MERLIN BRINGS US UP TO DATE

ITS TIME FOR OUR OLD FRIEND  MERLIN TO BRING US TO SPEED WITH NEWS FROM THE KENNEL. LETS START WITH THE BREEDING PROGRAM. BROOD BITCHES ROEVIEW BEAUTY AND PARADISE DIGICOM HAVE BOTH NOW WHELPED DOWN, BEAUTY HAVING 8 PUOPS BY PREMIER FANTASY AND DIGI HAVING 8 PUPS BY HEAD BOUND. RECENT HEAVY WEATHER ALTHOUGH GREAT FOR THE GROUND HAS PUT US BACK IN OTHER RESPECTS BUT OUR REARER CATHY EDWARDS REPORTS THAT THE BALLYMAC ACE X PARADISE DIGICOM LITTER HAVE ALL HANDSLIPPED AND CHASED WELL AT ELLESMERE PORT!

ON THE RACING FRONT BUT STAYING WITH PUPS THE 4 THAT ARRIVED A MONTH OR SO FROM DES LOUGHREY HAVE YET TO TRIAL. FARLOE RIGGLER AND FARLOE COUTURE AND FARLEY JAXX AND ACE ARE ALL GALOPING IMPRESSIVELY AND START TRIALLING AT MONMORE THIS WEEK. WE WERE WAITING FOR THE WEATHER TO BREAK IN EXPECTATION OF A SAFER RUNNING SURFACE ETC. THEY ARE ALL FOR SALE AND WILL BE PRICED IN THE NEXT FORTNIGHT SO LOOK AT THE 'FOR SALE' SECTION OF THIS WEBSITE FOR MORE INFO.

ON THE GRADED SCENE WE ARE CONTINUING TO BUILD ON OUR NUMBERS AT MONMORE ALBEIT SLOWLY BUT SURELY. WE HOPE TO BE UP TO AROUND THIRTY  FIVE BY THE END OF NOVEMBER. KENS WHITE NIGHT HAS RECENTLY JOINED US FROM ROMFORD SO A BIG HELLO AND WELCOME TO HIS OWNER MR KEN PRITCHARD. STEVEN TERNENT AND IAN GRAYS CHANGING SKY HAS BEEN DOING US PROUD AT MONMORE AND WON HIS BAGS SIS CHAMPS RACE AT HALL GREEN SO WE ARE VERY PROUD OF HIM.

ON THE OPEN RACE FRONT FARLOE BUDDY IS NEARLY READY TO TRIAL FOLLOWING HIS WRIST LIGAMENT PROBLEM, COLIN CALLOWS LONGWOOD BOUND WILL ALSO BE READY TO TRIAL IN ABOUT A FORTNIGHT. LONGWOOD FANTASY WILL TAKE PART IN THE ECLIPSE AT NOTTINGHAM. JIM O' SULLIVAN, ALAN BRANDOM AND BOB MCFARLANE HAVE PURCHASED FINAL BIG MIKE FROM EMMET HAZELETT AND HE WILL BE AIMED AT SHORT FOUR BEND PUPPY OPENS UNTIL MARCH. THIS IS BOBS RETURN TO OWNERSHIP AFTER A DECADE OR MORE SO WE WISHING HIM AND ALL OUR OWNERS ALL THE BEST FOR THE FUTURE.

LOSE A BATTLE ..... BUT WIN A WAR
DESPITE SUFFERING A HEAVY DEFEAT YESTERDAY IN THE FIRST LEG OF THE BAGS SIS CHAMPIONSHIP AT HALL GREEN WE MUST REMAIN VIGILANT AND RETAIN FOCUS AND BELIEF THAT WITH TWO FURTHER LEGS TO GO WE CAN RETRIEVE THE SITUATION. HALL GREEN MADE FULL USE OF HOME ADVANTAGE AND SOME SMART DRAWS TO LEAD HANDSOMELY AFTER THE FIRST DAY BY 53 POINTS ON 134, PERRY BARR HAVE 64 AND WE HAVE 81. MANY ALREADY BELIEVE THIS IS AN UNASSAILABLE LEAD ........................ BUT IS IT???

I HAVE A SAYING THAT I REMIND MY OWNERS OF ON OCCASSION, IT GOES  '... DEFEAT IS ONLY A NEGATIVE EVENT IF YOU CAN'T TAKE ANYTHING POSITITVE FROM IT!' YESTERDAY WENT BADLY FOR US BUT IT'S HOW WE REACT TO THIS THAT IS IMPORTANT. I'M CONFIDENT THAT IF WE ROLL OUR SLEEVES UP AND PUT THE WORK IN AND WE RETAIN A GOOD TEAM SPIRIT THROUGHOUT THAT WE WILL GO INTO THE LAST LEG WITH EVERY CHANCE.

