Disqualifications - The History

[Rob Rixon]

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Hi all

Judy may be right I am Old or is it old and sad?

I've been ploughing back through my records and found the following - its all on paper not Myth just facts.

1987 rules (on blue paper)

Part III FIGHTING

quote from rule 3.3

A suspended Whippet will only be eligible to participate at a race meeting where a WCRA passports are required as a condition of entry, after, been suspended for 14 days, it has run without fighting not less than three consecutive trials at its home club, in which at least three Whippets take part ...

UNDATED rules (on yellow paper) is earlier than 1986

Part III INTERFERENCE

quote from rule 22

After the second entry (in the disqualifications book) the owner will be informed of a pending discussion in a letter (generally a much longer ban) and after 3 entries the matter will be discussed in (WCRA) committeebefore the suspension be lifted. The WCRA committee reserves the right to withhold reinstatement ...

In a letter to me as the secretary of an affiliated club

Date not important, but from the Chairman of the WC who is Mrs Gay Robertson

quote from the letter (written in capital letters)

IF THE SAME WHIPPET REPEATS THE OFFENCE AT A SUBSEQUENT MEETING, IT SHALL BE DISQUALIFIED FROM ENTERING ALL WCRA PASSPORTED EVENTS FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR.

IF THE WHIPPET THEN MAKES A THIRD ATTACK ON ANOTHER DOG, THE OWNER SHALL BE DEEMED UNWILLING OR UNABLE TO CONTROL IT AND THE WHIPPET SHALL BE BANNED FOR LIFE FROM ALL WCRA PASSPORTED MEETINGS

1985 Rules (on buff paper)

These rules are not in sections and ther is not section on fighting or interference. It looks like the the rules were ammended in the mid eighties to include disqualification. I can remember RCh Tipper running in blinkers in the 70's but can't find any old programmes where he was disqualified or any rules that would have been used to disqualify a runner.

While I was WCRA Sec. I think the 3 strikes rule was never used as owners 'retired their dogs after a second disqualification'

I find it funny that with the passing of time rules (printed for all to see) get either lost or ammended without anyone remembering why!

Comments please.

 

[gracie]

Hi allJudy may be right I am Old or is it old and sad?

I've been ploughing back through my records and found the following - its all on paper not Myth just facts.

1987 rules (on blue paper)

Part III FIGHTING

quote from rule 3.3

A suspended Whippet will only be eligible to participate at a race meeting where a WCRA passports are required as a condition of entry, after, been suspended for 14 days, it has run without fighting not less than three consecutive trials at its home club, in which at least three Whippets take part ...

UNDATED rules (on yellow paper) is earlier than 1986

Part III INTERFERENCE

quote from rule 22

After the second entry (in the disqualifications book) the owner will be informed of a pending discussion in a letter (generally a much longer ban) and after 3 entries the matter will be discussed in (WCRA) committeebefore the suspension be lifted.  The WCRA committee reserves the right to withhold reinstatement ...

In a letter to me as the secretary of an affiliated club

Date not important, but from the Chairman of the WC who is Mrs Gay Robertson

quote from the letter (written in capital letters)

IF THE SAME WHIPPET REPEATS THE OFFENCE AT A SUBSEQUENT MEETING, IT SHALL BE DISQUALIFIED FROM ENTERING ALL WCRA PASSPORTED EVENTS FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR.

IF THE WHIPPET THEN MAKES A THIRD ATTACK ON ANOTHER DOG, THE OWNER SHALL BE DEEMED UNWILLING OR UNABLE TO CONTROL IT AND THE WHIPPET SHALL BE BANNED FOR LIFE FROM ALL WCRA PASSPORTED MEETINGS

1985 Rules (on buff paper)

These rules are not in sections and ther is not section on fighting or interference.  It looks like the the rules were ammended in the mid eighties to include disqualification.  I can remember RCh Tipper running in blinkers in the 70's but can't find any old programmes where he was disqualified or any rules that would have been used to disqualify a runner.

While I was WCRA Sec. I think the 3 strikes rule was never used as owners 'retired their dogs after a second disqualification'

I find it funny that with the passing of time rules (printed for all to see) get either lost or ammended without anyone remembering why!

Comments please.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

​

 

[IanGerman]

Trying again Gracie? :lol:

As each subsequent amend presumably succeeds and surplants its predecessor then the latest version should be valid.

