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Here's a little no brainer of an idea how to help sort out this issue...OK why is their a welfare issue probably the biggest reason is cause the board have not came up with an idea how to handle this issue OK so let's start with the biggest reason is most definatly dogs retiring...so why do dogs retire its not cause they can't run no more... Its cause they can't compete with the younger dogs and their for are deemed no good...how do you sort that pretty simple...after a dog turns 4 his form tends to dip and as the years go on it dips more and more...but realistically a dog can run easily up to the age of 6 which would give him a career twice the length of a normal dog if the stakes and races were available so why haven't the board tought of this once greyhound turns 4 he races in category races called 4 year open, A1, A2, and so on when he reaches 5 year old same again and 6 year old same again...this would see a dramatic decline in dogs retiring at such young ages...its just a tought guys please leave your thoughts and even add your thoughts as the more heads together the better the idea...
Raymond Thompson United Kingdom (Verified User) Posts 254 Dogs 40 / Races 0 07 Jun 2016 17:21
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cant see it happening cause it makes sense
John Brennan (Navan) Ireland (Verified User) Posts 656 Dogs 15 / Races 0 07 Jun 2016 17:58
The only way it might happen if ye got the track supporter clubs all of them to write to the board and suggest a few ideas regarding this like if their were a few classics for 4 and 5 and 6 year olds and graded races and stakes like no one would retire their dogs so young...
John Brennan (Navan) Ireland (Verified User) Posts 656 Dogs 15 / Races 0 08 Jun 2016 06:50
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There's nothing stopping the tracks doing it at the minute. But I get ur point, if the board backed it it would be better
Christopher O' Riordan Ireland (Verified User) Posts 7 Dogs 0 / Races 0 08 Jun 2016 13:21
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Would definitely be a good idea, even a few more sweepstakes for veterans over a variety of grades would be a good move.
When the board put up the featured calendar for the year it should have 4 and 5 year old classic events tracks should run 12 to 14 race card to facilitate the veteran races..ideas like this also need to be backed by us the dog people I see other threads on welfare some pages upon pages long but when someone comes up wit a half brain idea that might help the case 5 replys and then we expect the board to change things...
Dave Cunningham Ireland (Verified User) Posts 2081 Dogs 0 / Races 0 09 Jun 2016 13:15
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Bridget, Don't worry about the reply's, there are more than enough people with 4,5,6 year old dogs/Bitches who would be more than willing to run them in equal graded races or stakes, I think your idea is more than good and it is something you need to bring up with your local GOBA, Padjoe Dorney is chairman of Tipperary it would be good if more people joined them and their ideas can be brought forward, you can give me a buzz any time on 0868209640 to discuss more thanks.
It's a great idea Bridget but people need to race their dogs 4 and 5 year old dogs and enter for these races for it to work. I tried to race a 4 year old dog last year, i entered him for a veteran stake in Galway which was left open for entries for a few weeks. The stake did not fill and the race was eventually cancelled. Don't be disheartened by the lack replies, not many people from Ireland comment on the forum anymore.
Yes but at the end of the day padjoe can only say to track management this needs to be brought directly to the board...we have a welfare issue we know why we have one and we have an idea that will fix this and dramatically decline the number of dogs that need to be rehomed and on top of that it will make a huge difference to the value of a young dog no longer will a 2 year be deemed as been to old...to make this happen and work efficiently the older dogs need to be on a level playing field as the younger dogs...ie similar stakes classics and a even number of graded races and the tracks need to increase the number of races per card...if this is implemented correctly this will work and we will have a better and more efficient industry...
Where will the dogs come from to fill these races, as i just said I tried to race a 4 year old dog last year, i entered him for a veteran stake in Galway which was left open for entries for a few weeks. The stake did not fill and the race was eventually cancelled. I also mentioned a few times about putting on veteran races and was told they would not fill. As a person who takes in retired and abandoned greyhounds until they are rehomed, i can tell you that it will take a lot more to sort out the welfare in this country than putting on veteran races. Education on the care of animals is what is needed. Dogs coming in 18kgs when they should weigh 36kgs, what races will they run in!!
Victoria Lyon Ireland (Verified User) Posts 3 Dogs 11 / Races 0 09 Jun 2016 18:55
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Regardless of any initiative to keep dogs in the racing field, the simple reality is there are more dogs bred than can ever find homes.
Where will the dogs come from to fill these races, as i just said I tried to race a 4 year old dog last year, i entered him for a veteran stake in Galway which was left open for entries for a few weeks. The stake did not fill and the race was eventually cancelled. I also mentioned a few times about putting on veteran races and was told they would not fill. As a person who takes in retired and abandoned greyhounds until they are rehomed, i can tell you that it will take a lot more to sort out the welfare in this country than putting on veteran races. Education on the care of animals is what is needed. Dogs coming in 18kgs when they should weigh 36kgs, what races will they run in!!