 

 

CHANGING SKY AHEAD OF STORM

 

WEATHER FORECASTERS ARE PREDICTING THE WORST STORM SINCE THE 80'S LATE TONIGHT OR EARLY TOMORROW MORNING SO HOW FITTING WOULD A BOLD SHOW FROM OUR VERY CHANGING SKY BE IN THE FIRST LEG OF THE BAGS CHAMPIONSHIP (MIDLAND DIVISION) AT HALL GREEN ON TOMORROWS BAGS CARD!!

 

THE EARLY PACED BLACK WAS IN GREAT FORM AT MONMORE PRIOR TO THIS COMPETITION BUT TWO RECENT TRIALS AROUND THE GRA VENUE SAYS HE NEEDS TO FIND A GREAT DEAL OF TIME TO COMPETE WITH LOCAL HERO SUPREME JOHNSON. HALL GREEN HAS RUN TERRIBLY SLOW OF LATE AND TENDED TO  FAVOUR INSIDE RUNNERS SO ALL THINGS ARE AGAINST HIM AND IN AN IDEAL WORLD WE WOULD HAVE KEPT THIS FELLA FOR THE MONMORE AND PERRY BARR LEGS. BUT A BIG TEAM IS NEEDED TO ACCOMODATE THE NEW FORMAT AND SO WE COULD AFFORD NO SUCH LUXURY.

 

SKY ALWAYS GIVE HIS BEST AND HAS BEEN A MODEL OF CONSISITANCY AT HOME SO WE'RE HOPEFUL HE CAN SCORE GOOD POINTS FOR THE TEAM. GOOD LUCK FELLA!!

 

 

BAGS CHAMPIONSHIP FIRST LEG

 

THE ANNUAL BAGS CHAMPIONSHIP STARTED THIS WEEK WHEN HOSTS SHEFFIELD POACHED AN EARLY IN THEIR GROUP ON TUESDAY. MONDAY SEE MONMORE AND PERRY BARR TRAVEL TO HALL GREEN FOR THE FIRST LEG OF THE MIDLANDS GROUP!

 

RIVALRY IS ALWAYS FIERCE AMONG THE TRACKS, AFTER ALL APART FROM THE ADDED PRIZE MONEY POT TO THE WINNERS THEIR PRIDE AT STAKE ASWELL. NO RIVALRY IS MORE FIERCE THAN THAT OF HALL GREEN AND MONMORE GREEN. LAST YEARS GROUP WAS VERY CLOSE AND MONMORE PREVAILED ON THE LAST LEG TO TAKE THE SPOILS. THIS YEAR HALL GREEN ARE BRIMMING WITH CONFIDENCE AND WITH PERRY BARR SEEMINGLY STRONGER THIS TIME ASWELL THERE IS ALL TO PLAY FOR!!

 

OUR KENNEL HAS JUST THE ONE REPRESENTATIVE IN A1 PERFORMER CHANGING SKY ALTHOUGH HE HAS STRUGGLED TO COME TO GRIPS WITH THE HALL GREEN CIRCUIT IN TRIALS AND THE VERY SLOW SURFACE HAS TAXED HIM TO THE FULL. HOPEFULLY HE'LL GIVE A BOLD ACCOUNT OF HIMSELF AND DO HIS PART FOR THE TEAM. VIVA MONMORE!!

 

 

 

HAPPY TO HAVE CHARLIE FOR SAM

 

WE WERE ONLY TO HAPPY TO RECIEVE A CALL FROM OUR GOOD FRIENDS COLIN CALLOW AND HIS DAUGHTER SAM (ABOVE) INFORMING US OF A CHANGE OF HEART REGARDING THE RETIREMENT OF THEIR GRAND OLD SERVANT LONGWOOD FANTASY. THEIR ORIGINAL THOUGHTS WERE FOR SAM TO TAKE 'THE APPLE OF HER EYE' HOME TO ENJOY THE SOFA AT HER HOME IN SHROPSHIRE BUT THE OLD BOY HAS BEEN RUNNING SO WELL OF LATE THAT BOTH SAM AND COLIN WERE KEEN FOR HIM TO REMAIN IN TRAINING AT LEAST UNTIL THE NEW YEAR.

