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Czech Republic - greyhound races The history of greyhound breeding in our country dates back to 1500. The subsequent evolution resulted in substantial changes. The end of the 18th and beginning of the 19th century saw greyhounds becoming a focus of interest. In order to develop further natural dispositions of the breed a new activity emerged, greyhound racing. They are still in operation and have undergone very few changes. The tracks have an oval shape but the grass surface is not very well maintained. The distances are 480 meters only for „large breeds“ and 360 meters for „small breeds“. During the season (from April to October) there are about 25 racing days with all breeds of sighthounds taking part. The greyhounds may run a couple of times in one day (FCI regulations). The system of racing is based on the dog’s current performance. The races adopt the qualification principle under which the greyhound advances into the following round if the ranking achieved in the previous race justifies it. Based on the applied system and the number of participants, the winner and the dogs closest to it advance to semi-finals or finals. The rest will be given one more chance in the second race and if they do not rank among the leaders they are out of the race. This system results in some dogs racing up to four times a day, which, in my opinion, is not optimal. The system of advancing is based on the FCI regulations currently in force. Their existence is one of the factors causing a total absence of the betting on greyhound racing. Every ranking during the season is awarded a certain number of points and the total of these points determines the best dog of the year (for each breed). This dog is awarded the title „the Race Winner“ (or Race Champion) and this is reflected in it’s pedigree. Prizes are rather symbolic and more like souvenirs. There are many other differences between races in your country and here. The race distance is standard – 480 meters and 360 meters. There are no handicaps, marathons, hurdle races or sprint. The „rabbit“ is attached to the end of a rope and pulled using a system of trolleys. After each race the rope must be reinstalled which causes large delays during races. This FCI racing system is hardly acceptable for less numerous breeds of sighthounds (Afghan, Borzoi, Italian greyhound etc.) whose attitude towards racing is more relaxed and which do not succumb to tiredness so easily. Greyhounds and Whippets are after such races enormously exhausted and their results can not serve as a reliable benchmark for assessing the actual performance. These fast running breeds often experience health problems and suffer leg injuries as a result of bad condition of FCI grass race tracks and more runs in one day. The aforementioned facts resulted in combining efforts of a couple of us who would like to enhance the level of the greyhound racing sport. We have acquired a couple of dogs of English or Irish origin with a slightly different physiognomy from the Czech greyhounds and we have had a chance to see that for health reasons they are not able to perform on FCI tracks. In addition to this FCI does not honor pedigrees of these greyhounds, which makes their participation in FCI races rather problematic. This and similar experiences have resulted in the setting up of a new Czech organization – The Czech Greyhound Racing Club (1997) which will focus on the Irish racing experience and whose aim it is to increase the standard of races in the Czech Republic to at least a partially professional level. Our main goal was to build the first safe sand track in the country, with sufficient logistics and potentially secure imports of greyhounds from England or Ireland. The current bad economic and social environment in our country is not making this easy or quick. Nevertheless, the first sand track was opened last year in village Praskacka of near the town of Hradec Kralove. The track has new and thicker sand surface. The racing distances are of 300 meters, 375 meters, 525 meters and 740 meters, circumference 440 meters, bend radius 43 meters, track width 6 meters for straight and 10 meters for bends. The hare system is inside – Australian style. I obtained some advice from the Finish track constructor Jouni Toivoniemi, who is building Finish tracks according to Australian parameters. Praskacka traťové rekordy: The Czech Racing Federation/CRF - the organization for new trend of Czech greyhound (and Whippet) racing was founded in 1st July 2000. CRF has been formed by 4 member organizations – International Czech Greyhound Society (ICGS), Greyhound Racing Club Ostrava, Racing Club Praskacka and Czech Greyhound Racing club (CzGRC). We have about 60 members and 50 greyhounds currently. The CRF is guaranteeing a safe racing system for greyhounds (including only one race per day) and an attractive system for race visitors. CRF Race rules and Doping Control Rules are similar to Continental Greyhound Racing Confederation/ CGRC (It is an international organization for European greyhound racing and associated member of WGRF). Member countries of CGRC are Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Hungary, the Netherlands, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland and Russia. CRF organized the historical first Czech Derby and 6 further race days (Czech Puppy Derby etc.) in year 2000. Derby winner - Ironmonger Tango is from Pat Dalton´s breeding and previous named Rugged Coast. Rugged Coast also won the 2001 Czech Derby (525m). Unfortunately, our situation is not easy. Our activity is harmed by the FCI, which is administering the European dog breeding, and does not acknowledge pedigrees of racing greyhounds from the USA, Australia, England and Ireland. Also FCI does not acknowledge CGRC European racing system. Some international bad causes (similar to Spanish Barcelona) harm our activities too. Our Czech greyhound breeding rests either on the Irish/English racing greyhounds which we obtained from some dog shelters (they are retired greyhounds from Spanish and Italian tracks) or from Ireland (Elbony Kennels, Pat Dalton etc.). Only two Czech kennels are breeding some racing greyhounds – The Supersonic and The Hippolit Star. Now we search for help from all countries with developed Greyhound racing. We are planing a construction of the second sand track in a big industry town of Ostrava and other track in Prague. We must solve a betting, prize money, and many other issues. That is why we ask all supporters – keep your fingers crossed for us. Pardon me for my English, Jan |
