Triumph & Trajedy at the Champs

[Kim Saxby]

First of all, congratulations to all the Final winners of the Champs at Maidstone – Nigel & Judy Booker with Time Keeper, who has been knocking on the door at all the major events this year and the Brion’s with Fine & Dandy, who were brave enough to take on in-form dogs like WCRCH Mahler and Cost A Bob – well done !

It was a pity that the weather wasn’t as hot as the competition.  

The Maidstone club and its members have worked very hard to produce a track worthy of holding a Championship event.  But, surprisingly it seems to have taken its toll with several injuries at the Maidstone Open as well as the Champs.  Not least my own dogs – Guye’s Gwithian has strained two joints of an inside toe, Guye’s Gunner has exactly the same injury plus a dropped gracilis muscle!  Guye’s Guinevere didn’t entirely escape incident – her back legs slipped out from under her as she came out of the trap in the 20lb Final.  She was lucky only to suffer the indignity of falling on her nose !!  

Whilst we cannot control the weather, I believe that the use of ribbed rubber matting to line the trap floors has definitely contributed to a loss of footing (it certainly did to my bitch) – the rain made the surface very slippery -- something that wouldn’t have occurred if carpet had been used.  Guye’s Gwithian sustained a dropped gracilis from the same conditions, in the same traps at a Championship final held at Gloucester last year.   I did try and dry the inside of the trap before putting my dogs inside but the ribbing and the amount of water made that impossible.  

So, did anyone else’s dog sustain an injury at the Maidstone Champs ?  And what do they think was the cause ?  Is rubber matting the best surface to use ?  Was the shape of the bend contributory ?

 

[Judy]

Hi Kim

Really sorry to hear about your dogs injuries. It must have put a bit of a "downer" on your day to say the least. I know you put a lot of work into Gwithian when he dropped his muscle. I don't think I have seen a dog come back as well from a dropped gracilis muscle as Jack has though so at least your dogs are in good hands. Hope they are back racing soon.

I didn't hear of any other injuries, other than a couple of re-occuring toe problems - then again I didn't know about yours until I read your post.

Re trap bottoms - Tony Cooper (non-peds) writes an article on Whippet Racing every month in Greyhound Monthly. In the September issue he touched on this very subject. He mentioned that rubber matting gets ripped and eventually pieces go missing, carpet comes unglued and the worst is wooden slats screwed to the floor as the dogs rap their knuckles on them. Ouch!

I would think that  carpet, as long as it had a reasonable pile on it, would not get as slippery as rubber.

Actually the article was really about the use of ramps in traps and what an advantage it gives a dog but that he believes that it increases the risk of injury. Interesting stuff.

 

[Gary]

Hi Kim sorry to hear about your injuries, i like Judy have not heard of any injuries either. I think your comment about the rubber matting is the main cause of the problems  the matting works fine until it rains i was at the traps for most of the champs and quite a few racers were trying there best to dry out the rubber with towels and the like but not to much effect dogs were still slipping on their way out. I dont think the shape of the bend is wrong but then i am bias but if any racers have any suggestions i will gladly take them on board as safety in our racing is paramount . Whilst im on i would like to thank all the kind people who gave donations to the Jade appeal fund im not sure what the final figure was but thanks to all gary.

 

[TC]

Hi,

I know this is a blast from the past, but I am reading through all of the old threads to gain more of an insight into racing :- "

Can anyone tell me if things have changed, and whether all clubs have decided that one type of flooring is better, or if I am likely to encounter all different surfaces?

Until reading this thread the flooring of the trap had never occurred to me, what a novice :b

Thanks in advance

Tracy

edited to say Oooh this was my 1000th post woohoo (w00t)

 

[BeeJay]

Some clubs still use rubber flooring (WCRA do anyway) some other clubs use carpets.

I can remember an open where the carpet was so worn by the dogs feet pushing off that there was bare strips where the carpet had worn away.

 

[TC]

Thanks Beejay,

I find it interesting that there are differences, but then I suppose that all clubs have a preference. It probably only comes up for debte when something happens such as the day that the original posts in this thread relate to.

I think it will definitely be information stored at the back of my brain now should it be really wet :wacko:

Just out of interest, does anyone know of a whip getting carpet burns on it's feet from launching itself so fast or am I being really pathetic or overcautious :b

 

[slimfast]

sonny jim slipped coming out of the traps at the last champs in the final we put it down to the loose grass in the trap

 

[slimfast]

sonny jim slipped coming out of the traps at the last champs in the final we put it down to the loose grass in the trap 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

​

he also skind is stopper pads like many other dogs

 

[Strike Whippets]

We've never had a problem with our traps and carpet burn Tracy at South Cotswolds :thumbsup: .........I personally feel that in most cases if the dog is free run and used to running on different types of ground they'll be fine for what our summer and ground conditions throw at them .........I also feel that it is soooo easy to blame the open/track that we race at for injuries/poor performances ......but we all have the power to pull our dogs out of any race or off any track if we as an owner think its too dodgy .......I know I've pulled my lot out of racing when I've deemed the track to hard .......I've also dried out traps with a towel when they have been extremely wet and slippy ...........As I said .......its up to us the owners to see ahead and judge what is exceptable ........Hope this helps :thumbsup: .......Hannah.

 

[TC]

We've never had a problem with our traps and carpet burn Tracy at South Cotswolds  :thumbsup:   .........I personally feel that in most cases if the dog is free run and used to running on different types of ground they'll be fine for what our summer and ground conditions throw at them .........I also feel that it is soooo easy to blame the open/track that we race at for injuries/poor performances ......but we all have the power to pull our dogs out of any race or off any track if we as an owner think its too dodgy    .......I know I've pulled my lot out of racing when I've deemed the track to hard .......I've also dried out traps with a towel when they have been extremely wet and slippy ...........As I said .......its up to us the owners to see ahead and judge what is exceptable ........Hope this helps  :thumbsup:   .......Hannah.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

​

This does help Hannah, thanks :thumbsup:

As far as pulling my dog out, that is exactly the stance I will take, and am really just trying to find as many issues ahead of time so that I am well prepared. ie prior to reading about the rubber matting, the flooring having a bearing had not really occured to me. I just assumed that everyone had exactly the same

I think you're right about the track being blamed too, I am sure that I will hear this lots over the coming years :- " I hope that I'm never quilty of saying it (w00t) I feel that we all have a responsibility to our dogs to check things out beforehand and then decide what is best for their wellbeing. When lure coursing, I walked the course and would always do this racing as well.

Thanks Hannah, and I'm glad you haven't had any burns Hopefully the fact that Oliver has free running on every surface will stand him in good stead :luck:

 

[IanGerman]

When I was last involved in the procuring of traps I specified that the ribbing ran across, not down the trap. Dogs DO clench their claws for grip as they push off and even in the wet they then have something to grip to. As to the longevity of any flooring - well that's another matter

 

[tlewis]

When I was last involved in the procuring of traps I specified that the ribbing ran across, not down the trap. Dogs DO clench their claws for grip as they push off and even in the wet they then have something to grip to. As to the longevity of any flooring - well that's another matter

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

​

Last time I resurfaced a set of traps I used conveyor belting with a good cross pattern. Worked well in all weathers. Like you say, I think it's essential that the rough surface runs across the trap and not down.