It would be good if the WCRA were to re-iterate this rule for the benefit of all clubs but as they don't visit K9 (officially anyway) then someone will have to ask them :b

 

[gracie]

I can remember the old rule Rob and I know of at least two people who finished running their dog early one season because he had been flagged twice hence the name of their next pup Tell um Straight. However I am certain the rules were amended in late 90 or early 00's to allow dogs to clear on the day due to the lack of clubs racing in the summer. Debatable if this is a good thing as if a dog who has been genuine turns it usually means their is something wrong with him. I know with greyhound one tried to run different hares and different tracks with a not so genuine one and as with any dog greyhound or whippet if you'd been flagged at one track you certainly wouldn't go back for a while if ever with that dog. It's a bummer if you get a fighter some never get out of it we have always been lucky at Oxford as Pete Spokes always let them run in club races unless they were very bad just moving their handicaps so they wouldn't be a problem and many the dog has got straighten out this way. We still try to continue to do that but I'm afraid its the same old story not enough club racing so youngsters don't get schooled in and have three or four months club racing under their belt before they go on the Open Scene. Its difficult to know what the best option as ours is a amature sport and as someone who has had the occasional fighter it breaks your heart if we are to stringent with rules people pack up racing as as we are getting fewer in numbers now that not a good option. I think one option maybe to change the age for pups to run in Main Opens to 15 months with maybe a few more maidens or puppy opens being added so they can get more experience before they get chucked in at the deep end.

June.

 

[lynxexpress]

I can remember the old rule Rob and I know of at least two people who finished running their dog early one season because he had been flagged twice hence the name of their next pup Tell um Straight.  However I am certain the rules were amended in late 90 or early 00's to allow dogs to clear on the day due to the lack of clubs racing in the summer.  Debatable if this is a good thing as if a dog who has been genuine turns it usually means their is something wrong with him.  I know with greyhound one tried to run different hares and different tracks with a not so genuine one and as with any dog greyhound or whippet if you'd been flagged at one track you certainly wouldn't go back for a while if ever with that dog.  It's a bummer if you get a fighter some never get out of it we have always been lucky at Oxford as Pete Spokes always let them run in club races unless they were very bad just moving their handicaps so they wouldn't be a problem and many the dog has got straighten out this way. We still try to continue to do that but I'm afraid its the same old story not enough club racing so youngsters don't get schooled in and have three or four months club racing under their belt before they go on the Open Scene.  Its difficult to know what the best option as ours is a amature sport and as someone who has had the occasional fighter it breaks your heart if we are to stringent with rules people pack up racing as as we are getting fewer in numbers now that not a good option.  I think one option maybe to change the age for pups to run in Main Opens to 15 months with maybe a few more  maidens or puppy opens being added so they can get more experience before they get chucked in at the deep end.June.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

​

I totally agree with you what ever happened to maidens and puppy opens we had several maiden opens years ago is it because of the expense of trophies.

Iam sure people would be happy with a rosette if it gave their dog more experience.

 

[Smiffy@VeronnaV]

It would seem that the old rules circa 1986 were far less tolerant of undesirable behaviour than we are today! A sign of the times I suppose. However, unless the rule was formally amended or removed from the rule book doesn't it still apply? If this was so, then there is a paper trail to indicate just that, thus; it should have been proposed and approved at an AGM of The Whippet Club. If this has not been done, then it is still in existence (in principle!!).

Having said that, what, exactly, is wrong with a system which protects the dogs on the track from 'dishonest' dogs. ACTUALLY protects them, not just pays lip service to the principle? Our efforts should be directed towards ensuring the welfare of the racers, not us. And maybe, just maybe, there is a good argument for us not being allowed to have the passport for a young dog until it has had 6 months of 'improving' at club level before entering the open circuit. Then, you could have a maiden group, from say 18 months and not exceeding 24 months!! Of course, one would have to include the championships in this, that they too had a maiden group from 18-24 months! Didn't the coursing community have a no dog may run before 24 month rule? If so, there must have been a good reason for it!

 

[Mark Roberts]

I find it funny that with the passing of time rules (printed for all to see) get either lost or ammended without anyone remembering why!

There must be records of when rules were changed?.

I'm afraid its the same old story not enough club racing so youngsters don't get schooled in

Thats the main problem inexperianced pups being thrown into champs/opens before they are ready.

 

[jade]

i do agree that having more maidens and puppy event but in some case dogs are ready to go in at the deep end i have one (WCRCH VC DEADLY NIGHTSHADE)she was ready at a very early age and did very well so there should be more maidens as i know both her son age 2 and3 have benefited from them as they werent ready why are there not many maidens anymore?and that the puppy age should be older as some dogs grow up quicker then others i have a 2 year old who is just growing up now! but if theres choice everyones happy

 

[Judy]

Certainly by 1996, there is no reference to what shall happen if a dog is disqualified for a third time and nothing about life bans. Do you know if that bit from Gay's letter was ever actually written into the rules at any time Rob as it seems to be the only reference to an automatic life ban after 3 disqualifications any of us has found. It sounds like it must have been but I do wonder. The date of the letter would be interesting to know.

The rules do seem to have always stated that the WCRA can remove the passport of a dog that is a "confirmed fighter" though, so has there ever been a need for any rules about the number of times a dog is disqualified?

The latest rules do state that the fourth time a dog is disqualified at an open, it will be for a year.

I agree with what June has said about making rules too stringent. Personally I think that from a purely interference point of view, the huge, vast majority of owners are not idiots and their dogs are indeed ready before their owners put them into opens. The disqualification rules are already there to catch the rest.