Greyhound Nation

Episode 50: Recorded May 24, 2025 "[The Virtual Coursing Museum] dovetails so nicely with some of the goals of our podcast..." John Parker, on the announcement of the Virtual Coursing Museum by the National Coursing Club in Great Britain Show Notes For the 50th episode of the Greyhound Nation podcast, we have the unique privilege of announcing the opening of the Virtual Coursing Museum by the National Coursing Club on June 24, 2025. The website is open to anyone interested in learning more about the sport of coursing and the Greyhound breed. It features video interviews, historic photographs, artwork, and more. It captures the rich history and heritage of coursing and the Greyhound in Great Britain. The museum is the brainchild of former Waterloo Cup chairman, David Midwood and historian and author, Charlie Blanning. In fact, the museum can be considered an extension of Charlie's The Greyhound and the Hare, published in 2018. Additionally, both David and Charlie felt an urgency to document and preserve the history of the sport, including photographs of trophies and memorabilia, anecdotes and interviews from its most famous characters, and a catalog of coursing- and Greyhound-related artwork. In this episode, host John Parker sits down with David and Charlie to talk about an idea that became reality -- the Virtual Coursing Museum. John explores the process by which the museum came to be, including all the work involved in cataloging its contents. David and Charlie also reminisce about some of the people most associated with the sport of coursing and Greyhounds in Great Britain, such as Sir Mark Prescott and the late Peter Sant. Links The Virtual Coursing Museum (Website) The National Coursing Club and Greyhound Stud Book (Website) The Greyhound and the Hare (Facebook)

Episode 49: Recorded March 6, 2025 ”If someone has a giant nose, you're not going to cut off their nose…” Dr. Guillermo Couto on why he chose to focus his career on Greyhounds and their unique physiology and health characteristics Show Notes Dr. Guillermo Couto's veterinary career started in the 1970s in Buenos Ares, Argentina. He started with a small practice across the street from his parents. Five years later, he became board certified in veterinary internal medicine and oncology at the University of California, Davis. In the 1980s, he started a thirty year career at The Ohio State University where he made a name for himself as the foremost expert and researcher in Greyhound hematology and oncology. That focus on Greyhounds started 30 years ago when Dr. Couto adopted his first Greyhound. He was intrigued by the unique physiology of the breed, and he sought answers to questions about Greyhound health that other veterinarians and researchers might have dismissed as abnormalities. In 2013, Dr. Couto retired from teaching and founded the Greyhound Health Initiative (GHI) to further explore the internal medicine and oncology landscape of the breed. Meanwhile, Mandy Albert started her veterinary career as a registered vet technician in 2004. Two years after Dr. Couto founded GHI, Mandy joined the organization to help establish its canine blood bank. Together, they have expanded the GHI well beyond its canine blood bank. The organization's current initiatives include Greyhound and sighthound research, education and outreach, advocacy for retired racing Greyhounds and collaboration with veterinary professionals. In this episode, host John Parker sits down with Dr. Couto and Mandy to explore the doctor's career, the origins of the Greyhound Health Initiative, and the contributions that both professionals have made and continue to make to the well-being of the Greyhound. It's an exciting hour of discussion about everything from Greyhound blood factors to osteosarcoma to the cutting edge of Greyhound orthopedic research. Links Greyhound Health Initiative (Website) Greyhound Health Initiative - Videos (Website) Couto Veterinary Consultants (Website)

Episode 48: Recorded February 21, 2025 "I've never screamed so loud. The bug had bit. I had a tremendous passion for it." David Peck on watching his first Greyhound nearly win a stakes race at Victoryland Show Notes David Peck started out training bird dogs in the early 1970s. One of his clients was a friend who became involved in the new parimutuel racing in Texas. He visited David and recommended that he try his hand in training Greyhounds based on his success with bird dogs. Greyhounds gave David "renewed energy and lit me up." David started out with two pups, and he started training them like his bird dogs. His methodology worked, and one of those first Greyhounds became a top competitor at the Victoryland Greyhound track in Alabama. During one of his summer bird dog training sessions, he was called away to cheer on his Greyhound at a final stakes race. That hound took second place, just barely beaten at the wire. It was the start of an American Greyhound racing career that lasted well into the 2010s. After founding Clear the Way (CTW) Kennels, David continued to improve his training methods. In particular, he focused on track design and surfaces. He encouraged American dog tracks to adopt Australian-style track design to improve the overall footing and safety for racing Greyhounds. In this episode, host John Parker talks with David about his decades of dog training -- bird dogs, American racing Greyhounds, and -- now -- Belgian Malinois. David shares his experiences with both training and breeding Greyhounds, describing the differences and similarities between the breeds with which he's worked. He also talks about how he worked to make Greyhound racing safer and keep the sport alive. Links Victoryland Dog Track (Wikipedia) Greyhound Adoption League of Texas (Website)

Episode 47: Recorded December 22, 2024 "With the loss of any sport or pastime, it's the people you miss in the end…" Sir Mark Prescott on the people he met over four decades of coursing Show Notes Every sport has its share of characters — the people that influenced and shaped the sport, for better or worse. Babe Ruth. Lester Piggot. Hank Aaron. Sterling Moss. Michael Jordan. Caitlin Clark. Eric Liddell. David Beckham. Mike Krzyzewski. Bobby Knight. Billie Jean King. Depending on your perspective, these names can elicit a variety of emotions and memories of your favorite sport. The world of Greyhound coursing has its own cavalcade of characters who left their own mark or legacy on the sport. Historical figures like Colonel North and Edward Dent influenced the glory days of the sport. Lord Sefton, while influential, left artifacts and records of the Waterloo Cup to be burned and abandoned after his passing. Then there are the memorable judges, owners and trainers that left their mark on the sport of coursing. Jack Chadwick judged meetings from atop a horse with a permanently outstretched leg. Owner Lilah Shennen delivered both criticism and support of the sport and its organizers over the years. Harry Skinner made contributions to the sport in the design of the fields and courses to be run. In this episode, host John Parker sits down with his own favorite coursing characters — Charlie Blanning and Sir Mark Prescott — to talk about the larger community of coursing's beloved and not so beloved. Their discussion covers the gamut of historical figures to coursing's contemporaries right up until the last Waterloo Cup. Links The Greyhound and the Hare (Facebook) Heath House Stables (Website) Dedication This episode is dedicated to Michael's Greyhound, Raleigh (fka Mr. Bates), 3/2/2016 - 12/13/2024. Raleigh was one of ten puppies in the Dublin and Kell's Casino litter from 2016. This was a hobby bred litter courtesy of John Parker. If you'd like to learn more about Greyhound hobby breeding, listen to our fifth episode -- the Hobby Breeder Roundtable.

Episode 46: Recorded October 4, 2024 "Greyhound racing -- I will be forever grateful. It owes me nothing, and I owe it everything." Acting CEO of GRNSW Wayne Billett on his third generation Australian Greyhound racing legacy Show Notes In the 1930s and 1940s, Wayne Billet's grandfather served on the Dapto Agricultural & Horticultural Society that would introduce Greyhound racing to the Syndey suburb. Wayne's father and uncle would work at the Dapto Greyhound track as well. At the age of 15, as the third generation of Billetts, would start work in the Dapto Greyhound kennels. Forty odd years later, Wayne serves as the acting CEO of Greyhound Racing New South Wales (GRNSW). In that time, he graduated from kennel work to starter, club steward, and race club manager. Today, he manages the whole of Greyhound racing in the Australian state of New South Wales. Under Wayne's leadership, GRNSW is prospering. The Million Dollar Chase draws large crowds and "punters" to see the biggest single Greyhound race payout in the world. The Taree Super Track recently opened with new technologies and safety features for Greyhounds. Finally, a dedicated rehoming facility for North American adopters is open for business with more than fifty adoptable Greyhounds waiting to cross the Pacific. In this episode, host John Parker and Wayne sit down to talk about his family's background in Greyhound racing, The Million Dollar Chase, and the future of Greyhound Racing in New South Wales. John also challenges Wayne to Parker's Lightning Round of Greyhound questions. Links The Million Dollar Chase (YouTube Livestream) The Million Dollar Chase (Website) The Taree Super Track (Article)

Episode 45: Recorded August 11, 2024 "You need to write about what you know. You need to write about what you've experienced." Charlie Blanning on how his father's and grandfather's Greyhound breeding inspired elements of his new novel Show Notes Greyhound author and historian Charlie Blanning has released his second work of Greyhound fiction -- Electric Rabbit. His latest novel picks up many of the dangling narrative threads from his first novel, Rags to Riches. His latest work stands alone, but he recommends reading both novels to get the most of recurring characters and full historical context of the story. Speaking of that historical context, Electric Rabbit reads very much like historical fiction. The narrative continues Charlie's incorporation of elements factual Greyhound sport -- Greyhound racing and coursing in Great Britain. This new novel is set in the mid-1920s and focuses on the first Greyhound racing activities in the country. Without giving too much of the plot away, host John Parker and Charlie sit down to talk about the novel and its Greyhound sport underpinnings. Charlie shares how his family's background in racing and coursing Greyhound breeding informed Electric Rabbit's narrative. As always, he brings to bear his considerable corpus of historic Greyhound sport knowledge to paint a vivid and engaging portrait of the Greyhound in early 20th century Great Britain. Links The Greyhound & the Hare (Facebook; place your order) Text: 0 79 01 824 556 (UK SMS to express interest) Owen Patrick Smith, Greyhound Hall of Fame inductee (Website)

