How Do You Get Into Whippet Racing?

[DBailey]

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We live in North Wales and own a pedigree 2 year old whippet. We would love to see him racing as many people have said how good he is when we take him out and let him run free. A man we met on the beach told us about this website to help us start off.

His Grandparents were champion coursers. We bought him from a breeder who sells his dogs all over the country. We just wanted a pet but would love to see him race.

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[Louise_Simon]

Hi welcome to K9

All I can say is look at the list of clubs on here and find which is the closest to you, there should be contact details and take it from there

We were lucky as we have two really close, Gloucester and South Cotswolds who are helpful and friendly :cheers:

Hope this helps

 

[Joanna]

We live in North Wales and own a pedigree 2 year old whippet. We would love to see him racing as many people have said how good he is when we take him out and let him run free. A man we met on the beach told us about this website to help us start off.
His Grandparents were champion coursers. We bought him from a breeder  who sells his dogs all over the country. We just wanted a pet but would love to see him race.

Any advice would be appreciated.

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I think you will find the Northern is closest to you, here are the details.Northern Details

Just pop along to visit when they are running (Contact the club moderator for dates, and see if you want to have a go). I started like that with my show-bred fatso, and consequently got a proper racer. We enjoy the sport, it's mainly friendly, can be competitive, can have a good social life. It's up to you how deeply you want to be involved, but just enjoy.

 

[Macha]

I recently spent a holiday in North Wales and as far as I know the 3 Lancashire clubs are the closest even though they are not very nearby. I include a non-pedigree club in my count, as the non-ped club that meets at Gin Pit Miners Welfare, Astley, Gtr. Manchester on Wed. nights has separate heats for pedigree whippets.

I have some questions re rules and regulations:

Living very far from any whippet racing club, I find it difficult to get information. How important is it to get a racing passport, especially for someone like myself who cannot take their dogs to one particular club on any regular basis? My tall dog is skating very close to the size limit (he weighed in at 32 lbs last race, but is well-covered and could afford to lose a pound); what races are available for the dogs who are a bit over the limit? I have a 6 generation pedigree typed out via computer, from information from the breeder but not signed. As my dog is from well-known showbreeding I think anyone who is familiar with these show dogs would find this information consistent with his parentage as given on the KC registration paper. Do I need to buy an EKC certified 5 generation passport in order to race my dog at affiliated pedigree clubs?

Do you think dogs that aren't raced frequently remember how to come out of the traps efficiently?

 

[~elizabeth~]

We live in North Wales and own a pedigree 2 year old whippet.

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list of whippet racing club contacts

Do you think dogs that aren't raced frequently remember how to come out of the traps efficiently?

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Well, here's mine coming out of a trap on Sunday, having had only one go last year, and not having seen one for about 4 yrs before that. We had a job keeping him out of them, he was desperate to get straight back in after each run for another go.

That said, he will never be a racing dog I fear, he runs his races as if they were a coursing match; he tries to steer other dogs and may change direction suddenly if overtaken, so I wouldn't risk him with more than a single running partner. However, he is a very talented coursing dog. There's always lurecoursing if you find racing doesn't suit your dog.

 

[June Jonigk]

Hi DB, welcome to K9 :thumbsup:

Why not plan to have a day out on Sunday 3rd September, and go to the Northern Pedigree Whippet Racing Club's open. The open is at Chisnall Hall Playing Fields (Opposite the Allison Arms pub), Coppull, near Chorley. It's not far off Juction 27 of the M6, so quite easy to get to. It starts around 12.00pm. If you want more in depth directions, PM me.

Possibly before or after racing someone would let you trial your dog, and show you what to do. Everyone is friendly, and always ready to encourage new members.

The open is racing a 240yd bend, but there's a straight veteran track that you could trial on. Come and meet us all.

Macha - you really only need a passport if you want to compete at opens. The passport is to prove that your dog is who you say he is, and to confirm that he has been passed for racing (it gets signed to say he is ok to run with others by an official at your club). Your pedigree will be fine as long as you have KC registration papers.

Some clubs allow oversize or overweight dogs to have a run, but not to race against the others. This is generally to safeguard the small dogs running.

Don't worry about your dog forgetting - once they've been racing, they live for it, and would never forget what it's all about.

 

[Joanna]

My 32 lb show-bred has just cleared for racing and has already competed (slowly) in two Opens and is hilariously running at the Champs on Sunday. Don't write him off as too heavy. My Archie was a whopping 36 lber. He could still happily lose another 1lb or too. Good luck.