 

WE ARE DELIGHTED THAT THEY HAVE ASKED TO OVERSEE THE FINAL PART OF WHATS BEEN A TERRIFIC CAREER SEEING HIM BE RUNNER UP IN THE LAURELS IN CONSECUTIVE YEARS AND MAKE MANY PRESTIGOUS FINALS ALONG THE WAY. 'CHARLIE' AS HE IS KNOWN TO THE CALLOWS WILL BE VERY HARD TO REPLACE AND HE HAS BEEN A STALWART OF THEIR KENNEL. IT IS HOPED TO RUN HIM IN THE ECLIPSE AT NOTTINGHAM AND IN THE LAURELS FOR A THIRD TIME BEFORE HE ENJOYS HIS WELL EARNED REST.

 

 

OWNERS DAY PHOTOS ARE READY

 

OWNERS THAT TOOK ADVANTAGE OF ACE PHOTOGRAPHER DAVE YANEZS PRESENCE AT OUR RECENT OWNERS DAY BARBECUE CAN PURCHASE THEIR PHOTOS DIRECTLY FROM DAEV VIA THE YAN PHOTOGRAPHY ICON ON THE RIGHT OF THIS OUR HOMEPAGE. DAVE HAS CATURED SOME STUNNING SHOTS OF YOU AND YOUR HOUNDS BASKING IN GLORIOUS SUNSHINE AND I KNOW THAT MANY OF YOU WILL BE KEEN TO BUY. DAVE CAN DO MANY WEIRD AND WONDERFUL THINGS WITH THE PHOTOS SO ANYONE WANTING A 'MONTAGE' OF TWO OR MORE PHOTOS ON THE ONE IMAGE CAN BE CATERED FOR. HE ASO DOES A NUMBER OF BESPOKE FRAMES THAT REALLY SETS THE PHTOOS OFF AND MAKES A WONDERFUL EMBELISHMENT FOR A ROOM IN THE HOME. CONTACT DAVE, HE'S A GREAT GUY AND IS VERY HELPFUL!

 

 BIG MIKE ON HIS WAY TO GAYDON

 

OWNERS JIM AND AND SANDRA O' SULLIVAN AND ALAN BRANDOM WHO HAVE TASTED SUCCESS WHEN OWNING TOGETHER IN THE PAST HAVE SNAPPED UP FINAL BIG MIKE FROM DES LOUGHREYS LIMAVADY RANGE. HOWEVER, THIS TIME THEY HAVE EXTENDED THEIR PARTNERSHIP TO INCLUDE BOB MCFARLANE AND HIS WIFE PAT WHO JOINED THEM IN THE PHOTO ABOVE AT OUR RECENT OWNERS DAY. BOB HAS BEEN A SUPPORTER OF THE KENNEL FOR MANY YEARS AND ALTHOUGH IT HAS BEEN A WHILE SINCE HE PUT HIS NAME TO A HOUND HE WAS KEEN TO GET INVOLVED IN THIS DOG AND WE ARE VERY HAPPY THAT HE IS BACK ON BOARD!!

A MARCH 2012 BLACK DOG BY TYRUR BIG MIKE AND FINAL OYSTER (WHO IS A LITTER SISTER TO FARLOE TANGO) MIKE HAS SHOWN EXCELLENT SPEED IN HIS TRIALS TO DATE. HE WILL JOIN US AT VILLAGE FARM EARLY NEXT WEEK AND WILL BE AIMED AT PUPPY OPENS UP TO 480 METRES.

 

WE WOULD LIKE TO WISH ALL INVOLVED THE BEST OF LUCK IN THE FUTURE !!

 

 

TRANSITION IS THE KEY WORD

 

AFTER A VERY TOUGH SUMMER THE KENNEL HAS LOST A NUMBER OF ITS ESTABLISHED RUNNERS AND SO YOURS TRULY HAS BEEN BUSY ASSEMBLING A NEW LOOK KENNEL STRENGTH TO WORK WITH IN 2014. OVER THE PAST MONTHS AS WELL AS WORKING TO REHABILITATE OUR INJURED GREYHOUNDS WE HAVE ALSO SOURCED A NUMBER OF NICE YOUNG DOGS FOR THE COMING SEASON. EARLIER THIS YEAR I MADE A CALCULATED DECISION THAT I WOULD CONCENTRATE ON BRINGING NEW DOGS THROUGH IN WAVES AND SO WE HAVE PURCHASED AND BRED GREYHOUNDS TO GIVE US A CONTINUOUSLY CHANGING LINE-UP FOR 2014.