Episode 44: Recorded June 5, 2024 "People have jumped to the [conclusion] that, because tracks are closed in the United States, there's no more Greyhounds..." Debra Hardman, of GALT-Arizona, describing the state of affairs for Greyhound adoption applications Show Notes Former racing Greyhounds are still available to adopt in the United States. However, those Greyhounds will likely be sourced from outside the United States. Adoption organizations that partner with groups like Greyhound Racing Ireland / the Irish Retired Greyhound Trust, Greyhound Racing New South Wales (GRNSW) and Greyhound Racing Victoria (GRV) have effectively resuscitated their programs. These organizations' leaders, including Bob Koch of Nittany Greyhounds and Debra Hardman of GALT-Arizona, are navigating the ins and outs of rehoming these overseas hounds. Bob's adoption group in central Pennsylvania serves adopters regionally -- basically the mid-Atlantic and Midwest. At any given time, he has about 50 approved adoption applications. Nittany works with two organizations in Australia -- and GRV and GRNSW -- but they started international rehoming with Irish racing Greyhounds. According to Bob, the Greyhounds handle the long travel very well and share the same temperament as American racing Greyhounds. Debra's experience in the American Southwest is very similar to that of Bob's organization. GALT-Arizona -- a chapter of the Greyhound Adoption League of Texas (GALT) -- serves Arizona and surrounding states. Her Australian Greyhounds come directly into LAX for pickup, and she describes the hounds as happy as ever as they finish their long journeys after transport. In this episode, host John Parker talks with Bob and Debra about these and other experiences rehoming international Greyhounds with American adopters. They discuss the logistics of bringing the Greyhounds into various ports of entry, the paperwork involved and the care given to the hounds as they make their way around the world. Bob and Debra also share a bit about each of their organizations and how they're adapting to this new source of Greyhounds while also maintaining high welfare and breed support standards. Links Nittany Greyhounds (Website) GALT-Arizona (Website) Irish Retired Greyhound Trust (Website) Greyhound Racing Victoria (Website) Greyhound Racing New South Wales (Website) Episode 15 - Featuring GALT founders; discussing The Greyhound Project (Podcast) Episode 41 - Highlighting GALT and Australian racing Greyhounds as PTSD dogs (Podcast)

Episode 43: Recorded April 3, 2024 "They're built to be a service dog in terms of physicality and temperament..." Australian animal trainer Steve Austin, on the Greyhound as a breed suitable for therapy dog training Show Notes Steve Austin had a knack for training animals at an early age. Growing up in New South Wales, Australia, he realized the value of positive reinforcement for dog training. As a teenager, Steve and his first dog -- a stray by the name of Sooty -- entertained the crowds on paydays at the local pub. Sooty was trained to balance a "schooner" of beer on his head. In Steve's words, "When he got it right, I made a lot of money that night..." Steve describes Sooty as rough, tough, black and mean -- a dog that would live to the age of 17. "He loved me, and I loved him." Along with dog obedience competitions, Steve fed his passion for animal training, and his skills as a trainer would expand beyond dogs to other animal species, including elephants and pigs. Steve's accomplishments include training animals for TV and film, prison dog behavior programs, and preparing PTSD dogs for Australian soldiers returning from combat. His book -- Working Dog Heroes -- is a heartfelt memoir of all these experiences as a trainer. In this episode, host John Parker explores Steve's latest initiative -- training former Australian racing Greyhounds as police therapy dogs in the United States. Steve shares the inception of the partnership with Greyhound Racing New South Wales and the results of the first Greyhound placements. He discusses the characteristics of the Greyhound breed that make them suited for training, and he waxes poetic about his expectations of his first ever personal Greyhound adoption. Links Working Dog Heroes (Amazon) Steve and Vicki Austins' Dog Training Education (Website) Steve Austin's Canines (Facebook) GRNSW Celebrates Major Milestone: 500th Greyhound Rehomed in the US (Article)

Episode 42: Recorded February 7, 2024 "[Tommy] felt strongly that the lure coursing world had given him a mission, and he felt strongly that he needed to give back..." Trina Bianchi, on her late husband, Tommy, and the "joy" which put into Injoy Lure Coursing products Show Notes The Injoy Lure Coursing story is one that started in the 1970s. Tom "Tommy" Bianchi and his wife, Trina, were living in Vermont and attended a dog show in Quebec in 1977 when they discovered sighthounds -- in the form of Salukis -- and sighthound sport of lure coursing. Tom was on the fence about acquiring a Saluki and getting into the sport, but Trina gave him a friendly nudge, and off they went. At a lure coursing meeting in 1978, their Saluki was injured during the meeting. Tom was an accountant at the time, but his passion was woodworking, and he was always on the lookout for a way to turn his hobby into a full-time career. When he observed the less-than-safe equipment at the meeting, he realized that he could, in Trina's words, "build a better mousetrap." He believed he could design and building safer, high quality lure coursing equipment for the sport. Together, he and Trina would build and grow Injoy Lure Coursing equipment as the premiere brand for the community. The company would take a hit in the 2000s when Tom developed cancer and later succumbed to the disease. Trina would continue to carry the torch, but in 2023, she realized that she needed someone to pick up the Injoy torch and carry it for the lure coursing community. Enter Eddie and Selma Kominek -- Afghan Hound and lure coursing enthusiasts since 2004, they expressed interest in purchasing Injoy and continuing to build the high quality product that started with Tom and Trina. In this episode, host John Parker sits down the past and present owners of Injoy Lure Coursing equipment -- Trina, Eddie and Selma. They talk about Tom Bianchi's commitment to excellence in all things -- doing things with "joy in his heart" -- and how this shaped Injoy Lure Coursing. John also learns how this philosophy was important in the recent purchase of Injoy by the Komineks and what it means for the future of the company and for the sport of lure coursing. Links Injoy Lure Coursing (New Website / Online Store) Injoy Merchandise (Website) Kominek Afghan Hounds (Facebook Page)

Episode 41: Recorded December 13, 2023 "We all have the same goal in helping our men and women, whatever they need..." Officer Joe King, Dallas Police Department -- on the mission of the Dallas PD Wellness Unit and therapy Greyhound, Aussie Show Notes Joe King is a 27 year veteran of the Dallas Police Department. He spent almost two decades in one of the toughest beats in the department. Today, he serves his fellow officers in the department's Wellness Unit alongside other officers and a new four-legged partner, former racing Greyhound Aussie. Together, they work to provide counseling and support to police offers and other first responders suffering from PTSD and other mental health and personal challenges. Aussie has been specially trained as a police therapy dog. He is part of a pilot program in the United States between Greyhound Racing New South Wales (GRNSW), the US Fraternal Order of Police, and the Dallas Police Department. The Greyhound Adoption League of Texas (GALT) serves as the local support and training Liaison. Russ Feilen, International Rehoming Director for GRNSW, partnered with former marine and GALT Chairman John McQuade to initiate the pilot program. By day, Aussie visits different divisions within the Dallas PD and serves in outreach programs for the department. After hours, he lives the life of a retired racing Greyhound with Joe and his family. John continues to work with Joe and the Dallas PD to refine Aussie's therapy dog development. Meanwhile, Russ and the team at GRNSW are looking for the next candidate police department for these specially trained Greyhounds. In this episode, host John Parker sits down with Russ, Joe and John to talk about this unique Greyhound therapy dog training program for police departments. Russ shares some of the success of Australian Greyhound adoption to date in the United States. Joe and John talk about the Greyhound candidate identification process and training of the selected Greyhounds in the program. Links NEWS9 Story on Aussie (Website) Dallas Morning News Story on Aussie (Website) Greyhound Racing New South Wales (Website) Greyhound Adoption League of Texas (Website) Fraternal Order of Police (Website) Dallas Police Department (Website)

Episode 40: Recorded October 15, 2023 "It was like a fairy tale, really -- it just kept happening. Oh my god -- this is amazing!" Kim Gooding on her 1989 Waterloo Cup Greyhound, React Fagan, reaching the final Show Notes Greyhound trainer Kim Gooding started out wanting a lurcher when she visited stables as a young woman. Little did she know that she would go on to train both coursing and racing Greyhounds. What is even more extraordinary is that her first coursing Greyhound nominated for the Waterloo Cup — React Fagan — would win the 1989 classic. When they first cast their eye on React Fagan, Kim and her then husband Russell did not have enough money to purchase Fagan. They ended up borrowing the funds from her mother-in-law. In short order, the hound was nominated for the Waterloo Cup, and thus so began their coursing “Cinderella story.” After winning the Cup in 1989, Kim continued her career in coursing through the 1990s until the English ban on the sport in 2005. After working several years for the Retired Greyhound Trust to transition and re-home Greyhounds from the British racing industry, Kim would get back to training racing Greyhounds. Some of those Greyhound would become tied to this very podcast. In this episode, host John Parker and Kim sit down to talk about React Fagan's amazing rookie run at the Waterloo Cup, as well as the coursing adventures that followed. Kim also shares some of the training techniques and anecdotes from those years of English coursing before she shifted to racing Greyhound training.

