From: cotton@cbnewsi.cb.att.com (carol.jean.swanson)
Subject: Just finished our Third Lure Trial! (Long)
Organization: AT&T
Distribution: na
Date: Mon, 23 Nov 1992 15:18:45 GMT


Hi:
Ginger, my 1.2 yr old Basenji (who we got in June
from the SPCA) and I just finished up
our third ASFA Lure Field Trial!  Yeah!  Already, I gotten
to learn about the sport and *hope* that future meets
go smoother..

Trial #1 was in Burlington County, NJ sponsored by the Jersey Rag Racers.
We went to the Sunday course (Nov 1).
It was an unbelievable trial.  A whippet hurt a leg (it may of been
a break but its hard to tell).  2 of the Basenjis got Disqualified
(so now I now the difference between dismissed and disqualified
and started to hear the views on why Basenjis aren't sighthounds)
cause they were starting to go after each other on the field
after the lure string broke (for the umpteenth time).  Ofcourse,
they were as far away as possible from the starting line. (The dogs
are judged until they are back on leash -- so even if your dogs are
pumped and the lure breaks.......) Wow! what a way to 
start "officially" coursing.  

Anyway, Ginger had a horrible first run....A 60.  Her second
run was a 75 or 76 (one of the better scores for a BAsneji run
that day).  After it was all done (and because of the DQ), Ginger 
got 2nd place.   (And I learned I needed to crate her some
before her runs so she wouldn't be too tired/distracted).
We heard at the Sun meet that the Sat meet had to be moved 'cause
they showed up at the field and found our someone else had an event
scheduled for it.

Trial 2 and 3 were at Colts Neck NJ with Garden State Sighthound Assoc.
(nov 21/22)
Sat was marred by lots and lots of the line string breaking.  Almost
every run was stopped!  Looks like all the NEW string the GSSA recieved
was bad!  (of course, a couple of the breaks were causes when the Whippets and
Rhodesian Ridgebacks caught the lure). Ginger ran 
against one other Basenji and ended up with
first place/Best of Breed.  I went ahead and ran her in Best of
Field just to see how she'd run with other breeds.  We ran against
William the Whippet (son of Panther).  Ginger was having a wonderful
run until she lost the lure on a straighaway (William was booking and
was ahead of her).  Unfortanely, there was a couple w/dog standing
on the field where they shouldn't of been.  Ginger looked at them
for a brief moment -- and then saw the lure and started after it again!
I was really really happy she  decided the lure was more interesting than
the couple w/dog.  Other stats/info.  William the Whippet
took BOF/BOB for Whippets.  it was his first Trial.  Ellie, the
adopted Greyhound, took BOB on her first time out.  She didn't run
in BOF 'cause she took a spill in the BOB run.  There were about 40 dogs
and we finshed around 4:30.

Sun's trial wasn't much better since the line was still
breaking *ALOT* AND it was RAINING.  We ended up running BOF in the
dark in the rain with car headlights to 
help light the field.  A FhC whippet (I forgot
the name -- I'm still too new to recall all the dogs) 
took BOF.  Ginger (who had no competition in the Basenji 
category) was only 1 pt behind in BOF.  We had several people come
up and say they thought we should of won BOF! Oh Well.  There
was also a Greyhound (not Ellie who was still sore from her Sat spill)
and a Borzoi running BOF.  Ginger ran with the Borzoi.  I think running
her in BOF showed she is competive.  Besides, I think she wanted to
run again.  Heaven knows, if she and the Borzoi hadn't trotted off to play
after their run, she mighta won.

We had more dogs on Sun and greater variety.  One Pharahoh Hound, 4/5 Runs
of Rhodesian Ridgebacks, 4 Deerhounds, 3 runs of 
Greyhounds. 9 runs of Whippets, One Wolfhound, 1 Run Basenjis (Ginger),
2 runs of Salukis, 3 Runs of Borzois.  I don't recall any Afgans though.
Also got to see 2 puppy Deerhounds and a puppy Whippet. Makes your
heart melt.  Also got some kicks from one of the RR owners trying
to catch their hound.  It doesn't like to come when called and
thinks trying to catch it is a game.  I think the owner Plunged
at the dog twice and bit the dirt both times.  It is funny to
see a human body flying in the air and the dog just moves enough...

Funny thing is, though, despite the long days, broken line, darkness,
I think we'll do it again.

Carol and Ginger.

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