~ Updated guide builds on expertise within the sport and recent multi-year collaboration with STRI ~
~ Guide is designed to be a useful but flexible tool reflecting the differences between each track’s unique composition ~
This week, the Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB) has published a new and updated Track Maintenance Guide, designed to provide a central source of information on key elements of track preparation and maintenance.
The guide builds upon expertise within the sport as well as GBGB’s multi-year collaboration with leading sports surface research and consultancy company STRI Group, which has benefited all its licensed tracks. It has been carefully collated to ensure track staff have access to the latest guidance, best practice and insights in one comprehensive document.
The guide sits alongside a wider programme of support and continuing professional development (CPD) on track preparation and maintenance, including webinars and other events. This is being delivered in line with GBGB’s long term welfare strategy, ‘A Good Life for Every Greyhound’, to help facilitate the best possible surface for all dogs to race on and the smooth operation of tracks on race days.
As much of the information in this guide draws upon the knowledge of long-standing track staff, it will provide a useful reference and education tool for training new personnel. Importantly, it is designed to be a flexible resource, taking into account the individual needs of each track reflecting their unique features and compositions.
Mark Peacock, Track Liaison Officer at GBGB said:
“Given the extensive work undertaken across the sport in recent years specifically on track preparation and maintenance, we wanted to ensure all licensed racecourses had access to up-to-date information. The new version of the Track Maintenance Guide incorporates the wealth of expertise and experience contained across GBGB tracks, as well as insights from our partners at STRI, to support best practice in racing surfaces.
“Each track will know their own surface and be able to apply the guidance in the way that best suits their needs and operations – whether that is as a training tool for new staff or a reference point. I am very grateful for all the colleagues who have supported and contributed to this new update through and hope it will prove useful to teams and individuals across our sport.”
Bill Glass, GBGB Board Director and Chair of the Track Sub Committee, said:
“Securing and maintaining high-quality racing surfaces is essential within our sport and we are fortunate to have considerable knowledge and experience at GBGB tracks up and down the country. This updated guide builds upon all of this, combined with the learnings from our partnership with STRI in recent years, to provide a comprehensive support and training tool going forward.”
STRI’s Dr Christian Spring added:
“Producing a high-quality greyhound racing surface is based on understanding track construction and how its constituent elements work together in harmony, as well as the fundamentals of best practice in maintenance. The Track Maintenance Guide is practical and accessible for those who need to harness the experience, knowledge and science that has been distilled throughout the guide. Its key objective is to assist users on the best practice approaches to building and managing high quality racing surfaces.
The guide encompasses the cumulative knowledge of hundreds of years of experience, together with the latest scientific understanding of greyhound track preparation and future innovations. It is a testament to the openness of those involved with the preparation of racing surfaces, who have shared their experience and insights. It has been a pleasure to help craft and shape this information into a valuable reference and training tool for anyone involved with constructing and maintaining a greyhound track.”
Copies of the guide will be sent to every licensed track across the country, and it is also available to read online here.
