Jacket Fiasco - 2nd Championships 2008

[conway]

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Personally I am very, very chuffed if my dogs reach a main final, so their placings are important to me.  Of course it's brilliant if they win and especially a Champs because that can mean the dogs name has a title added to it and thus there is recognition of the dogs ability long after the dog is no longer racing.  Because of this I believe that the champs are more important than other open level race meetings.  Therefore it is more important that the race meetings are run well and that the track is the best.  There is more expectation of the WCRA and helpers on the day to get it right because it is a championship.
I'm sure that I'm not the only racer who thinks that the straight track that the champs are run on is one of the worst tracks that any open is run on.  I'm lucky that I have big dogs and they can cope with the 'bump and dip' but the smaller dogs are seen to move all over the place, thus the trap positions become more important as the dog in the red trap is worst affected by the uneven ground.  Many people believe that the red trap is the least favourable of the traps on this particular track.  Of course this is NOT the only track that has an effect on the trap position that dogs are given.  Some other tracks aren't level either.  However IMO as this is the Champs this should be the best race meeting in every way and set the standard that all the clubs should aim to meet. 

To answer Mark about the coats that the dogs ran in.  I have been told that the paddock official's program was different to the trap man's.  The paddock official wouldn't let the dogs go to the traps in the wrong coats so made them change.  You quoted one rule Mark well here's another WCRA rule. 

4.19  The starter will re-check that all whippets are correctly jacketed and muzzled before entering the traps.

Because of the discrepancy between the two programs if this rule had been adhered to the problem would have been highlighted at the traps and the dogs would have had to have the coats re-changed over and they would have been run from the right traps. 

Also there is this rule

4.34  Any runner finishing the race with an incorrect racing jacket will be placed last and unable to participate in further competition that day.

So I suppose that given that 2 whippets ran in the wrong jackets then the owner of the 4th dog could ask for them to be disqualified and their dog placed 2nd.   However as the owners of the wrongly jacketed dogs weren't at fault what would the WCRA do about that if such a request was made.

However the catalog of errors doesn't end with the racing jackets that the dogs wore.  There is also the matter of the result.  The red dog was put up 2nd yet we have been told that ALL the line judges had the same result so why didn't they notice the error and amend it.  Not only did the person putting up the result get it wrong but the line judges didn't notice the mistake either.  Also Fun To Run was read out as being in 2nd place and thus an error was made then too.

This particular race seems to have been very, very unfortunate in that many errors made by different people have affected it.  We are all human and mistakes get made.  Nobody wants to make them, none of us are perfect and hindsight as we all know is a wonderful thing.  Personally I think that the owners of the affected dogs should recieve an apology for the mistakes made.

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IMO Linda you have more than a right to be upset ,its not about where you finished if you get to the final but how your dog got there, no disrespect to the other finalists,they too were victims of this error.In the least the dogs (not jkts) should have kept thier placing, but also (and I quote beejay)"I'm lucky that I have big dogs and they can cope with the 'bump and dip' but the smaller dogs are seen to move all over the place, thus the trap positions become more important as the dog in the red trap is worst affected by the uneven ground. ".Our little dog was also in the Red trap(and in the lead) other racers words NOT mine, she hit the above and jolted herself badly, she did finish the race and no less than five people came over to ask if she was hurt. After a 200 mile round trip to our Greyhound vet I can say she was unhurt by the "bump & dip".We are not (contary to a few peoples belief) bitter about what happened,she arrived unhurt at the end of the race,and thankfully yours did to, the rest as they say is history!!!. We are only human,and mistakes do happen, lets hope the WCRA commitee learn a lesson from this(and PLEASE) move the track.

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the same thing happened to amber so i was told

 

[Judy]

I think SnipeR's posts may have been slightly confusing - sounds like you're confused Judy, cos now you think she was 3rd :wacko:   :teehee:   From what I can understand, Fun To Run should have been in Blue, but was changed to Red by the paddock official - the dog in the red jacket came 2nd (Fun to Run), but the line judges had another dog in red, so placed that one 2nd, and Fun to Run 3rd.  The fault lies with the paddock official, and in all fairness this mistake should be put right.  We all make mistakes from time to time, after all we're all human - but to just leave the problem and say the committee will learn from it, doesn't make the aggreived owner feel any better.  I would be devastated had it happened to me

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Confused is my usual state :lol:

I did understand it to be like you have written it until SnipeR amended what the letter said but surely the line judges write down the jacket colours not the dogs names so if Fun To Run had been 2nd they would have put red as being second yet the letter says they put red 3rd.

