Jim Black a staunch supporter of greyhound racing

Press, 7 June 1978, Page 22

Jim Black a staunch supporter of greyhound racing

By

BOB SCHUMACHER

Jim Black did not live to see greyhound racing start on a new era with the introduction of totalisator betting in September. He died recently at the age of 85 and with his death an era in the sport ended. To the many newcomers who have become involved in greyhound racing since the Christchurch club moved th Queen Elizabeth II Park towards the end of 1975, his name would mean little. But to those whose association traces back to the days of Marshland and well beyond, Jim Black will be fondly remembered. For almost a halfceiitury, he avidly followed the only sport he knew and loved. Jim Black’s enthusiasm for the longtails knew no bounds. He had the sport in his blood when he arrived from Ireland and he immediately became a pioneer of the sport in Canterbury. Wherever there was a greyhound meeting, there was Jim Black. He was sometimes there when there was no meeting. His wife, Billy, remembers it too well: “Many times we would arrive at a meeting to find it was the wrong date. I would ask hi..i if he was sure there was a meeting that day and should I check, but no, away we would go and find there wasn’t. He just hated to miss one.” Trials on Sunday mornings were just as import-

ant to him. He hated to miss them as well. People who knew Jim Black can never recall him being without a greyhound. He usually had two’ or three, never a large kennel, because he believed in the principle of putting the best preparation into his dogs and he considered that impossible to do with a larger team. ■ This policy brought him many successes among the most notable being .the 1949 New Zealand Oaks and the 1950 New Zealand Derby in the days of coursing, the 1952 New Zealand St Leger, the 1965 New Zealand Derby and the 1965 South Island open championship. Two of his best-known dogs were the litter brothers, Thunder Chief and Rocky Star. They were outstanding chasers of their time and Thunder Chief was possibly the first New Zealand greyhound to be sold to Australia. The Blacks never heard how he fared overseas. Before they were married, Mrs Black recalled seeing two dogs chasing a hare and she thought how terrible it was. Little did she know what was in store for her. After meeting her husband — they were married in 1935 — Mrs Black recalls getting an early shock. “One day we had to meet a train from Invercargill. I knew a dog was being sent to us but I was never told what type. I never knew what a greyhound was.” Mrs Black was soon to learn. “I had to become attached to them,” and she admitted that her interest did grow and she used to walk dogs herself. But her husband did most training and walking, come hail, rain or snow. The continual appearance of Jim Black at meetings in Christchurch and further afield led to him becoming a wellknown identity. He was approached by many people seeking advice and he was always willing to offer it. He was blunt at times but strictly honest. If he felt a dog was no good, his advice would be to shoot it. A life member of the

Christchurch club, Jim Black loved nothing more than spending hours in conversation on his favourite subject. He would talk greyhounds to anyone for as long as they cared to listen. Two stalwarts of the Christchurch club today, Bill Kingston and Jock Walsh, were of the same mind when they paid tribute to a man they had known well. They knew him as a great coursing man, a dedicated greyhound owner, a person who lived for dog racing, a regular attendee at working bees, and man of conviction. Jim Black remained a regular attendee of meetings to the closing days of Marshland Domain in 1975. A leg complaint forced him to sell his dogs as he could no longer train them and he only visited Queen Elizabeth II Park on a couple of occasions. His death has robbed the sport of one of its greatest supporters and enthusiasts.