The story of Peter Richardson isn’t an unusual one in this day and age. A young man who wishes to dedicate his life to a sport he loves but a sport which he is finding it near on impossible to begin to create a career in. I’m sure Peter’s tale will hit home with many throughout the UK who find themselves in very similar positions. Here Peter’s story is told in a hope that it awakens the problem’s that people like him face and that it enlightens others enough to want to find solutions which will aid both them and our sport.
Born in Consett Peter (26) is a third generation greyhound trainer. Uncle and now Peter’s kennel hand Darren Cowell is a multiple open race winning trainer and granddad Nichol Cowell a true flapping man.
Starting his journey at the young age of 6 he’d help out on mornings before school feeding the dogs and when time allowed going to the physio or the great job of running the lure out !
This progressed to being able to parade dogs and Peter’s first great memory is taking Pearl Of Joy on to win the March Hare Classic at Easington in 2004 before continuing to care for her in the kennel every morning when she was in pup until the day they she whelped.
His next encounter would be with Greenfield Key an A3 Newcastle bitch which Peter was given. She was the first greyhound Peter got to train albeit under the careful guidance of his grandad. ‘Key’ went on to be back marker at Wheatley Hill independent track which was some effort given the class of greyhound running there at the time. This is when Peter started to really get the bug for the sport and began saving any money he could to purchase his first pup. This pup was Berts Buddy who Peter along with the help and guidance of Darren & Nichol not only reared but schooled too.
Buddy went on to become a A4 runner at Pelaw Grange. It was at Pelaw that Peter first tasted life as a trainer , moving from kennel hand to Uncle Darren to becoming one of the first holders of the owner trainer licenses when they were brought back in by the GBGB. Roles have since reversed with Darren becoming kennel hand to Peter.
Spending the last year or so travelling the country competeing in opens even when others thought it was too far to travel he believed he had the quality of dogs needed , travelling from County Durham to Swindon , Crayford , Yarmouth , Harlow to name just a few tracks. Back in November 2021 Peter got a taste of the bigger nights as his Hurleys Spring a stunning blue fawn and white greyhound closed down Coolavanny Galviv to just half a length in his first round heat. Sent off at a huge 18/1 not many had given ‘Spring’ much of a chance but Peter had faith in his greyhound and was far from surprised at the effort that had plenty sitting up taking note of not just his greyhound but of himself as a promising young trainer. Hurleys Spring was purchased by Peter as a 15 month old British Bred for not a lot of money at all. It gave Peter confidence that he could train a dog and he could do so to a fair degree of ability.
Peter is now doing everything he can to become a more established trainer and his first litter are beginning to hit the tracks. By Hiya Butt out of dam Burma Eclipse he holds high hopes for them and hopes they will help to expand his kennel further.
Peter with his Hiya Butt x Burma Eclipse pups
The next step for him is undoubtedly a move to a bigger kennel however this is proving difficult to achieve. As probably one of the youngest GBGB trainers at just 26 years old Peter says “we keep hearing things about wanting youth in the sport yet the youth we have are struggling to move up training ranks. There aren’t many options out there , I could give my license up and try working for an established trainer but when you look around at others doing that they’re not ever earning enough to give themselves any chance of setting out by themselves. Yet by staying by myself things are far from easy either and it’s a real catch 22 situation. I can only hope that help for people like me arrives and we’re given support to get on the ladder. Without youngsters coming through how can the sport possibly have a future ?”. Peter is now on the look out to move to a larger kennel space and asks if anyone knows of anything available they could contact him via Twitter @RRacingKennels.
