Vol 12 / No 4 28 February 2020 Fortnightly by Subscription calendar Trainers’ Notice: Hydration of Greyhounds Changes to Trainers’ Licensing and Residential Kennel Inspections SKILFUL SANDIE (t4) leads on the run up and at all eight bends to take the 2020 Ladbrokes Golden Jacket at Crayford for owners Graham Carpenter and Richard Photo: Steve Nash Marling, and trainer Patrick Janssens. FOR ALL THE LATEST NEWS - WWW.GBGB.ORG.UK Follow GBGB on Twitter @greyhoundboard @gbgbstaff and Instagram and Facebook CATEGORY ONE FINALS Date Distance Track Event Sun 1st March 480mH Central Park 2020 Cearnsport Springbok Fri 13th March 400m Romford Coral Golden Sprint Sat 21st March 500m Sheffield Racing Post Greyhound TV Steel City Cup Sat 21st March 480m Puppies Monmore Ladbrokes Puppy Derby 2020 Sat 4th April 695m Brighton & Hove Coral Regency Sat 16th May 500m Nottingham The Star Sports, ARC & LPS Greyhound Derby 2020 Further competitions to be confirmed. Above dates may be subject to change. STADIA CELEBRATE NHS STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS Greyhound stadia across the country will be offering special promotions to all NHS staff and volunteers throughout March to recognise the incredible work they do. This promotion is being run as a partnership between participating RCPA stadia and details of individual tracks’ offers will be appearing at tracks and online over the course of this week. David Evans, General Manager at Nottingham Greyhound Stadium, said: “We are delighted to be offering entrance, a racecard, a drink, burger and chips and a re-admission voucher here at Nottingham throughout March for NHS staff. It’s great that a number of tracks are coming together to run this promotion which is our opportunity to reward people locally who do so much to keep our communities thriving.” Karen McMillan, General Manager at Romford Greyhound Stadium, said: “We are really looking forward to NHS month here at Romford. Alongside the other Ladbrokes Coral tracks, we will be offering free admission for all NHS workers and volunteers and a guest, plus a free race card, drink and a Jackpot bet each. We are really pleased to have the opportunity to say a huge ‘thank you’ to our local NHS staff. “We will be getting in touch with our local doctors and hospitals to let them know about the promotion and we hope that our trainers and owners can also help spread the word.” PRACTIONER DIRECTORS The GBGB is seeking to fill an upcoming Practitioner Director (Trainer) vacancy for its Main Board. Any GBGB Registered Professional Trainer is invited to state in writing and in detail why he/ she should be considered for the position of trainer representative on the Board. Nominations should be accompanied by the names and signatures of two fellow trainers as proposer and seconder. PROCESS Nominations should be emailed to [email protected] or mailed to: The Nominations Committee GBGB Genesis House 17 Godliman Street London EC4V 5BD. The closing date for nominations is Friday 6th March 2020. The GBGB Nominations Committee will review each application having regard for such factors, including, but not limited to, the nominated person’s honesty, integrity, reputation, competence and capability as well as whether their appointment would facilitate the effective functioning of the Main Board and the delivery of good corporate responsibility. Nominees must be prepared to foster constructive relations with fellow directors, members of GBGB committees and nominated representative groups and be prepared to accept and work within the principle of collective responsibility. The GBGB Nominations Committee will select a shortlist from the nominations, following which an election under the auspices of GBGB’s independent auditors will take place. It is anticipated that the successful candidate will take their place as Practitioner Director at the GBGB Main Board meeting on Thursday 21st May 2020. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Calendar notice: 14th February 2020 Nomination deadline: 6th March 2020 Voting cards to be sent: 27th March 2020 Voting Deadline: 17th April 2020 Election count: 23rd April 2020 (Barnes Roffe) Board meeting: 21st May 2020 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CALENDAR 1 REACHING THE GOLD STANDARD: TRAINERS’ KENNELS TO BE PART OF GBGB’S UKAS ACCREDITATION ~ New Code of Practice brings together guidelines on greyhound welfare from across the sport for the very first time ~ The British greyhound industry has taken another step forward in cementing its place as amongst the best in the world for greyhound welfare. From this month, all residential kennels will be externally audited to ensure they are upholding the very highest welfare standards. All greyhound residential kennels will now be subject to an independent inspection from NSF International as GBGB seeks to extend its UKAS accreditation which up until now has only covered the licensing of racecourses. Auditors from NSF, which has extensive experience of conducting animal welfare