BSFA Lure Coursing Venture Hill Sprint Club
VHSC is held at Abbotts Anne near Andover and run by Terry and Sue Ward. There is usually practise on Wednesdays and the weekend all year round, with races once a month or so. It is a fun, helpful and very friendly place to allow your whippet to learn the ropes and run on an uphill straight following a lure.
Tinka and Tanzi are both slightly overheight, so they could not run under WCRA rules.
Tinka was brought here mostly once a week from about 11 to 18 months old, to trial the shortest distance. We were told he was a natural on the lure, nor did he interfere with the other dog. At the end of the summer, he participated in Race Day but was the slowest of the 4 in his heat.
We have sadly not attended VHSC since due to dates frequently clashing with other field events.
BSFA is held monthly from March to October at Highclere. Trials are held for sighthounds which have never lure coursed before, at the start of the morning and afternoon runs.
There are no height or weight limits in Lure Coursing unlike racingot hare coursing.
Tinka trialled just a couple of times in the late summer 2012 after he had turned 1 year (the minimum age).
He competed fully in the 2013 season, only missing one meeting due to Tanzi's emergency.
He is honest, does not cut corners nor interfere.
Both attended their first competitive lure course on April 21st 2013 in the very popular Yearling class of 20 coursers.
Tinka ended the 2013 year as ''Top Whippet''
and 5th Overall - he has 116 points + 2 BoB's.
Tanzi gained her first 10 points, but was too ill to finish the season.
2014 we were only able to attend 3 times, and 2015 the dates have clashed every month with Racing, which we have chosen in preference. 2016 life came to a grinding halt so they went nowhere.
Photo above copyright Catriona Ryan