Greyhound Nation

Episode 51: Recorded July 13, 2025 "One of the things that really struck me...the car park was the most egalitarian place in all of England..." Harry Jennings on the "great leveler" of the Waterloo Cup Show Notes Many first-time Greyhound adopters will tell you that they didn’t grow up with Greyhounds as kids. Their interest in the breed started with a meet-and-greet at a local rehoming event, or they had a friend or relative that had adopted a Greyhound. Harry Jennings didn’t grow up with Greyhounds either, but he did become interested in them in quite a peculiar way. He discovered the breed in graduate school while thumbing through medieval French literature manuscripts about coursing. Harry’s first Greyhound — Charlie — actually belonged to his housemate, Lauren, but it was his gateway Greyhound into the vast and varied world of the breed. Charlie had an Australian pedigree, having raced in Florida and been adopted out of the Philadelphia area. Harry and Charlie took to the road to try out lure coursing in 1992. By 1993, Charlie was the number one Greyhound in ASFA lure coursing. The making of the Jennings Greyhound man continued with ownership of American racing Greyhounds and a visit to the Waterloo Cup in England in 1999. There, he crossed paths with this show’s host, John Parker, and together they experienced the premier coursing event in the world at the time. There on the field, the two “Yanks” and a few other American friends found themselves before the microphone of English television presenter Clarissa Dickson Wright as part of her Clarissa and the Countryman series. In this episode, host John Parker explores this unconventional making of a Greyhound man -- Harry Jennings -- one who immersed himself in all things Greyhound-related over three decades. Harry shares his thoughts on training and conditioning for lure coursing; navigating the ins and outs of Greyhound racing organizations in the United States and England; and remotely participating in the sport of Greyhound racing through the syndicate model. Links Waterloo Cup episode of Clarissa and the Countryman (YouTube)

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)