audits, will be licensed by GBGB and will begin contacting trainers from next month to arrange an inspection. The findings of these inspections will be shared with GBGB to inform decisions on the issuing of its trainer licences for 2021. Trainers’ current licences will be unaffected and trainers will still be required to arrange an annual veterinary kennel inspection as normal. The new inspections will be based on the criteria detailed in the PAS 251: 2017 ‘Specification for Greyhound Trainers’ Residential Kennels’. This document will be made available in the new Trainers’ portal on the GBGB website. All GBGB licenced trainers will shortly be receiving a letter explaining how to access it. To assist trainers to prepare for these new inspections, GBGB is also launching a new Code of Practice. This is a comprehensive manual covering all aspects of caring for a greyhound’s mental and physical health and includes recommendations on the construction, maintenance and management of kennels as well as guidelines on environmental enrichment, exercise, nutrition and dental care. The Code of Practice has been produced in consultation with trainers, veterinary professionals and animal welfare partners and seeks to be a helpful and practical tool. It is intended to be a ‘living’ reference document, so will be updated periodically. 2 VOL 12 NO 4 28 FEBRUARY 2020 Hard copies of the Code of Practice will be sent to all licenced kennels and will be made available on the GBGB website. Commenting on the new Code of Practice, Peter Harnden, GBGB Trainers’ Representative, said: “The new Code of Practice gives clear guidelines of what is expected of all trainers and will make sure that standards across our sport are brought up to those of the best. Trainers will be familiar with a lot of the guidance contained within it but having all the information in one place is really helpful for us all. It means that every member of kennel staff, whatever their experience level, is working from the same guidelines.” Mark Bird, Managing Director of the Greyhound Board of Great Britain, said: “Our new inspection and accreditation procedures, as well as the launch of the Code of Practice, signal a step change in welfare standards in our sport and I would like to thank all our trainers for their support as we introduce these. By including residential kennels in our UKAS accreditation, we are demonstrating to everyone – both within and outside the sport – our unwavering commitment to upholding the very highest welfare standards for our greyhounds. “Through the Code of Practice, we are now providing a thorough, evidence- based guide to all these aspects of greyhound care and a clear framework for everyone to follow. It will become the definitive reference document for trainers and kennel staff to use for their day-to-day operations. Along with the new inspections, it will mean that we can ensure all GBGB registered greyhounds receive the best treatment, both at the track and at home in their trainers’ kennels.” Paul Illingworth, Senior Stipendiary Steward, said: “Whilst much of what is contained within the Code of Practice will be familiar to trainers in terms of day-to-day routines, it will ensure that everyone working in the industry has the knowledge, advice and support they need to provide the very best standards of care.” “Over the coming weeks and months, GBGB Stipendiary Stewards will be continuing to work closely with trainers and kennel staff to ensure they are successfully embedding the Code into their daily routines and kennel environment. Anyone with any questions about the new inspection process or the Code of Practice should contact their Stipendiary Steward.” CALENDAR 3 HYDRATION OF GREYHOUNDS GBGB would like to remind all trainers and racecourses that it is both a legal and GBGB requirement that greyhounds have unrestricted access to clean drinking water at all times. Dehydration in a greyhound is a contributory factor for under performance, cramping and can cause elevated potassium levels in blood which can increase the risk of heart failure. Dehydration is easily avoidable, and the following advice should always be followed – ignoring this advice shall result in disciplinary action being taken. At the racecourse The racecourse shall ensure that clean drinking water is always available in the paddock area, while clean drinking vessels should be supplied by either the trainer or the racecourse. A suitable quantity of water (min 500ml) shall be placed with the greyhound in its race kennel following its veterinary inspection. There shall be no dispensation to this rule. Should a greyhound require muzzling when in the race kennel, the trainer shall ensure that the muzzle and water vessel is of a type that does not restrict the greyhound from taking water. Following its race, each greyhound shall be given the opportunity to take clean drinking water upon returning to the paddock and a suitable quantity of water shall be placed in the kennel with the greyhound when returning to its race kennel.