COURSING NOTES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22366, 13 September 1934, Page 4

COURSING NOTES

By Clabckce. With only another month to go of th« 1934. coursing season, dog owners have eased, up in training operations on their greyhounds. The season has not been a very flourishing one, and indeed Oamaru seems to be the only club that can keep things moving, for: in that centre ther* are a lot of dogs and many enthusiastic followers of the leash. It was expected that the Dunedin Club would blossom out this year, but it will be next season before a start is made here.

One new club has been started at Nightcaps. A good enclosure has been erected and a successful meeting was run off. South Otago Club (Otanomomo) has not been very active this season, and its two earlier runs were not satisfactory. However, for their recent Telford Memorial Stake a decided improvement was noticeable, and some good “chases” were witnessed.

The distemper scourge takes its toll each year and it is generally the best animals that succumb. Mr . John Golds Dad’s ; Selection went under after his Oamaru performance at the Waterloo Cup meeting, I although as a Puppy he was inoculated j and was supposed to be immune. Several other good animals also died from the disease, which leaves the canine ranks much poorer by the loss. Mr Fred Robertson (Balclutha) had his kennel inmates down, but by skilful and proper care these animals have recovered.

After being a “trier” in the Waterloo Cup, and running well, the Oamaru dog Even Lad was sent on to Balclutha to compete in the Telford Memorial, which ha won decisively. Then a week or so later he defeated anything he met at Oamaru, and, with ,his performances, of last season, he must be recognised as one of the best dogs in New Zealand. He was an importation from Australia as a puppie. Father Time has removed several of our best and oldest cPursing men, and their places are hard to fill, as the younger generation of coursers do not take up the game as did earlier lovers of the leash. Coursers miss the kindly advice and smiling face of Mr Harry Divers, who did much for the' game. Mr Viv. Jackson (Southland’s breeder and trainer), who passed over early in the season, has left a gap in the southern city coursing circles. Several other old and tried longtail devotees have, for various reasons, retired fiom the ranks.