Obviously there was a mix up with the coats which has led to further confusion but at least its between 2nd and 3rd and not 1st and 2nd which would have mattered much more (w00t) . I can still sympathise with the owner though.

I don't think there was camera on the day was there?

 

[June Jonigk]

I don't think there was camera on the day was there?

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No, they don't seem to set it up anymore

 

[SnipeR]

Letter written on 21st July 2008

To the WCRA

I am writing in response to your reply to my letter of 7th June 2008, regarding the 18lb final of the 2nd WCRA Championships held at Morton-in-Marsh on the 1st June 2008.

Having read your reply, I can only assume that I did not make my letter clear enough, so I will endeavour to rectify this. The mistakes that occured during the 18lb final that day resulted entirely from the incompetence of the WCRA racing officials.

In your reply to me you failed to mention anything about the WCRA rules 4.16 & 4.19, which were blatantly ignored (regarding coats etc). I assume that the rules were put in place so that this sort of thing would never happen!

As for your comments regarding the placings, I, along with many others, know that the result, as put up by the line judges, was correct. The only time this would be changed is if there was a dispute which there was not. At no time was an announcement made that the decision had been changed.

That now brings us to the matter of rule 4.35 'the judges' decision is final'. I, along with all other racers, always believed it to be the final decision when the colours were put up and the placings called out. But, according to your letter, the placings could only have been changed between the end of racing and the presentation. If this is the case, then exactly at what point does the judges' decision become final? That now makes this a rule that will have to be dicussed with The Whippet Club, because as it stands now, no racers will have any idea whether the order in which the colours are put up, is the final decision (in other words it can be changed at any time). If the WCRA does not have to abide by their own rules then maybe you should inform all the racing fraternity.

Let us hope that this situation of your own making can be resolved by the 3rd Championship 2008. The situation will not go away until I, and all other racers, know where we stand.

What I am asking for is a) an apology and b) for my dog to be given her rightful 2nd placing.

Yours Faithfully

Linda Turner

Unfortunately as yet I have not recieved a reply to my letter.

Also when people make mistakes that affect others they normally apologise. I can only assume that the WCRA cannot bring themselves to do so.

It is at times like this when you learn who your real friends are and thank goodness I am lucky enough to have some of the best.

 

[Paul Chappell]

Regarding the change of racing jackets at the paddock, why did the people trapping the two dogs in question not mention to me prior to the race starting at the traps that they had been asked to change jackets , and that an error had been made, instead of informing me after the race was run, I have always encouraged people to speak out prior to their race if they feel an error has been made, I will always stop racing until the query has been dealt with.

With regard to the track, I shall be moving it to a different position to minimise any ground deviations, please remember that the track was moved from the original place(cricket outfield) after taking onboard many racers comments that they felt the grass was too short and was causing many injuries to dogs feet.

There have been considerably fewer reported injuries since we moved the straight track and run on longer grass especialy when weather conditions are very dry.

Why do you all tell each other how bad you feel the track is but fail to mention it to me, as track manager i would have thought I would be your first port of call, constructive critisism has always been welcomed.

Ps. some people just dont like moreton and feel its too far for them to travel and we will never please them, hope i dont get taken out by a sniper on sunday for my comments, look forward to seeing you all sunday. :thumbsup:

I shall be at the track on Friday if anyone would like to help set-up.

 

[jade]

yes paul i know if theres ever a problem then you are the first i would talk to what nice man you are keep up the good work you all do a great job, :thumbsup: jane see you sunday

 

[June Jonigk]

Regarding the change of racing jackets at the paddock, why did the people trapping the two dogs in question not mention to me prior to the race starting at the traps that they had been asked to change jackets , and that an error had been made, instead of informing me after the race was run, I have always encouraged people to speak out prior to their race if they feel an error has been made, I will always stop racing until the query has been dealt with.
With regard to the track, I shall be moving it to a different position to minimise any ground deviations, please remember that the track was moved from the original place(cricket outfield) after taking onboard many racers comments that they felt the grass was too short and was causing many injuries to dogs feet. 

There have been considerably fewer reported injuries since we moved the straight track and run on longer grass especialy when weather conditions are very dry.

Why do you all tell each other how bad you feel the track is but fail to mention it to me, as track manager i would have thought I would be your first port of call, constructive critisism has always been welcomed.

Ps. some people just dont like moreton and feel its too far for them to travel and we will never please them, hope i dont get taken out by a sniper on sunday for my comments, look forward to seeing you all sunday. :thumbsup:

I shall be at the track on Friday if anyone would like to help set-up.