Episode 39: Recorded August 27, 2023 "Some would argue I've got the best job in the world..." Sean Stanton, Animal Welfare Strategic Projects Manager at Greyhound Racing Victoria Show Notes Sean Stanton (Australia), Rory Goreé (United States) and Tina Kelly (Canada) all share the same mission. They are dedicated to international Greyhound rehoming. Specifically, they collaborate to find new homes for former Australian and Irish racing Greyhounds. Sean serves at the Animal Welfare Strategic Projects Manager for Greyhound Racing Victoria (GRV). He has spent the past ten years in the role with GRV's Greyhound Adoption Program (GAP). His family has a background in Greyhound racing, and he previously managed one of Australia's racing clubs for 3-4 years. Tina's journey in rehoming former racing Greyhounds started in Ontario in 2003 with her first Greyhound adoption. She attended a conference to learn about Irish Greyhound racing, evoking an epiphany about where Canadian Greyhound adoption should be moving. She partnered with Greyhound Racing Ireland (GRI) and the Irish Retired Greyhound Trust (IRGT) to bring Irish Greyhounds to Canada, setting up FLIGHTS (Finding Loving International Greyhounds Homes Together & Salukis). In 2023, FLIGHTS expanded its mission to include former Australian racing Greyhounds. Rory Goreé, a former president of Greyhounds As Pets - National (GPA), recognized the long-term need to find adoptable Greyhounds as the passage of Florida's Amendment 13 impacted track operations and breeding numbers in the United States. The general public in the U.S. perceived the closure of Florida's tracks to mark the end of adoptable Greyhound availability. Rory partnered with Irish and Australian Greyhound adoption groups to welcome a new source of dogs for eager adopters in the U.S. In this episode, John sits down with these pioneers of international Greyhound adoption to talk about their efforts and the outcomes of the programs to date. Sean shares details about GAP and the impact it's having on Australian Greyhound adoption. Tina and Rory both discuss their experiences in traveling abroad to establish relationships with international Greyhound adoption organizations. Finally, Sean and Rory preview an Australian Greyhound conference for all interested volunteers and adopters, tentatively slated for 2024 in Victoria, Australia. Links Greyhound Racing Victoria (Website) Greyhound Adoption Program (Website) Greyhound Racing Ireland (GRI) (Website) Irish Retired Greyhound Trust (Website) FLIGHTS - Finding Loving International Greyhounds Homes Together & Salukis) (Website) Greyhounds As Pets - National (Website)

Episode 38: Recorded June 25, 2023 "I became fond of all the characters. I couldn't wait to get to keyboard to write down what they were going to do next." Author Charlie Blanning on writing his first Greyhound novel, Rags to Riches Show Notes Charlie Blanning admits that he's "never frightened by a blank page." He's proven this once again with the release of his latest book, Rags to Riches. The book, available to order from Charlie's Facebook page, The Greyhound & the Hare, is his first work of fiction. It captures in Ireland and England after World War I through the lens of a young girl, a Greyhound, and the sports of coursing and horse racing. As with his previous three non-fiction books about Greyhounds, Charlie pulls from several sources with which he is very familiar. Rags to Riches features (re-named) family members from his past, as well as prominent historical figures from Greyhound coursing and horse racing of the period. Charlie also channels his love of theater and past experience as a coursing correspondent to bring the characters to life. In this exclusive virtual book launch episode, host John Parker and Charlie discuss Rags to Riches, from the fiction writing process to private label publishing of the final product. Charlie shares some of the historical backstory that brings life to the characters and the settings of the book. Listeners will find themselves insiders to a much larger Greyhound story than they may have expected. Links The Greyhound & the Hare (Facebook; place your order) Irish War of Independence Waterloo Cup Grand National

Episode 37: Recorded June 1, 2023 "That was the enjoyable part -- walking a dog and dreaming of what might happen..." Robbie Britton, Australian racing Greyhound trainer, on growing up tending to his father's racing Greyhounds Show Notes Robbie Britton often measures his life as an Australian racing Greyhound trainer in hours and kilometers. Two hour haul to one track. Another airplane flight with five Greyhounds. Twenty-four hours to Brisbane. Such is the life of one of the most successful trainers in all of Australia. Robbie's a second-generation Greyhound trainer and breeder. His father paved the way for all the Britton kids to grow up with Greyhounds. His father's first was a black hound acquired in the 1960s. Robbie's job was to walk the hounds. His first Greyhound — Vixen — won on her second start, cementing his decades-long career as a trainer. When his father went on a long-term contract in the 1980s, Robbie took over the family's Greyhounds and transitioned from hobby trainer to professional trainer. He expanded Britton Racing into North America with a farm in Abilene, Kansas, home of the American Greyhound Hall of Fame. There, he became enamored with his American counterparts at the Fall and Spring meetings of the National Greyhound Association. In this episode, host John Parker and Robbie discuss training the Australian racing Greyhound, including breeding, training routines, and nuances of the track system in Australia. Robbie also shares his experiences breeding Greyhounds in America and finding homes for retired racing Greyhounds in Australia. Links Britton Racing (Facebook)

Episode 36: Recorded April 2, 2023 "You've always got your eyes on the dogs. You're always on your toes to make sure the dogs are 100% healthy." Kurt Trzeciak on his number one responsibility as a racing Greyhound trainer Show Notes Born and raised in Texas, Kurt Trzeciak had a love for Greyhounds and Greyhound racing. As a kid, while visiting Florida, he'd sit with his grandpa and sister in the car at the track listening to the race calls at the Sarasota Kennel Club. They would sit and pick their favorite Greyhounds to win while his mother and grandmother enjoyed the races in person. At the age of eighteen, Kurt was invited to visit a Texas kennel and experience the turnout of Greyhounds. He was instantly mobbed by all the happy hounds. In that moment, he knew that he wanted to spend his life working with and training these dogs. It was the start of a 30 year career in racing Greyhound training, covering thirteen different tracks. In 2018, Kurt found himself in the position of industry advocate in the face of Florida's constitutional Amendment 13 to ban gambling on Greyhound racing. He became an active participant in public hearings on the amendment. He also experienced firsthand the challenges of communicating the trainer's point of view on Greyhound racing welfare and sport. In this episode, John and Kurt dive deep into the 30 year career of an American racing Greyhound trainer. They discuss every aspect of the job, including rising through the ranks at a racing kennel, being an advocate for each Greyhound's health and well being, and tips and techniques for feeding, training, and rehabilitation. John also introduces Parker's Lightning Round -- a quick series of questions for our guest that is certain to become a staple in future episodes. Links Palm Beach Kennel Club (Website) "Born to Run" (Video)

Episode 35: Recorded February 23, 2023 "Our most western track...is a 14 hour drive from Sydney..." Rob Macaulay on Broken Hill, one of the 30 community run Greyhound tracks in New South Wales Show Notes Rob Macaulay served as legal counsel for Greyhound Racing New South Wales (NSW) four years ago and immediately immersed himself in the sport of Australian Greyhound racing. When the opportunity presented itself, he applied to serve as Greyhound Racing NSW's Chief Executive Officer. As CEO, Rob leads the organization's racing and welfare initiatives in Australia's largest and most southwest state. The Australian track system will, at first glance, appear very different from the American system. Tracks under Greyhound Racing NSW's umbrella of leadership are community clubs, similar to English football clubs. Rob speaks of the smallest and most remote tracks like the Broken Hill Greyhound Club in the same breath as the largest Greyhound racing tracks in Sydney. One gets the sense that there is a sense of community pride within this Australian Greyhound racing system. Rob is very eager to share Australian racing Greyhounds with the world when they retire. Similar to the Irish Retired Greyhound Trust association with Greyhound Pets of America, Greyhound Racing NSW is piloting a similar adoption program for potential American Greyhound adopters. In 2023, Rob has a goal to introduce 120 Australian Greyhounds into the enthusiastic and welcoming arms of American adopters. In this episode, John and Rob sit down to discuss the Australian racing Greyhound and the sport's present and future. The conversation covers the community centric track system in New South Wales, technical aspects of Australian races and racing surfaces, and the wagering and funding of the sport. They also cover the welfare and rehoming of Australian racing Greyhounds, including the emerging partnership with Greyhound Pets of America. Links Greyhound Racing New South Wales (Website) Greyhounds as Pets (Website) Greyhound Integrity and Welfare Commission (Website) Broken Hill Greyhound Club (Facebook) Greyhound Pets of America (Website)

Episode 34: Recorded January 15, 2023 "If you could bottle what I felt and sell it, I'd be a rich man…" British racing Greyhound owner George Sell describes seeing his first Greyhoundk, Steeple Road Teddy, win a race Show Notes George Sell lives the life of a travel and real estate writer, business owner and "horse husband" in the south of England. His wife is an accomplished equestrian. They both love and own Whippets. He's also involved in a couple of racing Greyhound ownership syndicates. Greyhound racing syndicates might raise an eyebrow for the unfamiliar, but they are fast becoming the best way for a fan of the breed to try their hand at owning a racer. George's first racing Greyhound -- Steeple Road Teddy -- was owned by a 10-member syndicate. When the Greyhound was having trouble, George enlisted a former Waterloo Cup coursing trainer to set things right. Managing a racing syndicate is just one part of racing Greyhound ownership in Great Britain. Owners get to participate in Sundays at the kennel, visiting and playing with their Greyhounds, the trainer, and fellow owners. They also have to react to changes to the sport and its tracks since the COVID pandemic. In this episode, George shares his experience as a racing Greyhound owner in the UK. Host John Parker discusses with George sourcing a potential winning Greyhound, finding the right trainer, and adapting to changes in Irish and British Greyhound racing. Links Macchiato (Website) Americano (Website) Fantalilly (Website)

Episode 33: Recorded November 19, 2022 "He had become the darling of the crowds in England...we're talking about crowds...of a hundred thousand people..." Author Charlie Blanning on Mick the Miller, one of his "top five" Greyhound picks Show Notes Charlie Blanning and Gary Guccione are second to none when it comes to declaring the "top five" racing Greyhounds in the modern era. Charlie -- author of three Greyhound history books -- gravitates towards the finest English and Irish racers 20th century. Gary -- former Executive Director of the National Greyhound Association -- brings a distinctly American selection of Greyhounds to his "best of" list. In this episode, host John Parker asks the question of both Charlie and Gary -- "Can you name five racing Greyhounds that stand out above all others?" Charlie and Gary deliver, with stories of Mick the Miller, Westy Whizzer and Westmead Hawk, just to name a few. Join us for a fine hour of Greyhound history, discussion of the sport of Greyhound racing, and news on Charlie's books. Charlie's Top Five Racing Greyhounds Westmead Hawk (Wikipedia) Ballyregan Bob (Wikipedia) Pigalle Wonder (Wikipedia) Endless Gossip (Wikipedia) Mick the Miller (Website) Gary's Top Five Racing Greyhounds Downing (Greyhound Hall of Fame) Miss Whirl Westy Whizzer Real Huntsman (Greyhound Hall of Fame) Traffic Officer (Website) and Flashy Sir Links The Greyhound and the Hare (Facebook)

