GBGB’s Head of Regulation Mark Bird is promising details of the launch of the new ‘Owner Trainer’ scheme by early next week writes Floyd Amphlett.
The scheme, very similar to the old ‘permit’ scheme will allow greyhound 0wners to train from home without the need for approved kennels. (There will be other restrictions including a limit on the number of greyhounds).
The hold-ups have mainly been based on integrating the new licence into the software for registrations/race form. It seems highly likely that the first greyhounds will be ready to trial under the new scheme within a month.
Despite the fact that the Star’s campaign to introduce the scheme was shelved a couple of months ago, we continue to be bombarded with calls and emails from would-be owner trainers. Typical is Tom Connor, who is based in Ayrshire and already on Shawfield’s waiting list.
He said: “I have always been on the flaps but after Armadale closed, I wanted to race Shawfield. I have a couple of dogs ready to trial and am just waiting to find out when I can start. Shawfield are struggling for dogs with lots of empty traps so I think this would be a big benefit to them.”
Francis O’Hare has been in touch to say that he would like to race at Hall Green. Robert Davison wrote “I’ve trained greyhounds since I was 15 years old. I am now 44 I haven’t got the money to build kennels to race under rules but I think I’ve got something to give to the sport so I would like bgrb to go ahead with the permit so I can train my own dogs.”
Harvey Arber wrote: “Years ago I used to work with permit trainer Gus Cohen from Loughton. He enjoyed many years of permit training from his back yard. I personally would train dogs from my house if this type of licence came back into force.”
And there have been MANY MANY more . . .
