GBGB is this week announcing a series of changes to its licensing process for 2021, as part of its drive to continue raising welfare and integrity standards under the Greyhound Commitment.

The changes follow a full licensing review conducted by the GBGB Board to explore whether the process was still fit for purpose. This was the first review of its kind since the Board was established more than a decade ago.

The changes announced have been delayed since early spring, when the review was originally completed, due to the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. They will now come into effect on 1 January 2021 and all licence-holders who are impacted will be contacted directly with further details.

Whilst other smaller improvements to the process are being introduced, the key change is the consolidation of all trainer licences into one single Professional Greyhound Trainer licence from 2021. This means the discontinuation of the Owner Trainer and Greyhound Trainer licences.

The fee structure will also be updated for trainers and calculated according to kennel capacity. These new payments will be staggered; trainers are only required at this stage to pay a £50 non-refundable renewal deposit, with the full amount paid after their NSF certification inspections during 2021.

Other changes include:

  • Trainer licence applications and renewals to be allowed at any point throughout the year and will run for 12 months from the award date;
  • Kennel staff licence renewals should be made now alongside trainers’ renewals; the costs of these are not increasing and they will be automatically extended, free of charge, to match the end date of trainers’ new licences once formally approved during 2021;
  • Dual-attachment licences for kennel staff will be considered on a case-by-case basis;
  • Veterinary surgeons to apply to GBGB directly to be licensed across all stadia; these multi-track licences will be increasing to £50.

Mark Bird, Managing Director of GBGB, said:

“The licensing changes we are announcing this week are very much common sense and represent how far our sport has come over the past few years. From introducing multi-track veterinary surgeon licences to streamlining the application process, we have sought to respond to feedback from the sport on how we can do things better going forward. 

“The consolidation of the trainer licences is clearly the most significant of all, however, and signals our unwavering commitment to welfare and integrity and the ongoing professionalisation of our sport. 

“It is only fair and right that every licensed greyhound trainer is held to the same high standards and is able to be inspected effectively under the PAS 251:2017 and in line with the GBGB Rules of Racing. The new single Professional Greyhound Trainer licence will allow us to do this, thereby ensuring each of our racing greyhounds receives the best possible care in their residential kennels. 

“We recognise that this does represent a significant change for our current Owner Trainers and we are keen to support individuals to qualify under the new structure should they wish to. Our Stipendiary Stewards and Registry Team will be working closely with them, and with all our trainers, through the transition.

“Likewise, GBGB has not increased its trainer licence fees since it was established in 2009, so a review into this was well overdue. The new fee structure aims to be a fairer and more straightforward system based on kennel capacity and will contribute towards the additional costs of the new NSF International certification inspections. We have, however, decided to stagger the introduction of these payments in light of these past few months.”

To explain the changes, and what they mean for different licence-holders, GBGB has published a Questions and Answers document available here. Anyone with further questions is invited to contact GBGB’s Registry Team on 020 7822 0900 (Option 3).