WELL THATS ANOTHER STOREY AND KAREN THATS WERE IVE BEEN EVERY BLOODY NIGHT I WISH MY OLDER DOGS WOULD CHASE THAT LURE AS SHE WOULD SHOW A FEW DOGS HOW TO RUN BUT HEY SHE WONT AND SHE DOES WELL IN THE FIELD I HOPE TO BEAT TORI NEXT YEAR AS SHE IS ONE HELL OF A DOG

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Which bitch is the pups Aunt Mark?

 

[markbrick]

MarkBrick without sounding cheeky if those pups are so fast, have a go at one of the non-ped championships. Now that is a challenge for any lurcher :- "

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BELEAVE ME THEM PUPS ARE FAST ENOUGH THEY NEVER LOST A PUP RACE AND WON MANY A UNDER FINAL FROM 8 MONTHS BEATIN THERE AUNT WHO WAS THE FASTEST UNDER IN CORNWALL FOR THE LAST 3 YEARS AND THEY BEAT HER TWICE AND HE THEN GOT RID OF HER THEY WON ENDERLESS SIMULATED PROBERLY MORE THEN ANY OTHER DOGS IN THE COUNTRY AND CATCH RABBITS WELL THATS ANOTHER STOREY AND KAREN THATS WERE IVE BEEN EVERY BLOODY NIGHT I WISH MY OLDER DOGS WOULD CHASE THAT LURE AS SHE WOULD SHOW A FEW DOGS HOW TO RUN BUT HEY SHE WONT AND SHE DOES WELL IN THE FIELD I HOPE TO BEAT TORI NEXT YEAR AS SHE IS ONE HELL OF A DOG

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Which bitch is the pups Aunt Mark?

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JOES DOG U KNOW THE YOUNG LAD WHO WAS WITH ME SHE CAME 3RD AT CHOMLEY AND SHES 3 BUT SHE IS ONE FAST DOG AND THE PUP WAS 11 MONTHS WHEN SHE BEAT HER

 

[billyboy45]

As it happens Markbrick all my own dogs (EG WhippetxGreyhounds)will b out in the field a good part of the winter too,Ihave a lamping DVDof one of my bitches who raced at Chatsworth back in the 90s.Iworked collie xs for 15 or so years when the numbers game meant everything to the pocket .But when the sale of rabbits went ,so did the numbers dogs as they wernt needed anymore.My WhippetxGreyhounds are bred from stayin bitches ,and can account for a good 20 rabbits on any descent night (that is 20 each by the way ,and yes i have always worked my racing bitches)some call me mad ,but hey ,im part irish whether i like it or not.One thing which stands out in a good WhippetxGreyhound is the fact that they give 100%every chase,Collie xs can have their moments,just like women. Hope this hasnt started another thread.

 

[billyboy45]

Come on Geof why not ,sure isnt the crack great .Bring back the good old days.N by the way ,im sorry i had Milly measured at Chatsworth ,i think it was a case of who was windin who,but hey i had that old fiver spare anyway ,was just looking for somewhere to get rid of it .Think of the xtra exersise you got walkin to the top of the field n back down again. Hows things Geof ,still kikin ass i see,good man..

 

[billyboy45]

If you read what i actualy wrote ,i have mentioned this and by all means congratulated her on her achievements.But ill say it again for all to see. WELL DONE ROSE N TORRI you've done the irish proud n kiked arse on English soil n i hope you can do it again next year too.Sorry John u 2

 

[dazgail]

