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Club Racing
Entering your greyhound in club racing competition provides an opportunity for your greyhound to continue to live the dream of racing and for you to enjoy a spectacular experience with your hound. If your hound is healthy and is in good condition from walks and play, then participating in club racing events will be another adventure to share. There are two forms of club racing, an oval race of approximately 350 yards and a straight race of 200 yards. Oval racing was originated by Whippet owners and other sighthounds racing is sanctioned by National Oval Track Racing Association-Other Breeds (NOTRA). Straight racing is sanctioned by the Large Gazehound Racing Association (LGRA). The tracks are set up on parkland, athletic fields and pastures with the track marked off by stakes and tape. The competitions are open to purebred sighthounds. The competitors range from Italian Greyhounds to Irish Wolfhounds. Each hound races only against other members of the same breed. Most competitions are open to all sighthounds and are scheduled over two days. Greyhounds generally race only on one day and greyhound owners intending to enter their hounds in competition try to build a consensus for competing on one particular day. Most greyhound owners will want to join a club which sponsors club racing and other canine competitions in their area.
You will need to register your greyhound with the sanctioning organizations. This will require either the National Greyhound Association Pet Certificate or a copy of the original National Greyhound Association registration (front and reverse with Bertillon description). Most clubs will allow you to present the application at your first event. NOTRA rules require the first time entry to engage in a trial run prior to competition. The organization wants to make sure that competing sighthounds will chase the lure. On the day of competition, upon checking in, each hound is given a brief examination to detect in noticeable impairment and to ensure that a female in season is not allowed in competition. Club competitions are dependent upon the willingness of participants to assist in supporting the event. Participation may involve helping to chose and prepare the competition site, assisting in registration and review of the entries, field judging the competition for rules infractions, serving as a finish line judge or catching the hounds at the finish. There are a variety of needs requiring you to be actively involved throughout the day of competition. Each club competition involves three heats. Four hounds race at a time and after each heat is completed, the results will translate in to an award of points which will be used in establishing the competitors in each of the successive heats.
After the three rounds of competition, the final point totals are posted and ribbons are awarded to the top competitors of each breed.
United Greyhound Racing will award recognition annually to the top greyhound in club racing competition.
More information, information about local clubs and registration forms can be found on the sanctioning organization websites:
NOTRA Other Breeds: www.notraracing.org
LGRA: www.lgra.org
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