Episode 32: Recorded October 18, 2022 “Training is not something you do to your dog but something that you do with your dog.”Lee Livingood on the importance of a dog owner's investment in bettering their dog Show Notes Lee Livingood wanted to be a veterinarian as a child, but she settled on always having a dog in her home. During college, she adopted a mixed breed dog from a local shelter and discovered it suffered from severe separation anxiety. Lee helped find the right home for the dog, and the experience ignited her interest in and passion for canine behavior. In 1991, Lee and her husband learned about retired racing Greyhounds. They adopted their first Greyhound shortly thereafter -- a 2 year old hound named Penny. At the time, her home in Pennsylvania was in the throes of a winter storm. She went out in the blizzard with her newly adopted Greyhound on lead, who promptly chased after a squirrel and left her face down in the snow. She didn't know about Greyhound "prey drive" and the quickness and strength a Greyhound could exert in such a situation. The experience inspired her to write Retired Racing Greyhounds for Dummies -- the first book about racing Greyhound behavior and care after adoption. The book would become a mainstay in the Greyhound adoption community. In this episode, host John Parker and Lee sit down to talk about her background in Greyhound behavior and training, as well as her experience in writing the book. They explore the nuances of publishing what would become a very popular reference in the Greyhound adoption community, Lee's involvement with that community, and the future of the American Greyhound breed. Links Retired Racing Greyhounds for Dummies (Amazon)Redfern Canines (Website)

Episode 31: Recorded August 28, 2022 "He definitely had a huge, big heart. He just had that will to win..."Irish Greyhound breeder and trainer Dolores Ruth, on training champion racing Greyhound, Razldazl Billy Show Notes Irish Greyhound breeder and trainer, Dolores Ruth, describes her 2006 Irish Greyhound Derby champion, Razldazl Billy, as an enigma. Clever. Superhuman. Named after Billy Flynn, a principal character from the musical, Chicago, Razldazl Billy seemingly put on a show wherever he raced. Razldazl Billy's career is, to date, the pinnacle of Dolores' career in breeding and training, but he's not the only highlight. Dolores grew up in a racing Greyhound family. She recalls fond memories of feeding her father's Greyhounds Weetabix, milk and scrambled eggs and walking their family's Greyhounds in Dublin's Phoenix Park. When her father became ill in her late teens, Dolores would take the reins of the family Greyhound business. In the early 1990s, she would come into her own as an independent Greyhound trainer. After Razldazl Billy won the Irish Greyhound Derby in 2006, she transitioned from trainer to breeder. The Razldazl bloodline continues to this day. In this episode, host John Parker and Dolores explore not only Razldazl Billy's career, but some of the many other Greyhounds that have made a mark in the Irish racing Greyhound world. It's an entertaining exploration of some of the biggest Greyhound names in the sport and the breeder and trainer that helped share them with the world. Links Irish Greyhound Derby (Wikipedia)Razldazl Billy Race Career (Greyhound Racing Ireland)Razldazl Billy Pedigree (Greyhound Racing Ireland)

Episode 30: Recorded August 2, 2022 "I don't know how to describe heaven for a dog...it's hard for a lot of people to understand how much these Greyhounds love to run..."Dr. Rob Gillette on Auburn University veterinary students seeing Greyhounds run for the first time Show Notes Dr. Rob Gillette has been around working and sporting dogs his entire life. He was born in Great Bend, near Cheyenne Bottoms, Kansas and grew up hunting with retrievers and bird dogs. Cheyenne Bottoms was also home to the first coursing meeting of the American Coursing Club in 1886. He didn't realize it at the time, but it was a sign of his future involvement in Greyhound sports medicine. Dr. Gillette graduated from veterinary school at Kansas State University in 1988 and subsequently helped take care of Greyhounds at local dog tracks and with breeders in and around Kansas City and Abilene. After completing a postdoctoral in human biomechanics, he received a research grant from the Kansas Racing Commission to better understand how Greyhounds run and how to reduce their injuries. Dr. Gillette would continue to research Greyhound performance and consult on track design and surface composition on behalf of trainers and track owners. In the late 1990s, Dr. Gillette began a 15 year career at Auburn University's College of Veterinary Medicine. There, he expanded his canine sports medicine research. His students had the opportunity to observe and learn from Greyhounds participating in what is now known as the Canine Performance Sciences program. His research would not only benefit the care of the Greyhound but serve the greater canine community as well. In this episode, host John Parker discusses with Dr. Gillette his career as a veterinarian and researcher of Greyhounds, service dogs, and law enforcement and military K9s. They discuss how an understanding of the Greyhound's unique anatomy and athleticism better informs sports medicine for many breeds. Dr. Gillette also shares some of his current research activities and plans to develop the next generation of Greyhound savvy veterinarians. Links SportsVet.com (Website)SportsVet (Facebook)Athletic and Working Dog: Functional Anatomy and Biomechanics (Amazon.com)

Episode 29: Recorded June 26, 2022 "He said to me, 'Why don't you make it a personal record? Put more of yourself into it...'"Charlie Blanning, on the advice given to him while writing Twenty Two Waterloo Cups Show Notes Charlie Blanning's latest book -- Twenty Two Waterloo Cups -- is more than just another history of the famous English Greyhound coursing meeting. It also tells the story of the author's involvement in the Waterloo Cup as a correspondent for various coursing publications from 1981 to the end of the Cup in 2005. Charlie braved judges' horses, blowing gales and anti-coursing protestors to share the experience of the Cup with readers. Twenty Two Waterloo Cups is Charlie's fifth book about Greyhounds and the sport of coursing. The book picks up the Waterloo Cup in the early 1980s after a hiatus of four years that put premier coursing meeting's future in jeopardy. Thankfully, supporters of the sport and the Cup's rich history came to the rescue and revived the coursing meeting for more than two decades. The book is dedicated to one of those key figures -- Bill Stedman, Treasurer at the time of the National Coursing Club. In this episode, Charlie and host John Parker hold a "virtual launch" of Twenty Two Waterloo Cups with a discussion about the coursing meeting's history, the Greyhounds that made it famous, the people who organized the event, and the undercurrents of anti-coursing protests during the Cup's final years. Charlie shares his motivations for writing the book and how he went about publishing another entry in his growing library of Greyhound history. Links The Greyhound & the Hare (Facebook)Reservation Form for Twenty Two Waterloo Cups

Episode 28: Recorded February 15, 2022 "I literally grew up with Greyhounds..."Leslie Wootten, on her childhood at the Tucson Greyhound Park Show Notes Leslie Wootten's earliest memories of Greyhounds are from the Tucson Greyhound Park around 1953. Her father was hired as the plant superintendent at the race track, and her family lived in a house near the paddock on the track grounds. She heard the Greyhounds every night outside her bedroom window when there was racing. In the 1950s and 1960s, Greyhound racing was the thing to do in Tucson. Leslie found herself at the paddock fence every night while her father worked and her mother mingled at the clubhouse. As she grew up and her family moved away from the track, she developed other interests. She would return to Greyhounds in her 30s. With a college degree in writing, Leslie found herself revisiting her family's history in Greyhound racing. Her very first writing effort was the nomination of her grandfather -- James "Pop" Wootten -- into the Pioneers section of the Greyhound Hall of Fame. Gary Guccione, former executive director of the National Greyhound Association, later invited her to become a regular columnist for The Greyhound Review. In 2007, Leslie would write Keefer: The People's Choice -- a book about breeder Keith Dillon's favorite Greyhound. Dillon felt that Keefer had an incredible personality from the moment of his birth in 1984. Keefer wowed the crowds at Derby Lane, becoming the first Greyhound ever featured in the Wall Street Journal. Leslie's book would explore this phenomenal Greyhound's career, based especially on her multi-part series about Dillon's life in Greyhound racing. In this episode, John Parker sits down with Leslie to discuss her book and other writing about the Greyhound people and the Greyhound breed. They explore her family's rich heritage in Greyhound coursing and racing, her experiences in Abilene, Kansas, and the future of Greyhound racing and the Greyhound breed. Links Keefer: The People's Choice (Amazon)Greyhound Hall of FameNational Greyhound Association

Episode 27: Recorded January 8, 2022 "It was indescribable -- the elation -- but also a sadness -- things can't get better than this..."Jackie Teal, Greyhound coursing and racing trainer, on winning her first Waterloo Cup in 2002 Show Notes At the age of ten, Jackie Teal really wanted a pony. Instead, she found herself helping a local businessman out with his Greyhounds. She would bathe and feed them, ride with them out to the local track, and fall asleep with them at the end of a day at the track. Little did she know that missing out on that pony would lead training two Waterloo Cup winners a career in Greyhound coursing and racing. In her twenties, Jackie went to her first coursing meeting. She found the experience to be very different than the "bloodthirsty goings on" that she had expected. Coursing was truly a test of Greyhound skill, and the sport transcended social class in England like no other. Jackie started training Greyhounds and would meet her husband, John, at a coursing meeting. Together, they would build a kennel of nearly 200 Greyhounds. They trained Greyhounds for both coursing and racing. Her Greyhounds competed in the Waterloo Cup, Irish coursing and racing, and British racing. As of 2022, her Greyhounds have been racing at the Sunderland Greyhound Stadium for 32 years. In this episode, host John Parker and Jackie sit down to talk about her career as both a Greyhound coursing and racing trainer. Jackie shares some of her favorite Greyhound stories from the track and coursing meetings, including her two Waterloo Cup winners in 2002 and 2005. Links Sunderland Greyhound Stadium

Episode 26: Recorded December 16, 2021 “Why don't you pick up the baton and write [about] the final years of the Waterloo cup?”Charlie Blanning on the inspiration for his next Greyhound history project Show Notes Charlie Blanning — respected Greyhound historian and regular guest on the Greyhound Nation podcast — has a new Greyhound history project in the works. In this episode, host John Parker and gets an exclusive preview of Charlie's next book. Join the Nation for Charlie's exclusive announcement! Links Please Mister: The Golden Age of Greyhound Racing (Facebook)Please Mister: The Golden Age of Greyhound Racing (Amazon UK)

