GREYHOUND RACING

Evening Star, Issue 22351, 29 May 1936, Page 5

GREYHOUND RACING

RULES OF COURSING UNIFORMITY IN COMPETITIONS [By Pldmpton.] In view of the controversy in connection with coursing which has been taking place in the papers lately, I would like to take this opportunity of pointing out a few of the most important rules governing the sport for the benefit of those patronising ■ the local meeting to-morrow. Those rules will no doubt help to show those who are interested that the sport is conducted on very strict lines, that the judging is uniform as far as possible, that the enclosures have to come up to a required standard, that tho escapes for hares must be properly constructed so as to give the hares every safety, ami also that clubs failing in those matters are liable to fines, RULES. (From the. Australasian Code of Rules, Part lIA Rule 1. —Commencement and close of coursing season: From March 1 to October 15 (both inclusive). Any greyhound running in any stake between October 15 ami Blarch 1 shall bo disqualified, together with its owner, or owners, nominator, and trainer. Rule 2.—Proposed meetings; (a) All coursing meetings in New Zealand shall be under, and subject to, the National Coursing Rules of Australasia. Rule 3.—Nominators under the jurisdiction of the National Coursing Association of New Zealand : Every person who enters a dog at, or attends, any meeting held under the rules of the National Coursing Association of Australasia submits himself to the constitution, by-laws, and code of rules of the National Coursing Association, and to the jurisdiction of the committee and club, and consents to the publication of any matter or decision permitted under and governed by the rules and by-laws of the association.

Rule 9,—Competitors only allowed on ground : Only clogs competing in stakes are allowed on 'the . coursing ground without the permission of the stewards.

Rule 14. —Length of enclosures: After November 6, 1916, all enclosed grounds for the purpose of coursing must be at least 650yds in length, this rule not to apply to any club coursing on an enclosure previous to the above date.

Rule 18.— Sapling stakes: No sapling stakes shall be run before September 1 each season, and no such stake be for more than four dogs. Rule 27. —Control of dogs in slips: (b) Every nominator, owner, or trainer sending or bringing a dog to slips is answerable for the said dog being the right one, under a penalty not exceeding £5; or may bo disqualified, as also

the dog. Nominators, owners, or trainers may be called upon to make a statutory declaration. Kulo 2!),—Tiie slipper: (b) Order-to slip and length to slip—The order to slip may bo given by the judge or by the slip steward, or the stewards of the meeting may leave the slip to the sole discretion of the slipper. The length of the slip must necessarily vary with the nature of the ground, but should never to be less than from three to four score yards, and must bo maintained of one uniform length as far as possible throughout each stake. Kulo 30.—Judge subject to general rules: (h) The judge shall ho subject to the general rules, which may be established by the National Coursing Association for his .guidance. lie shall, on the termination of each course, deliver his decision by ling correspondng with the collar worn by the winning dog, and shall not recall or reverse his decision on any pretext whatever, after it has been declared; hut no decision shall' be delivered until the judge is perfectly satisfied that the course is absolutely terminated. Provided always that the stewards shall have power to alter such decision in the case of an error admitted by the judge. , (d) —lmpugning judge: if any owner, nominator, trainer, or any person openly impugns tho decision of ttic judge on the ground, except by a complaint to the stewards, ho shall be fined not more than £lO or less than £5, at tho discretion of the stewards, who shall also have power to disqualify or warn off tho partv so offending. Rule 32.—Principle of judging: He shall decide all courses upon the one uniform principle that the greyhound that docs the more towards killing the hare during the continuance of the course is to be declared the winner. Tho principle is to be carried out by estimating tho value of tho work done by eacli greyhound, as seen by the judge, upon a balance of points according to the scale hereafter laid down, from which also are to bo deducted certain specific allowances and penalties. The points ot a course are:—(a) Speed : Which shall bo estimated as 1, 2. or 3 points, according to the degree of superiority shown. See definition below (a). . , (hi The go-by: Two points, if gained bn the outer circle 3 points. (c) The turn : One point. (d> Tho Wrench: Half a point. ; (e) The kill: Two points, or, in a descending scale, in proportion to the

degree of merit displayed in that kilij which may be of no value. (f) The trip: One 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.:— Hide 33.—Definition of points: (a)’ Where in the run-up a clear lead is gained by one of the dogs, in which case 1,2, or 3 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 has lost ground at the start, either from being unsighted or from a bad slip, or which has had to run the outer circle. (b) The go-by is when a greyhound starts a clear length behind his opponent after the first, and yet passes him in the straight run, and gets a clear length before him. (c) -Tho turn is where the hare it. 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 lojives her line to suit herself, and not from the greyhound pressing her, nothing is to be allowed. (e) The merit of kill must he estimated according to whether a greyhound, by his own superior dash and Skill, catches the hare; whether he picks her up through any little accidental circumstances favouring him, or whether she is turned into hi» mouth, as it were, by the other grey* hound. (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. There are also many allowances made for accidents to a greyhound during a course. Rule SC. —Improperly schooled hares i (a) No club coursing on an enclosure shall be permitted to run improperlyschooled hares, under a penalty of £5 for tho first offence, the National Coursing Association to fix the penalty should the offence be repeated, and no club shall run hares more than twice in one day. (b) In open country coursing, and where cover is natural, only locallybrbd hares which are familiar with the ground may bo coursed. Rule 37.—Escapes: All clubs coursing on an enclosure shall have pro-perly-constructed escapes.