aquaman

OK, thanks Cocky.

Why the abandonment of meeting today. Weather fine.

3.23....mmmmmn

Great news for George this week, His appeal to the highest Court in Australia has been allowed, will be heard by 7 Judges early in the new year. His was the only one of 22 applications to the Court of appeal that was successful. In fact the defence never even needed to present any evidence, as the Court had enough in front of them to allow it. This is his last chance at receiving justice.

Wonder how they test for psychology. And I wouldn't hold my breath on the results of the testing last night unless its caffeine chocolate, or antibiotics that they are looking for. Anything more exotic will be beyond the spend spent on the tests. As the saying goes, you only get what you pay for.

I doubt it, they don't suspend even when charges are laid for live baiting by the SPCA. Think about it, here in Victoria, we have trainers shut down, their dogs scratched, and not even charged yet. They obviously take it more seriously than the keystone cops here in NZ.

When you consider LP's mean, Owners,Trainers, Breeders, Kennel hands, etc, then the pool of talent is quite wide, do not have the figure, but it must run to several thousand. I suppose the hardest part would be finding a leader without bias, and a person with the eye on the big picture, and not their own backyard. We recently saw the departure of Craig Rendle at the top, and look how that turned out, now one of the biggest owners in the country, and winning literally everything in the CD with his mate Cole. Suppose the first thing that should happen is, whoever is leading the show must divest themselves of a financial interest in the game.

No, must admit I do not watch the catching pen, but must say the Aussies do their racing shows well. My favorite is Get On, which concentrates on Victorian TB racing. Lots of laughs, and so natural. And agree, when the shit hit the fan in NSW, they delt with it decisively. They turned it around, and now look at them, stronger than ever. I take my hat off to them.

That last word should be alternative, stupid.

I came to the conclusion long ago NZ Greyhound racing has been dogged by a poor Governance structure. A structure that is set up to fail. Not since the days of Ron Kilpin and Josey Wales has the sport had leadership that had their heart in it. Since Ron and Josey,s departure we have had a succession of failed leaders and CEO'S that have had no hands on involvement or history in Greyhounds. Most of those failed leaders only filled the seat to further their careers in other realms. And most only stayed till the heat went on, then deserted like rats from a sinking ship. There has been no vision, no long term plan, and most of all, gutless weak decision making, crumbling to the loudest voices and vested interests. Thats the problem as I see it. The solution has never changed. First you change the Constitution. You take the power from the Clubs and vest it in leadership within the NZGRA so as to facilitate tough decisions that will be unpopular with a lot of LP'S, decisions that can be implemented immediately. You could pick your leadership from within your ranks via a Presidential election among LP's. Candidates would have long term goals, and a vision for the future, and have an election cycle of 5 years so as to realize the goal. Who ever wins could pick their supporting staff. You need a team that are all on the same song sheet, and a leader that has the courage of their convictions. I no this is radical, but what you have now is band aid leadership that is reactionary and not visionary. It is going backwards and has lost its way. Pipe dream maybe, but it is an ulternative.

am disappointed to read the above as it unfairly casts aspersions on all it's participants while making sweeping unsubstantiated statements regarding live baiting. I can only assume the post was penned in malice as a result of a personal grievance. I do not know that situation or the circumstances thereof. Am glad you are disappointed with the above statement, it was not meant to be enjoyable. And unlike you who only had a fleeting flirt with Greyhound racing, I had active involvement from 1985 until 2017, so I feel more qualified to speak on the subject of live kills. If you took the time to read the post properly you would notice I said live kills [were] very common, and that [maybe] now it has become more covert, and moved undercover. I stand by that statement. It was not penned in malice as you put it, but rather to answer the title of this thread which describes the petition as bullshit. The facts are, a good portion of greyhounds are locked in kennels 23 hours a day, and that would apply to a lot of training establishments, the petition uses the term wire cages, but the reality is, kennels or wire cages are all the same to the dog, [confined] 20/23 hours a day. I personally do not have a problem with Greyhounds being locked up 20/23 hours a day as long as they are given exercise, and are treated, fed, and groomed etc, but as sure as hell, the wider public does. I also do not have a problem with the culling of unwanted Greyhounds as long as its done humanely, but the wider public sure as hell does. I have a problem with live kills, but have no problem with coursing dogs after rabbits or hares if caught in natural events, ie, put dog in paddock for run, and up pops a rabbit, tough luck for the rabbit. I have absolutely no problem with using road kills, or animal skins, unlike the useless NZGRA. Good on you for adopting 4 Greyhounds, they make wonderful pets, I too have adopted 2 Greyhounds, they keep me walking. And no, I do not bear any malice or have a personal grievance with the NZGRA or any of its employees, I just think their morons and stupid. If you new me, you would find I have been consistent in my criticism of the NZGRA over a period of 30yrs or more, in letters to the editor and Board before the advent of social media, and in recent times on Channel X until banned, and now on BOAY. My criticism has always been about policy and direction the industry was heading. They finally got me with a staged drug test on handlers one morning where I was asked to piss in a pot, and I had great delight in telling them to get F#CKED, result suspended 12 months. But believe me, I harbour know grudge or ill feeling, but rather think they did me a favour. Greyhound racing will end, of this you can be certain, the question is,when. The new PC society will see to that, they now run the Western world, and the planet is the poorer for it. Racing by all three codes could of been extrapolated out if smart thinking and Governance structures were put in place long ago, but alas the opportunity has slipped, and the end is fast approaching. The best that could of been hoped for is a few more years, but the end result was always going to be the shutting down of using live animals for racing. Greyhound racing will survive in places like the Middle East where it all began, nothing will change there, and the Greyhound will find a place in the Western World as pets and companion dogs like all other breeds.

