- Messages
- 3,462
- Reaction score
- 6
- Points
- 0
very well put emma :thumbsup: the best post on here by far.Totally respect what you are trying to do Lyndon, I don't think that you should take some of the comments that have been made too personally. As always everyone has an opinion and some are going to be for an idea and some are always going to be against an idea. I'm not saying that i'm totally against the idea but I have to agree with what Mark said. I don't think that the lure of prize money has ever or will ever be a part of my desicion to take part in whippet racing. When I started the sport 3 and a bit years ago the point for me was to get a dog for the exercise and to get out of the house and meet people. The fact that my dogs could potentially win races was just an added bonus to the joy of owning a dog. One of the first things Dave ever said to me was there is no money in whippet racing and I obviously was quite happy to join the sport on that basis.This was idea of my to bring whippet racing forward and to bring new people in to sport at these hard times because what really is there to draw people to whippet racing ( crap trophys at some of events I been to , low pay out 80%|70%|50% sometimes no payout and cost small fortune in fuel bills & need good motor to get around some of opens ) (good points (some great weekends events,some opens put add prize money some opens really try with there trophys) I personally look back at year think to my self how to try improve and get bigger turn out like said this was just idea I spoke to lot of whippeters 6 which were willing to sponsor elite idea did not mean more opens it just was run along side normal calendar I personally would always help out at any open or club meeting which I done but if people think if sit back doing big fat zero this sport will go forward and stop people jack the sport in they best thing again and remember I toid you so this is just my opinion I hate to write any negative things on k9 :thumbsup:
I'm not saying that it is not good when you do get a little bit of money back, with the cost of fuel and everything it's nice to get a little something back to go towards the spiralling costs, but I don't think that increased prize money is the answer. I can only see it causing more arguements and more cheating from the small minority who take the sport far too seriously. Not that I am aware of any such things going on but I can only assume that the reason drug testing started is because it did and may still happen. For the most part I turn a blind eye to the arguements that I have heard of and ocasionally witnessed in this sport because I know that if i took it to heart i'd be like one of the many who have dropped out of this sport. I have to keep telling myself that i do it because my dogs enjoy it and every desicion i make i make to the benefit of my dogs. But right now I don't think that i would even recommend the sport to a newcomer without first warning them of how much negativity goes around.
I don't want anyone one to take what i have written to heart I am only saying it as i see it from the position of someone who has only been in the sport a short time. I really would like to see this sport improve and I have long been gutted that i wasn't around in it's hay day. I hope someone does find an answer to save the sport but unfortunalty Lyndon I dont think yours is it. JMO.