The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1925-10-27
800 GREYH0UNDS
IN KANSAS RACE
JACK RABBITS FAIL TO ENJOY
DOG SPEED CLASSIC, MANY
FAST DOGS ARE USED.

OSWEGO. Kan.-Eight hundred OF
the worlds heetest greyhounds-the
bride Of England, Ireland and Amer,
"a are participating in one thousand
races here during the meet OF the Ma
,;nrsI Corrsing Association which be-
gan Friday. ,,..o
also participating. But 10 the rabbits
The race means more than winning a
share OF the $4,000 purse. To them It
means racing for lie or death,
II cannot be said, however, that the
lack rabbits-rated as they are in Kan
sas as pests, with a bounty on their
beads-are not getting sporting
chance. They are trained tor the races
almost as carefully as are the hounds.
And haven" is provided Tor those
who can get over the fifteen hundred
loot course with an eighty-yard start
before they are overtaken by one OF
the fleet, lean grey streaks.
Even those rabbits which are over
taken would have the satisfaction OF
knowing, if they understood the ways
Of the thoroughbred greyhound, that
thew are not to be ANONYMOUSLY eat
en-. Grevhounds are the dyed-ln-the-
wool sports their owners profess TO be
Once the rabbit is captured and killed
the greyhound has no further interest
in il. Sheer animal instinct TO demon
strate his superiority i'll the chase IS
all that goads him on.
Although the rabbit chase IS the
spectacular part OF the event, the main
Object is not to see how many can be
killed. The object is to attain the
greatest Aeetness in the hounds on
which the scores in the races are bas-
ed However, ii a hound captures an
exceptionally fast bunny il is to the
dogs advantage-or his owner Sin
the final scoring
You don't have to bet on dog TO
get thrill out of seeing the hounds
strike ont over the course in lightning
pursuit OF a rabbit which has been
given a sporting chance for IFS HE.
The races are run in pairs. A start
ing cage has been constructed to &C
commodate a large number OF dogs.
so that 100 races can be run of each
dav At the start a rabbit is placed
on the ground directly in front OF the
cages in which the hounds are STRAIN
ing.
There is no question about which
way the rabbit will run. He has been
schooled, night after night, by being
released on the race course and given
an opportunity to learn that the only
way out is the longest way-the
straight road down the course to the
tiny haven" into which dog cannot
follow.
When the rabbit has proceeded
eighty yards the starter-thls year II
is Daniel P. O'Mahoney, direct from
county Ger K, Ireland-"slips the
hounds" by a deft turn Of the hand.
Then the race is on.
Like a flash two lean hounds streak
down the course in pursuit OF the fly
ing ball Of fur. Ii the hounds are fleet,
or the rabbits not too spry, the race
usually ends a few yards from the
safety haven But if the rabbit IS fleet
enough to make his escape he doesn't
have to play any more,
The dogs, on the other hand go
back to their cages to await the next
race Their lie IS not all dog biscuits
and milk by any means. They have
to be at the course days ahead OF the
opening OF the meet in order to learn
the course, become accustomed to the
soil, which greatly affects their speed,
and to get into condition. They are
fed sparingly by special dieticians to
prevent their becoming too sleek and
lazy.
Greyhound racing as sport IS
hundreds OF years old, but only in re-
cent years has it begun to grow in
popularity in this country. The Oswe-
20 meet, however, it declared to be
the largest courseing meet held any
where in the world, which should give
small thrill Of pride even to the Kan
sas jack rabbits.