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Hey Pauly, nice to see you :huggles:

The coat and trap incident is an unfortunate one - mistakes can be made, after all we are all human - but why oh why didn't the other racer come forward and sort this out. I heard her say recently, well the dog didn't win, so what's she complaining about? But if we are all honest, we would be gutted if our dogs were placed 3rd when they were 2nd. Has anyone asked the other racer I wonder, as surely she could sort this one out?

Glad you are moving the track Paul - good on ya :huggles: We won't be there until Saturday, but you know Steve is always willing to help, and always helps put away after :thumbsup: He says he's thinking of proposing ladies day though - where women have to do the lot :b Ladies are much better at chatting though, and putting the world to rights :lol:

See you soon :huggles: I'm going to PM you now, cos what I have to say to you is a bit private (that should get tongues wagging) :lol:

 

[Judy]

Re the track Paul... I think you were right to move it in the first place, there were a lot of pad injuries before and you did listen :thumbsup: I'm told that some people have had a word about the dip in the track, but with Gary, presumably because he is the race manager. Maybe people don't realise that you are track manager. The criticism of the track I saw on here wasn't personal and I thought was constructive. I even saw offers of help improve it :thumbsup:

 

[Smiffy@VeronnaV]

Well, I have read the topic and have to admit that I have lost the plot, from what I read, the jacket of the dog was changed from blue to red, when the race was run the judges put the red jacket in 3rd place, (this does not in any way alter the result of the race, if the red jacket was 3rd, then it was third), then the presentation gave the dog in question a third placing so am I right, the dog ran the race and WAS 3rd? If I am right, and the red jacket came third, then the award of 3rd placing on the passport was correct. Help!!!!!!!!!!

So who is going to submit an agenda item for the forthcoming talk-in? (agenda items to be received by the WCRA by 20th September according the the Whippet Club web site) -giving constructive suggestions for a system which will prevent the same thing from happening again!

As far as the WCRA are concerned, no-one forces them to stand for the committee, indeed, you have to be invited to stand for election. When they take on the mantle of committee member they also take on the mantle for the responsible, safe running of their champs meetings. To my mind this does not entitle any member of that committee to assume the mantle of God, they are just people - and because they are ONLY people, and because, ultimately, the title is a very insular one, with no import on the show/coursing scene, and because we expect that they will police the meeting with impartial, sound judgement; when they do make a mistake it is behoven upon them to have the grace to admit that a mistake was made - and then to rectify that mistake post haste.

Having said all that, as far as I can see, the only mistake was made was made by my most favourite WCRA committee member!!!!!!!!! (w00t) (w00t)

As far as quality of track is concerned, you can always vote with your feet if you feel it is not safe for your dogs. Indeed, i would say that should any person consider the track to be sub standard and still race their dog, then one could question the validity of the complaint for to use the track would indicate that the concerns were unfounded - so how many withdrew and asked for their money back due to the condition of the track?

It is comforting to know that the condition of the track is being addressed but this is due to the inherent goodness of the people concerned not because the racing fraternity showed their disquiet at the condition of the track by withdrawing their dogs.

 

[Fleesh]

As I understand it Smiffy, the dogs jacket was swapped from BLUE to RED. The results showed that RED JACKET was 2nd.

I think this is where the confusion has come in.

According to the rest of the programmes "Smarty" was in RED and "Bertie" was in BLUE, so the dogs went to the traps in these colours.

But according to the trap official "Bertie" was in RED and "Smarty" was in BLUE (I do not know dogs names). So the dogs jackets were swapped.

Over the finish line the the RED JACKET was 2nd across the line (so well done "Bertie") BUT because the jackets were changed and the programme at the finish was not as far as the NAMES are concerned "Smarty" was awarded 2nd place as the line officials programme showed "Smarty" wearing RED JACKET.

 

[BeeJay]

Yes it is confusing. To clarify. After the race the colours were put up showing the red dog 2nd. Then Fun To Run (who was in the red coat) was read out as being 2nd. But the line judges had written on their sheets that the red dog was 3rd (I know this because I saw the sheets at the end of the meeting). There wasn't any correction of the result before the presentation. So there was also a lot of confusion on the day.

For the record. I queried the result with Gary (race manager) after the presentation. He immediately went to find out what had happened and called me over to see the line judges score sheets as proof of the result. My query was handled in a prefectly polite and professional manner.

I too have been heartened by the WCRA's response to comments about the track. I had always felt that they were a committee who had tried to listen to the racers views and it's nice to know that they remain like this.