 

WE WILL ALSO BE AIMING TO MAKE A DEFINATE MARK ON THE OPEN RACE SCENE AND I AM VERY PLEASED WITH DOGS THAT HAVE WE ASSEMBLED SPECIFICALLY FOR THAT REASON TOO!

 

 

ACE PUPS CONTINUE TO PLEASE

 

OWNER CHRIS BIRKENEHEADS LITTER FROM HIS PARADISE DIGICOM TO CHRIS ALLSOPPS CHAMPION TRACKER BALLYMAC ACE ARE NOW 12 MONTHS AND THEY CONTINUE TO PLEASE REARER CATHY EDWARDS WHO HAS RECENTLY PULLED THEM UP BEHIND THE DRAG FOR THE FIRST TIME!

 

ALL FIVE (THERE WERE 7 IN TOTAL) OF THE PUPS CATHY IS REARING WENT VERY WELL AND SHE IS VERY HAPPY WITH THEIR PROGRESS. THE TWO DOGS AND THREE BITCHES WILL BE HANDSLIPPED IN THE NEXT WEEK OR SO AND WHILE THE BITCHES WILL BE SCHOOLED FURTHER THE DOGS WILL GO ANOTHER COUPLE OF MONTHS BEFORE SCHOOLING REGULARLY DUE TO THEIR SIZE. FINGERS CROSSED FOR ALL INVOLVED.

 

 

DROOPYS BETSON RETIRES

 

MIXED EMOTIONS FOR ALL AT THE KENNEL THIS WEEK AS ONE OF OUR FAVOURITES DROOPYS BETSON (SERGE) LEFT US TO TAKE UP HOME IN STEVENAGE WITH PAUL AND SHARON THORNE. DESPITE VARIOUS ATTEMPTS OVER THE PAST TWELVE MONTHS HE WAS STRUGGLING TO RETURN FROM A RUPTURED FCU TENDON OWNER JON MILES AND I TOOK THE DECISION TO RETIRE HIM GRACEFULLY RATHER THAN RISK FURTHER INJURY.

 

BETSON CONTESTED AN ALL OPEN RACE CAREER BARRING HIS LAST RACE, AN A1 CONTEST AT MONMORE WHICH SAW HIM INJURED AND FINISH DOWN THE FIELD. THAT APART, HE HAS HAD A BRILLIANT CAREER RUNNING WINNING OPENS ON SIX DIFFERENT TRACKS! HE MADE THE SEMI-FINAL OF THE WIMBLEDON PUPPY DERBY (MISSING THE FINAL BY A SHD) HE MADE THE SEMI-FINAL OF THE PALL MALL, THE SEMI-FINAL OF THE STEEL CITY CUP, THE FINAL OF THE LADBROKES SUMMER FESTIVAL (ABOVE T3) AND WON OPENS AT ROMFORD, OXFORD, MONMORE, BRIGHTON, SHEFFIELD AND SWINDON ON SKY IN A SUPPORTING RACE ON LAURELS FINAL NIGHT.

 

HE HAS BEEN AN ABSOLUTE JOY TO WORK WITH AND GAVE THE KENNEL AND HIS OWNER SOME MEMORABLE NIGHTS. BIG THANKS TO SHARON AND PAUL FOR GIVING HIM THE RUN OF THEIR HOME AND TAKING HIM IN AS PART OF THEIR FAMILY. HAVE FUN BOY!! 

 

 

STUNNING PHOTOS BY MR YANEZ

 

SUPERB GREYHOUND PHOTOGRAPHER DAVE YANEZ SNAPPED SOME QUITE STUNING PHOTOS OF OUR HOUNDS WHEN HE ATTENDED SUNDAYS OWNERS DAY BARBECUE. THE ABOVE PHOTO OF FARLOE OAK IS PARTICULARLY BEAUTIFUL AND ONE MY FAVOURITES. DAVE HAS BEEN A HUGE HELP TO THE KENNEL, APART FROM PROVIDING VALUABLE CONTENT BY WAY OF HIS MAGNIFICENT PHOTOS HE ALSO DESIGNED AND CONSTRUCTED OUR WEBSITE WHICH HE STILL MANANGES FOR US. LIZ AND I WOULD LIKE TO THANK HIM SINCERELY FOR ALL HIS EFFORTS. YOU CAN SEE ALL OF DAVES OWNERS DAY BARBECUE PHOTOS ON HIS YAN PHOTOGRAPHY WEBSITE VIA THE LINK ON OUR HOME PAGE.

