We got truly beautiful weather for Beagle Racing yesterday, and the racing itself was particularly exciting. It started out with an elimination-style event. The dogs raced each other in pairs, with only the winner going through to the next round. When only four dogs remained a final race was held. After that came “The Grand National” – a free-for-all where all dogs ran together with no colored jackets and therefore precious little hope of recording the finishing order!

There was a good turnout overall; some regulars were missing (notably Sam and Milo) but there were some new faces, and the return of Sophie – one of Beanie’s best friends from the park. Once the draws had been made it turned out that Beanie was going straight through to the second round – there was an odd number of Beagles and she got lucky. To even things out though, we put her in an extra race against Kai – a frisky eight month old mixed breed pup who’d come along to support his Beagle chum Honey.

Kai

Race organiser Graham gave Kai a head start over Beanie (more to keep them apart than anything else – they seemed very keen to wrestle each other) but Kai didn’t really start running until Beanie was level with him. This was just as well, because once Kai got going he was very fast. Beanie had to run very hard indeed to win, but win she did, much to my relief!

Kai’s Beagle chum Honey is apparently even faster, but this was her race debut and she seemed very unsure about it all. Her dad gave her a very good start…

but after a few steps she lost confidence and stopped.

Undeterred, her owner gently coaxed her down the track and across the line, so she got to finish her first ever race – that’s more than Beanie did on her debut!

Another racing newbie called Freya did spectacularly well though – she won her heat, but sadly had to skip the other rounds as her family had to leave early for a prior engagement.

Freya – a “natural” if there was one!

Beanie’s chum Sophie had a very exciting race against Pebel.

She just lost at the line to the more experienced racer, but she clearly enjoyed herself and it was great to see her romping down the track, full of energy.

In between the official heats one or two of the non-Beagle regulars also had a go on the track.

The close-cut grass must have seemed like an untamed jungle, but little Odie still battled through it like a trouper!

In the second round Beanie was up against Lynn Sanford’s sweet little girl Tammie. Tammie generally only completes a race if she feels like it, and I’m glad to say this on this occasion her mood was favorable…

…but despite her efforts Beanie won the race and was now through to the final.

It was no surprise to see Derby winner Murphy in the final, and going on past results it was highly likely he would beat Beanie. This time however Beanie got a good start while Murphy’s was not quite so clean, and in the closing quarter of the race Beanie was fractionally in the lead.

But like a true champion, Murphy dug deep and managed to edge past Beanie as they crossed the line!

Murphy wins by a (moist, black) nose

Now it was time for the Grand National. Kai was allowed to run with the Beagles, and within the first few yards the lure seemed to stick and he caught it!

This caused a lot confusion for some of the dogs – not least Beanie and Murphy who both took a brief time-out to see what was going on. The lure quickly started up again and the race was back on, but while Murphy pushedhis way back through to the front and went on to win, Beanie never really got back into her stride.

Still she had great fun, and to give her an extra race Susan asked if there was a slow whippet that she could run with. I think that message got garbled, because the little boy she ended up racing against was Toby – one of the fastest, if not the fastest, at the club. Beanie got a sizeable head start but Toby had already passed her at the halfway point:

and after that, well, you can guess the rest!

She loved every second of it though, and was yelping loudly as Toby pulled away from her, just as she does when she’s chasing the fast dogs at her local park.

So Murphy got two more red rosettes for his collection, Beanie got another blue for hers, and when Kai and Honey’s owners next visit the track they’ll get this:

.. a special rosette awarded to Kai for being such a fast and entertaining little boy!

You’ll find more photos from the racing here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/27172079@N08/sets/72157606571428064/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/27172079@N08/sets/72157607764556742/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/27172079@N08/sets/72157607765111162/

As is often the case, we set off to Beagle Racing a little late yesterday, yet still arrived well before the whippets had finished, so I took a couple of shots of the speed demons doing their thing:

A youngster just getting the hang of the track, owned – appropriately – by “Scooby”

Sky (aka “Mammie’s Baby”) in action

As the Beagle slot rapidly approached, we learned that Beanie was about to get her first taste of time trials. These start with each Beagle doing a timed solo run down the 120 yard track. Once all dogs have been timed, their performance against the clock is used to calculate handicaps for the subsequent races – the faster dogs starting behind the others. As with the points races, this is one of those situations where it’s best not to shine too brightly early on.