Episode 25: Recorded November 15, 2021 “I think of you as the Sir Mark Prescott of American coursing...”Host John Parker on Steve Downs and his involvement in coursing in the United States Show Notes Steve Downs is a fourth generation Greyhound man. His father's family hailed from California and became interested in hunting hares, also referred to as as jackrabbits in the United States. Steve caught his first hare around the age of five with the first Greyhound he could call his own, a black brindle named Felix. In 1990, Steve joined a friend for a coursing meeting sanctioned by the National Open Field Coursing Association (NOFCA). On this trip to Wyoming, he experienced coursing under rules for the first time with his Greyhound. Steve's favorite Greyhound at the time -- Sally -- won the hunt on his behalf. NOFCA, founded in the 1960s, established rules for walked-up coursing in the United States for most of the sighthound breeds. Steve would continue his involvement with the organization into the mid-2000s when he became a licensed judge for NOFCA coursing meetings. He also began to breed his own Greyhounds for open field coursing and developed a sense for the traits that made for excellent coursing dogs. In this episode, host John Parker and Steve discuss the history of open field coursing in the United States, including the evolution of NOFCA as a governing body for the sport. Steve shares his experiences as a breeder, a judge, and a competitor during the course of the interview.

Episode 24: Recorded September 23, 2021 “As long as I could reach the window to the ticket seller, I could place a wager…”Gary Guccione, talking about placing his first wagers at the Butte, MT Greyhound racing track Show Notes Gary Guccione's life in Greyhound racing started in Butte, Montana. His father served as racing secretary and racing kennel owner at the Western Montana Kennel Club. One of his earliest memories was reaching up to the counter at a parimutuel window to place a wager on a Greyhound race. In one particular instance, his 3rd grade teacher, who was working a summer job as a parimutuel teller, happily took his wager. As it turned out, Gary's wasn't the only life impacted by Greyhound racing in Butte. In 1964, Gary traveled with his family to the Multnomah Kennel Club in Portland, Oregon where his father was racing some Greyhound puppies he had bred. Gary got to see some up-and-coming Greyhounds at the "puppy derby" that year — an event that served as the catalyst for the rest of his career. He enjoyed guessing the sire standings before they were published, upon which his father made a suggestion. “Why don't you start tracking blood matron standings?” Gary took his father's advice and started publishing brood matron standings for Racing Record in 1965. He left for college to earn a degree in journalism, during which time he also started writing articles for The Coursing News. His college summers were spent in various roles at the Black Hills Greyhound Track where his father had another racing kennel. In 1971, Gary went to work for the National Coursing Association (NCA), the predecessor the National Greyhound Association (NGA), in Abilene, Kansas. He met his wife shortly thereafter, and they decided to make Abilene their home. Gary continued to work for what had become the NGA. In 1982, he became executive director, secretary-treasurer and keeper of the Greyhound stud book. He would serve the NGA for many more years, eventually earning an induction into the Greyhound Hall of Fame in 2009. In this episode, host John Parker and Gary sit down to discuss his life in Greyhound racing. Gary shares his love of Greyhound racing and pedigrees, his experiences in assuring the integrity of Greyhound pedigrees and naming standards, and his early interactions with Greyhound adoption groups. Links National Greyhound Association (Website)Greyhound Hall of Fame (Website)Gary Guccione at the Greyhound Hall of Fame (Website)

Episode 23: Recorded August 17, 2021 "Gamal started to gallop, and King said, 'I know this -- I can run!'"Cynthia Branigan, on her first Greyhound's experience with Gamal, America's last diving horse Show Notes Cynthia Branigan took her first Greyhound, King (fka Low Key Two), to visit a very special horse, Gamal. Gamal was the last of the Atlantic City Steel Pier diving horses. When he was "retired" and put up for auction in 1980, Cynthia purchased him. She rescued King from an unhappy adoption situation in 1987. At the time, he was ten years old and quite depressed. However, he and Gamal realized they were kindred spirts and took to running like old friends. Cynthia, like many Greyhound people, is also a horse person. Actually, she's an animal person, having joined forces years ago with Cleveland Amory, the father of the modern animal protection movement and founder of The Fund for Animals. During her time with Cleveland, she ventured to the New Jersey Pine Barrens on a mission to save Gamal from slaughter by purchasing him at auction, an act that set the tone for her life to come. After adopting King in 1987, she was approached by a local shelter to help find a home for another Greyhound. She decided to set out on her own and started to find homes for Greyhounds in the New England area. In 1988, she founded the Greyhound adoption group Make Peace with Animals and has, to this day, rehomed over 5,500 Greyhounds. Her passion is more action than activism -- finding the right homes for animals like Gamal and King. She has also channeled her passion into writing, publishing two books on Greyhounds. One of those books, Adopting the Racing Greyhound, is in its third edition. Cynthia's latest book -- The Last Diving Horse in America -- retells the story of her quest to rescue Gamal from slaughter against the backdrop of her life in animal welfare. The Last Diving Horse in America will be published October 19, 2021. In this episode, Cynthia shares her passion for animal welfare and Greyhound adoption with host John Parker. Her stories include the rescue of Gamal, the founding of Making Peace with Animals, and what inspired her to write about Greyhounds and her very special equine friend. Links The Last Diving Horse in America (Amazon.com, pre-order)Adopting the Racing Greyhound (Amazon.com)Make Peace with Animals (Website)

Episode 22 (Bonus): Recorded August 22, 2021 “I hope you children will have happy memories of today.”Charlie Wilby, butcher and coursing enthusiast, 1987 Show Notes Our first bonus episode revisits our conversation with Charlie Blanning and Sir Mark Prescott in Episode 12: The Greatest of Coursing. In that episode, Sir Mark shared an anecdote about a butcher from Norfolk -- Charlie Wilby -- who would bring his Greyhounds to coursing meetings. He was also known for sharing choice cuts of beef with volunteers at those meetings. In 1987, Mr. Wilby asked to give a speech to children attending one such coursing meeting. He spoke with them during breakfast before the day's events. During the speech, he shared his love of coursing, Greyhounds, and people at the event. He wished for the children to have the same enjoyment he got from the sport. In this episode, Charlie Blanning gives a reading of this very speech, a copy of which was provided by Sir Mark. The message rings true some thirty plus years later. Greyhound sports will only continue to thrive with new generations of volunteers, competitors and enthusiasts.

In my mind and memory, she is and always will be the blithest of greyhound spirits...The One Who Got Away, Dennis McKeon Show Notes Greyhound Nation went “on the air” as a brand new podcast for Greyhound enthusiasts on August 11, 2020. Our first guest was Dennis McKeon, a former racing Greyhound trainer and respected essayist on the breed. Since then, we've released over twenty episodes covering a variety of topics on the Greyhound breed. In our first year, we've sought to give voice to the Greyhound breed and its fans. We've also sought to educate those who want to learn more about Greyhounds. Our topics and guests have been international in scope and covered the gamut. British coursing. American amateur racing. Greyhound adoption and breed advocacy. Greyhound photography. In honor of our one-year anniversary, we invited Dennis McKeon back to the show to read some of his favorite essays about Greyhounds. Dennis writes about Greyhounds from his years of experience as a racing Greyhound trainer. His essays seek to bridge the gap between the American racing Greyhound experience and their life in retirement. We hope you enjoy Dennis' reading of the essays and continue to follow our podcast. There are many more destinations to explore in the Greyhound Nation. Here's to another year of Greyhound adventure, listeners. Links The Draft Dog and the Racing Gods (Facebook, public)Nobody Likes a Wet Dog (Facebook, public)The Handing Down (Facebook, public)The Top 5 Things that Greyhounds Care About and Don't Care About (Facebook, public)The One Who Got Away (Facebook, public)

"Track Greyhounds -- too much engine and not enough frame. But I am addicted to that speed."Michele Houghton, amateur Greyhound racing enthusiast Show Notes Michele Houghton had her first lure coursing experience in 1992. At the time, she had a kennel of nearly 40 Greyhounds. Michele loved the sport, but she soon realized that hard New England fields were better suited to smaller breeds than her Greyhounds. In 1998, she discovered amateur racing, and everything changed. Michele began racing her Greyhounds with Large Gazehound Racing Association (LGRA) clubs in New England. The organization blossomed in the mid 1990s. LGRA races are held on 200 yard flat and straight courses. The format is very user friendly for Greyhound pet owners and new adopters. Dr. Jennifer Ng also has a background in amateur racing. After adopting her first Greyhound in 2007, she sought out activities for her Greyhound in Camden, SC. Little did Jennifer know that one of those activities would set her first Greyhound on the path to a championship. Jennifer's first Greyhound ran in amateur track races with the National Oval Track Racing Association (NOTRA). NOTRA holds events at large fields and former racing training tracks around the country. Both NOTRA and LGRA races are rooted in fun competition and bragging rights for owners and Greyhounds. Trophies, ribbons, stuffed animals and glory await the winners of these races. In this episode, host John Parker sits down with Dr. Jennifer Ng and Michele Houghton to learn more about amateur racing for your Greyhound. Jennifer and Michele share their unique perspectives on the LGRA and NOTRA formats. They also share tips to help both Greyhounds adopters and puppy owners get their dogs involved in amateur racing. Links National Oval Track Racing Association (NOTRA)Large Gazehound Racing Association (LGRA)

