While Sunday’s “Join in the Chase Seminar” may well have been a case of “preaching to the converted”, Greyhound Racing SA CEO Bodelle Francis probably best summed it up when describing the initiative as just the beginning.

Francis had been accompanied by GRSA Racing Manager Shaun Mathieson and GRSA Brand and Communications Manager James Norris for the first of its kind participation seminar at Tara Raceway.

Co-ordinating the seminar was Mathieson who said greyhound racing was the fastest growing racing code in the country with more than 4000 meetings conducted annually at TAB tracks across South Australia.

“However, from an ownership point of view we still need more people involved in the sport,” he said. “Whether that involvement comes through individuals, a few mates getting together to race a greyhound or a sporting club syndicate – it doesn’t really matter.”

Leading local trainers who threw their weight behind the seminar were Tracie Price, Jason Newman and Kerry Hawker for a woman in racing touch.

Price, involved in greyhound racing since he was eight-years-old, said any interested people were always welcome to check out the kennels he runs in partnership with his wife Karen.

“However, I would point out that anyone looking to become involved in the sport certainly needs to do so with their eyes wide open.”

Newman said that from a training point of view people certainly didn’t necessarily require large properties and that many greyhound trainers had commenced their careers from a backyard in suburbia.

“We certainly have all the facilities here at Tara Raceway to enable backyard trainers to be able to gallop their greyhounds on the dual slipping tracks,” he said.

“And hopefully in the not too distant future the slipping tracks will be complemented with a purpose-built bullring which will assist in the education of young dogs.”

Hawker’s involvement in greyhound racing commenced back in the 1980s when she worked as a steward out at Glenburnie. Now based at Edenhope, she has held a trainer’s licence for the past 18 months.

“I still class Mount Gambier as my home track. I’m also finding being involved with the breeding of litters to be very rewarding.”

Hawker said what she also found very rewarding was the involvement of youngsters on track and their interaction with her greyhounds when they return after winning a race.

And Kevin “KD” Douglas spoke on being an owner of racing greyhounds.

“For sure, the positivity from racing is terrific. And the making of friendships in this game is outstanding,” he said.

“However, people should be aware of the costs that can be involved when it comes to the purchase of a pup and then seeing it through to racing age.”

Mount Gambier Greyhound Racing Club President, Noel Perry, was still on a high from earlier in the day when Rough Boy Devil – purchased by him as a pup – was successful in the Metal Worx Juvenile Stake (305 metres).

“It’s a welcoming environment here at the Mount Gambier club and all good fun,” he said.