Yes the craic, banter and rubbish we all talk at times is great fun. Billy and Markbrick if you work your dogs and race them, straight racing that is, and they win in my opinion they aren't racing against good quality dogs, and when i say good quality, i'm not talking about your average whippet/greyhound i'm talking about the dogs which win at the non ped open races up and down the country. I have two whippet greyhounds one which i kept for racing and racing only and the other for a bit of lamping. I didn't need stamina cos i wasn't intending walking the fields for hours. As for running lurchers against greyhounds i don't believe that any whippet/greyhound would get close to the top sprint greyhounds to the bend. I have raced Maddy with greyhounds which she has beaten but to race her against the top sprinters...there would only be one outcome. Greyhound away and gone with Maddy lengths and lengths behind and she isn't slow. I have a video from lurcher racing in parkgate where there is a start line and a finish line and she is nearly 1.2 sec quicker than Sky over the distance. If you use the 0.07sec per length for greyhounds thats approx 17 lengths behind and thats when Sky was at his best dominating the unders. Billy i'm sorry i don't know much about your dogs as when i started racing you were banned at the time but Delboy was another fast dog who did incredibly well over here and then Gary Farmer won one of the straight non ped championships with him over in England. I loved Molly Stag run cos she was mental and it was very unfotunate that we didn't see her best cos Graham Reid had a few problems with her. Other dogs which spring to mind are Fern but Sky just seemed too strong for her.

Just out of curiosity if Rose reads this...do you hunt Torri or have you kept her solely for racing? Frankie and John and others what are your views on this hunting and racing dogs.

 

[markbrick]

As it happens Markbrick all my own dogs (EG WhippetxGreyhounds)will b out in the field  a good part of the winter too,Ihave a lamping DVDof one of my bitches who raced at Chatsworth back in the 90s.Iworked collie xs for 15 or so years when the numbers game meant everything to the pocket .But when the sale of rabbits went ,so did the numbers dogs as they wernt needed anymore.My WhippetxGreyhounds are bred from stayin bitches ,and can account for a good 20 rabbits on any descent night (that is 20 each by the way ,and yes i have always worked my racing bitches)some call me mad ,but hey ,im part irish whether i like it or not.One thing which stands out in a good WhippetxGreyhound is the fact that they give 100%every chase,Collie xs can have their moments,just like women.  Hope this hasnt started another thread.

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back in the 70s when numbers did matter hardly anybody i knew worked whippet greyhounds they have no stamina and ive lost 2 this year both good catchers but the stamina is not there these dogs i have catch 15 plus each regular and there mother being a very fast whippet greyhound country music lines was knackered after 6 thats why i introduced 15% collie to them i lost her in march with a heart attack 1 rabbit to many thanks mark

 

[markbrick]

Yes the craic, banter and rubbish we all talk at times is great fun. Billy and Markbrick if you work your dogs and race them, straight racing that is, and they win in my opinion they aren't racing against good quality dogs, and when i say good quality, i'm not talking about your average whippet/greyhound i'm talking about the dogs which win at the non ped open races up and down the country. I have two whippet greyhounds one which i kept for racing and racing only and the other for a bit of lamping. I didn't need stamina cos i wasn't intending walking the fields for hours. As for running lurchers against greyhounds i don't believe that any whippet/greyhound would get close to the top sprint greyhounds to the bend. I have raced Maddy with greyhounds which she has beaten but to race her against the top sprinters...there would only be one outcome. Greyhound away and gone with Maddy lengths and lengths behind and she isn't slow. I have a video from lurcher racing in parkgate where there is a start line and a finish line and she is nearly 1.2 sec quicker than Sky over the distance. If you use the 0.07sec per length for greyhounds thats approx 17 lengths behind and thats when Sky was at his best dominating the unders. Billy i'm sorry i don't know much about your dogs as when i started racing you were banned at the time but  Delboy was another fast dog who did incredibly well over here and then Gary Farmer won one of the straight non ped championships with him over in England. I loved Molly Stag run cos she was mental and it was very unfotunate that we didn't see her best cos Graham Reid had a few problems with her. Other dogs which spring to mind are Fern but Sky just seemed too strong for her. Just out of curiosity if Rose reads this...do you hunt Torri or have you kept her solely for racing? Frankie and John and others what are your views on this hunting and racing dogs.