"Like Alfred Hitchcock, I'd insist on appearing in a scene myself...the man walking behind the bookmakers."Charlie Blanning Show Notes Some of the best TV series and movies today bring a little known moment or person from history to the big screen. One could argue that author Charlie Blanning is a keeper of such stories from Greyhound history. Author of Please Mister: The Golden Age of Greyhound Racing, Charlie could easily recommend several such stories to a willing screenwriter. Take, for example, the story of Master McGrath, the famous Irish Greyhound that won the Waterloo Cup three times in four years. His coursing meetings regularly drew sixty thousand spectators from all strata of English society. Julian Fellowes, creator Downton Abbey, could very well base his next period piece on the rise of Master McGrath from runt of the litter to Waterloo Cup champion. There's the story of Snowflight, a greyhound raised in the 1880s in one of the poorest parts of England. Snowflight was raised by a poor farmer from the village Guide Post. She shows promise and makes her way to the Waterloo Cup where she wins it all. Her story doesn't end there, as she finds herself next in the hands of gamblers who have their eye on the next Waterloo Cup. Greyhound track racing has its share of famous stories suitable for the big screen. Mission Boy raced everywhere in America in the 1920s, often traveling by train to different venues. He had connections with the founder of the first Greyhound track in the United States, O.P. Smith. However, his real claim to fame was living out his retirement with American boxer Jack Dempsey. What more could you ask for in a miniseries or television series about a Greyhound in early 20th century America? In this episode, host John Parker explores these and other stories with guest Charlie Blanning. Charlie shares some of the most screenplay worthy anecdotes from his books on Greyhound history, coursing and track racing. They also have some good fun speculating about the casting for these moments in Greyhound history. Links Please Mister: The Golden Age of Greyhound Racing (Facebook)Please Mister: The Golden Age of Greyhound Racing (Amazon UK)

"I've never heard a Greyhound or any sighthound ever complain about the score the judge gave them."Dean Wright on the joy a Greyhound or sighthound gets from lure coursing Show Notes Dean Wright knows what drives a Greyhound or other sighthound to give chase at a lure coursing meeting. He's been lure coursing with the American Sighthound Field Association (ASFA) since the 1970s. He currently serves as president of the organization, which will celebrate 50 years of existence in 2022. Dean's love affair with the sport of lure coursing began with Ibizan Hounds in the 1970s. In that same decade, he would field his first Greyhound in ASFA trials -- a dog named after the famous STAR WARS droid, R2-D2. One of his best Greyhounds to participate in the sport was Fantasy, a compact and muscular Greyhound raised to course since she was a puppy. In 2022, Dean will complete his term as ASFA president. Though entries in the sport was waning in recent years, the COVID pandemic has spurred new interest in getting outdoors and participating in lure coursing meetings. AFSA clubs will need to educate new, young volunteers and competitors about the sport so that it may continue to thrive. In this episode, host John Parker and Dean explore the history of ASFA and lure coursing in America. They discuss the format of the meetings and the merits upon which each Greyhound and sighthound breed are judged during competition. They also explore the future of ASFA and the need for clubs to reach out to young competitors and their sighthounds. Links American Sighthound Field Association (Website)How to Get Started in Lure Coursing (Website via the Southeastern Greyhound Club)

"I swear you could put a coffee cup on his back and he wouldn't spill it. He was a smooth machine."Greyhound breeder Michael Strickland on one of his favorite stud dogs, EJ's Douglas Show Notes Michael Strickland recalls the moment he got to lead EJ's Douglas to the Greyhound Hall of Fame in the early 1990s to accept the National Greyhound Association's Rural Rube Award. EJ's Douglas retired in 1994 and went to stud at Michael's family farm, Strickland Sires. The Greyhound remains one of Michael's favorite and most memorable stud dogs. Michael's family entered the world of Greyhounds in the 1970s. His grandfather, Don Bartley, raced Greyhounds in Arizona and Colorado, and Michael's father married Deb Bartley. Michael's mother and father quickly earned an excellent reputation for training Greyhounds. In 1987, they moved to Abilene from Nebraska and made the switch from cattle to breeding and training Greyhounds. His earliest memories of Greyhounds were of 15 Greyhounds in a kennel and 40 Greyhounds in outdoor long runs. He shredded newspaper for bedding and walked the Greyhounds in the open pasture on the farm. Michael learned early on that good walks made for healthy Greyhound kidneys. He saw his first Greyhound races at the The Woodlands in Wichita, Kansas. Michael and his father would eventually move into the stud business in the 1990s, putting him in close contact with some of the best Greyhounds in the sport. Strickland Sires was an early pioneer in the use of frozen semen and artificial insemination. The stud business grew large enough to warrant two on-site veterinarians. Today, half of Strickland Sires live out their lives on Michael's farm. The rest go back to their owners. In this episode, host John Parker and Michael Strickland discuss the art and science of Greyhound breeding. They discuss the various factors that contribute to breeding a great Greyhound, the rich history of Greyhounds in Abilene, and the future of American Greyhound racing. Links National Greyhound Association (Website)Greyhound Hall of Fame (Website)Hall of Fame Inductee EJ's Douglas (Website)

"I think I might have squealed when I found out that I got the position..." Paula Beniston on landing a position on the Greyhound Board of Great Britain Show Notes Paula Beniston's journey with Greyhounds started more than 30 years ago with a weekend job at a local Greyhound training and breeding center, where she got to work with Greyhound puppies. In the past 20 years, she's fostered over 100 Greyhounds and lurchers. After serving with another Greyhound rehoming group for 18 years, Paula bought her own Greyhound rehoming center with other volunteers in Bristol. In 2020, while COVID raced through the United Kingdom, Paula took her next step in Greyhound adoption. She submitted her CV to the Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB) for new Rehoming Coordinator position. Her background in Greyhounds and experience as a professional accountant led to a job offer. In late 2020, Paula joined the GBGB as Coordinator for the Greyhound Retirement Scheme. The GBGB's Greyhound Retirement Scheme helps offset the costs of local Greyhound adoption groups and retirement trusts. In just the first 7 months of the program, the GBGB made 1200 disbursements of funds from the Scheme to rehoming centers around the United Kingdom. The disbursements serve as a "pension" fund for each registered Greyhound, helping to fund participating rehoming centers. In this episode, host John Parker and Paula sit down to talk about rehoming Greyhounds in the United Kingdom. Paula shares how she's able to channel her passion for the breed into her role with the GBGB. Paula also discusses the British Greyhound adoption process, international adoption initiatives, and the growing relationships between trainers, rehoming centers and adopters. Links The Greyhound Retirement Scheme (Website - Press Release - 2020)The Greyhound Star Q&A with Paula Beniston (Website - 2021)Greyhound Board of Great Britain (Website)Greyhound Board of Great Britain (Facebook)Greyhound Board of Great Britain (YouTube)

"How do we gather information about Greyhound adoption and share it with the rest of the adoption community?"Joan Belle Isle on the original goals of The Greyhound Project Show Notes The Greyhound Project was founded in 1993 by Joan Belle Isle and like minded, New England-based adoption group volunteers. Its mission was to "serve the common interests of greyhound adoption organizations, their volunteers, and others interested in the welfare of retired racing greyhounds on a national basis." The organization was adoption group agnostic and neutral on the topic of Greyhound racing. The 1996 closing of the Waterloo Greyhound Park in Waterloo, Iowa was a litmus test for The Greyhound Project. Could the project and its founders, including Joan, bring together Greyhound adoption groups in the spirit of breed welfare and volunteer coordination? The Waterloo closing proved that national networking could be a powerful force in the Greyhound adoption community. The organization's outreach began with a newsletter, Speaking of Greyhounds, as a means of starting conversations between different adoption groups around the country. The Greyhound Project also sought to raise funds for its operations and those of adoption groups. Its Celebrating Greyhounds Calendar became the centerpiece of this effort. Sarah Norton became involved with The Greyhound Project in the late 1990s. She attended the Dewey Beach, Delaware meeting in 1999, organized by The Greyhound Project. Amongst 1000 Greyhounds and 1000 owners, she met Joan. They would become fast friends and collaborators within The Greyhound Project. With the 2020 closure of Florida Greyhound tracks, The Greyhound Project entered a new era. Susie and John McQuade, of the Greyhound Adoption League of Texas (GALT), reached out and offered to take over the project. Their goal is the preservation of soul of the project, including its vast website content and calendar fundraising program. In this episode, host John Parker sits down with The Greyhound Project's founders and torchbearers to explore the past, present and future of the organization. Links The Greyhound Project (Website)Celebrating Greyhounds Calendar (Facebook)Greyhound Adoption League of Texas (Website)Greyhound Adoption League of Texas (Facebook)

"Over the last 5 years, I've learned an awful lot ... and really come to appreciate the passion that people have around the sport and the love of Greyhounds." Mark Bird, on his tenure with the Greyhound Board of Great Britain Show Notes Mark Bird traveled a different path into the sport of Greyhound racing than most. He had been around dogs all his life, including his career as a London-area police officer. When he retired in 2015, Mark applied for the role of Director of Regulation with the Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB). Today, he continues to use his law enforcement background in support of British Greyhound racing welfare programs. Like Greyhound adopters around the world, Mark loves to see his own retired racer perk up at the sound of the mechanical lure on the television. He also gets to see those mechanical lures in person at any one of Great Britain's 19 registered Greyhound tracks on his regular visits as Managing Director of the GBGB. His staff at the GBGB is responsible for site visits and inspections, publishing track injury data, and reporting on retirement data for Greyhounds. The GBGB released the Greyhound Commitment in 2018 to promote Greyhound welfare and demonstrate that regulation is positive for the breed. Mark and his colleagues sought to shift the mindset of racing Greyhounds as commodities to that individual racers who can become future pets. Their welfare activities include regulation of track safety, veterinary care, kennel standards, etc. In this episode, host John Parker and Mark discuss all aspects of the GBGB's mission. Listeners who are passionate about the breed will find a kindred spirit in Mark as he shares how the GBGB regulates British Greyhound racing and promotes education about Greyhounds to the United Kingdom, Ireland and beyond. Links Greyhound Board of Great Britain (Website)Greyhound Board of Great Britain (Facebook)Greyhound Board of Great Britain (YouTube)