Alice first off anyone that registers as an owner should have to do a short course on the care and requirements of a racing greyhound second off I disagree on your statement for this reason solely have a look at every race card in Ireland and UK see how many races facilitate veteran racers..probably none...so where are the veterans gone their all been put down or rehomed no point in trying to put on a veteran stake once a year its not enough...and its the same story always (we tried that it didn't work) fact is that is the very attitude that has this game in the state its in...and over and over again were making the same mistake...were building a product on a broken system...put on a con and Ann Kirby veteran stake for 80k see will it fill...
Stephen Fishwick Ireland (Verified User) Posts 122 Dogs 0 / Races 0 09 Jun 2016 19:42
Bridget, Don't worry about the reply's, there are more than enough people with 4,5,6 year old dogs/Bitches who would be more than willing to run them in equal graded races or stakes, I think your idea is more than good and it is something you need to bring up with your local GOBA, Padjoe Dorney is chairman of Tipperary it would be good if more people joined them and their ideas can be brought forward, you can give me a buzz any time on 0868209640 to discuss more thanks.
Dave iv spoken to a few people on this and their take is their isn't enough 4,5,6 year olds to make this work...I totally disagree as every dog in training turns a year older every year its the simplest solution to slowing down the welfare and rehoming of unwanted greyhounds in this country...
That's a great Idea Bridget, on the paper anyway, unfortunately I think Alison has a point in the way that to keep a dog fit enough after 4 years old to maybe have a few races/year doesn't appeal to many owners/trainers... Yes all of our dogs turn a year older every year but are they kept fit enough to still compete ? I can't see in the actual system who would be up to put 80K to sponsor such event, and even if miraculously that was possible I doubt very much it would fill up. Now it's true that there could be regular one off races ( like once/month ) for veterans, that could be made mandatory for each track to put it up and work with their respective GOBA to make sure it fills up, why not !? Regarding the welfare and rehoming issue I don't think it would make much difference unfortunately.. In my honest opinion I've always thought there wasn't enough communication about that at the tracks, I mean there could be a desk with someone from the local GOBA during racing nights, providing infos on how to adopt an ex-racer, why not a catalogue with pics and profiles of some local dogs up for rehoming, and even better : why not make regular presentations of dogs up for adoption !? They could be walked on the track, in front of the stands, with the speaker introducing them and giving contact details etc... I agree with you Bridget that too often, here and on other social medias, when someone from the racing community is trying to put up a discussion about welfare ( except when it comes to use of drugs.. ) nobody seems really willing or interested in doing something for real, most discussions end up quickly without much positive feedback, it's disheartening. It's sad to see that the last big welfare issue ( re-dogs sent to Macau ) has only be dealt with by ARs ! Those in the racing community who might have done something or even taken a stand against it have done so very, very discreetly..
Francine I never said a few races I said equal amount and do you really think if a big stake was put on for let's say 4 year olds in February that the 3 year olds would hang up their boots in December and not bother wit a big stake also for the veteran racers 1 race a month are you actually serious who in their right mind is gonna keep their dogs in training for 1 race a month...their are up to 3 thousand dogs turning the veteran age every year do you really think 1 race a month is gonna cater for these...the industry needs to get up off their holes make sure the dogs stay in circulation as long as they can 1 it will make dogs that are deemed old at the age of 2 more valuable it will make a greyhound in general more valuable it will take huge pressure off the rehoming of greyhounds and it will benefit dog and owner...the reason the game is in such a bad state is because no one has the balls to try new things and are convinced nothing will work if the races are their and the money is their and the board brings in a retirement age for dogs it will work... They tell us what age we can breed and what age we can't wat age we can qualify and wat age we can't so why not but a cap on how long our dogs can race and fix it so they run in age groups with grades from 4 onwards...
Looks like some have been workshipping this idea for some time already... :/ EXTERNAL LINK It would be worth talking to our local GOBAs to try and see how it could be done, sensibly..
Ending a dogs career at 4 is not what any owner wants but are forced due to the grading and system we have at the moment older dogs are not able compete with the young guns coming trough and even in the same grade the younger dog will have an advantage over the older one that's why it is necessary to group them into age groups once they turn 4 it is also necessary to give them equal opportunity to race which might mean a 12 race card or an extra meeting and also big stakes need to be put in place for them...the igb should make it a legal rule that all greyhounds stay in training till 6 other wise a vet needs to sign them off as officially been retired and stated for what reason...the pluses of this for breeders and owners and welfare well out weigh the minuses its an idea that defo needs to be looked at...and forget about the tried that didn't work attitude as that's not the way forward in this game...
If you need help or advice about a dog you are retiring then this is the place for you.
