Mount Gambier Greyhound Racing Club (MGGRC) manager Mark Dwyer said this week he strongly believed the club needed to take its product out to the people.

“I’m of the opinion that we need to get out there to rural shows, field days and the like with a promotion that will encompass the whole industry – from breeding through to Greyhounds as Pets (GAP),” he said.

Dwyer’s comments follow recent communication with Greyhound Racing SA (GRSA) in relation to the conducting of a Mount Gambier participation seminar which would include some of the region’s leading trainers.

“A participation seminar conducted at Tara Raceway certainly would complement any efforts out in the field. Kevin ‘KD’ Douglas has already signified his willingness to host such an event.

“Leading local trainers Tracie Price and Jason Newman would be in attendance to answers questions from the floor. And relating his experiences as a newcomer to the sport would be Millicent schoolteacher Dave Green.

“Also throwing support behind a proposed participation seminar – from a woman in greyhound racing perspective – is Edenhope-based Kerry Hawker, currently equal second with Newman on the leading trainers’ list.”

Dwyer said in regard to collecting names of persons interested in the participation seminar the MGGRC had two forthcoming Tara Raceway key events – the Mount Gambier Cup Calcutta on Friday, March 24 and the Mount Gambier Cup final on April 2.

“Perhaps for those events we could have flyers printed. They would have provision for interested parties to fill in their relevant details and return to the club in order that we had some idea as to interest in the seminar.”

According to Dwyer, one of the biggest problems in attracting people into greyhound racing appears to be with former participants looking to re-enter the industry.

“There certainly appears to be plenty of hoops to jump through for anyone looking to get back into the sport. As a club we believe this situation needs to be seriously looked at.”

He quoted a recent instance where a former experienced trainer had been refused his Tier 3 trainer’s licence after it had been deemed he had no knowledge of training a greyhound.

As such, he is now required to apply for a handler’s licence and “learn how to catch and box a greyhound” before he can once again apply for a Tier 3 trainer’s licence.

Dwyer also said he believed the time frame needed to be streamlined for new participants when it came to catching a dog and the probation period that followed prior to being able to box a dog.

Meanwhile, the Mount Gambier Cup winners display in the Tara Raceway clubrooms will be completed in time for this year’s 43rd running of the time-honoured event.

The photographic display will include all previous winners – from Tara Topar in 1981 through to 2022 and Departure Gate with provision having been made to add future winners.

Also to be added is a life members’ photographic display. Incidentally, life members to have trained a Mount Gambier Cup winner are Col Sims (Colin Ian, 1996), Connie Miller (Durafi, 1987; Mitchell Boy, 1988), Steve Bartholomew (Galactic Athena, 2019), Allen Peckham (Argyle Sally, 1994), John Reid (Count Down, 1984), Ralph Patzel (Ashanti Gem, 1997) and Allen Williams (Colville, 2013).