COURSING

Evening Star, Issue 22275, 28 February 1936, Page 4

COURSING

NOTES AND COMMENTS

[By Pluupxon.]

All coursing enthusiasts should make themselves well acquainted with the rules appearing in this and next: week’s notes, as they are the main rules by wvhieli,coursing-is judged. i From the Australasian Code of Rules* Part 11. Rule 30(d): Impugning Judge.—lf any owner* nominator, trainer, or any person openly impugns the decision of the judge on the ground, except by a complaint to the stewards, he shall be fined not more than £lO or less than £5 at the discretion of the stewards, who shall also have power to disqualify or warq off the party so offending. (Rule 31) Judge or Slipper Interested.l—lf a judge or slipper be in any; way interested in th*> winnings of a greyhound or greyhounds the nominator in each case, unless he can prove satisfactorily that such interest. was without his cognisance, the dog' shall forfeit all claim to the winnings and be disqualified; and if any nominator* owner, or trainer of greyhounds shall give or offer or lend money or anything of value to any judge.-or slipper such owner, nominator, or trainer shall not be allowed to run dogs in his own or any other person’s name during any subsequent period that the club may decide upon. (Rule' 32) Principle of Judging.—Ha shall decide all courses upon the one uniform principle, that the greyhound that does the more towards killing the hare during the continuance of the course is to be declared the winner* The principle is to be carried out by estimating the value of work done'by each greyhound, as seen by the judge* upon a balance of points according: to the scale hereafter laid down, from which also are to be deducted certain specific allowances and penalties. The points of the course are:—(a)] Speed, which shall be estimated as one* two, or three points, according to the degree of superiority shown (see tion below (a), (b) The go-bye, two points; if gained on the outer circletthree points, (c) The turn, one point, (d) The wrench, half a point. (e) The kill, two points, or in a descending scale in proportion to the degree of merit displayed in that kill, which may be of no value. (f) The trip; ono point. . - ' (a) In estimating the value of speed to the hare the judge must take : into account the several forms in which it may be displayed—viz.: Definition of points—(l) Where in the run-up a clear lead is gained by one of the dogs* in which case one, two, or three points may be given, according to length of lead, apart from the score for a turn or wrench. In awarding these points the judge shall take into consideration the merits of a lead obtained by a dog which lias lost ground at the start* either from being unsighted or . from a bad slip, or which has had to’run the outer circle. (2) Where One greyhound loads the other so long as the hare runs straight,' hut loses the lead from her bending found decidedly In favour of the slower dog of her own accord, in which case the one greyhound \ shall score one point for . the speed shown and the other dog score! one point for the first .turn. (3) Only where great superiority is shown by one greyhound over another ip. a .long lead to cOvert is speed, without subsequent work, to he-allowed’to decide a course. If a dog, after gaining the first six points, .still keeps possession of the bare by superior speed he shall have double the prescribed allowance fop the subsequent points made before his opponent begins to score (b) The go-bye is where a greyhound starts a clear length behind Jiis opponent after the first turn, and yet passes him in the straight run and gets a clear length before him. •" (c) The turn is where the hare is brought round at not less than, a right angle from her previous line, „ (d) The wrench is where the hare is bent from her line at less than a right angle, but where she only leaves her line to suit herself, and not from the greyhound pressing her, nothing .is to.bo allowed.

(e) The merit of a kill must be estimated according to whether a grey, hound, hy his own superior dash and skill, catches the hare; whether ha picks her Up through any _ little accidental circumstances favouring him; op whether she is turned into his mouth* as it were, by the other greyhound. (f) The trip, or unsuccessful,effort to kill, is where the hare' is thrown off her legs, or where a greyhound .flecks her but cannot hold her. In next week’s notes definitions!will be given of allowances and penalties in connection with these rules and points.