We had no idea how Beanie was going to perform against the clock. She’d never chased the lure on her own before, and we’ve always felt that it’s the thrill of running in a pack that makes her enjoy racing so much. Running solo, there was no guarantee that she would even cross the finish line! What’s more, we had no idea if she’d fully recovered her zest for life after our brief, unsuccessful experiment with a raw food diet.

Still, she was baying very loudly and straining at her lead as she queued up for her turn, so I was cautiously optimistic as I headed down to the finish line to catch her.  When the “go” signal was given, she set off quickly and chased the lure right down the track with total concentration.

I thought she’d done well, and the results backed me up. There wasn’t much in it, and it has to be said that two of the fastest dogs (Murphy and Milo) weren’t present, but our little pup had clocked the fastest time. Fantastic! Of course as the fastest dog she’d also be starting right at the back in every one of her races.

Beanie’s first race put her up against Abbey (winner of the fastest bitch trophy earlier in the year) and Sam, one of the fastest males. She was starting some distance behind both of them, but usually that inspires her to run even faster. As the group passed the half-way point she was actually closing in on Sam..

Abbey in front, Sam in second, and Beanie closing fast!

In the last few yards Beanie made it past Sam – a great achievement in a level race, but even more impressive given that he started ahead of her. Abbey had started in pole position and she finished that way too, but Beanie was through to the next round. She got a big chunk of dried liver, a hug and rest while the other heats got under way..

In the next round, Beanie started 16 yards behind the front dog, and had to finish in the first two to make it through to the final.

As in the first heat, a clear leader quickly emerged and there was a tough battle to decide second and third place..

Well, OK, “battle” is the wrong word because it’s pretty obvious both dogs were loving every second of it! But somehow Beanie got fractionally ahead at the finish and secured her place in the final.

The consolation race was next. Pebel won convincingly…

…despite some very determined competition!

In the final it was Abbey, the two brothers Breac and Tiarnach, and Beanie right at the back.

Beanie caught up with Breac and Tiarnach in the closing stage of the race..

.. and just managed to grab second place at the line, but Abbey held on to her lead for the win!

Abbey, Beanie, Breac, Tiarnach and Pebel

It was a great return to form for our little pup though, and I’m certain it was the return to balanced, dry food that was responsible. We saw a decline when she was on raw for breakfast and kibble for her evening meal. When we switched over to raw completely her energy levels dropped through the floor – to the extent that she lost confidence when playing with other dogs in the park. Now that she’s back on dry food (Burns Active at the moment) she’s completely recovered her lust for life. The full raw diet seems to work well for many dogs, but not for Beanie. However, we do intend to keep giving her occasional raw treats (marrow bones and such) in case there’s anything in raw food that might help keep her gut in good shape and her allergies under control.

Yep if it’s Sunday, it MUST be Beagle Racing.

Today races were all for points, and as before, a handicap system was in effect. This forces the dogs who’ve won previous points races to start some distance behind their less successful peers. As it turns out, a handicap isn’t just applied to a winning dog’s next race and then forgotten – it sticks, but is reduced by one yard each week until the dog is starting level again. I think that’s actually quite a nice system – as the season progresses it gives the slower dogs an increasing chance to win. However, today’s races were also subject to weight handicapping, which favors lighter dogs, and forces heavier dogs to the back. What’s more, the handicapping was capped, ie. there was a limit on just how far back a heavy, fast dog would have to start. It was all very complicated, but somehow Carolyne (Murphy’s mum) worked it out and the racing got under way.

Thanks to all the handicaps, Beanie was pretty much starting at the front in her races, so it wasn’t any great surprise when she won her first heat convincingly:

As you can see, I finally managed to capture Beanie doing her Superman impersonation. I’ve caught most of the other Beagles at full stretch before, but not Beanie. Unfortunately low light made the pic a bit grainy, but still, I’m chuffed!

Her second race was much harder, as Derby winner Murphy rocketed through the field to win, but Beanie got second place and so was through to the final:

This time Beanie held on to her lead and won, with Murphy in second and Sam in third. Fantastic! However having won, Beanie will be starting at the very back in her next points race. That’s why it’s often better to finish second consistently if you’re after the end of season points prize.

Beanie doesn’t care about racing tactics though. For her, it’s all about the thrill of the chase.. and of course the chicken – or in this case the WainWrights dried liver cubes -waiting for her at the finish line.