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there is no way a racing dog is in better condition then a workin dog workin dogs turn a lot better are better on there feet and are usually fitter and you must remember theres only a few workin dogs that race these peple rest there dogs in the summer as theyve done there bit through the winter months and some are scared and would do no good at shows, so they dont bother now if they did there would be a completly differant outcome at most races dont forget one of my best dogs wont chase a lure but she will catch anything live you put in front of her mark

 

[billyboy45]

Idont want to sound ignorant darren,but could you clarifya pedigree WhippetxGreyhound cause as far as i know any x between a Whippet and a Greyhound no matter what way you put it ,even upside down then its still a x breed as Pedigree means pure eg undiluted.Although the kennel club seem to be makin quite a mess of that AS FOR OTHERS THAT CAME ALONG IN MY WAKE,that could only happen if i was made to disapear so to speak as i had just produced what was probibly the fastest litter i had to date.The only two shows they got to race at they cleaned up and they were only 11 months old .10 months old when they went to Chatsworth n one of them won the simulated on the saturday n then got beat in the final on the sunday beatin her sister in the semi they were too young for the straight racing and were actualy only there so that the lads from Cornwall who i bought their father from could see them.At the time i was fit and able to do the dogs right ,i was on top of my game ,over here anyway.And i can tell you now that if what happened to me didnt happen ,then it would have taken something very,very special to have topled of my mountain (Maddy might have had that special thing ,she had the same breedin anyway)But when youre there at their birth and you watch them grow ,when you see their eyes open,when you watch them fallow a plastic bag accross the floor at 4 weeks old, when you see them running round the garden for the first time and you see who always wants to be in the front,when you put everything into the rearing of a litter and watch them grow into beutiful specemins,n take them for their first ever run at the lure,and then watch them gettin faster n faster with every run its a great feelin.then comes their first run at the real thing,n you reach the final n yuor standin on the line in the final and the lure moves n you slip n see youre dog goin into the front n then goin 2 lengths clear ,then 5 lengths and then you dont know how many lrngths she's in front,but you know nothing can touch her now ,she's won her first championship ,and o boy ,(what a feeling)Its unreal ,from watching this wee thing coming out of its mums back end ,sortof, till now ,and youre standin there with that big trophy in youre hand,Its definately unreal,n just to think back over all the weeks of rearing n worryin everytime they didnt eat their grub,every time they had diareha and you thought it was parvo or somethin,n you couldnt sleep and you were running to the vet ,n it was jags for this n tablets for that.But now thats all over n youve just beat everything in the country that could run. You know ,thats the way it is for most people .but some people miss out on all that.they roll the dice and land on go to finished product n miss out on all the mess nall the sleepless nights,especialy the ones when youre pups were 7 weeks old and went down with PARVO nyou had to pump fluids under their skin every 2 hours n they squealed their wee heads of with the pain of the skin being ripped from their flesh every time until after a day or so there was no more to rip of .then the joy to see them starting to eat n drink after full week n a £300.00vets bill,only to see themm a few days later going down with rickets.You get this all sorted out and another vets bill n everything goes great again.That is until they reach 4 1/2 months and you give them their first run in a big field n you see youre favorite pup go head over healsin about 2 seconds flat after leaving youre hands.You run over and lift him and his wrist is just danging there.Its back to the vets ,innit,to see that boy called BILL again,but this time hes grown ,hes much bigger than the last couple of times you seen him,but youre gona have to pay him anyway.this time for 4 smashed mettatarsils,(excuse spellin),all having to b pinned.Then the vet tells you he will never race .(WOW)Someone doesnt like me hear.or so it seemed anyway.Was i gona pack it in now ? Absulutely not.8weeks later Silver got his cast of .In the meantime 2 more pups broke their legs n had to b put down as bill was now filled up and couldnt cope .Billy also couldnt cope n almost cracked up.Iwas left with 2 pups out of 5.Now i will fast forward to 12 months old.Silver ,not interested in lure ,Bonnie his sister ,loppy on lure.Give Silver a run at a couple of rabbits and he ended up worse than bonnie ,but what about the leg ,time would tell(,In the meantime their mum had another litter to Cornish Jack)Tomorrow nights story....Anyway started Silver on lure ,mad he was,. so was Bonnie.Silver was running away with the overs and bonnie was running away with the unders.That was until a certain person complained about her hight and a knew measuring stick sort of thing appeared and where as all the other sticks said she was under this one said she was over by i 8th of an inch so it was into the overs for Bonnie where she always finished 2nd to Silver.At the end of the year i took them to Chatsworth,Bonnie was measured at my own request and was found to b under 23 inches,so raced in same .Silver won all his heats up to the final where he recieved a carear ending injury,while in front .But hey ,after what had already happened him ,i wasnt surprised.Bonnie also reached her final.Nigel greer slipped her for me as i was away seeing to Silver,and you wouldnt believe what she done .As soon the lure moved he slipped her and she ran straight to where i was with Silver.But it wasnt all bad , as i said earlyer one of the 10 month old pups out of the repeat mating had just won the simulated...The reason i think the second litter were going to be better is because they had the good start that pups must have ,and believe me ,it showwed in everything..(.to be continued..)" Dont miss this".