 

[conway]

My 32 lb show-bred has just cleared for racing and has already competed (slowly) in two Opens and is hilariously running at the Champs on Sunday. Don't write him off as too heavy. My Archie was a whopping 36 lber. He could still happily lose another 1lb or too. Good luck.

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me thinks a pound or two will not make the weight at the champs as the cut off is 32lbs.

( you might be looking at 4 lbs if he is 36lbs as you say)

are you sure he is 36lbs?

what are you feeding him on jo? (breeze blocks) :- "

hope he does make it though cause you will be missed. xxxx

 

[Joanna]

My 32 lb show-bred has just cleared for racing and has already competed (slowly) in two Opens and is hilariously running at the Champs on Sunday. Don't write him off as too heavy. My Archie was a whopping 36 lber. He could still happily lose another 1lb or too. Good luck.

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me thinks a pound or two will not make the weight at the champs as the cut off is 32lbs.

( you might be looking at 4 lbs if he is 36lbs as you say)

are you sure he is 36lbs?

what are you feeding him on jo? (breeze blocks) :- "

hope he does make it though cause you will be missed. xxxx

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Hi Dave, he was 36 lb and is now 32lb :b We are going to be there, I was just saying to Lloyd this morning that there will be a challenge for the 24 lb weight group with Penny and Stripey Tara. Hope she does it for you and good luck. See you tomorrow :thumbsup:

As for Breeze blocks, he gets fed the same as Fynn but is an absolute terrible opportunist thief and bin raider. Off to weigh him now so fingers crossed he'll run tomorrow :huggles:

Jo

 

[Strike Whippets]

I was just saying to Lloyd this morning that there will be a challenge for the 24 lb weight group with Penny and Stripey Tara. Hope she does it for you and good luck. See you tomorrow thumbsup.gif

Hope Penny is in the 26lb group as there are too many half coats in the 24lb group ........... :lol: :luck: :luck: to you all ......Dobbie, Tara, Alaska and Penny.....come on girls ....one of you have got to be made up :thumbsup: or at least two of you :huggles: xxxx

 

[Esthermax]

Best of luck & see you all there :thumbsup: :luck:

Come down to the Northern anytime DBailey, just ring first to see if its on

 

[BeeJay]

Yep I hope that there are some more Champions by tomorrow evening.

:luck: to all the half coats.

 

[Joanna]

I was just saying to Lloyd this morning that there will be a challenge for the 24 lb weight group with Penny and Stripey Tara. Hope she does it for you and good luck. See you tomorrow thumbsup.gif

Hope Penny is in the 26lb group as there are too many half coats in the 24lb group ........... :lol: :luck: :luck: to you all ......Dobbie, Tara, Alaska and Penny.....come on girls ....one of you have got to be made up :thumbsup: or at least two of you :huggles: xxxx

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Well we plan on being home by 3 for another coat of paint to the bedroom. Time is at a premium, good luck to the dead certs, and I'll cheer you on on K9 :cheers:

 

[conway]

i do hope that penny is not in the 24lb group (w00t) as she is 25lb :- "

 

[BeeJay]

i do hope that penny is not in the 24lb group (w00t)   as she is 25lb  :- "

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Well in that case so do I Dave. :lol: She was running so well last week at West Somerset that it would be a crime if she wasn't running at the Champs.

What are you doing still on line. I thought that you two would be off partying tonight.

 

[Joanna]

:thumbsup: Oh goody..................One down 3 to go.

Seriously good luck to all, and most important, enjoy. :cheers: Any-one want to buy me a drink at lunch G and T with ice and a slice :cheers: I'll toast your success :thumbsup:

 

[Macha]

Macha - you really only need a passport if you want to compete at opens.  The passport is to prove that your dog is who you say he is, and to confirm that he has been passed for racing (it gets signed to say he is ok to run with others by an official at your club).  Your pedigree will be fine as long as you have KC registration papers.Some clubs allow oversize or overweight dogs to have a run, but not to race against the others.  This is generally to safeguard the small dogs running.

Don't worry about your dog forgetting - once they've been racing, they live for it, and would never forget what it's all about.

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The reason I think I might need a racing passport is that I have to travel very far to get to pedigree whippet race meets (there are none in Ireland). Apart from a couple of lurcher races at game fairs, my dogs only get to race for a few weeks summer holiday. If my whippet, who races well from what I have seen so far, needs to be trialled every time we go to a meet he is not going to get to do much actual racing. At one place he was time-trialled and raced the same day, but that was at a non-ped club which held special heats for the the ped. whippets and was a bit informal.