"I always find this warming to my heart that I get to do this. I'm not in it for the money. I just do it for the dogs."Steve Schiferl, Greyhound photographer Show Notes Steve Schiferl has traveled the country to capture Greyhounds in motion at Greyhound tracks and National Greyhound Association (NGA) schooling facilities. His fascination with and photography of the breed started with meet and greets. What began with simple photos from his smartphone evolved into a photographic career and love of Greyhounds. Rachel Hogue's path to photographing the Greyhound started in her teens. A budding photographer heading off to college, Rachel sought the ideal canine companion for apartment living. She settled on a Greyhound and adopted in 2005. That same year, she invested in her first dSLR (digital camera). After college, she found work at Southland Casino Racing in West Memphis, Arkansas and developed a love for Greyhounds and a passion for photographing them. Cindy Frezon's passion for photographing Greyhounds blossomed at lure coursing fields rather than Greyhound tracks. In 2000, she adopted her first Greyhound from Adopt A Greyhound Atlanta. Shortly thereafter, she discovered the sport of lure coursing in west Georgia at a Southeastern Greyhound Club meeting. Since then, Cindy's become the official "unofficial" club photographer and regularly shoots several thousand photos during a weekend of lure coursing. In this episode, host John Parker and producer Michael Burns explore the art and science of photographing the Greyhound with Steve, Rachel and Cindy. John discusses each photographer's history with the breed. Michael digs in to the technical aspects of Greyhound action and portrait photography. It's an episode that will appeal to photographers of all backgrounds, amateur and pro alike. Links Rachel Hogue Photography (Facebook)Greyt Expressions Photography, Steve Schiferl (Facebook)Cindy Frezon Photography (Facebook) Gallery Example photos from this episode's photographers: Photo by Rachel HoguePhoto by Steve SchiferlPhoto by Cindy Frezon

"I hope you children you all enjoy today, and I hope you will get as much fun from coursing and coursing people as I have done."Charlie Wilby, at a Newmarket coursing meeting for local children Author Charlie Blanning and race horse trainer Sir Mark Prescott have certainly encountered the "greatest" in Greyhound coursing. Their shared experiences in coursing would begin in 1977. At the time, Charlie served as the coursing correspondent for The Field, a country sports magazine. Over the years, they would bear witness to some of the most famous Greyhounds in history. Dashing Oak. Gallant. They would also encounter some of coursing's most memorable and infamous characters. Bob Burton. Michael O'Donovan. Lilah Shennen. Charlie Wilby is one such individual. He was a Norfolk butcher known for sharing cuts of meat with coursing meeting staff. During one coursing meeting, he shared his love of the sport with local children. Paraphrasing Sir Mark -- Charlie represented a dying breed of local countrymen who had a love of animals and appreciation for the sport. In this episode, host John Parker explores the "greatest" in coursing with Charlie and Sir Mark. It's a conversation replete with superlatives from the sport, from the Greyhound to the trainer to the hare. Links Please Mister: The Golden Age of Greyhound Racing (Facebook)Heath House Stables

"You see these discussions all the time on Greyhound groups. 'What's the best ______ for my Greyhound?'"John Parker, host of Greyhound Nation Show Notes Use the right tool for the job. This mantra applies to Greyhound ownership as much as it applies to car maintenance. New Greyhound owners often have questions about what "Greyhound gear" they need to care for and manage their new companion: "What's the difference between a buckle collar and Martingale collar?" "My Greyhound pulls on walks. Should I invest in a harness?" "Is this crate too small for my Greyhound?" In this episode, host John Parker and producer Michael Burns tackle these questions and more in the first ever gear show. Topics of interest to both new and veteran Greyhound owners alike include: Select the right collar and leashSizing a crate or exercise penMonitoring your Greyhound with security cameras and GPS collars Links to all of the products and vendors mentioned in the episode are listed below. Listeners are invited to comment on our website and Facebook page with their own "Greyhound gear" recommendations. Links Martingale Collars Shore Dog and Grey Collars (Pensacola, FL)2 Hounds Design (Indian Trail, NC)Houndstown (Gastonia, NC) Leather Fishtail Collars The Trendy Whippet (Taunton, UK via Etsy)JakesPaws (United Kingdom via eBay) Prong Collars Herm Sprenger prong collar (via Amazon.com)Herm Sprenger extra links (via Amazon.com)Fitting a prong collar (via Leerburg.com) Harnesses PetSafe (Manufacturer)PetSafe Sure-Fit Harness (via Amazon.com)Freedom No-Pull Harness (via 2 Hounds Design) e-Collars Garmin (Manufacturer)BarkLimiter Deluxe (via Amazon.com) Leads / Leashes Shore Dog (Pensacola, FL)Houndstown (Gastonia, NC)Adityna Heavy Duty Leather Dog Leash (via Amazon.com) Crates, Ex-Pens and Indoor Kennels MidWest Homes for Pets (Manufacturer)42" Crate (via Amazon.com)48" Crate (via Amazon.com)42" Exercise Pen (via Amazon.com)Primo Pads (Manufacturer)Wire Crate Pads (via Manufacturer)Lucky Dog Kennels (Manufacturer)Welded Wire Kennels (via Manufacturer)PetSafe Cottageview Kennels (via Amazon.com Resellers)Hale Pet Door (Manufacturer)Door Model (via Manufacturer)Wall Model (via Manufacturer) Cameras and GPS Collars Blink for Home (Manufacturer)Outdoor Wireless Camera (via Amazon.com)Indoor Wireless Camera (via Amazon.com)Arlo (Manufacturer)Essential 3-Camera System (via Amazon.com)Pro3 3-Camera System (via Amazon.com)Q Camera System (via Amazon.com Resellers)Whistle (Manufacturer)

"It's very difficult to describe the euphoria of what it's like when the first Greyhound you own wins [a race]..."Kiaran O'Brien describes his first Greyhound's (Pole Rating) first win Show Notes Kiaran O'Brien's love affair with Greyhound racing started in the 1970s, growing up in Bristol, England. His father was involved in the betting industry, and he got his first job at the local track as a busboy. He dreamed of one day owning his own Greyhound. His family moved to Ireland in his late teens, far away from English Greyhound racing. Uprooted from his school and his mates, Kiaran learned to farm in a small village in west Ireland. He found work in finance in the 1980s and moved to the Isle of Man. Kiaran returned to England and fulfilled that promise to himself to buy a Greyhound. It would be the first of many Greyhounds he owned and raced. He and his brother even won an English hurdling championship with a Greyhound in the early 2000s. A few years after returning to England, he took a job writing horse racing reviews. As his writing experience grew, he set out to write a Greyhound racing novel in the style of a Dick Francis. John Francome, an English jockey and author, encouraged Kiran to follow through with the endeavor. In 2014, Kiaran self-published his first novel -- Edge Your Bets. He drew inspiration from his Greyhound racing experiences and his time spent in west Ireland. The Greyhound racing community had its first crime thriller. In this episode, join host John Parker and Kiaran O'Brien as they discuss Kiaran's love of Greyhound racing, the inspiration for Edge Your Bets, and the experience of self-publishing a novel. Links Edge Your Bets (Amazon.com)

"I saw nice people and nice dogs and marvelous hares, and I thought, ‘What a grand spectacle.’"Sir Mark Prescott, on seeing his first coursing meeting in 1967 Show Notes In the 1960s, Sir Mark Prescott found himself on the road back to Newmarket, home of British thoroughbred horse racing, from Cambridge. Along the way, he came across a large number of cars parked along the road. He discovered it was a coursing meeting. He was given a free “card” (program) by the gatekeeper and invited in to see his first coursing meeting. A few months later, Sir Mark saw a television special about English hare coursing that presented the sport in a very negative light, in contrast to his own experiences. It inspired him to become further involved in coursing. In 1970, Sir Mark assumed leadership of a struggling coursing club in Newmarket and cemented his presence in a sport which drew thousands of spectators and blurred English class lines. He quickly discovered that organizing a coursing event involved tremendous attention to detail and perseverance -- traits which he embodied and admired. Sir Mark would later become one of the primary organizers of the Waterloo Cup, England’s longest running and most popular coursing meeting. He held this post until 2005 when the final Waterloo Cup was run and coursing was banned by Parliament. For nearly 40 years, Sir Mark served as an advocate for the sport and Greyhounds. In this episode, host John Parker and Sir Mark share their experiences at the Waterloo Cup, including that famous last meeting. They also discuss the future of Irish coursing, preserving English coursing and Greyhound history, and Sir Mark's favorite Greyhounds over the years. Glossary American listeners may find the following British open coursing terms helpful: An anti is a person who advocates the banning of coursing or racing.Beaters are people who walk through a field inhabited by hares and herd the hares toward the coursing ground. They guide single hares to the coursing field to be pursued by Greyhounds.The beat is a line of beaters spread out across a field.Keepers or gamekeepers help protect and conserve hares and other game living wild on estates and farms.Nominators have the right to "nominate" a Greyhound to run in the Waterloo Cup or other large coursing meeting. They are prominent individuals in the coursing community. They may nominate their own Greyhound or one owned by another individual.A slipper releases two Greyhounds simultaneously onto the coursing field using a special double leather collar-and-leash device. Links Heath House Stables