 

 

OWNERS DAY BARBECUE A BIG HIT

 

SUNDAYS OWNERS DAY BARBECUE WAS A BIG HIT WITH AROUND 80 OWNERS AND FRIENDS PASSING THROUGH DURING THE AFTERNOON. LIZ AND I WERE DESPERATE TO SEE ALL OUR OWNERS IN THE ONE PLACE AS THIS HAS BEEN ALMOST UNACHIEVEABLE SINCE MOVING TO MONMORE. THANKFULLY WE HAD A QUITE SUPERB DAY FOR IT WITH EVERYONE ENJOYING THE OCTOBER SUNSHINE!!

 

ACE PHOTOGRAPHER  (AND LILYPAD RACINGS WEBSITE MANAGER) DAVID YANEZ WAS ON HAND AND TOOK SOME BRILLIANT PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE GREYHOUNDS AND OTHER SUBJECTS TO RECORD THE EVENT. THE CHILDREN TOOK FULL ADVANTAGE OF THE BOUNCY CASTLE WE HIRED AND THE FOOD AND DRINK FLOWED FREELY IN A VERY WARM AND RELAXING ATMOSPHERE.

 

GARY THOMPSON WAS PRESENTED WITH HIS PRIZE (A ONE-OFF DESIGN LILYPAD RACING HOODIE) FOR WINNING THE RECENT THURSDAY NIGHT TIPPING COMPETITION RUN ON OUR OWNERS FORUM AND OWNERS BARRY, LYNETTE AND JAMIE WARNER PROVIDIED AND COOKED ALL THE BARBECUE FOOD FOR US SO A HUGE THANKS TO THEM AND STAFF FROM BARRYS (BUTCHERS) OF CARTERTON FOR ALL THEIR HELP. THANKS ALSO TO TRACEY AND DAVE BUSTIN FOR ALL THEIR HELP AND SUPPORT AND TO OUR STAFF WHO WERE A CREDIT TO THE COMPANY NAME.

 

LAST THANKS GOES TO MY WIFE LIZ, WHO, APART FROM ALSO PROVIDING FOOD FOR THE BUFFET, HAD TO PUT WITH MY WHINGEING AND WORRYING RIGHT UP TO THE START OF THE EVENT. 

 

 

FANTASY PUPS ARE REAL BEAUTYS

 

OUR LITTER BY PREMIER FANTASY AND ROEVIEW BEAUTY WILL BE THREE WEEKS THIS WEEKEND AND THEY ARE REALLY GOING GREAT GUNS! ALL EIGHT OF THE PUPS ARE HEALTHY AND GROWING WELL AND TO SAY THE PUPS ARE UNIFORM IN SIZE WOULD BE SOMEWHAT OF AN UNDERSTATEMENT. I POSTED THE PHOTO (ABOVE) OF ONE OF THE BLACK BITCHES ONTO OUR FACEBOOK PAGE AND GOT AN INCREDIBLE RESPONSE ......... WELL SHE IS A CUTIE!! (LOL) THERE WERE THREE DOGS AND FIVE BITCHES AND THEY ARE BLACK AND BLACK & WHITE IN COLOUR. YOURS TRULY WILL NO DOUBT MOAN AND GROAN ABOUT THEIR PROGRESS UP UNTIL THEY LEAVE US BUT THEN THAT WOULDN'T BE ANYTHING  NEW, I'M RENOWN AROUND THE KENNELS FOR FRETTING OVER OUR LITTERS! (LOL)

 

 

LONGWOOD BOUND SETTLES IN WELL

 

COLIN CALLOWS LONGWOOD BOUND HAS SETTLED IN WELL THUS FAR SINCE JOINING US  LAST WEEK. BOUND HAS PLYED HIS TRADE IN TOP COMPANY SINCE JOINING COLINS LONGWOOD RANGE LAST YEAR. COLIN HAS STEERED HIM TO MAJOR FINALS INCLUDING THE ARC AT SWINDON AND THE SUSSEX CUP AT HOVE. COLIN HAS DECIDED TO SCALE DOWN AND CONCENTRATE ON HIS BUSINESS COMMITMENTS OVER THE WINTER AND SO WE WERE DELIGHTED WHEN HE ENTRUSTED US TO LOOK AFTER THE DOG, KNOWN AS 'AJ' AROUND THE KENNEL. WE HAVE NO IMMEDIATE PLANS AT PRESENT BUT COLIN (A GOOD PAL OF MINE) AND I HAVE DISCUSSED POSSIBLE COMPETITION ENTRIES FOR THE DOG DURING WINTER.