 

[billyboy45]

Sorry not my fault.They were emailed to Stormydog n it was him who tried to sort it as i havent a clue.

 

[billyboy45]

Ihope this is in the right place,but i would just like to answer Markbrick about about working dogs being fitter than racing dogs.fit, is fit, and i can tell you,when i fitten a racing dog ,or bitch in my case,she is fittened through work,3 miles on the road in the morning with me on the bike,3 miles on the road, walking , at night ,and as much tennis ball retrieving as possible ,i always do this with 2 dogs at a time as the compitition puts the effort and work load on all the mussle groups up 10 fold,also ,i like to free gallop as often as posible as this is a relaxed form of galloping and helps to prevent cramping and mussle tightning eg stop[s dogs looking like their all mussle bound.Another thing i like doing especialy in the summer time and when im racing is swimming,and as the river runs more or less past me i can do this any time.Maybe im giving to much away here but remember its quality training and not everyone can put in the hours especialy in the winter A tredmill is a handy thing for this time of year but it makes a man lazy.A bike is better ,quicker ,more benificial to man and beast,and if done at night you can take a small lamping kit with you and it gives you a chance to see whats about close to home just in case you need a quick run to sharpen a dog up a few days before a race or whatever.But this is my way ,it works for me ,but might not be suitable for the next person.Also i think that once you get there ,it doesnt take to much to keep it there,it doesnt pay to keep a dog at its peak all the time .I think that sometimes it pays to back off a bit from time to time.A collie x can usualy tell you when its time to stop,that is if you know yer dog .A Whippet x doesnt usualy have that wee bit in its brain,its either that or they were just designed without brakes cause they def dont know when its time to stop,mine dont anyway...

 

[rodders]

Welcome to K9 Billy,I see you've settled in easily :thumbsup: Enjoyed reading your comments but I have to disagree with working a whippet/greyhound,at least one for racing.Don't know what you call a whippet/greyhound over in Ireland but we call them 'Do or die merchants'.Don't get me wrong the odd accidental run can't be helped,or even a bit of ferreting to help keen an unwilling chaser,but to lamp a whippet/greyhound I think is asking for trouble.I've been there and done that,watched a dog stoop to pick up a rabbit while running flat out.The following tumbles of the dog are not a pretty site,and to be honest a dog thats rag crazy doesn't give you an edible rabbit especially if another dog is in the viscinity.

Can't wait to see yours pups next year in the simmo Mark.Being Collie crosses and having a bit of brain means I think you are gonna have a few problems with the gates :- "

Karen

 

[dazgail]

Billy, i don't know how to describe the difference between non-ped and ped whippets in a clear way. Maybe others can help. The pups that you have currently bred could be registered with the British Whippet Racing Association and the New National Whippet Racing Federation and race at their events so your pups could then be classified as non pedigree whippets. Sky the father of you pups could also be classified as a non pedigree whippet. In fact every dog that is currently registered with the BWRA or NNWRF could also be called a lurcher....i hear people say blasphemy :blink: . Do you think that those who are successful and race their dogs in the BWRA or NNWRF would ever use their dogs for hunting? You may get away with hunting dogs and be successful in the simulated coursing. I don't believe that a dog that is hunted regularly would drive after the lure as hard in a straight race and again i wouldn't use the same dog for simulated coursing and straight racing. These are only my views and opinions.