"A good Greyhound will chase anything..."Charlie Blanning Show Notes It’s the early 1920’s. Owen Patrick (O.P.) Smith, inventor of the artificial lure, accepts the challenge of some doubters at his track in Emeryville, CA. “The dogs ain’t gonna chase that, O.P. ” O.P. smiles, removes the "hare" from the rail and replaces it with his handkerchief, sending it off around the track. A Greyhound is slipped to give chase. The Greyhound did, indeed, run down that handkerchief. And so began a new era of Greyhound sport – racing. This story is just one of many told by Charlie Blanning in his new book, “Please Mister: The Golden Age of Greyhound Racing.” The book explores the birth of Greyhound racing in the United States, pioneered by O.P. Smith and his partners in the early 20th century. Readers will enjoy stories from the earliest days of the sport, from California to Florida and across the pond to the United Kingdom and Ireland. In this episode of Greyhound Nation, host John Parker and Charlie discuss the origins of the book, the experience of self-publishing and the possibility of a second “Golden Age” of Greyhound racing. Links Please Mister: The Golden Age of Greyhound Racing (Facebook)

Episode 7 - Recorded October 8, 2020 "If any of you are interested, Lucy is racing tonight at Palm Beach Kennel Club -- race 15, box 8. You can watch it live on the feed!"Lynn Bunn, via Facebook Messenger Show Notes It's just before 9pm on Friday, October 9, 2020. From her home in Galveston, Texas, Lynn Bunn (Fast Canines Greyhound Adoption) is glued to Internet live streams. She's not watching news about Hurricane Delta, COVID-19 or the 2020 election. She's waiting for her racing Greyhound to head to the box at the Palm Beach Kennel Club (PBKC). Lynn is one of a growing number of Greyhound adopters to dip their toes in the waters of racing Greyhound ownership. Her Greyhound -- Lucy, aka KB's Lookin Good -- has a good start at PBKC but gets bumped in the first turn. She closes late on the inside and manages a 5th place finish. "She is learning how to navigate -- that was her 20th race," remarks Lynn. Her optimism for the breed is shared with other Greyhound adopters turned racing owners, like Patti Kacer (Greyhounds as Pets of Northeast FL) of Jacksonville, Florida and Dr. Jennifer Ng (Greyhounds Crossroads and Greyhound Adopters for Racing), a veterinarian from Columbia, South Carolina. Each of them has a story to tell about how Greyhound adoption grew into racing Greyhound ownership. Patti comments, "That's the hardest turn on the track. Any track." In this episode of Greyhound Nation, host John Parker joins Lynn, Patti and Jennifer in a roundtable discussion about the ins and outs of racing Greyhound ownership. Topics include finding the right investment partner, the cost of training and kenneling, and that moment when your very own Greyhound takes 1st place at the track. Links Fast Canines Greyhound Adoption (Lynn Bunn, volunteer)Greyhounds as Pets of Northeast FL (Patti Kacer, adoption coordinator)Greyhound Crossroads (Jennifer Ng, volunteer)Greyhound Adopters for Racing (Jennifer Ng, president)KB's Lookin Good - October 9 - 5th Place Finish (Lynn Bunn, owner)KB's Lookin Good - October 13 - 1st Place Finish (Lynn Bunn, owner)

Episode 6 - Recorded September 24, 2020 "It's kind of in between a kennel and a home...so you really have a feel that they're at home...it's not your typical kennel."Viara Gentchev Show Notes Viara Gentchev is a breeder and operator of a new retired racing Greyhound care center -- a "halfway house" concept pioneered by Greyhound Racing Ireland (GRI, formerly the Irish Greyhound Board) and the Irish Retired Greyhound Trust (IRGT). Greyhound care centers are just one of the innovative ways that the IRGT helps transition retired racers from the track to a new life with a new family. Viara works closely with Barry Coleman and Joanna Murray of GRI, the governing body of Irish Greyhound racing. Barry serves as GRI's racing operations manager, and Joanna serves as GRI's welfare officer. Together, they're raising awareness of Greyhound adoption in Ireland, the United Kingdom and elsewhere. Collectively, their mission is to change the perception of the Greyhound as a racer and pet in Ireland. Care centers are just one of the ways that GRI helps to educate the public about Greyhounds as pets. GRI also provides funding for and enforcement of the proper care of Greyhounds in the country. In Greyhound Nation's second roundtable discussion, host John Parker discusses Irish Greyhound rehoming with Barry, Joanna and Viara. How does it compare with adoption groups in the United States? What efforts are made to expose the public to retired racers? How is the IRGT partnering with Greyhounds Pets of America to bring Irish Greyhounds to the United States? Links Greyhound Racing IrelandIrish Racing Greyhound TrustIrish Racing Greyhound Trust (Facebook)

Episode 5 - Recorded September 7, 2020 "There is a growing community of responsible hobbyist Greyhound breeders … [who will] be of increasing importance as both sources for pets and amateur sporting Greyhounds and for the preservation of the American racing bloodlines."John Parker Show Notes In 2021, fewer than five Greyhound race tracks will remain open in the United States. Even as the population of available former racers dwindles, the interest in Greyhounds as pets and sporting dogs remains high. The result can be long wait times or even outright disappointment for potential adopters. Enter the hobbyist Greyhound breeder. Located throughout the country, these individuals and the puppies they breed from racing and coursing bloodlines are increasingly important as former racing Greyhounds become scarce. It’s a chance for the breed — especially American racing bloodlines — to continue to prosper as the American racing industry declines. What drives someone to start breeding Greyhounds? Are the puppies destined to be pets or amateur racers? Does color matter? What’s expected of a potential buyer? Are you the right person for this puppy? Are you willing to build a relationship with the breeder? In Greyhound Nation's first roundtable discussion episode, host John Parker welcomes three hobbyist breeders to the show — Melissa Schmidt, Audrey Hsia and Diana Pickering — to explore these questions and more. John also shares with listeners his own experiences as a hobbyist breeder. Links Stout Hearted Hounds, Audrey HsiaHarvest Moon Greyhounds, Melissa Schmidt (Facebook)Pacific Greyhound Kennel, Diana Pickering

Episode 4 - Recorded August 28, 2020 "If you wanted to have a great life in Greyhounds, you couldn't do much better than what Charlie has done…"John Parker Show Notes Charlie Blanning has, indeed, lived the Greyhound enthusiast’s life. His father and grandfather bred, raced and coursed Greyhounds. Charlie spent his childhood years playing with Greyhound puppies and attending races and coursing meetings. Charlie would funnel that experience into a Greyhound sport writing career, contributing to various sport publications as a coursing correspondent, starting in the 1970s. He’s spent over 40 years writing on Greyhound sport, and currently writes a monthly column for The Sporting Press, the Irish Greyhound publication. For many years, he was secretary of the National Coursing Club and keeper of the Greyhound Stud Book of England. His magnum opus on the Greyhound breed and its history — The Greyhound and the Hare — was published in 2018. His next book — Please Mister: The Golden Age of Greyhound Racing — will be published in December 2020. In this episode's interview, host John Parker and Charlie discuss the history of Greyhound coursing through the ages -- from the sport of Elizabethan nobles to the more accessible and widely popular Waterloo Cup of the 19th century. Charlie also shares some anecdotes from a childhood spent with Greyhounds. Links The Greyhound and the Hare (Facebook)

Episode 3 - Recorded July 14, 2020 "Who's going to see the entertainment value of our dogs going at 45mph at peak performance and seeing that excitement?"Laird Morgan Show Notes Laird Morgan -- Texas attorney and advocate for the breed -- is always thinking about the possibilities for the American Greyhound racing sport. He acquired his first pet Greyhound through a racing kennel in 2007 rather than the traditional adoption group. Hooked by the racing and track experience, he co-founded United Greyhound Racing in 2011. Through his organization, Laird serves as an advocate for the racing industry, lure coursing and Greyhound adoption. Initiatives include the Greyhound Racing National Championship and connecting racing trainers with adopters. Greyhound Nation host, John Parker, and Laird discuss the current state of Greyhound racing in the United States, the future of the sport, and Laird's involvement with the Texas Greyhound Association. Links United Greyhound Racing (Facebook)Texas Greyhound Association

Episode 2 - Recorded July 16, 2020 "I get there early, 'cause I want a good parking spot."Jennifer Bachelor Show Notes That's the mindset of Jennifer Bachelor, trainer of champion agility Greyhounds -- get settled and get focused. It's all part of her plan of action when she brings one of her many Greyhounds to an agility competition. Jennifer's trained both former racing Greyhounds and Greyhound puppies for agility, winning multiple Master Agility Championship Titles (MACH). Her knowledge runs the gamut -- from prospecting for potential hounds to rehabilitating injured athletes back to competition status. Join Jennifer and Greyhound Nation host, John Parker, as they discuss a day in the life of an agility competitor, finding and training just the right agility Greyhound, and that one hound that made it to the big screen. This episode is dedicated to Jennifer's late husband, Stephen. Stephen was a friend to Greyhounds, the Southeastern Greyhound Club, and John. Links Never Say Never Greyhounds (blog)Never Say Never Greyhounds (Facebook)American Kennel Club AgilityThe North American Dog Agility CouncilUnited States Dog Agility Association, Inc.

Episode 1 - Recorded July 7 and 25, 2020 "[In this area] the Greyhounds were as well known as the baseball players and the football players...and you could start up a discussion with anybody in the store about who was running at Taunton or Raynham that night."Dennis McKeon Show Notes In this inagural episode of Greyhound Nation, host John Parker and producer Michael Burns introduce themselves and share their aspirations for the podcast. They are joined later in the episode by former Greyhound trainer and "prose laureate" for the breed, Dennis McKeon. Dennis McKeon saw his first Greyhound around the age of 13. He would grow up during the "golden age" of New England-area Greyhound racing in the 1960s. Back then, Greyhound racing was an active spectator sport at such venues as Raynham/Taunton Greyhound Park and Wonderland Greyhound Park. John and Dennis enjoy a wide ranging conversation covering Dennis' career as a trainer, his important mentors in racing, and his involvement in early Greyhound adoption initiatives. They also discuss the early days of Greyhound social media and discussion forums, as well as Dennis' inspiration for his essays on all aspects of the Greyhound breed. Greyhound Nation welcomes you for this -- the first of many episodes. Links Dennis McKeon on FacebookThe Greyhound Facebook community