Not a lot of bull shit information there Chief. Maybe the wire cage bit, but the rest fairly factual. I do not have stats, but would say at least 50% of Greyhounds whelped would not reach 5 yrs for one reason or another. Very few are rehomed compared to what is bred. Good ones may get a place on the couch with the owner or trainer, and they represent very few. 10% may get rehomed through GAP, but I am afraid the majority will not reach 5. They start racing here in NZ at 16 months, not 18, which is far to young. Live kills were very common, maybe now it has become more covert, and moved undercover. Puppy farming is the backbone of the industry, and those farmers would be responsible for the vast majority of greyhound culling, as its a numbers game with them. The days of lots of little people in the game with 2 or 3 dogs are well gone. They tended to look after their dogs better treating them more like pets. Nowadays with the encouragement of the NZGRA, big is better, and one way or another, they have actively discouraged owner trainers with small teams, preferring the farmers to dominate. As they sow, so shall they reap springs to mind. My opinion for what its worth is, the parent body being the NZGRA went the wrong way in deciding to allow 3/4 major breeders to dominate at the expense of the little breeder. Also allowing the open slather on unlimited imports from overseas dog farmers such as Wheeler etc on 50/50 deals has had an adverse effect on the longevity of the Greyhound. Many of the imports are non chasers, hence all the dogs wearing blinkers these days. These unwanted rejects from overseas then end up getting put down when they do not chase here and are put out. A lot of them are bred from and exasperate the problem by producing more non chasers which in turn end up down a hole. The useless f#cken NZGRA are led by clowns, and are and will be the demise of a once proud and great industry, they only have themselves to blame

You are so right. And you don't need stats to realise this.

The Stipe in question was Wallis, and he clearly doesn't know what he's looking at. Read the report race 2, and the Uthor Bale head turning and where they were positioned re Didilee 1st bend. Its completely wrong.

Well spotted Yani. Another fighting cheat imported to bolster the ranks of blinkered dogs.

Backed Barrel Runner last week for a place, took the 3's on the fixed. Recon he will run a place tomorrow, but you won't get 3's again. Feel sorry for Robson having the Barrel next to him, it will be heart in the mouth stuff for a good part of the race me thinks.

Its a bit like saying, he went to the house, raped the wife, beat the husband to a pulp, and is fined $300. You would go a long way to find a more blatant corrupt decision than this.

I have the utmost respect for the kennel, its more about the dog Barrel Runner. Its clearly not chasing, and in my opinion spoiling races by annoying whoever is leading in its races, yesterday it was Opawa Toddy, but to be fair, Rivalries was just as bad yesterday, both would not pass the leading dog. They are both cheats, that wear blinkers, and have no interest in chasing.

Correct, I highlighted on here. Barrel Runner cheating again today, look at race 11, could of won, but was not chasing, only wants to play with the leading dogs. Once again failure of Stipes to protect integrity and punters.

Yes, and news coming out of Australia this morning does not bode well for galloping here. And right on the spring carnivals.

Very little. All overtaken by other scandals and advents, the latest being the Thrilling Billy saga where you nominate dogs that do not exist to stack up a field and then scratch them. Just another day in the sleazy world of Greyhound racing. Good old Brendons case will follow the same tried and tested method of the Lisa Cropp case. Just my opinion.

Have to agree, looks like a rort, smells like a rort, and in all probability will be a scratching tomorrow. Whats the bet.

Weak mugs, should of been $5000.

Another useless nonnie today, Barrel Runner, blinkers on and a cheat.

I remember being in a bar in Mexico where peddlers would come around with a gizmo that would provide an electric shock. They had the devise around their neck with a wind handle. The punter in the bar would hold the terminal in the hand and receive an electric currant from the peddler who would wind the handle on his box. The faster he would wind the handle the greater the currant the punter received. The idea of all this was to see who was the bravest on the amount they could take, and they paid for the privilege. I do not see a lot wrong with cattle prods, jiggers, or electric dog collars, they all have their place as training tools. Same can be said for electric fences. Complete over reaction in the Weir saga, all hysteria whipped up by people that wouldn't know cruelty to animals if they fell over it.